Daily news roundups

Pfeffer named to provisional US U-20 roster, more news

Photo: Earl Gardner

Philadelphia Union

Zach Pfeffer has been named to the 35-player provisional roster for the US U-20 team ahead of the start of the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Jamaica, which begins for the US on Jan. 9 against Guatemala. However, he was not named to the 20-player camp that began on SUnday and will run through Jan. 5, although local lads Zack Steffen and Russell Canouse were. (You will recall that Pfeffer was part of the U-20 fitness camp at the beginning of December, but was not with the team for the camp in Honduras that followed.) US U-20 head coach Tab Ramos will announce his 21-player roster for the U-20 championship on Jan. 2. At US Soccer, Ramos talks about the depth from which he can choose. More on the roster announcement from ASN, ProSoccerTalk, and SBI.

Brotherly Game reviews Zac MacMath’s year.

Top Drawer Soccer’s mock draft has the Union selecting local lad Manolo Sanchez with the 31st pick of the upcoming SuperDraft. “Should the Union add Sanchez, it would be a homecoming for the Philly native, a wide midfielder with plenty of ability but struggles at times to be consistent.”

A post at isportsweb.com on international players that MLS clubs should target says the Union would benefit from signing Tomas Rosicky. I would just like to go on record as saying the Union would also benefit by signing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, especially if they could land both at the same time.

Some interesting observations about the career of Freddy Adu in an article at Backpage Football: that Adu was best under Peter Nowak; and this:

At D.C. United, Adu played in 87 games in three seasons.In the eight seasons since his D. C. United days, and in a very sad coincidence, Adu has played in a total of 87 games. To put it in perspective: Adu has played in roughly 8 games per year for the past eight years. It is no wonder he is a shell of the player he once was.

Local

An article at Goal.com quotes US U-20 head coach Tab Ramos compares Zack Steffen to a young Tim Howard. Steffen says, “I have a long way to go, and a lot to work on, so I don’t put much thought into any kind of labels. I just think about what’s next, whether it’s Under-20 qualifying, or going to Germany and starting my career…I need to work on everything, and I can always be better. I need more experience, and that will come with time.”

MLS

Houston Dynamo have signed former Union forward Chandler Hoffman after selecting him in the recent Re-Entry Draft from LA.

Daniele De Rossi to NYC FC?

The Miami Herald reviews the downward trajectory of the hype and expectation that has accompanied the David Beckham-led efforts to put a MLS franchise in Miami. John Alschuler, Beckham’s real estate adviser and lead negotiator, said, “We have made very meaningful strides in the last couple of months. While nothing in this complex equation can be taken for granted, I am optimistic that there will be several positive announcements in the first quarter of the next year.”

Ad Age has a list of the top stories of the year that, in addition to how the 2014 World Cup gained soccer new fans, notes, “Soccer also grew in importance for marketers: The two most popular YouTube ads of the year were Nike soccer ads. Meanwhile, Heineken inked a five-year, $50 million deal to become the official beer of Major League Soccer.”

US

Tim Howard at the 2018 World Cup? “My muscles will be much more unforgiving. This group in 2014 inspired me to want to go to 2018 because the group was just amazing. The ride we went on was incredible and I want to be a part of that again, you know? It was special.”

Goal.com has ten US players who saw their stock rise the most in 2014.

Vavel has a top five list of American soccer moments for 2014. Paste Magazine has the 11 of the biggest USMNT stories of the year.

Harkes and Wynalda. Yep.

Elsewhere

The AP reports, “Russian Premier League clubs will ask their players to accept pay cuts in response to a sharp fall in the value of the ruble.” More from the Washington Post.

20 Comments

  1. The union should asolutely try to grab Rosicky!

    • Can’t see that happening. He’s 34 and just signed a 3 yr extension making $6.5M per year.

      If you’re going that route (and I don’t think that the Union are), I’d rather spring for Wesley Sneijder as he’s close to four years younger and makes less $.

      • Yea Sneijder would prob. Be more reasonable considering Rosickys situation. Man, having Nogs, Chaco and another DP in DCM could be really effective, especially w/ possession.

    • He’s a fantastic player, even at 34, but I doubt he wants to play here. He wants to stay at Arsenal, or another European league, assuming he can get PT. I also doubt we could afford him. But I’d love to see it.

      In fairness, he also would crowd Nogueira a lot. They don’t play the same way, but both cover tons of midfield ground in the No. 8 role.

  2. Any talent we can grab out of Russia now that they’re being asked to take pay cuts?

  3. Having watched and waited for Pfeffer to break through over the last few years, I’m distressed to see him slipping in the US pool, which has been the one place he was getting any playing time.

    I think if he doesn’t make the Union 18 every game this summer, it’s time for a serious re-assessment of the whole situation.

  4. “I would just like to go on record as saying the Union would also benefit by signing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, especially if they could land both at the same time.”

    Priceless. Thank for putting that on the record Ed. I love the smell of sarcasm in the morning.

  5. Daniele De Rossi to NYCFC? Why not. Just one more player who moves beautifully and plays the game with grace I have loved to watch– playing up the I 95.
    .
    Maybe, when the 22 year old young man from Minnesota calls me AGAIN about season tickets in Chester, I will have a rethink… after all it is NYCFC and Orlando coming to town.

  6. It’s becoming harder and harder to be patient with the Union and not expect to be underwhelmed.

  7. I'm Sak, Please Fire Me says:

    We are pleased to announce the acquisition of Eduardo Coudet, Stefan Migliorazzi, and Fabinho to anchor the 2015 Philadelphia Union.

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