Daily news roundups / Featured

beIN Sport to replace GolTV on Comcast, no Garfan or Williams in KC?

Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz

Philly Soccer Show co-hosts Greg Orlandini of KYW NewsRadio and PSP writer Eli Pearlman-Storch will be on the Union’s 90th Minute radio show on Wednesday night. Nick Sakiewicz is also scheduled to be on the show so if you have a questions for the Union CEO, please send them along via the comments section below.

Also on Wednesday night, PSP is hosting a Union vs. Kansas City viewing party that is being sponsored by El Jimador at the 700 in Northern Liberties. The party starts at 7:30pm ahead of the 8:30pm kickoff.

Philadelphia Union

Kevin Kinkead has a scouting report on Kansas City.

John Hackworth said at Monday’s weekly press conference that Gabriel Farfan and Sheanon Williams are both questionable for Wednesday’s game. Kerith Gabriel writes at the Daily Doop, “Take from that what you will, but we take that both of those guys are likely to sit this one out.” Yep.

With the playoff field settled what might the Union have to play for? Dave Zeitlin notes at the Inside Doop that the team could still affect Kansas City and New York’s seeding in the playoffs and Zac MacMath needs two more shutouts to reach his goal of ten on the season. Of course, there’s also us.

Jonathan Tannenwald looks at how the Union’s poor start doomed the 2012 season.

John Hackworth praises the performance of Carlos Valdes with the Colombian national team, saying “I’m really proud of Carlos…He’s had a fantastic year. He put himself in a great position on the team. He fought and won that position outright. It says a lot about Carlos and the year he’s had.”

That Valdes’ performance for the Union on Saturday left something to be desired says a lot about his usually high standard of play. The article above says that Valdes “was exhausted” when he rejoined the Union in Houston from national team duty on Friday. Hackworth notes it can be difficult to adjust smoothly between two different playing styles and “it’s a long trip from South America and he got in on Friday evening.” I love Valdes, but Colombia’s qualifier took place eight days before the Houston game and a direct flight from Bogota to Houston actually takes less time than a flight between Philly and LA or Seattle and a little more than an hour more than the flight time between Philly and Houston. In all seriousness, though, what should concern Union fans is that Colombia’s next qualifiers are on March 22 and 26, just after the start of the 2013 MLS season.

In a review of Eastern Conference teams that didn’t make the playoffs, SBI says, “The Union should be able to bounce back next season and reach the playoffs if they acquire one or two more quality pieces, especially a veteran forward who can finish on a consistent basis.”

In this week’s power rankings at Goal.com, the Union come in at No. 14. At SI, they drop to No. 15.

Union Dues reviews Saturday’s loss.

At the Brotherly Game, this fan post eloquently describes the connection that Danny Califf made with Union fans and the Philadelphia area and includes a petition to the Union Front Office to “Bring Danny Home.”

Since Michael Orozco Fiscal scored the gamewinner for the US against Mexico on Aug. 15, his playing time at San Luis has dried up. “Since I scored, I haven’t played regularly, I don’t know if there is something wrong with that,” says the former Union man in this article from MLSsoccer.com, which also notes that reports in the Mexican press say the OF, who describes his time with the Union as very positive, is angling for a return to MLS.

Local

According to this Tweet, beIN Sport’s English language channel will replace GolTV at channel 726 on Dec. 12. GolTV’s HD channel is also being dropped but there’s no word on when beIN Sport will be available in HD. More on this here.

SBI reviews possible hosting venues for the hexagonal and among them is the Linc. Somehow Crew Stadium and Livestrong Sporting Park are leading candidates yet when PPL Park is mentioned, “it’s small size makes Lincoln Financial Field the more sensible option.”

La Salle’s women’s team fell to Princeton at home on Monday, 2–1, ending a 9 game winning streak and 16 game unbeaten streak at home. They are still on an unbeaten streak of 16 consecutive regular season Atlantic 10 Conference games.

The Star-Ledger looks at Willingboro, NJ’s Peter Vermes, head coach of Sporting Kansas City, as an exemplar of a new generation of American coaches who are getting their shot in MLS that also includes John Hackworth.

MLS

Are this season’s playoffs MLS’ most wide-open ever?

Soccer America breaks down possible seeding Eastern Conference scenarios.

DC United head coach Ben Olsen says there’s a chance that Dwayne De Rosario might be able to return to play during the playoffs.

Omar Gonzalez’ post-game comments following LA’s draw with San Jose continues to provide some interesting quotes. Of MLS officiating he said, “I think the players need to be protected as [much] as worrying about the referee’s pride. There’s too many times players and coaches say things, and they get fined and they get suspended, but the referee goes unscathed, and nothing happens to them.”

Speaking of officiating, the Professional Referee Organization website launched on Monday.

Don Garber is interested in a soccer specific stadium being built in downtown LA for Chivas USA.

Goal.com has a Top Ten of the worst jerseys in MLS history that is underscored by some truly stupid team names.

US

The USWNT play Germany tonight in a friendly (7:30pm, NBCSN).

The US U-17 MNT defeated Uruguay 3–1 on Sunday in a friendly on Sunday in Buenos Aires. The team begins play in the Four-Nations Tournament against Chile today in Santa Fe, Argentina.

Elsewhere

EPL Talk considers how the current bidding for the US broadcasting rights to the Premiership could impact the growth of soccer in this country.

Check out this week’s Footy on the Telly for today’s Champions League game listings.

 

6 Comments

  1. James "4-3-3" Forever says:

    It’s a damn shame it feels like even in this period of rebuilding the only lineup changes seem to come from injuries.
    I’m not in the business of jumping off the cliff 3 months into a new tenure (and before he even has an off-season to work) but I don’t know if it speaks to Hackworth’s lack of vision, or lack of ability to adapt and try new things, or not wanting to try out new players.
    But it doesn’t feel like he is taking advantage of this “opportunity.”

  2. Didn’t Carlos also play the full 90 in Columbia’s friendly last Tuesday? If so, that’s only 4 days between games with a flight from Bogota to Houston thrown in (unless he flew Bogota to Philly to Houston).

  3. Ask Nick about the big announcement has was gonna make, as promised when Hack was fully instated as coach. Also, what he’ll do to ensure we will make the play-offs next year.

  4. FUK YOU COMCAST I WANT GOLTV!!!!!!!!!!!!

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