Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
Rounds Three and Four of the SuperDraft take place today via conference call at 2 pm. Here’s a list of players still available for selection.
At ASN, Brian Sciaretta looks at the US U-20 roster for the first camp of 2017 we linked to in Monday’s roundup and notes that the Union’s Auston Trusty among six players “that have a legitimate shot” at claiming a starting spot at center back. Sciaretta predicts Trusty will make the US roster for the U-20 CONCACAF Championship tournament that kicks off in Costa Rica in February.
Philly Sports Network’s Union shopping list series concludes with box-to-box midfielders.
Union assistant coach Mike Sorber is among those who will be in the second class of US Soccer’s new Pro Course coaching license. You will recall Jim Curtin was a graduate of the inaugural class in December.
At Philly Voice, Kevin Kinkead writes in appreciation of the league’s new policy of announcing the amount of allocation money used in player transactions.
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Sons of Ben tonight at McGillin’s Ale House beginning at 7 pm.
Bethlehem Steel FC
Former Bethlehem Steel center back Mickey Daly has signed with USL-side OKC Energy.
MLS
Chicago have acquired Dax McCarty from NYRB in exchange for “$400,000 in General Allocation Money, designated as $200,000 in 2017 and $200,000 in 2018…McCarty’s MLS contract is guaranteed through the 2017 season and the Fire hold options for 2018 and 2019.” Holy moly.
Montreal have re-signed Patrice Bernier to “a new one-year contract.”
Impact president Joey Saputo says he’s “100 per cent” certain Ignacio Piatti will be back with the team in 2017.
Goal.com reviews the sorry state of MLS coverage by local newspapers in many major markets.
NWSL
NWSL commissioner Jeff Plush says the minimum and maximum salaries for players “will be quite a bit [higher]” in 2017. The minimum salary in 2016 was $7,200, the maximum was $39,700.
US
US Soccer and FourFourTwo on Graham Zusi playing right back for the USMNT.
Following comments from Alex Morgan in the article at The Guardian we linked to in Monday’s roundup, Fox Sports wonders how like the USWNT is to strike.
At Philly.com, Jonathan Tannenwald talks to Carli Lloyd, who also discusses the USWNT’s push for a new CBA.
Elsewhere
Juventus has a new logo. Fail.
Bloomberg looks at the declining TV ratings for Premier League games in England: “Average viewership of Premier League games has fallen 11 percent in the first half of season…It probably has to do with the ubiquity of entertainment options on our smartphones from cat videos to Pokemon Go, and the vast library of film and TV series available online in the age of Netflix. In surveys, young people express less interest in sports as a genre of TV content than older people.”
CIES Football Observatory has a new ranking of the world’s most valuable players. No Union players make the list.
I wish the Union signed Dax. He would be perfect for this team.
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No idea what the Red Bulls are thinking there.
It’s cold calculus. They think Dax peaked last year and they have a young replacement in that kid who took his place while he was injured. gotta sell him now while he has value. I think it’s a smart soccer move, but might be bad for the club. Of course it will all be judged on results… People hated Marsch right after Petke was sacked, but a bunch of wins swept all that animosity away pretty quick. Same will be true with Dax. The risk of course is, if the RBs begin this year like last, the fans will be howling for blood.
I guess. To me though Dax was the glue of that team. Dude is a great MLS player and was the face of that team. You may be right though, time will tell.
I also would have loved to see the Union grab him. He always shows in every game. A solid MLS player.
Jorge Gomez Sanchez (Temple) and Connor Maloney (Penn St, youth team coached by Curtin) still on the draft board.
if they sign both of Friday’s picks, and add that controlling midfielder they doggone well better get, the roster would be at 26, assuming Leo Fernandes is in fact gone (which I think he is because of his presence in the waiver draft).
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AND, the Steel roster remains at 9, with the league minimum being 12 and last season’s number being 14.
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To me, the additional slots the Union need to fill are a 3rd goal keeper and reserve central spine midfield depth.
Doggone better get is right. Our spine is not looking so hot right now. Would love to see Jones get a lot of time this year, but he’s obviously untested (that said, he should have got more first team minutes last year).
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Based on the reinforcements and players other teams are bringing in, I can’t help but think this season will be a step back. DC, NYC, and Chicago all improved immensely. RBs, Impact, and TFC will be just as potent. Could easily see even ATL finishing above us. Really only see U being better than OCity, Columbus, maybe NE.
If the Union add a stud midfielder they will have improved just as much as anyone. Big investments were made last year in getting young players battle tested. That midfielder is required though.
Agreed, but those teams didn’t lose someone as integral as ‘Quillo (and Nogs) – and when other teams’ attacks, like DC’s, gelled at the end of the season, Sapong and the U Biff’d it. By no means writing Simpson (or a Simpson/Sapong platoon) off, but not sure he will be as productive as we need him to be.
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Or. To put it another way, not sure they will receive the service or opps to be as productive as we need them to be.
I think consistency is one of the most underrated things in pro sports. Especially in soccer where chemistry is so important with the players on the field. I’m not underestimating the fact that the U are returning most of the same starting lineup from last year, while hopefully still adding a few pieces.
….I like the new Juventus logo.
Couldn’t disagree more.
It’s not LA Chargers bad, but it’s pretty bad.
It’s horrible. Nothing at all wrong with the current crest.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jan/16/juventus-unveil-new-crest-serie-a
in this case, less is less