Daily news roundups

Union bits, Langley to Ireland, MLS bits, big NT games today, more

Photo: Paul Rudderow

Philadelphia Union

Jim Curtin will hold his weekly press conference today at 1 pm. PSP understands the press conference will be live streamed.

The team is on the road to face Real Salt Lake on Saturday (9:30 pm: TCN,MLS Live, Direct Kick), a team that also debuted a new formation in their season opening scoreless draw in Portland. So it should come as no surprise that RSL head coach Jeff Cassar’s comments to reporters on Tuesday had a familiar ring: “We have to be a little bit patient, we have to look at the big picture and say we’re doing some new things and it takes a little bit of time. But if the defense is nice and strong and the offense keeps getting better and better each time, we’re going to be fine.”

RSL right back Tony Beltran said of the Union,

They’re always a really hard-working, blue-collar team, so I think we can expect that. I think they’re going to come in here and I’m sure they’re going to be fit and they’ll try to play a little bit for the most part. They’ll be fighting, they’ll be battling and they’ve got some quality as well, some guys that Wenger guy has gotten behind us a couple times, so if you leave them room, they can be dangerous. We’ll go into this game with the idea of imposing our new style of play a little bit more since we’re at home.

Salt Lake Tribune has an RSL injury update, while RSL Soapbox has three thoughts on the team’s new formation.

More power rankings? But of course! At Soccer America, the Union come in at No. 19. Somehow, Colorado is above them at No. 16. At MLSsoccer.com, they’re at No. 17. At SBI, they’re at No. 16.

That Clint Irwin save on Conor Casey is up for MLSsoccer.com’s Save of the Week.

Swedish club IFK Goteborg have passed on former Union man Freddy Adu. Goteborg sporting director Mats Gren said, “We were offered him and a number of players, but we turned it down quite early…He has not really succeeded anywhere since his breakthrough.”

These Football Times labors to “empathise with [Adu] as a human.”

Union Academy

Sports Max on the progress Trinidad & Tobago youth international Jerren Nixon, Jr. is making at the Union Academy.

At Brotherly Game, Matt Ralph notes Union Academy alum Darius Madison is with the University of Virginia team in England, as well as news of fellow academy alums Patrick Berneski (Notre Dame), and Brett Campbell and Keegan Rosenberry (Georgetown).

Local

Harrisburg City Islanders, and former Swarthmore and Union player, Morgan Langley has signed with Irish Premier Division side St. Patrick’s Athletic.

City Islanders head coach Bill Becher said, “As much as we hate to see Morgan go, we know this is a great opportunity for him. Morgan spent four seasons with us and was our leading scorer this past year. We wish him all the best in Ireland.”

“My four years with the Islanders has been an incredible experience and I am humbled to have been a part of such a great organization and have the support of such amazing fans,” Langley said. “I will miss game days on the Island but will always be an Islanders fan!”

An announcement on the City Islanders website says that Langley was transferred “for an undisclosed amount.”

More at RTE SportET Extratime, Herald.ie, and Goal.com.

The Temple women’s team has announced its spring schedule.

MLS

Former Union man Justin Mapp is scheduled to undergo surgery on Thursday to repair the dislocation and fracture of his left elbow, suffered during Montreal’s loss on Saturday to DC. Mapp is expected to be out for four months.

Robbie Keane says he and the Galaxy are negotiating a new deal that will see him in LA “for a few more years.”

As they ready construction of their new stadium, DC United have reached a deal with hotel and food service workers union UNITE HERE Local 25. Hill Now reports the new agreement “lets hospitality workers at the stadium join the union and create contracts with the team. In return, the union agreed not to strike or picket at the stadium.”

With Don Garber saying over the weekend that a new expansion announcement could come in the next 45 days, Sacramento Republic officials are feeling cautiously optimistic about their team’s chances of making the step from USL to the top flight.

The Guardian on how David Beckham’s Miami franchise “is running out of false starts.”

Colorado Rapids and University of Colorado Colorado Springs College of Business have partnered “to launch the first business degree in the United States with a dedicated soccer ‘track’.”

US

The USWNT faces France today in Portugal in the final of the Algarve Cup (12 pm: Fox Sports 1, Fox Soccer 2Go). When the teams met in a friendly in February, the US lost, 2-0.

The US faces Jamaica today in their final Group A game at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Honduras. A win will automatically qualify the team for the U-17 World Cup. A draw could see the US claim the group so long it maintains its goal difference advantage over second place Honduras.

At SI, Grant Wahl interviews Tim Howard.

Seattle Weekly reviews the troubling histories of Hope Solo and husband Jerramy Stevens.

Elsewhere

Foreign Policy proposes an alternative “invitational tournament with the world’s top 16 or 32 teams” to take place in opposition to the 2022 World Cup. Good luck with that.

The AP reports, “Brazilian league teams will be stripped of points if they don’t pay players’ salaries on time.”

15 Comments

  1. Lucky Striker says:

    So disappointed for Justin. Always enjoyed his play here and wish they still had him.

  2. Tony Beltran gives quite a quote…”I think they’re going to come in here and I’m sure they’re going to be fit and they’ll try to play a little bit for the most part”. RSL scouting department has cracked the code. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2015 Philadelphia Union – we’re gonna go in there AND we’ll try to play a little bit for the most part.

  3. Colorado drew on the road . . . while down 10 men. They should be above us in the rankings.

  4. I would like to see the media covering these press conferences ask the same questions and give examples of tactical concerns they go on an on about in articles and pod casts. Issues concerning substitutions, players positional weaknesses, formations etc. I want Curtin to talk specifics to show a real tacticians knowledge.

    • Dana Carvey says, “Wouldn’t be prudent at this juncture.”

      • I know Joel but the media covering this team have danced around issues and been on the fringe for 5+ years. I’m not saying be overly confrontational just ask specific who,what,when,where,why. They do in opinions in articles, pods, and analysis. Ask the source directly. Curin likes to give the dissertation but pin him down to more specifics. If he evades then he’ll know we know he’s being evasive.

      • Did you listen to the KYW podcast before week 1? Greg and Eli did a really good interview with Curtin asking these types of questions.
        .
        I agree that the Union press conferences are generally bland, but then again, almost every press conference I’ve ever watched has been bland. When you only get 1 question, it’s hard to get an in-depth response.

      • Yes I listened to the interview with Curtin and thought it was good. 1 in how many where issues are danced around? I’m not even referring to Greg and Eli because they’ve asked the tough probing questions up close and personal. If you only have limited time then sift out the BS and ask the most pertinent questions. PSP comments section alone gives the media covering the team an idea of what the fan base wants to know. 5 plus years. The media covering the Union should be asking questions that don’t pander to or come off sounding like this is the teams inaugural season otherwise what’s the point? If you have press credentials then you are the 4th estate and you are to ask questions representative of the people aka our readers would like to know..etc.

  5. Andy Muenz says:

    Any word on CJ Sapong’s status? Head injuries are always a little worrisome.

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