College Soccer News pre-season rankings...

[courtside]

I counted six Billiken opponents in College Soccer News pre-season top 30 poll.(including 4 in top 15, #1 and #2) Obviously polls are for entertainment purposes and are always subject to change. SLU comes in at #20. Also included in the poll SLU pr-season exhibition opponent Creighton,...and in others to watch...Steve's very own GW. Plenty of other schools with STL ties in the mix.

For soccer and non-soccer folks alike on this board, the HOME games that obviously stand out to go see, are:

#2 Duke and Michigan.

SLU will have to fare well in road games early, vs SMU, Tulsa, ND and IU before getting to the softer spots on the schedule. Not much different than past years.

http://www.collegesoccernews.com/index_files/page0002.htm

[billikenmetz]

We have to load up the front end of the schedule with tough non-conference games because the A-10 is soft in soccer.

[courtside]

SLU comes in at 25.

http://www.nscaa.com/docs/rankings/SeniorC..._ncaa_m_di.html

[thetorch]

I heard Coach Doniggan on the radio today with rammer. He said they had a couple englishman coming into play. One was here already with the team and the other was getting his visa together. Anybody have any info on these guys?

[SLUBALLS]

I wrote a guy who runs an ALBION football club site and asked about Kyle Patterson. Here's what he said:

Kyle ... hmm not much to say about him. Like nearly all the young players at West Bromwich Albion, he never got close to the first team. In the UK, particularly at the top level, when a manager feels he needs additional talent he'll normally buy a new player or loan one from another club. The question whether he'd be good enough to play for the mighty Baggies can never really be answered.

His time at the Albion is what you might call an apprenticeship and nearlyall the players end up leaving. Kyle was told early in 2005 he wasn't getting a deal so looked elsewhere. In February, he had a trial with Hereford United (effectively a Division Five club) where the club's assistant manager knew him. That trial didn't work out but he had another one at Bournemouth in March (a Division Three club) where their assistant manager also knew him. He didn't get a deal there either. I'm not sure what that says about Kyle's recent abilities! Still, pleased he's fixed up.

The words below are a piece that I wrote for the Hereford United website in

February.

All the best

Simon

My first memory of Kyle Patterson stems from Old Trafford back in August 2002 when, if memory serves me right, he made his reserve team debut up front, at the age of 16. He was quick but otherwise understandably struggled with the occasion. Albion lost 1-0. This was my second visit to OT in four days as a quirk of the fixtures sent both our first and second teams to Salford in August. Our visit was to be the only second team fixture that was played at the Theatre of Dreams so Kyle dropped lucky.

Since then, he's struggled to get regular football, partly because other more experienced strikers like Super Bobby Taylor, Scott Dobie, Danny Carey-Bertram and others needed match fitness too and Kyle often got squeezed out. But each game meant a little more experience and a little more strength. This season, Patters has seen more reserve action, featuring on the bench or as a starter in virtually every game since November. Unfortunately, he's not scoring against professionals and that's a worry. Finding the net in the

Youth Alliance isn't a problem at all but then again, this League from

Albion's perspective, is so weak. No disrespect at all but Albion's kids should not be playing Hereford's kids in a Youth League. It only happens because the Baggies are still without an academy. Kyle has 12 League goals to his name, with four of those against the Bulls.

Kyle is very quick, even against seasoned pros. His body strength is

excellent and in best Tucka traditions (Trewick, Hereford's assistant

manager), he's comfortable in possession. He performed particularly well against Villa (sadly the best side in the League) in the back end of 2004.

That he's played for the Bulls could be the first sign that he doesn't have a long-term Albion future. I'm using intelligent guesswork that his three year apprenticeship may be up in the summer. I may be wrong of course. Tucka will remember young Kyle. With Tucka Trewick being a former team mate of Albion manager Bryan Robson and both of them hailing from the North-East,

I'm sure that Robbo is perfectly willing to help out where required. Still, it's significant that two of Kyle's team mates have been chosen to train with the first team but not him.

[billikenmetz]

All that crap sounds like it should be in a Harry Potter movie...or in a sports commentary from Monty Python...

in your best English accent...

"yes, and Stratford lost a greuling match to the ferocious opponent today, soundly being defeated in the skirmish 2 goals to a lowly 1. The club has taken a thourough shalacking today, Reginald. I will now strike my head repeatidly with a broomstick. Back to you, Reginald..."

Who cares, we now have a reason to act like Hooligans when the Brits take the pitch...it will make them feel at home if fans release road flares into the stands. I'm all for it! Go Team Go.

[SLUBALLS]

http://collegesoccernews.com/index_files/page0140.htm