Liga Mundo Season 9



Liga Mundo Season 9 ran from September 16, 2010 to December 16, 2010. The league saw a reduction in numbers from 36 teams to 32 with the loss of five teams and the addition of one. Stiinta Craiova joined the league as an expansion team on August 8, 2010. The Rush renamed Syracuse Salty Dogs on September 6, 2010. AFC reverted back to their previous name El Entrego on September 7, 2010 - but three days later became El Entrego AFC. Philadelphia Union renamed Oviedo Sporting on September 8, 2010. FC.Beijing, Dinamo Samo, USSRS, Voobaha National and SiPS folded on September 10, 2010 prior to the start of the season. The following day, El Entrego AFC came under new management which renamed the club FC Nagase.

Final Standings
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Primera Liga
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Statistics Leaders
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All-Star Team
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Segunda Liga
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Statistics Leaders
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All-Star Team
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Tercera Liga
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Statistics Leaders
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All-Star Team
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Cuarta Liga
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Statistics Leaders
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All-Star Team
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Retirements
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Notable Transfers
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Coaching Awards
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League MVP
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All-Liga Mundo All-Star Team
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Career Milestones

 * Ian Robertson (VolNation Volunteers) 100 League Points

Manager of the Season
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First Round
September 20 and 27

Second Round
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Quarter-Finals
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Semi-Finals
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Copa Cato II Finals
November 15 and 22

Press Releases & Previews
SEPTEMBER 9, 2010 - Thanks for the memories…

The following players retired at the conclusion of Liga Mundo Season 8 on August 28, 2010:
 * Vesa Vartia (SiPS) fullback, retired at age 35
 * Harvey Whitehead (Nordheim Badgers FC) midfielder, retired at age 39
 * Damian Resitnec (PEI FC) fullback, retired at age 35
 * Sean Trower (Texas Longhorns) midfielder, retired at age 31

Voobaha National (July 8, 2008 to September 10, 2010)

Voobaha National joined Liga Mundo as a member of the Segunda in Liga Mundo Season 3. With four of their six campaigns played in the Segunda Liga, VooNat became known as one of the consistently sound and strong Segunda teams but were unable to establish much staying power in the Primera. Their first attempt at Primera football came in Liga Mundo Season 6 and resulted in a second-to-last finish and relegation - only losing out to Keville United on goal-difference by 8 goals. National returned to the Primera Liga for Liga Mundo Season 8 and managed to stagger into a sixth-place finish and avoid relegation. However the wheels came off the cart when the club’s board of directors suddenly and without warning fired manager Voobaha at the conclusion of the season. This was then followed by the club executive wrapping up and terminating operations a couple of weeks later. Ironically enough, the season which cost Manager Voobaha his job would ultimately become VooNat's best finish in Liga Mundo.

The following noted veteran players departed from Liga Mundo after Voobaha National closed its doors for good:

Raimond Biezen - fullback, retired at age 30; Curtis Elliot - fullback, retired at age 27; Ard van Arum - midfielder, retired at age 34; Donovan Tipperary - forward, retired at age 33; Dirk Nieuwenburg - fullback, retired at age 33; Kees van der Vart - goalkeeper, retired at age 23; Xristostomos Zikos - forward, retired at age 22; Alexander Heggem - forward, retired at age 29; Mateo Iuliano - midfielder, retired at age 32; Marvin van Gobbel - fullback, retired at age 34

Raimond Biezen was the first and only VooNat player to achieve legendary status, with his 100th game coming in what would be the final match ever played by Voobaha National.

Sikkivukarin Palloseura – SiPS (July 20, 2008 to September 10, 2010)

Sikkivukarin Palloseura - better known by its Finnish abbreviated name SiPS - joined Liga Mundo in Liga Mundo Season 3 and won the inaugural campaign of the Tercera Liga. The following season in the Segunda they finished second place and thus reached the Primera from the Tercera in a record 24 matches. Their Primera debut was a baptism of fire and SiPS found themselves back in the Segunda for Liga Mundo Season 6. After two strong finishes (3rd and 1st) they gained promotion to the Primera for the second time heading into Liga Mundo Season 8. Unfortunately their return to the top flight of Liga Mundo was overshadowed by the abrupt announcement from player-manager Jarkko Salomäki that the club would be folding at the conclusion of Liga Mundo Season 8.

SiPS will probably be remembered by most Liga Mundo fans for their impressive El Legado Cup run in their very first season - making it all the way to the finals before succumbing to champions VolNation Volunteers. Their highest Liga Mundo finish during the regular season was their 8th (and last) place Primera finish in Liga Mundo Season 5.

The following noted veteran players - along with Vesa Vartia, who left on his own accord - departed from Liga Mundo after the club suspended operations on September 10, 2010:

Jarkko Salomäki - fullback, retired at age 30; Joni Rasimus - forward, retired at age 31; Jukka Tenhola - midfielder, retired at age 35; Raimo Suominen - midfielder, retired at age 32; Janne Hitonen - fullback, retired at age 27; Lasse Myllyjärvi - fullback, retired at age 31; Petteri Vahalahti - fullback, retired at age 29; Aleksi Salomäki - midfielder, retired at age 25; Riku Palander - fullback, retired at age 34; Matias Hammevik - goalkeeper, retired at age 34 ; Pasi Viuhko - midfielder, retired at age 30; Topi Jussila - forward, retired at age 24; Hessu Öörni - midfielder, retired at age 22

Jarkko Salomäki, Joni Rasimus, Jukka Tenhola, and Raimo Suominen all managed to achieve the distinction of legendary status during Liga Mundo Season 8 - with Suominen only just making his 100th match in the penultimate week of the season. Petteri Vahalahti leaves with the unique distinction of being the only other player (so far to date) besides Lois Luis to win the Liga MVP Award - doing so in Liga Mundo Season 6.

SEPTEMBER 14, 2010 - LIGA MUNDO ARTICLE OF THE WEEK (for PRE-SEASON)

- written by Pravus Ingruo of Syracuse Salty Dogs

Big Z Shows Big Promise, Syracuse Falls

In their pre-season tune up, Syracuse decided to go big with their retooled lineup. Challenging Tercera Liga champ from Season 8 and current Segunda Liga member Templar Forsworn to a friendly might have seemed like a foolhardy move, but to new coach Kell Sinclair and his squad, it provided valuable experience.

"We played well," Sinclair said after the match. "Obviously we would have loved to have won for the home faithful, but we gave Forsworn a run for their money. We were deadlocked with a Segunda team at the break. Let's not forget the positives just because the final scoreline didn't end up in our favor."

While the Salty Dogs fell 4-2, Sinclair did highlight a number of high points. The most obvious of these was Frantz Zettzmann who notched two goals in his first action as a Salty Dog. Perhaps more importantly, he did it in two different ways, once off a header in the 19th minute and once off a laser from inside the penalty area in the 68th. Both goals tied the match at their respective times. After both goals, Zettzmann did what can only be assumed will be his signature goal celebration: holding his left forearm aloft diagonally, and then moving his right forearm up and down, touching his right elbow to his left fist and then right fist to his left elbow, making a "Z" in the air. Most of his teammates did the celebration with him following the first goal, and some fans caught on by the second.

The other newcomers for the Salty Dogs had a slightly harder time than Big Z fitting in. Ambrosio Touriño, Waclaw Rybaczuk, and Reggie Monkhouse all had sub-par games, though it is the obvious hope of Sinclair that they will play better the longer they are with the team.

"Monkhouse played the worst, but that's to be expected. We only picked him up two days ago. If you don't think we should have tossed him in so soon, that's on me, not him. Obviously he wanted to get out and get playing. But the decision was mine, no one else's."

With the pre-season now over for them, the Salty Dogs look ahead to the regular season. Their fist match is on the road against the newly renamed Oviedo Sporting, formally known as the Philadelphia Union last season.

"It should be a good match," was all Sinclair would say about their upcoming opponents. Zettzmann had a little bit more to say.

"Look, I don't want to give them any buliten board material here," Big Z would say by his locker after the match with a smile on his face, "but everyone knows our goal. We're looking for promotion. And any team standing in between us and that goal, we're going to take them out of the way. So, take that however you will. I will guarentee at the end of the year, though, you'll see our name up in Tercera."

With Big Z at the helm, we just might.

Team Pages

 * 1984 Duckies FC
 * Arcadia FC
 * Estrella Roja
 * Transvaal Springboks