Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
The Union’s 2014 schedule was released on Monday. They open the season on the road on March 8 against Portland and end it away to Columbus on October 26.
At the Union website, Kevin Kinkead has an analysis of the schedule, which for the Union includes a three-week break in June during the group stage of the World Cup. At The 700 Level, Steve Moore writes, “For better or worse, April and May will be where we find out if the Union are for real or not.”
One thing that jumped out at me is that the lone Union game at Red Bull Arena is on Wednesday, April 16. Given the league’s desire to maximize regional rivalries, doesn’t it seem strange that they would schedule this game at midweek on a school night? Red Bull blog Once a Metro also noticed — NYRB’s single home game of the season against DC is also on a Wednesday — and comments, “[I]n 2013 those games were on weekends, allowing the Red Bulls to capitalize on the rivalry to sell tickets and allows a solid base for traveling support. That made for a great atmosphere, especially given the teams’ proximity to each other. That won’t happen in 2014, unfortunately.” Unfortunately, indeed.
The Union announced it had waived Don Anding, Greg Jordan, Kleberson, and Oka Nikolov ahead of Monday’s Waiver Draft, bringing the Union roster to 25 players. At the Delco Times, Matthew De George reveiws the waived players and says that Anding is the only one that “is even moderately a surprise.”
According to ProSoccerTalk, Kleberson’s appearance on the waiver list means he can be added to “the list of fabulous failed DP flops.”
The team made no selections in the Waiver Draft. In case you’re interested, here’s the list of players who were available. Among them were Marcus Tracy, the Chestnut Hill native who trained with the Union before being picked up by San Jose via weighted lottery in September of 2012, and one Lionard Pajoy.
At Goal.com, Ives Galarcep says “sources” tell him the Seattle Sounders have had “discussions” with the Union about taking Eddie Johnson off their hands. Galarcep writes, “The Union don’t have a designated player on the books and they have some pressing needs in midfield, but if the price is right, the Union could absolutely take part in the Johnson sweepstakes.” It’s always nice when an “if” and a “could” are followed by an “absolutely.”
Former Union Academy and FC Delco goalkeeper Zack Steffen gets a shout-out in this post at the US Soccer website for his play in the University of Maryland’s 3-1 win over Providence in the NCAA tournament.
Philadelphia Union Academy defender Kyle Gruno has been called up to the US BNT U-15 squad that will compete in the US Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase in Florida, Dec. 11-15.
MLS
Only two players were selected in Monday’s Waiver Draft. Columbus picked up goalkeeper Brad Stuver and midfielder Paolo DelPiccolo was picked up by New England.
Chicago released Arevalo Rios, the midfielder and Designated Player who is likely to be with the Uruguayan team at the World Cup, on Monday. New Fire head coach Frank Yallop explained, “I saw Ríos play a few times and he’s a good player, but he doesn’t fit into what we’re doing financially and positionally.”
2010 MVP David Ferreira will be available in the Re-Entry Draft after FC Dallas announced they had declined his option.
At SI, Avi Creditor has some thoughts on the 2014 schedule.
The Guardian has five things learned from the conclusion of the conference finals.
Colorado Rapids midfielder Dillon Powers has been named Rookie of the Year, beating out teammate and former Reading United man Deshorn Brown.
Portland’s Darlington Nagbe has received the Individual Fair Play Award, which you may recall was won by Sebastien Le Toux in 2010 and 2011. The Galaxy picked up the team award.
ESPN has some end of season awards.
The comedy continues at Chivas USA. A week after the team cut ten players, it was announced that interim head coach Jose Luis Real has been named new head coach of parent club Chivas de Guadalajara. Real said, “We worked on the first stage of a project that will show results in three years. It’s been the most difficult stage. We, as much Paco Palencia as myself, left everything ready for the new season.” Last week Chivas USA sporting director Francisco “Paco” Palencia was appointed sporting director of Chivas de Guadalajara.
Looks like Toronto FC and Nigeria striker Bright Dike may be going on a training stint with Celtic.
At ProSoccerTalk, Steve Davis shares some Mark Geiger love.
According to The Mirror, David Beckham has “found some land” in Miami on which he plans to build a 75,000 seat stadium that will also include a hotel and shops. A source tells the tabloid “it’s pretty much all ready to go,” adding, “It will be a special stadium, really up to date. Hopefully it will be used for concerts too. David wants it to be a real spectacle in Miami.” Thank goodness he isn’t planning on building one of those retro, out-of date stadiums that everyone is talking about.
In an article with actual named sources and everything, The Miami Herald reports that the Beckham group has approached Miami-Dade County about building a stadium in the southwest corner of the Port of Miami.
Pro soccer to Quebec? Why not?
NWSL
SBI reports that the Houston Dynamo are close to reaching a decision about fielding a team in the NWSL.
US
Tom Sermanni has called up 31 players for the two-week long USWNT camp in California, Dec. 3-15. Champions League previews from ProSoccerTalk and ESPN. ESPN also has five talking points.
ASN has a look at six US players playing in England’s Championship and their prospects of making the World Cup squad.
Elsewhere
Check out the latest Footy on the Telly for listings of today’s Champions League games.
FIFPro is in Qatar for four days “to seek urgent talks with the country’s football authorities and organizers of the 2022 FIFA World Cup” over the status of French-Algerian footballer Zahir Belounis, who has been denied a visa to leave the country after a contract dispute with a Qatari Club. A statement from FIFPro said, “The World Footballers’ Association will not sit idly by as the rights of the players are being abused.”
The Guardian reports that former Germany youth international Burak Karan was killed in an air raid in Syria. Karan reportedly died in October after traveling to Syria “to assist anti-Assad forces.”
Good point on the RBNY-Union scheduling. Pretty sure the last few times the Union hosted DC, it was the same thing with the mid-week games, with 2012’s being after kids went back to school. Hard to expect full buses from DC if that is the case, and vice-versa.
I suspect that the league has more or less written off the East Coast when it comes to promotion. The league only cares about TV at this point and any TV is coming from the West Coast.
I agree. The July 16th game against NY at home is on ESPN2. I know that’s in the summer when kids have off of school, but I think MLS would benefit from televising more weekday games. People aren’t always home to watch on the weekends, and the times are so inconsistent it’s hard to find them if you’re not looking hard enough. The league can flaunt Cascadia, or the Clasico at Stanford Stadium all they want, ‘cuz I get that’s more impressive to watch. But put an I-95 rivalry game at 7:30 on Wednesday or Thursday IN THE SUMMER and you may catch a casual observer looking for baseball or something, and they may check it out. I’d go to NY or DC on a Wednesday in July.
I can’t agree with that. If they really cared they wouldn’t have put the biggest derby matches in the league at 10 or 11 pm EST. Too many times SEA-POR, POR-van and LAG-SEA were so late that most americans couldn’t watch.
Eddie! Eddie!!
Johnson has played wide at various points before right? That’s were he could fit with us.
Not sure if that is his best spot, but then again this team has never been afraid of playing players out of position.
I could see a 4-3-3 with Jack and EJ flanking Casey. Either way we need a Central playmaker to park behind Casey, regardless of the formation we use.
I’d much rather get Mauro Rosales than Eddie Johnson personally. I’d hate to see us get into a bidding war with half a dozen other MLS teams and overpay for EJ only to have him leave for 2 months in the summer.
Don’t you guys see!? Acquiring ej will allow hackworth to truly go with the dreaded 4-2-4 formation, with le Toux and Johnson on the wings!!! He’s an evil, kick and run genius!