Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
Our series looking at some of the offseason issues facing the Union began yesterday with a look at the head coach position, where Jim Curtin remains with an interim tag in front of his title despite a number of recent statements from CEO Nick Sakiewicz that Curtin is the man for the job. The series continues today with a consideration of the Edu-Okugo conundrum.
Brotherly Game continues its season review poll series on which players should stay with a look at Brian Brown. Also, a whip around of Brotherly Game contributors on who they would protect in the Expansion Draft on Dec. 10.
Local
Harrisburg City Islanders will be hosting an open tryout, Nov. 25-26, at the In the Net Sports Complex in Palmyra. The announcement notes, “The tryout is open to all experienced soccer players who compete collegiately, professionally, or internationally.” Click here for an application.
Reading United has arranged a Philadelphia Union night at the Body Zone Sports and Wellness Complex in Wyomissing on Nov. 12.
St. Joseph’s junior forward Mark Colville has been named the Philly Soccer Six Player of the Week, with freshman goalkeeper Bobby Edwards being named Rookie of the Week. Penn goalkeeper Max Polkinhorne earned his second Philly Soccer Six Defender of the Week award of the season.
MLS
On Monday, the Daily Express reported that NYCFC’s Frank Lampard had signed a loan extension that would see him remain at Manchester City through the end of the Premier League season, earning £190,000 ($304,000) a week.
Later on Monday, the New York Daily News reported that Lampard’s agent, Steve Kutner, “denied the report from the Daily Express in the UK, telling the Daily News an extension until the end of the English Premier League season was ‘not even discussed.'”
Just to keep things interesting, Lampard said in an interview posted on the Manchester City website on Monday, “All I can say is how much I’m enjoying it at City. I’m contracted here until the end of December and my future will be at New York City at some stage.”
Soccer America reports, “Both ESPN and NBCSN experienced a big jump in viewers for their 2014 MLS regular-season broadcasts as compared to those during the 2013 season. Average viewers were up 9 percent for ESPN and ESPN2 combined, while the jump on NBCSN was 27 percent.”
The International Business Times wonders if the growth of MLS means that there are now five major American sports leagues.
Orlando City and NYCFC have been posting teaser tweets ahead of the unveiling of their new kits Orlando will unveil its kit on Wednesday, with NYCFC unveiling theirs on Nov. 13.
Columbus Crew and MLS announced on Monday that midfielder Daniel Palidini was suspended last Wednesday “because of a reported domestic dispute” the night before. “No arrest was made and an investigation is continuing. The league suspended the player with pay on Wednesday from all club activities pending further developments.”
One week after announcing his retirement from the playing field, Logan Pause has been named vice president at Chicago Fire. Pause will work “across a host of departments on both business and technical matters.”
Real Salt Lake officially unveiled its new USL PRO team, the Real Monarchs, on Monday. A report at KSL.com says RSL is also meeting with NWSL officials about the possibility of launching a women’s pro team in that league.
In more USL PRO news, LA Galaxy II have signed LA Galaxy Academy goalkeeper Eric Lopez. At 15 years old, Lopez is the youngest-ever USL PRO signing.
US
Jurgen Klinsmann is concerned about the drop off in the level of some USMNT players following their return from last summer’s World Cup.
Right now at the end of 2014, going into the last two friendly games, looking at the last couple months, is a bit of a concern to us…
A lot of our players that played really well in the World Cup and were consistent and worked very, very hard really dropped their performances after the World Cup, even after they are starters with their teams or in many cases unfortunately are not starters in their teams anymore. And I’m looking more at the European players in that moment…
This is something that we have to improve over the next years. Our players have to become stronger to kind of deal with the big moments and then going back into their season and making sure that they play in their club teams on the highest level and especially as starters.
This is going to be a huge topic when we communicate with the players now going into these two games. Talking to them and telling them, “Listen, it takes more to become consistent. It takes more professionalism and strength to come after World Cup and show those performances again in your club level.”
The US plays Colombia in London in a friendly on Nov. 14 before facing Ireland in Dublin on Nov. 18.
Elsewhere
The FIFA executive committee task force formed to figure out at what time of the year the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be played met in Zurich on Monday. FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke said in a statement, “We are getting closer to narrowing the dates for the FIFA World Cup to two options – January/February 2022 or November/December 2022 – but FIFA has also been asked to consider May 2022. We will summarise what we’ve heard today and provide feedback to all parties in order for them to prepare for the next meeting as we progress towards a final decision.” Further meetings are expected in February with a decision possibly being announced in March.
In its report on the meeting, the AP notes, “Qatar’s organizing committee leader, Hassan Al Thawadi, said for the first time that hosting the tournament in the searing heat of June and July, as originally scheduled, might not be the best solution.”
The Press Association reports, “The FIFA disciplinary chairman, Claudio Sulser, says Russia will be punished if their supporters show any form of racist behaviour at the 2018 World Cup in the country.”
Reuters reports, “FIFA has apologized to Ukraine for an error during last week’s presentation of the 2018 World Cup logo in Moscow which showed the Crimean peninsula as a part of the Russian Federation.
Reuters reports, “The dates for next year’s African Nations Cup will not change and Morocco have until the end of the week to confirm they will go ahead with hosting the tournament, the Confederation of African Football said on Monday. CAF said it was sticking to its plans to host the 16-team tournament from Jan. 17 to Feb. 8 next year despite Morocco seeking a postponement because of fears over the Ebola virus.” CAF is considering other host countries if Morocco declines to host the tournament with a final decision expected next week.
Following up on a story we linked to in Monday’s roundup, the AP reports, “The coach of Russian club FC Rostov apologized Monday for his remarks about ‘dark-skinned’ players after some in his team threatened to strike.” Rostov coach Igor Gamula said he had been ”in shock” at how his comments were received. ”I was deeply worried and didn’t sleep for two days. I hadn’t wanted to insult or upset anyone.”
Check out the latest Footy on the Telly for listings of today’s UEFA Champions League games.
I want to like Jurgen Klinsmann, and then he talks. ….
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I can’t tell if he’s a passive aggressive a-hole or just has an inability to filter. I think he’s mostly just the former. And I have a hard time believing that’s the best approach to being a coach of a group of fantastic professional athletes. But what do I know? I just watch soccer on TV.
He’s saying, “Man up.” He says it publicly.
Pete, I’m not sure what you do not understand with his statements. He’s saying the U.S. players must be playing at the highest levels on their teams or in the world, meaning starting and making impacts for their clubs. That’s what I believe he is saying at least.
I get that, but he’s also saying they’re not playing well now. And it’s one thing to tell a player to his face he needs to improve and something all together different to say it publicly.
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I don’t think the public statements are productive. That’s my point.
Yea I understand that. I guess he should have said it differently. I do think he is a good coach especially for this USA team. Considering the players he has, I think he has done very well.
I think Klinsmann is bi-polar
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“MLS competition is not good these players need to be playing overseas for top flight leagues”
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“If you are not starting for your club you need to go elsewhere so you can start and get playing time”
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Playing for Klinsmann must be like Marla Hooch trying to get into the batting circle in A League of Their Own with conflicting signs from dueling managers . . . except in this case it’s the same guy!
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And there is no way in heck Altidore starts again in 2014 after Fletcher’s performance last night
Send Altidore to Philly! 😀
+1 🙂
He’s coaching a team of players, none of which play in the champions league. Just think about that. Your talking about the top club competition in the world, 32 teams, 18 players per team, 576 total, he doesn’t have a single one at his disposal.
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I like Klinnsman because he is the only person with any real resume that cares enough about the MLS to be brutally honest about it’s short comings.Everyone else gives soundbytes to appeal to MLS/American fans, he gives honest commentary.
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What has happened to Michael Bradley makes this an open and shut case. See 2014 World Cup. See 2014 MLS season.
It’s always someone else fault with Klinsmann. He talks a big game about playing expansively then proceeds to overtrain his players, plays people out of their natural positions and comes out playing more conservatively than Arena and Bradley in the knock-out rounds.
Dead solid perfect George. I thought the line up for round of 16 was silly. A total shift from the previous 3 games – which all things being equal, was effective. The whole Bradley at CAM is mind boggling to me. The MB I saw playing in the advanced midfield role in the WC was not very good at all.
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I will say this, I imagine he is rather frustrated with the euro-players who have come home to play MLS and for the most part are sitting on their hands or will be in 1 or 2 weeks. I’d be frustrated as hell about that one myself.
Bradley and his interim manager at Toronto have suggested Michael Bradley should be a more removed (or true) CM, NOT the CAM which Klinsmann used him as. I tend to agree. He has looked better (though not always great) at Toronto in that role.
“Union bits. MLS bits. USMNT bits. International bits. Bits.” I thought for sure there would be a mention of Luis Suarez in here somewhere 🙂
Ha! I blew that one, for sure!