McBride to Stay, Friedel Drops One, Palermo Returns

El Luchador’s highlights from the Weekend:

• Crew all-time goal co-leader Brian McBride will not be going out on loan to his old EPL club Fulham. We learned this weekend from several sources that McBride’s Chicago Fire would not agree to allow the 36-year-old striker to miss the beginning of the MLS season for the loan.
  
• Former Crew keeper Brad Friedel gave up three goals as Aston Villa suffered a rare away loss going down 3-1 to Everton at Goodison Park in the 5th round of the FA Cup.


• Crew prospect Martin Palermo made his return from injury Saturday for Boca Juniors in a 2-0 loss to Newell's Old Boys. He came in midway through the second half, looked healthy and had a few good touches.


• The Crew beat the U.S. U20 team 3-1 on Saturday (Feb. 14) in Bradenton, Fla, with goals by Guillermo Barros Schelotto (penalty kick 37th Min.), trialist Anthony Peters (74th Min.) and clutch big man Steven Lenhart (89th Min.)


• Former Crew and Fulham midfielder Simon Elliott has been at San Jose's training camp since camp opened.


• Former Crew skipper Sigi Schmid made Goal.com’s quote of the week: After Sounders FC dealt Khano Smith to New York for allocation money on Thursday, Schmid had this to say to the Seattle Times: “I didn't draft him, so you'd have to ask Adrian [Hanauer, Seattle general manager].” “But he thought other teams would be interested in him, and I thought he'd be too inconsistent for us, so as it turns out, we were both right.”