ANXIOUS ALBRIGHT AWAITS ARENA'S CALL.

Byline: SCOTT FRENCH SOCCER

Chris Albright long ago came to terms with the injury that might cost him a spot on the U.S. World Cup roster, and since returning to the field in March, he's done everything possible to, as he puts it, ``make Bruce (Arena's) decision tough.''

That decision will be announced this afternoon, during the 3 p.m. edition of ESPN's ``SportsCenter,'' and it clearly could go either way.

``I've got a feeling I'll be No. 24 or 25,'' Albright, the Galaxy's right back, said a week ago. Only 23 will accompany Arena to Germany.

Albright ought to be part of the team - he's fast and smart and versatile, capable of playing anywhere on the field - but a knee injury suffered in the first week of U.S. camp, back in January, kept him off the field for two critical months as Arena surveyed domestic talent.

He's been one of the bright spots for the Galaxy, scoring with a nice header against Chicago and delivering a perfect cross for Cobi Jones' goal Saturday at Real Salt Lake. He was even better in a draw last month against Jamaica, coming close to scoring twice on set pieces and shutting down Jamal Campbell-Ryce after the Reggae Boyz forward had danced past him in the 32nd minute.

Will it be enough to persuade Arena? Albright isn't sure. ``I feel I've certainly done what I can do,'' he said Monday. ``You just have to be honest about the workrate you give and the level you perform to, and I think I've done OK.''

Albright certainly is on the bubble, and the final spot could come down to him and German-based central defender Gregg Berhalter. Albright is younger, faster and far more versatile, but Berhalter has been there before - he started two games in 2002 - and provides cover in the middle should injury or yellow cards cost the Americans Eddie Pope or Oguchi Onyewu.

Carlos Bocanegra, Cory Gibbs and Pablo Mastroeni might provide enough cover.

Albright says he'll be fine no matter Arena's decision.

``I think you've got to kind of be at peace with the face you might not be part of the 23 - that's a realistic possibility,'' he said. ``You have to look on the bright side of not being included in the 23. It's a difficult thing to do, but you've got to do it.''

If he's No. 24 or 25, he'll be an alternate. Four years ago, alternate Greg Vanney replaced injured Chris Armas on the initial roster, and alternate Steve Cherundolo replaced injured Vanney.

Our prediction for the 23:

--Goalkeepers: Kasey Keller (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Marcus Hahnemann (Reading) and Tim Howard (Manchester United).

--Defenders: Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Pope (Real Salt Lake), Onyewu (Standard Liege), Eddie Lewis (Leeds United), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Bocanegra (Fulham), Gibbs (ADO Den Haag) and Berhalter (Energie Cottbus).

--Midfielders: Landon Donovan (Galaxy), Claudio Reyna (Manchester City), John O'Brien (Chivas USA), DaMarcus Beasley (PSV Eindhoven), Clint Dempsey (New England), Bobby Convey (Reading), Mastroeni (Colorado) and Ben Olsen (D.C. United).

--Forwards: Brian McBride (Fulham), Eddie Johnson (Kansas City), Taylor Twellman (New England) and Josh Wolff (Kansas City).

--Big bucks for Paco: Chivas USA forward Francisco ``Paco'' Palencia is the best-paid player in MLS, according to lists published last week by the Washington Post. The former Mexico World Cup star's guaranteed salary - base plus annualized signing and guaranteed bonuses - is $1.36 million, nearly a half-mil above No. 2 earner Donovan ($900,000).

MLS's salaries are supposedly a deeply guarded secret, but Soccer America tracked them down two years ago and the Post had them last year. No. 3 on the list is Kansas City striker Johnson ($875,000), followed by Chivas USA's Juan Pablo Garcia ($624,620) and Freddy Adu ($550,000).

The rest of the top 10: K.C. forward Wolff ($420,357), Colorado's Clint Mathis ($410,000), RSL's Pope ($394,688), Chicago's Tony Sanneh ($365,000) and FC Dallas's Carlos Ruiz ($360,000, up from $40,000).

Eighty-seven players are making six figures - including New York's Marvell Wynne ($150,000), the highest-paid rookie, and 76 are making $16,500 and $11,700 under developmental contracts.

Galaxy players above $100,000: Donovan, Cobi Jones ($210,000), Kevin Hartman ($158,000), Peter Vagenas ($125,625), Albright ($122,500), Guillermo ``Memo'' Gonzalez ($117,000) and Tyrone Marshall ($112,500).

Chivas's six-figure players: Palencia, Garcia, O'Brien ($270,000), Ante Razov ($238,750), Claudio Suarez ($139,992) and Jesse Marsch ($110,360).

Most overpriced? We'll go with ``Memo'' Gonzalez, who has seen no first-team action since 2004 and played just 243 career minutes - less than three full games - in three-plus years.

Best bargain? Chicago forward Chris Rolfe ($50,000), the best young striker in MLS.

Local boy Willie Sims (Reseda High/Cal State Northridge), who made his MLS debut in New England's 2-1 loss Sunday to Chicago, makes $37,500.

--New Quakes: Soccer returns to the Valley this weekend with the debut of the San Fernando Valley Quakes, who are playing in the United Soccer Leagues' Premier Development League, an amateur division featuring top college players and former pros.

The Quakes, who face the Glendora-based Los Angeles Storm on Saturday night at Granada Hills High School, feature U.S. under-20 national team veterans Sean Franklin (Cal State Northridge) and Kamani Hill (UCLA).

Ali Khosroshahin, the coach of Cal State Fullerton's women's team, will guide the Quakes.

--No Dorados: The Mexican League dispensed with tradition and denied Dorados entry into the Primera Division Clausura playoffs because the Sinaloa club has been relegated. Morelia will face top-seeded Pachuca in the quarterfinals.

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Photo:

Versatile Galaxy defender Chris Albright has recovered from a January knee injury, but he still might miss the World Cup.

Victor Decolongon/Getty Images