Daily news roundups / Featured

Oranges from Florida, Slim pickings for WPS players in Europe, Suarez fallout, more news

Philadelphia Union

With no news from the Union, or anywhere else I can find, on the team’s draw with Florida Gulf Coast University on Saturday other than this tweet, our featured image today is of a crate of oranges. No information about lineups, formations, who stood out, no photos, nothing. Meanwhile the Internet is littered with reports, video, analysis of the preseason games of other MLS teams. We should be used to this after last year’s preseason information vacuum but it still rankles.

Add Bishop McDevitt’s Conor Maloney to the list of Union academy players who have committed to a university. This report says Maloney, who plays club soccer for PA Classics, has verbally committed to Penn State.

Following Friday’s letter to Union fans from Nick Sackiewicz, Philly Soccer News says, “After a taste of winning last year, the fans of Philadelphia might not be so accepting of a team that once again looks like an expansion side.”

Local

Moorestown, NJ goalkeeper Nick Savino has earned a partial scholarship to UC Santa Barbara.

MLS

The New York Post reported on Friday that Tottenham will play New York Red Bulls on July 31 or August 1. Hmm. The All-Star game is on July 25…I’m just saying.

Soccer America rants about the possibility that a new MLS refereeing czar may be British. Again.

SB Nation looks at how well MLS youth development has come along since implementing the Home Grown Player rule in 2008.

Is New England Revolution suing Jose “Pepe” Moreno for breach of contract?

WPS

One of the options talked about for players affected by the cancellation of the 2012 season is playing in Europe. But as this article about women’s soccer in Norway makes clear, American players can simply be too expensive for many European teams. “Most of them don’t have EU passports, and that increases the costs by 217,000 kroner (£25,000).  Clearly they are not aware of the level of pay for women players in Norway,” says Richard Jansen.  “As of today it is not a possibility for us.  We have a good squad and it costs too much to bring in players from the USA”, says Geir Nordby, trainer for Norwegian club Røa. “We are happy with the squad we have, and if we were to bring in an American on a short-term contract it would more likely happen in the autumn.”

The situation is much the same in Sweden where the late announcement of the cancellation of the 2012 WPS season meant many teams had already finished assembling their 2012 squads. A survey of Swedish teams largely reveals that many teams simply cannot afford US players, even with the drop of their price tag as so many players scramble to find a team.

Fake Sigi argues that WPS made a mistake by not marketing itself as a cause.

Fake Sigi also provides some background to the demise of LA Sol and its connection to present concerns.

Boston Breakers coach Lisa Cole is excited her team will be playing in the WPSL Elite Division. She says her players will be “be playing to keep their dream alive.”

US

Jurgen Klinsmann on the U-23’s chances in the Olympics: “Am I saying I want to see them to bring a medal home? I think that would be asking too much if you look at all the teams.”

Der Spiegel takes a look at how Klinsmann is doing. Interesting reading what a German perspective views as different.

US Soccer explains the move of the US Development Academy to a ten-month schedule, thus prohibiting academy players from playing for their high school team, in the form of FAQ.

More on the new schedule here.

Elsewhere

Zambia defeated the Ivory Coast on penalty kicks to win the African Cup of Nations.  Zambia’s win took place in Libreville, where a plane crash in 1993 killed nearly the entire Zambian national team squad. More on the win here.

The Confederation of African Football will donate $150,000 to families of those who dies in the recent football riot in Egypt. FIFA earlier had donated $250,000. That works out to $5,405 per family of the 74 victims.

The fallout from Luis Suarez’s refusal to shake Patrice Evra continues. Liverpool manager Kenny Daglish and managing director Ian Ayre have both stated that Suarez misled them into believing he would shake Evra’s hand.

Liverpool sponsor Standard Charter has made its displeasure clear to the club in what one report describes as a “very robust” conversation.

Suarez issued an apology on Sunday.

The FA will take no action on the non-handshake, Evra’s provocative post-game celebrations, or the melee that took place in the players tunnel.

The Daily Mirror reports that Liverpool are considering selling Suarez.

The Boston Globe wonders if Liverpool and Red Sox owner John Henry is stretched too thin and says he needs to “crack a few heads.”

Antiracism campaigners in England say Suarez should apologize directly to Evra and are calling for him to be suspended.

Carlos Tevez will return to Manchester City on Tuesday.

Rangers face a 10-point deduction after announcing they plan to enter into administration.

Portsmouth will enter administration for the second time in two years.

10 Comments

  1. That Union article was pathetic. How can anyone possibly say our team looks like an expansion side??

  2. The team also tweeted that pictures from ALL preseason games would be made available. When should I stop holding my breath?

  3. Amazing that Zambia won with a team of unknows, playing against super rich primadonas. Great story in the NYT!
    /
    Did no one accept the Union deal to be with the team in FL? Only stuff about the game is here:
    http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1897095&page=6
    /
    The Spiegel article about Klinsmann is pathetic. No one cares here?! And it is not a big deal playing for a team like Fulham and being a top scorer?! (Fulham was not even mentioned; only Everton). Wow!

  4. Here’s a question: How is this team supposed to be prepared for the season when our preseason opponents consist entirely of Florida college teams and a USL-Pro side, while almost everyone else is scrimmaging against other MLS teams (you know, who they will be actually facing this season)? Please tell me we will be squeezing in some real competition between the Orlando City game and the season opener.

  5. The Union don’t deserve to have a winning season, and if they somehow still do then I still say winning with shame is not worth it. I’m looking forward to a lot of losses until Nowak and/or Sakiewicz are fired.

    • Wow that’s harsh. Not a fan of the way Nowak handled the LeToux situation either, but still. Why do you say the team doesn’t deserve a winning season? No team “deserves” a particular result, obviously. I will express my displeasure with the coach by booing him at the home opener, as I will cheer for every player in blue and gold. We can make a better assessment of the personal moves after the results are in.

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