Philadelphia Union
The homegrown signings of two YSC Academy graduates were announced yesterday. Matt Real and Mark McKenzie inked professional deals. Head Coach Jim Curtin welcomes them both.
Hear from both new signings here and here.
Union announced a gaming partnership with Independence Blue Cross and N3rd Street Gamers as they begin an eMLS adventure.
Union 2018 single-match tickets go on sale January 23rd.
Local
Midfielder and Jamaican international Omar Holness expressed his excitement about this upcoming season with his new club, Steel FC.
An Ocean City Nor’easters amateur hopes to get a second chance at a professional career this weekend.
MLS
DeMarcus Beasley agreed once more to continue playing soccer. Houston Dynamo signed Beasley for another year.
Kei Kamara is ready to go with his new team and eyes an MLS Cup with Vancouver Whitecaps.
Former USMNT and current LAFC coach Bob Bradley talks a lot on Extra Time radio.
MLS and Southern New Hampshire University extend their partnership.
Do New York Red Bulls= even know who they are?
2018 SuperDraft
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2018 MLS Superdraft begins 1/19 @ 11am from inside the Convention Center in Philadelphia. Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Union.
The 2018 MLS Superdraft kicks off at 11AM from Philadelphia.
Here is ‘depth chart’ of top players by position.
Top-5 mock draft picks by MLS.
Bobby Warshaw speaks with Akron player Joao Moutinho in the “War Room.”
US Soccer
USA lost Jonathan Gonzalez to Mexico. Here’s how.
USSF Presidential battle is ongoing.
Around the Globe
A Week 24 preview for EPL action can be found here. TV schedule here. A guy named Prince made Week 24 picks.
Chelsea FC accused of signing 25 minors in FIFA inquiry.
Neymar may want out, but can he leave?
In honor of Ronaldinho’s retirement: Year Zero: The making of Ronaldinho + Long read: How Ronaldinho changed football forever.
FourFourTwo ranked the top 20 Premier League kits from the 90’s. Check it out here.
I hoping Real is our starting LB the season opener.
He has 20 professional appearances, 19 of them starts, all USL.
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Seems early to give him the starting nod.
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More likely he spot starts in situations when the matchup is not overwhelming, to avoid traumatization.
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Recommend finding and watching the video of the playoff game v. Louisville from last October. He showed some opportunity for future improvement against a good USL player.
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I have plenty of hope for his future, but think careful nurturing is still called for.
If Jim commits to playing these homegrowns regularly — getting them significan minutes — I’m OK with the approach. And if this is how the first team roster is going to get filled out, I expect a pretty big expenditure on an attacking player. I’m talking Roberto Firmino level blockbuster. I know, dream on, but with all this spend-thriftiness on squad building this club should be plunking down several million on a BIG impact midfielder.
When I feel optimistic this is what I think about.
The 3 new signings are all cheap fill ins, and the re-signings for Herbers and Ilsinho must have been cheaper as well.
Couple that with that fact everyone very clearly told us they know they need to upgrade certain positions, and they know they need to spend money, tell me there IS going to be 1-2 “big” signings coming soon.
I can buy that the FO is incompetent or unprepared. I would believe that they missed some targets or some never called back.
But I don’t believe they would maliciously tell us all these things and then simply not pursue a TAM level 10 or winger.
This his how you build in this league. The bottom and most of the middle of the roster need to be cheap home grown players (who don’t count against the cap) and the majority of the starting team need to be expensive and fill most of the cap. We now have cheap players as the backups at basically all spots on the team. Still need some of those expensive starters though…
yeah, with the amount of tam and cap space they must be sitting on they should theoretically be able afford to sign a pretty expensive player or two
I agree with you Pete, IF Curtin plays them. Part of me has wondered all along if the Union might be planning a “big” signing. Though I can’t go as far as a Roberto Firmino. If it’s true as “A.” says, that the Union has finally figured out how to play the MLS game (though I’m still not sold), I’d actually be really happy with this.
Does anyone honestly believe the young players will play in real MLS games and not open cup or friendlys?
Not really Great One, that’s why the “IF” is in caps.
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The one thing I want from Pat Noonan, is for him to whisper in Curtin’s ear, every thirty minutes, is “play the kids”. If he does that, he’ll be 10x the assistant Sorber was.
Yeah, All4U. That’s my point — IF. If you’re going to whine and whine about lack of resources every time you meet the press, don’t give us this “you gotta earn your spot in practice every day” nonsense. That’s a philosophy for a serious club with real, present-tense ambition. If you’re a “develop the kids” club, you have to get the kids real playing time. Throw them in the deep end — sink or swim.
There’s no link for the USSF presidential battle.
I agree with the above – if the Union take a Sixers approach and actually start playing the youngsters and seeing what they have, I, too am fine with this approach. To their credit this is what they have stated as the plan all along, so hopefully it starts bearing fruit and we have some real talent coming through the pipeline. That being said, all bets are off if these guys don’t see the field and I have to struggle through another 7th-placed season with Ilsinho, Fabinho and Gooch running around out there. There is a HUGE difference between that 7th place and one where Derrick Jones, Matt Real, Austin Trusty & the other young kids are starting or at least playing regularly.
Looks like we’re about to announce we got our third choice international CB today. Exciting stuff from the home town team
David Accam to Philly for over 1 million in allocation. I’ll take it
hell yeah baby, i love it
Add in a real #10 and that’s a pretty good attack, Fafa and Accam with CJ between them.
Wow. Not bad at all. Still need that # 10, but Accam notched 14 goals and 8 assists last season. Great pace — a legit attacking threat. Now get us that playmaker.
Playmaker on the wing is a great start. We will really be dynamic there. Really need that stud #10 now. And maybe some d help too.
Huge addition. They need to resign him before his contract expires, but assuming that happens, he’s a great get. And he’ll not longer kill us when we play against Chicago. Addition by subtraction.
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That’s 3/4 of a great attack. Get someone to supply service and this will be a potent team.