New York Cosmos (2010)
Encyclopedia
The New York Cosmos (ˈkɒzmoʊs) are an American soccer club based in New York City
. The team was formed in August 2010 by a consortium led by English businessman Paul Kemsley
, and aspires to become a franchise of Major League Soccer
, the top professional soccer league in the United States of America
and Canada
. The Cosmos are named after and claim lineage from the original New York Cosmos club
, which was active from 1971 to 1985.
The team's structure includes two players from the original team, Pelé
and Giorgio Chinaglia
, as honorary president and international ambassador respectively. Former France
and Manchester United
forward Eric Cantona
became director of soccer
in January 2011, with former United States
international Cobi Jones
as his deputy.
, active from 1971 to 1985, was the strongest franchise in the North American Soccer League
(NASL), both financially and competitively. At its height, it featured in its line-ups some of the most famous players in the world, including the Brazilian star Pelé
, but soon after his retirement in 1977 both the club and the league fell into decline. The NASL and the Cosmos were dissolved in 1984 and 1985 respectively.
After the Cosmos folded, the team's last general manager, G. Peppe Pinton, continued to run and operate the club's youth camps, which had started in 1977. With the rise of Major League Soccer
(MLS) during the late 1990s and 2000s, various New York City
area entities approached Pinton about using the name for an MLS franchise. The existing franchise in New York, the MetroStars, made relevant enquires both before and after becoming the New York Red Bulls in 2006.
Pinton was reluctant to let the name be used by an MLS team, believing that the league was unwilling to respect the Cosmos' heritage; however, after seeing MLS reintroduce historical NASL names, he changed his mind. The London Daily Mail
reported in late August 2009 that Pinton had sold the name and image rights to Paul Kemsley
, the former vice-chairman of English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur
, who headed a group intent on establishing a new Cosmos team in MLS. Pelé announced the club's return as the group's honorary president on August 1, 2010.
Kemsley's group included English soccer businessman Terry Byrne
as vice-chairman, as well as former Liverpool
CEO Rick Parry
. Former Manchester United
forward Eric Cantona
was added as director of soccer
in mid-January 2011, with former United States
player Cobi Jones
as associate director. The original Cosmos' top goalscorer, Giorgio Chinaglia
, was also included as an international ambassador.
The Cosmos' first match was on August 5, 2011, when they played against Manchester United
at Old Trafford
in Paul Scholes
's testimonial match
. Cantona managed a team mixing members of the Cosmos under-23 team
with guest players from around the world.
The departure of Kemsley as chairman and CEO was announced by the Cosmos on October 26, 2011, with an official club statement saying that he wished "to pursue other interests and commitments". His replacement was not immediately announced – according to the press release, the new chairman and CEO "will be announced in the coming months". A further press release on November 2 gave news of a company buyout, restructuring and various unspecified management changes within the organization. The statement also said that the goal of the club remained the same under its new, unidentified owners – "unequivocally" to become an MLS team.
At the time of the Cosmos' return in 2010, MLS was made up of 16 franchises, with three new teams set to join over the following two seasons: the Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers
in 2011, and the Montreal Impact
in 2012. The earliest a 20th franchise could potentially join MLS would be in 2013. Newsday
reported in late April 2011 that the league was committed to placing the next franchise in the New York borough
of Queens
if a deal could be reached. According to Terry Byrne, speaking on July 28, 2011, the stadium is the biggest factor regarding the Cosmos' accession to MLS. "The league wants us to demonstrate that we are capable of taking a stadium [area] and building a stadium," he said. "We have to be fully prepared to pull the trigger on an all singing and dancing stadium."
Working alongside New York Mayor
Michael Bloomberg
, the Cosmos are specifically seeking a location within New York City's boroughs rather than outside in a suburb (this would distinguish them from the Red Bulls, who play in Harrison, New Jersey
). Over a dozen locations around Queens, The Bronx
and Manhattan
were marked out in March 2011, narrowed down to four sites by the end of July; two in Queens and one each in Brooklyn
and "uptown" Manhattan.
Apart from the stadium, an issue regarding MLS membership is the franchise fee that the Cosmos would have to pay to the league. When the club first announced its intention to join, the price stood at $40 million, but by the end of July 2011 the fee for any expansion team playing in New York had risen to $70 million, a 57% rise from the entry price paid by Montreal. The club and league remain in negotiations, which include talks over perhaps starting play at a temporary home stadium for "two or three years". Byrne told Goal.com
on July 28 that he expected a decision from MLS commissioner Don Garber
"within the next six to eight months".
The supporters club is presently made up of around 1,000 members, and represents a broad spectrum of fans from many different backgrounds. The Borough Boys' original logo used the colours of New York City – white, blue and orange – and was based around the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge
; it also used the motto of Brooklyn
, Eendraght Maeckt Maght, which translates from Dutch
as "Unity makes strength
". After the club became affiliated with the Cosmos, it adopted a new emblem featuring a navy blue skull, seen in profile facing to the left, surrounded by green, yellow and blue "blades" similar to those on the Cosmos badge.
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA
eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Guest players
Players are retired or unsigned unless specified otherwise. Clubs given as of date of game, August 5, 2011
Players from Cosmos U-23
, New York
, is led by Giovanni Savarese
and Ted Chronopoulos
. It competes at various levels of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, fielding teams in the under-9 to under-18 age groups. The US under-17 team's Spring 2011 roster included three players from the Cosmos Academy, more than any MLS team.
A western division called Cosmos Academy West existed between August 2010 and August 2011, based in Pomona
, California
, about 27 miles (43.5 km) east of Los Angeles. At the end of 2010, it was ranked by Soccer America as the third best boys' club in the United States and the top boys' club in California. Six months after its original partnership with Los Angeles Futbol Club was terminated in February 2011, Cosmos Academy West disbanded in August 2011, its operations folded into those of MLS club Chivas USA
. This was done so that the Cosmos would fit more closely the requirements of a potential MLS team based out of New York City.
As part of the deal made with the Cosmos in 2010, Blau Weiss Gottschee were to receive payment from New York in January and August each year. After the first two bi-annual payments were made on time, an unspecified amount was still outstanding from the third three months after its due date on August 1, 2011, causing Blau Weiss Gottschee to file suit for non-payment against the Cosmos on November 8, 2011. Because of the lack of funding, Blau Weiss was forced to restore the tuition, transport and training fees which players had been required to pay before the 2010 deal, but which had been thereafter covered by the Cosmos sponsorship. The Blau Weiss statement did not reveal the court in which the claim will be pressed.
Cosmos side has been accepted into the USL Premier Development League
(PDL), the fourth tier of the United States soccer pyramid, and is expected to officially join for the 2012 season. During 2011, the under-23s' schedule is made up of exhibition matches against existing PDL clubs. The team plays its home matches at Monsignor Farrell High School
, Staten Island, and is coached by Savarese.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The team was formed in August 2010 by a consortium led by English businessman Paul Kemsley
Paul Kemsley
Paul Zeital Kemsley , is an English businessman. He is best known as a property developer, and to sports fans as a former Vice-Chairman of Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur, and as Chairman of the revived New York Cosmos.-Biography:He was educated at Atholl School in Rayners Lane,...
, and aspires to become a franchise of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
, the top professional soccer league in the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The Cosmos are named after and claim lineage from the original New York Cosmos club
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
, which was active from 1971 to 1985.
The team's structure includes two players from the original team, Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
and Giorgio Chinaglia
Giorgio Chinaglia
Giorgio Chinaglia is a former football striker from Italy. He grew up and played his early football in Cardiff, Wales and began his career with Swansea Town in 1964. A year later at age 19, Chinaglia returned to Italy to play for Massese, and then Internapoli, before joining S.S. Lazio in 1969...
, as honorary president and international ambassador respectively. Former France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
and Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
forward Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
became director of soccer
Director of football
"Director of football" is a term describing a senior management figure at a football club, most commonly used in Europe. The exact nature of the role is often unclear and extremely variable and causes much debate in the sports media...
in January 2011, with former United States
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
international Cobi Jones
Cobi Jones
Cobi N'Gai Jones is a retired American soccer player who formerly served as assistant coach with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer , with whom he had been involved as a player and coach since the team's inaugural season in 1996...
as his deputy.
History
The original New York Cosmos clubNew York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
, active from 1971 to 1985, was the strongest franchise in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
(NASL), both financially and competitively. At its height, it featured in its line-ups some of the most famous players in the world, including the Brazilian star Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
, but soon after his retirement in 1977 both the club and the league fell into decline. The NASL and the Cosmos were dissolved in 1984 and 1985 respectively.
After the Cosmos folded, the team's last general manager, G. Peppe Pinton, continued to run and operate the club's youth camps, which had started in 1977. With the rise of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) during the late 1990s and 2000s, various New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
area entities approached Pinton about using the name for an MLS franchise. The existing franchise in New York, the MetroStars, made relevant enquires both before and after becoming the New York Red Bulls in 2006.
Pinton was reluctant to let the name be used by an MLS team, believing that the league was unwilling to respect the Cosmos' heritage; however, after seeing MLS reintroduce historical NASL names, he changed his mind. The London Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
reported in late August 2009 that Pinton had sold the name and image rights to Paul Kemsley
Paul Kemsley
Paul Zeital Kemsley , is an English businessman. He is best known as a property developer, and to sports fans as a former Vice-Chairman of Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur, and as Chairman of the revived New York Cosmos.-Biography:He was educated at Atholl School in Rayners Lane,...
, the former vice-chairman of English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, who headed a group intent on establishing a new Cosmos team in MLS. Pelé announced the club's return as the group's honorary president on August 1, 2010.
Kemsley's group included English soccer businessman Terry Byrne
Terry Byrne
Terry Byrne is an English businessman, director of various companies connected to football that are active in the United Kingdom and the United States...
as vice-chairman, as well as former Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
CEO Rick Parry
Rick Parry
Rick Parry is the former chief executive of Liverpool Football Club, and the former head of the FA Premier League. He is currently on the board of directors at New York Cosmos .-Career:...
. Former Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
forward Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
was added as director of soccer
Director of football
"Director of football" is a term describing a senior management figure at a football club, most commonly used in Europe. The exact nature of the role is often unclear and extremely variable and causes much debate in the sports media...
in mid-January 2011, with former United States
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
player Cobi Jones
Cobi Jones
Cobi N'Gai Jones is a retired American soccer player who formerly served as assistant coach with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer , with whom he had been involved as a player and coach since the team's inaugural season in 1996...
as associate director. The original Cosmos' top goalscorer, Giorgio Chinaglia
Giorgio Chinaglia
Giorgio Chinaglia is a former football striker from Italy. He grew up and played his early football in Cardiff, Wales and began his career with Swansea Town in 1964. A year later at age 19, Chinaglia returned to Italy to play for Massese, and then Internapoli, before joining S.S. Lazio in 1969...
, was also included as an international ambassador.
The Cosmos' first match was on August 5, 2011, when they played against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
in Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes is a retired English footballer, a one-club man who played his entire professional career for Manchester United.Born in Salford, but later moving to Langley, Scholes excelled in both cricket and football in school. He first trained with Manchester United at the age of 14 after being...
's testimonial match
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
. Cantona managed a team mixing members of the Cosmos under-23 team
New York Cosmos U-23
New York Cosmos U-23 is an American soccer team based in New York, New York. Founded in 2011, the team is currently playing a schedule of exhibition games in anticipation of their entry into the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the United States soccer pyramid, in 2012.The team...
with guest players from around the world.
The departure of Kemsley as chairman and CEO was announced by the Cosmos on October 26, 2011, with an official club statement saying that he wished "to pursue other interests and commitments". His replacement was not immediately announced – according to the press release, the new chairman and CEO "will be announced in the coming months". A further press release on November 2 gave news of a company buyout, restructuring and various unspecified management changes within the organization. The statement also said that the goal of the club remained the same under its new, unidentified owners – "unequivocally" to become an MLS team.
Stadium and potential Major League Soccer expansion
Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011....
in 2011, and the Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
in 2012. The earliest a 20th franchise could potentially join MLS would be in 2013. Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
reported in late April 2011 that the league was committed to placing the next franchise in the New York borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
if a deal could be reached. According to Terry Byrne, speaking on July 28, 2011, the stadium is the biggest factor regarding the Cosmos' accession to MLS. "The league wants us to demonstrate that we are capable of taking a stadium [area] and building a stadium," he said. "We have to be fully prepared to pull the trigger on an all singing and dancing stadium."
Working alongside New York Mayor
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
, the Cosmos are specifically seeking a location within New York City's boroughs rather than outside in a suburb (this would distinguish them from the Red Bulls, who play in Harrison, New Jersey
Harrison, New Jersey
Harrison is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 13,620. The town is a suburb of the nearby city of Newark, New Jersey.-Geography:Harrison is located at ....
). Over a dozen locations around Queens, The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
and Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
were marked out in March 2011, narrowed down to four sites by the end of July; two in Queens and one each in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and "uptown" Manhattan.
Apart from the stadium, an issue regarding MLS membership is the franchise fee that the Cosmos would have to pay to the league. When the club first announced its intention to join, the price stood at $40 million, but by the end of July 2011 the fee for any expansion team playing in New York had risen to $70 million, a 57% rise from the entry price paid by Montreal. The club and league remain in negotiations, which include talks over perhaps starting play at a temporary home stadium for "two or three years". Byrne told Goal.com
Goal.com
Goal.com, founded in 2004 by Chicco Merighi and former Ferrari Maserati and Ralph Lauren President and CEO Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni, is a website for international football news. Goal.com represents the largest football community in the world, with 22 language versions, covering over 200...
on July 28 that he expected a decision from MLS commissioner Don Garber
Don Garber
Donald Garber is the commissioner of Major League Soccer, CEO of Soccer United Marketing, and a member of the United States Soccer Federation board of directors. Garber has spent his entire career in the sports industry, working in a variety of capacities in marketing, television and league...
"within the next six to eight months".
Supporters
The Cosmos' main supporters group is the Borough Boys Supporters Club, a group originally formed in 2007 to lobby for the creation of a professional soccer team based in New York City. The members first met in October 2007 and decided on the name "Borough Boys" on November 17, 2007, after holding a vote. The club's original motivation was simply the desire for professional soccer in the city, and to that end it held talks with city officials in early 2008. Soon after Kemsley's group bought the Cosmos rights in late 2009, the club wrote an open letter asking him to create an MLS franchise within the city; he reacted positively, leading the Borough Boys to pledge their support. The Borough Boys have since maintained a close relationship with the Cosmos.The supporters club is presently made up of around 1,000 members, and represents a broad spectrum of fans from many different backgrounds. The Borough Boys' original logo used the colours of New York City – white, blue and orange – and was based around the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
; it also used the motto of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, Eendraght Maeckt Maght, which translates from Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
as "Unity makes strength
Unity makes strength
"Unity makes strength" is the national motto of Belgium, later also taken on by Bulgaria and Haiti.-Netherlands:The motto is first recorded as the motto for the area that would become Dutch Republic in the Gemeene Duytsche Spreekwoorden in 1550, whilst the area was still within the Spanish Empire...
". After the club became affiliated with the Cosmos, it adopted a new emblem featuring a navy blue skull, seen in profile facing to the left, surrounded by green, yellow and blue "blades" similar to those on the Cosmos badge.
Players
Roster for inaugural game
The Cosmos roster for the team's first game, against Manchester United on August 5, 2011, was made up of twelve guest players and eight from the Cosmos' under-23 team.Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Guest players
Players are retired or unsigned unless specified otherwise. Clubs given as of date of game, August 5, 2011
| No. | Position | Player | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|
Players from Cosmos U-23
| No. | Position | Player | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|
Retired numbers
The original Cosmos team retired Pelé's number 10 jersey in 1977. On formation, the new club announced that it would continue this tradition.| No. | Position | Player | Nation | Cosmos career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | FW | align=left| |  Brazil |
1975–77 |
Results
Inaugural FriendlyYouth Academy
The club operates the Cosmos Academy, which it formed on foundation in August 2010. The academy, affiliated with Blau Weiss Gottschee and based in QueensQueens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, is led by Giovanni Savarese
Giovanni Savarese
Giovanni Savarese is a former Venezuelan football player of Italian descent who is best known for his stay with New York/New Jersey MetroStars of Major League Soccer.- Club career :...
and Ted Chronopoulos
Ted Chronopoulos
Ted Chronopoulos is a retired American soccer player. He spent three seasons in the Greek First Division, seven seasons in Major League Soccer, three in the USL First Division and one in Major Indoor Soccer League...
. It competes at various levels of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, fielding teams in the under-9 to under-18 age groups. The US under-17 team's Spring 2011 roster included three players from the Cosmos Academy, more than any MLS team.
A western division called Cosmos Academy West existed between August 2010 and August 2011, based in Pomona
Pomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, about 27 miles (43.5 km) east of Los Angeles. At the end of 2010, it was ranked by Soccer America as the third best boys' club in the United States and the top boys' club in California. Six months after its original partnership with Los Angeles Futbol Club was terminated in February 2011, Cosmos Academy West disbanded in August 2011, its operations folded into those of MLS club Chivas USA
C.D. Chivas USA
Club Deportivo Chivas USA is an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada....
. This was done so that the Cosmos would fit more closely the requirements of a potential MLS team based out of New York City.
As part of the deal made with the Cosmos in 2010, Blau Weiss Gottschee were to receive payment from New York in January and August each year. After the first two bi-annual payments were made on time, an unspecified amount was still outstanding from the third three months after its due date on August 1, 2011, causing Blau Weiss Gottschee to file suit for non-payment against the Cosmos on November 8, 2011. Because of the lack of funding, Blau Weiss was forced to restore the tuition, transport and training fees which players had been required to pay before the 2010 deal, but which had been thereafter covered by the Cosmos sponsorship. The Blau Weiss statement did not reveal the court in which the claim will be pressed.
Cosmos U-23
An under-23New York Cosmos U-23
New York Cosmos U-23 is an American soccer team based in New York, New York. Founded in 2011, the team is currently playing a schedule of exhibition games in anticipation of their entry into the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the United States soccer pyramid, in 2012.The team...
Cosmos side has been accepted into the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
(PDL), the fourth tier of the United States soccer pyramid, and is expected to officially join for the 2012 season. During 2011, the under-23s' schedule is made up of exhibition matches against existing PDL clubs. The team plays its home matches at Monsignor Farrell High School
Monsignor Farrell High School
Monsignor Farrell High School is a Catholic secondary school located in the Oakwood section of Staten Island, New York. Opened in 1961, the school was named in honor of Monsignor Joseph Farrell, a prominent Catholic priest, as well as a religious, political and community leader on Staten Island.The...
, Staten Island, and is coached by Savarese.
Ownership and team management
.Directors
- Honorary President: PeléPeléHowever, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
- Chairman and CEO: Vacant
- International Ambassadors: Giorgio ChinagliaGiorgio ChinagliaGiorgio Chinaglia is a former football striker from Italy. He grew up and played his early football in Cardiff, Wales and began his career with Swansea Town in 1964. A year later at age 19, Chinaglia returned to Italy to play for Massese, and then Internapoli, before joining S.S. Lazio in 1969...
, Carlos AlbertoCarlos Alberto TorresCarlos Alberto Torres is a former Brazilian footballer, one of the most highly regarded defenders of all time. He captained Brazil to victory in the 1970 World Cup and is a member of the World Team of the 20th Century, as well as the U.S...
, Shep MessingShep MessingShep Messing is a former American soccer goalkeeper and current broadcaster. He played seven seasons in the North American Soccer League and six in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He was also a member of the U.S...
Soccer structure
- Director of Soccer: Eric CantonaEric CantonaEric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
- Associate Director of Soccer: Cobi JonesCobi JonesCobi N'Gai Jones is a retired American soccer player who formerly served as assistant coach with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer , with whom he had been involved as a player and coach since the team's inaugural season in 1996...
- Academy Director: Giovanni SavareseGiovanni SavareseGiovanni Savarese is a former Venezuelan football player of Italian descent who is best known for his stay with New York/New Jersey MetroStars of Major League Soccer.- Club career :...
Management team
- Vice-chairman: Terry ByrneTerry ByrneTerry Byrne is an English businessman, director of various companies connected to football that are active in the United Kingdom and the United States...
- Communications Director: Theresa Tran
- Financial Controller: Kevin Kletz
- Marketing Manager: Sofia Sanchez
- Social Media Manager: Chris Thomas
- Executive Assistant: Greg Essakow