Daily news roundups

Host of USOC final to be determined on Wednesday, more Union bits, more news

Photo: Daniel Studio

Philadelphia Union

The transfer window to bring in players from outside of MLS, or trades within MLS, closes on Thursday. Remember, regarding offloading Rais Mbolhi: “An MLS player may be transferred or loaned at any time to a club outside the League (subject to that club’s Federation’s transfer window), and subject to the consent of the player.” So, while the MLS window closes in two days, the Union can transfer him to any league whose transfer window is still open. For much of Europe, the transfer window remains open until between Aug. 31 and Sept. 8

The host of the US Open Cup final, which will be played Sept. 29 or 30, will be determined by coin flip on Wednesday at 12 pm. You can watch the coin flip live on US Soccer’s YouTube channel. The semifinal round features Union-Fire and Kansas City-Salt Lake and will be played on Wednesday, Aug. 12. Get your ticket for the Union-Fire game by clicking here.

Chicago head coach Frank Yallop said of his weekend viewing plans ahead of next Wednesday’s Open Cup semifinal: “I’ll be watching Philly, and they’re a good side. We just jumped above them in the league, which looks better than it did before the weekend. Every team in our league, as we know, is capable of beating the other teams. Philly’s no different. We’re no different. Seattle’s no different. You can go on and on. We’ve got to be ready to play.”

At Brotherly Game, Jared Young looks at Tranquillo Barnetta’s stats from last season to learn what might be expected from him with the Union.

Power rankings: Dead last at ESPNSI, and SBI, and No. 19 at Soccer America.

More recaps and analysis from Saturday’s loss to NYRB at Al Dia News, Vavel, and MLS Multiplex. And an incident report at Brotherly Game.

In a ranking of average announced attendance for the 55 professional soccer clubs in the US and Canada, The Union come in at No. 14. 17, 714. Harrisburg come in at No. 47 with an average of 2,444.

The Georgetown men’s team, selected at No. 3 in the NSCAA 2015 Division I Preseason Poll, will play the Union in an exhibition game on Aug. 18.

Philadelphia Union co-owner Rob Buccini has been named to the Delaware Business Leaders Hall of Fame.

Local

Harrisburg City Islanders midfielder Cardel Benbow has been called up by the Jamaican U-23 team for the second stage of the Olympic qualifiers, which will be held in Haiti, Aug. 12-17.

The pink jerseys the City Islanders will wear when they host Richmond Kickers this Saturday will be auctioned off after the game in support of Feel Your Boobies Foundation. Before kickoff, a chain of 500 bras will stretch from the center circle at Skyline Sports Complex to outside of the stadium and across Harrisburg’s Walnut Street Bridge.

Sydney Zandi (D: Penn Fusion; West Chester, Pa.) and Rachael Dorwart (F: PA Classics; Mechanicsburg, Pa.) have been called up for the US U-17 WNT training camp that will be held in Carson, Calif. Aug. 9-16.

Registration for the Casa League’s fall season is now open.

MLS

Salt Lake are in Guatemala City tonight to face former Union man Carlos Ruiz and Municipal in CONCACAF Champions League play (10 pm: Fox Soccer Plus, Fox Soccer 2Go).

Columbus Crew have acquired former Union man Jack McInerney from Montreal in exchange for a second round pick in the 2016 SuperDraft.

Before the McInerney trade, Montreal acquired Costa Rican international attacking midfielder/forward Johan Venegas from Costa Rican club L.D. Alajuelense.

Last Friday, Toronto acquired defender Josh Williams, who last played for NYCFC, off waivers.

Portland Timbers and forward/midfielder Gastón Fernández have mutually agreed to part ways.

Juan Manuel “Burrito” Martinez to Salt Lake?

Seattle players union rep Brad Evans on the recently ratified CBA:

When we all look back at this CBA, it wasn’t what we wanted. I think we handcuffed ourselves into a situation. I think Don Garber can look back and say he got the fair end of the deal. Those guys obviously got the better end of the deal. But come four-and-a-half more years, we’re going to have to put our foot down. We found out, I think, through enough social media that all of the fans were behind us, even after the fact. A lot of them said, ‘You guys got screwed. Why didn’t you stop?’ There’s a lot to think about. We have to get this group unified enough.

PSG’s David Luiz on playing in the US in the International Champions Cup:

Frankly, I loved playing there. The Americans are incomparable for the sport’s business and they’re beginning to truly love football.

In five to 10 years, Major League Soccer will be one of the most important championships in the world. Look at all the players they’ve recruited. And that will be the future of many of us.

Sacramento Business Journal has an update on that city’s hopes for a MLS franchise.

Seattle’s Century Link Field is one of nine new stadiums that will be included in the launch of FIFA 16 on Sept. 22.

In the National Premier Soccer League semifinals on Saturday, Chattanooga FC drew 9,236 fans to watch their 3-0 win over Indiana Fire. Last year they drew 8,878 for the semi. Brilliant. They’ll host New York Cosmos B this weekend in the final.

US

Aron Johannsson has signed with Werder Bremen.

Abby Wambach on the disparity in pay between the men’s and women’s World Cups:

Look, we’re not talking about wanting to be paid just like the men. We understand their World Cup brings in billions and billions of dollars. But we also understand that our World Cup has found success, not just this year but the previous World Cup in Germany. It is my expectation that (FIFA will) start stepping up to the plate and start paying these women a little bit more so they don’t have to have a second job. So their World Cup championships will be closer to what the men are getting paid.

Elsewhere

Cristiano Ronaldo. When he’s not giving a f*ck, he’s buying an island for a wedding present and wearing disguises.

29 Comments

  1. Wow… Montreal unloaded Jack Mac. That’s the second Union stalwart who’s now been dumped by his SECOND club. Food for thought.

    • He was expendable in light of the all time great Cote d’Ivorie player they just signed…what’s his name again?
      .
      Not sure it says anything really.

      • Drogzzz! He could probably eat Jack Mac as a snack………….

      • pragmatist says:

        It may not say much, but he’s going to a team where he’s also likely to be secondary.
        That said, if he can’t rack up goals with the service he’ll get from Finlay and all the attention focused on Kamara, maybe we had him a bit overrated.

  2. Much like Okugo, Jack Mac is gonna find a club that is going to unlock him and he will be a solid contributer to the team.
    .
    But as of right now he is going to be a solid bench player for Columbus.

    • Kool aide tasting good today, is it?

      • Kool Aid for a player on someone else’s team? About a player who scored a fair amount of goals and won more Ghana few games for the Union?
        Nah I’m fine.

      • Kool aide for believing in fairy tales about future dreams. Though if it was sarcasm, and I missed it, I’m truly sorry.

    • Jack will eventually end up in Atlanta.

    • Nobody wants a 5’7 target striker these days…….you can only really play him in a 4-4-2 off a big guy……or kick him out wide in a 4-3-3, which he hates. Kid should have looked to hone his craft at a different position when he was younger……looked at genes, etc….an honest assessment. They never let him because he was the man at Bradenton…….was the same size he is now at 15….he could play it then…….

      • pragmatist says:

        “you can only really play him in a 4-4-2 off a big guy”
        You mean like Kamara? And midfield play coming from Finlay, Trapp, and Higuain?
        I’ll argue that if he is going to succeed, Columbus gives him a better chance than just about any team in the league.

      • Remember Columbus’s philosophy these days……..they don’t do 4-4-2….. They, to their credit……are trying to play football in Ohio

      • If he decides to play a certain way……Yeah, he’ll have a lot more opportunity in Columbus

  3. Has there been any hit of the Union doing anything before Thursday?

    • kevin kinkead keeps teasing that there are a couple moves they are working one

    • I mentioned the other day that I saw a rumor site link Bedoya to the Union. But it was the one and only place I saw it. Seems like if a USMNT starter was trying to move back into MLS there would be much more out there about it. Also assume they’d have to move Mbohli first for a move like that. Also, I’m sure he’d have to come in through allocation, and Union are not in top spot. Pretty unlikely, I guess.

      • Andy Muenz says:

        Interesting point on Bedoya. As I recall, allocation was necessary for returning USMNT players. However, I don’t believe Bedoya has played in MLS in the pass so he shouldn’t be considered a returning player. Of course, we all know how consistent MLS is with its rules.

      • Yeah, I shouldn’t have said “trying to move back into MLS”, don’t think he’s ever played here. And you are right about the “returning” USMNT players distinction with regard to allocation. But as you say, who knows what the “rules” are today. I’ve kind of given up trying to understand MLS rules. Can’t even say they are written in pencil not ink. More like they are a vague notion only existing in Don Garber’s subconscious.

      • Here is a little refresher for everyone on the current MLS rules (they CAN be confusing at times). If your team is located in NY, LA, or Seattle you can do anything you want, at anytime. If your team is located anywhere else…then you’ll have to consult the abridged eight volume “Rules and Regulations of The MLS” for all player moves.

      • You know…that is patent absurdism that this league plays favorites ….oh woah…only if we didn’t become the red headed step child so quickly those same rules may have applied to us.
        .
        We could have been great.

  4. Am I wrong, or is that the first U.S. stadium in FIFA? It will be fun to play as the USMNT and actually use an American stadium

  5. I don’t care who they bring in… but they have to unload M’Bolhi. No excuse for not fixing that mess. You know… a GM would prolly do well in this situation… hmm…

    • pragmatist says:

      There is an excuse: No one else wants him. You can’t force people to take your players.
      The main question is, how much salary are they willing to eat? Considering this team’s financial tendencies, “not much” is the likely answer.

      • one bite wash it down. one bite wash it down. one bite…gag…wash it down.
        .
        Wonder if it is Mr. Sakiewicz that will be dining on that one shortly or will he Tom Sawyer it to the manager and Mr. Albright or worse let it rot like carrion holding the club down long term… “Guys Guys its tasty in the middle just got to chew chew chew chew chew chew chew chew anyway… I rolled the bus over you- err it already…just eat eat eat…for me…would ya”
        .

      • OneManWolfpack says:

        Yeah fair point. I guess what I meant by “no excuse” was, if they have to eat money, than so be it. Do whatever it takes to get rid of him, and free up at least some money.

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