The U.S. Soccer Federation elected Dr. Bob Contiguglia
to a four-year term as President on Saturday, as he received
57.6% of the votes cast and defeated USSF Exec VP Larry
Monaco, according to Paul Arnett of the WASHINGTON POST.
Contiguglia, who will replace outgoing President Alan
Rothenberg, said that he "intends to have the USSF bid to
host the 2010 World Cup." He hopes to form a committee "as
quickly as possible and get together and put a bid package
together" to host the 2010 Cup, which "likely" will be
awarded in about six years. Contiguglia added that
Rothenberg "will be actively involved not only in a national
team coach selection committee he plans to form, but also in
deciding what direction U.S. soccer takes over the next four
years." Rothenberg had endorsed Contiguglia as his
successor. Arnett reported that one "surprise" from the
annual meeting was that MLS Deputy Commissioner Sunil Gulati
"failed to get elected" as U.S. Soccer's Exec VP, losing by
11 votes to John Motta, the former President of the New
Hampshire Soccer Association (WASHINGTON POST, 8/23). In
L.A., Grahame Jones wrote the vote was "not even close," and
that Contiguglia wants "more emphasis put on developing
players from an early age" (L.A. TIMES, 8/23). In N.Y.,
Michael Lewis wrote that while Rothenberg will be a
"difficult act to follow," some observers feel that he will
"have a heavy influence on Contiguglia." But Contiguglia
countered, "I'm my own man" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/23).
LEGACY: In L.A., Grahame Jones reviewed Rothenberg's
Administration and called it "an end to the most successful
era the sport has enjoyed" in the U.S.: "There is a fear in
the soccer community that no matter who is elected, a
leadership vacuum will result. On the other hand, some
believe that because Rothenberg will stay on U.S. Soccer's
board of directors as immediate past president, he still
will be pulling the strings" (L.A. TIMES, 8/22). In
Baltimore, Lowell Sunderland writes that some say
Rothenberg's legacy "warrants mention in the same breath" as
the late Pete Rozelle and the NBA's David Stern: "Time will
tell his exact place in the sport's history. But at the
very least, Rothenberg guided U.S. soccer closer to the
promised land than anyone else" (Baltimore SUN, 8/24).
