And just a few years ago Monaco was playing the Champions League final, so it’s by no means a frontier outpost in the world of European soccer.

And to be honest, what’s not to like about the south of France?!

The benefits of the move are obvious. Both players need playing time in a competitive league, especially if the USA’s 2010 campaign is to go anywhere. This is a key point that I’ve not heard many discuss. With so many key American internationals on the market this summer, where they land and how they settle this year will go a long way towards determining how it all goes in South Africa two summers from now. Bocanegra. Adu. Bradley. Onweyu. Wolff. Jaqua. All of these players (some are more critical to the setup than others, of course) are on the move this summer.

In the end, I hope the rumor is true and that both players sign. As I live in Germany, I had hoped to see them in the Bundesliga, but there’s always the Chinese feeds, right?!

Actually Crouch did play one season at Portsmouth — 2001-02. So while you’re 100% correct that he was at Southampton immediately before he came to Liverpool, my statement is correct as well, if perhaps a bit unclear.

But I never mind having fact checkers follow up on what I’ve written. Believe it or not, I have made a mistake or two in my lifetime.