Photo: Earl Gardner
Philadelphia Union
Jack McInerney has been named to MLSsoccer.com’s Team of the Week.
In the latest Castrol Weekly Top 20, McInerney comes in at No. 4 with Casey at No. 7. In the Full Castrol Index, the top five Union players are McInerney (No. 2), Amobi Okugo (No. 33), Casey (No. 38), Le Toux (No. 56), and Michael Farfan (No. 63).
Saturday marked the first time that the McInerney-Conor Casey-Sebastien Le Toux line started together and the trio are the first to say it wasn’t a very auspicious beginning. McInerney said, “I definitely think we could have played better. That’s something we need to work on. If all three of us are going to be on the field at the same time, it’s a really attacking lineup…but it’s going to take time if we keep switching it up every week.”
More power rankings! SBI moves the Union up one spot to No. 10. MLSsoccer.com keeps the Union at No. 12. ProSoccerTalk has the Union at No. 13.
Kevin Kinkead looks ahead to Sunday’s Union game in DC with a look back at the history between the two clubs.
JP Dellacamera says, “If the club can generate as many quality chances on Sunday at D.C. United, you would think they might get a better result. United has struggled all season, winning just once in six games, sitting at the bottom of MLS’ Eastern Conference.”
Zolo Times recaps Saturday’s frustrating draw with Toronto and concludes, “In summary, a point isn’t terrible, but this team is not a playoff team and frankly I am losing hope that this manager is any better than the last guy. Whatever his name was.”
Local
Harrisburg’s Sainey Touray has been named to the USL PRO Team of the Week with Lucky Mkosana and Nick Noble receiving honorable mentions.
At Penn Live.com, Derek Meluzio has a fun Q&A with Cristhian Hernandez, currently on loan to Harrisburg City Islanders from the Philadelphia Union. Meluzio also has a Q&A with Mkosana.
At the Patriot-News, Michael Bullock has a roundup of City Islander’s news and notes including an update on the injury suffered by Andrew Welker early in Saturday’s come-from-behind win in Pittsburgh and the signing of Andrew Ribeiro.
The latest Reading United alumni report is now available.
MLS
This article from The Canadian Press uses Danny Califf to underscore a reality of the professional game: miss a game because of an illness and you just may find yourself out of a starting spot when you return.
Califf said of not being included in Toronto’s starting lineup against the Union on Saturday, “It was the one game I wanted to play this year. But those decision are not in my hands. Every part of me wanted to be on the field…It felt like home coming back here. It was just unreal.”
Former Union man Josue Martinez made a “guest appearance” for Seattle Sounders Reserves in their 1-1 draw against LA Galaxy reserves on Monday.
San Jose’s Alan Gordon has been given a three-match ban for using unacceptable and offensive language towards an opponent in the game against Portland last Sunday. Gordon already had a one game suspension for receiving two yellow cards during the game.
At Goal.com, Keith Hickey writes,”The hypocritical actions of MLS teams and players”—such as the Union partnering with Chil-Fil-A and Gordon’s use of homophobic slurs—”undermine the good intentions of the league’s inclusiveness efforts”—such as the Don’t Cross the Line campaign.
Kyle McCarthy looks at the generally affordable salary numbers of top Liga MX players recently released by Forbes and examines some of the issues that get in the way of MLS clubs bringing such players into the league.
Speaking at an event at Columbia Business School over the weekend, Peter Siemsen, president of Fluminese, said that the Brazilian club is looking to become a presence in the US. “Our goal is to find a soccer team in the US and bring Fluminense’s name, jersey, brand, and excellence in soccer management,” said Siemsen. “We are aiming to acquire an American soccer team playing not in the Major League Soccer (MLS) but in one of the two secondary leagues [NASL or USL].”
You will recall that we linked to a story last week about the new International Champions Cup tournament that will be taking place in the US in July and will feature the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus, and LA Galaxy. Reuters reports Fox Soccer will broadcast the games, which will now be called the Guinness International Champions Cup. Does anyone who lives in an area represented by an MLS club really truly care much about these money-grabbing, meaningless summer tournaments anymore, particularly as they fall in the middle of the MLS season?
US
Looks like the second leg of the qualifying series against Costa Rica on Sept. 6 will take place at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa where the US has a 0-7-1 World Cup qualifying record.
The Hidden Caps series at the US Soccer website continues with a look at the DiBernardo brothers.
Elsewhere
NBC announced its plans for broadcasting the Premier League beginning with the 2013-14 season and those plans are big. Fans who receive NBC Sports Network will be able to see every Premiership game live at no additional charge either through broadcast on one of the several NBC channels or the soon to be launched Premier League Extra Time, as well as via streaming video on NBC Sports Live Extra. For more details on viewing options, programming, and on-air personalities, check out these NBC press releases here and here, as well as these reports from Jonathan Tannenwald here and here.
Tannenwald looks at what all this could mean for NBC’s coverage of MLS here. Tannenwald reports that John Strong is the leading candidate to replace Arlo White as NBC’s voice of MLS. White will be the network’s lead announcer for Premiership games.
The AP reports, “FIFA will intensify its monitoring of the stadiums being prepared for the upcoming Confederations Cup after local organizers delayed the finish date of the venue hosting the opening match in Brasilia.”
What do you know, referees tend to believe they are more skilled and competent than their colleagues.
“In summary, a point isn’t terrible, but this team is not a playoff team and frankly I am losing hope that this manager is any better than the last guy. Whatever his name was.”
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This is a little bit premature. People fail to recognize that TFC beat SKC and tied LA and Dallas this year. They are a far better team this year from last year…and if not for Bendik’s career day we win.
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We have three or four winable games on the horizon: DC, New England, Seattle and Chicago. If we fail to get points (I think max points isnt a stretch) against those squads than that may be cause for concern but at present its too soon to go all chicken little.
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Were gonna see Daniel sit for Kleberson.
It may be premature, but it also may be realistic. This Union team is difficult to be confident in.
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I hope Hackworth and Co. are looking at these next four matches as winnable, not prime draw opportunities.
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I’m all for Kleberson, for Daniel, but think that even the crafty Brazilian will have trouble with the Black Hole sucking him deep in the defensive midfield.. He may have to check back deep in order to kickstart forward play, taking himself out of the attack. We shall see.
“Does anyone who lives in an area represented by an MLS club really truly care much about these money-grabbing, meaningless summer tournaments anymore, particularly as they fall in the middle of the MLS season?” No, of course not.
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Until Barcelona visit. Then I’m soooo there.
judging by the attendance when the U played Real Madrid, yeah. There are a lot of people in the US that are fans of the monolithic European teams that don’t care about our little soccer. But it really is too bad.
Please allow me to launch into a rant….
I’m tiring of hearing/reading/seeing people whine and complain about Hackworth not being the right manager for the Union. PLEASE, STOP IT!
Anyone that is truly honest with themselves knew this Union team was a middle of the pack team going into the season and IF this thing or that thing happened, maybe we are playoff bound. I feel like some people believe this to be a team capable of winning MLS Cup and they are underperforming expectations. This team is what it is. As the group is constituted, we’re a year away from being truly competitive.
The technical staff is with this team daily, in training, in the locker room. They are much more qualified than any of us ever will be and know the best XI to put on the field versus a given opponent.
So you pick Cruz over Kleberson last Saturday- I agree we don’t know everything, but . . .
You make some good points, but I think one issue fans take – at least I do – is that the product seen on the field is not what he kept promising we would get (attractive, attacking soccer) and he kept talking about this depth, yet only 14 players have gotten measurable playing time (Torres=10 mins not included). If we have all this depth, why are players that are struggling (Danny Cruz) continuing to play when it seems, at least from the outside, that there may be better options? That’s my issue.
It’s not that people think that the Union are a MLS Cup contender and that Hackworth is preventing from claiming the trophy. For me, at least, it is because we are nowhere near contending and Hackworth is doing nothing to get us closer. Stubbornly playing players that are old and in the way, is not helping this club build towards the future. I’ fear that, at the end of this season, we will be just as far as we were at the end of last season. No progress.
What do you see out of our manager, that gives you confidence for the future?
I see a young team that continues to grow under Hackworth. Like any young team, they will struggle at times.
I see guys that could not get a sniff of the field under that last guy, excel when given the opportunity to shine.
I’ve seen the gaffer stick with a young and exceedingly talented goalkeeper, despite his struggles.
I’ve seen the manager effectively deal with a massive PR diaster and come out the other side better off. Now we just need to begin to incorporate Kleberson into the line-up, which will happen soon.
I’ve seen the manager as open and honest, when it may not have been in his team’s best interest to do so and despite some fans insisting the bogey-man lurks in the manager’s office.
In short, the manager has done an admirable job with the cards he’s been dealt. Hack does not get the credit he deserves from a certain portion of the fanbase that lives in soccer fantasyland. I may not always agree with of his line-up choices (Danny Cruz!!!), but I know he’s making those decisions based upon what the technical staff believes is in the best interest of the club today and in the future.
Aside from Jack Mac’s scoring. Where is the growth?
Amobi has developed into a good CB. Could he be an excellent CDM? Has the lack of exploring that been a good thing?
Roger Torres is a playmaker. Has he grown?
Farfans?
Any other young player?
Exceedingly talented Goalkeeper? MacMath? Hackworth has stuck with MacMath and we have paid the price.
How does a manager, who continually refuses to play his best XI, have you feeling that he is working towards our future?
It’s not living in “soccer fantasyland”. It’s holding a manager accountable for the lack of quality of his club. Hackworth had chances to reinforce areas of weakness: GOALKEEPER, LB, flanking midfielder, etc… He chose not to address them. Funny how those are the areas in which we are weakest, again this year. I see a manager, who is in way over his head and is proving to be far from an upgrade over Nowak.
I agree with Sean. No, Hack’s not getting it right every time, but this is the time to experiment. The test of Hack’s quality will be whether/when he accepts that some of his attempts don’t work. His midfield is a mess, for example, and he has to fix it. He has to find a way to play his best 11. Etc., etc.
The problem is the “young” tag. Zac is in his 2nd full season as the full-time starter, and Okugo and Jack were both starters for half the season last year. With the exception of Gaddis the rest of the XI is VERY experienced. Casey & Carroll have each won an MLS Cup, Parke and Le Toux are seasoned MLS vets, and Cruz has experience. Williams, Daniel and the Farfans have all been here long enough to “get it”, and Kleberson has LOADS of international experience. The “young” excuse doesn’t work anymore, there needs to be visible evidence the team is improving, and I would argue we haven’t even improved from the end of last season. And if the “young” players are dragging us down then Hackworth needs to have the balls to sit them for an experienced player. The Best XI should start every week, even if that means it has to change week to week.
Cementing Carroll, Cruz and playing the likes of Lahoud (whom I like), aren’t doing anything for the development of our “young” players. Nor is it helping the team as a whole, looking forward. This is not experimenting. This is playing players in positions of weaknesses and stunting development. Experimenting, towards growth, would be moving Okugo to CDM and bringing Soumare to CB. As well as, putting Torres on the pitch, in order to see if he has it or not.
The Zac MacMath experiment is failing miserably.
I agree with Brian. The blanket “young team” excuse is wearing thin.
8 who featured vs TFC were 24 or under
OK Hack should be free to experiment. But he isn’t experimenting. Logical experiments should include Torres and Saumare.
Agree wholeheartedly with Sean…this team is average in a league built on the concept of parity. It will be up and down seasons until the young kids develop, assuming they don’t leave for overseas.
We should be seeing Hack’s “direction” at this point. The only thing I see is a manager ideology of ‘Play for a draw, Hope to get lucky with a win’. Not sure about the “young kids” description. All, but one, of our regulars have 2 + seasons of professional experience. Individually, they have shown some progress but, as a whole, their growth appears to be terribly stunted. A manager’s job is to get the most out of his players. Is Hack doing that?
Sean gets it.
My point about Hack is his unwillingness to put players in their natural positions and continuing to play guys who are underachieving. Saturday should have been 3 points.