Philadelphia Union
22 days until 2018 HOME OPENER. Team returns home from Florida Sunday Feb. 11th.
Meet the Philadelphia Union team Wednesday Feb. 28th at Dave & Busters (Penn’s Landing location). Season ticket holders see players 7-9PM, general public 8-9PM.
Union finished 0-0 against Chicago Fire yesterday. Check out the highlights, or lack thereof. Player to watch moving forward – Olivier Mbaizo. Matt Real rolled an ankle.
Head Coach Jim Curtin spoke post-scrimmage. Check a video here.
Auston Trusty and John McCarthy also spoke post-scrimmage.
Part 2 of a season preview dropped by Philly Sports Network. Check Part 1 here.
Bethlehem Steel FC / USL
37 days until Steel FC HOME OPENER.
Tomorrow @ 2PM – Steel FC v. FC Motown (preseason) on the outdoor field @ YSC Sports in Wayne, PA. Free to the public.
One day after Penn FC unveil a new Coach they add just the fifth member of their roster, signing M Jorge Rivera. The Penn FC re-branding that took place clearly affected the roster. The roster has been cleaned out compared to Harrisburg City Islander teams of past.
Las Vegas Lights FC revealed their Primary kits for 2018. In a word, ‘Why?’
The Carolina Challenge Cup to air on beIN sports. Great MLS + USL tournament for soccer fans.
MLS
There is preseason soccer happening in Hawaii via the Pacific Rim Cup.
Ohio county officials pressure the big bad MLS to decide on FC Cincinnati’s fate.
Sacha Kljiestan explained his motivations for leaving New York Red Bulls for Orlando City SC on SiriusXM FC’s “United States of Soccer.”
Vancouver Whitecaps FC create a “Hawaii Five-O” title sequence. Is it better than Philly’s “Fresh Prince of Chest-Air” sequence though?
Check out the MLS preseason schedule here.
US Soccer
The USSF Presidential election has turned a bit sour. DRAMA! See below.
I am so happy that I’m leaving for vacation tomorrow night. The tone of the election has been rancid.
— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) February 9, 2018
Candidate answer questions here.
Predictions on the election here.
A different perspective of the election. A behind-the-scenes look here.
More election news. NWSL side with Kathy Carter.
Former #USWNT Lori Lindsey explains her choice for next US Soccer president here.
Paul Caligiuri explains his grassroots plan. He’s trying to get the people going.
The election campaign has been a roller coaster. Grant Wahl provides insight on the the craziness.
Around the Globe
Week 27 English Premier League story-lines here, TV and stream schedule here.
Christian Pulisic is not looking to move to that above mentioned Premier League.
Mo Salah opens up about his love for Liverpool as a child.
Mario Balotelli is apparently back in the picture for Italy under interim coach Luigi Di Biagio. His last appearance with Italy – 2014 World Cup.
“The pitch didn’t look great on television.” A fifth round FA Cup match is in question due to pitch conditions.
Soccer can be rough on a body after years of professional competition. Matty Fryatt, former Hull striker, retires and explains why here.
Soccer can also push people to the brink. Leon McKenzie explains his life’s journey through soccer which almost took his life.
Worst misses in football (soccer) history.
Is it me or is there 0 enthusiasm for the upcoming season.
Even with the addition of Accam there seems to be no momentum going forward.
Not just you.
Agreed. I have season tickets, but no interest in going. Even the opener.
I tried on this post to push some enthusiasm with the caps lock and home opener countdown and what not.
It’s tough to work up excitement. Usually I’m all over trying to watch the preseason, but now it’s just not providing the draw. If they seriously do NOT sign anyone else in a window where probably EVERY other team improved, we’re just basement fodder.
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By comparison, I was just in Orlando for work and the degree of excitement there is pretty noticeable.
I think the Eagles overshadowed everything recently, but the USMNT has put a damper on things in general. Listen, I’m not saying I’m amped to watch Ilsinho at the #10, show up like every 3rd game, then get hurt for a month… but I think once it starts and we see what Accam can add, it’ll be fun again.
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Will the team be any good? SHIT, if I know, but I’m not making any bets on it.
No World Cup, Sunils understudy will be elected Saturday, The Union have no #10, Curtin has no tactics as an underdog. How quickly will this team sink. Please please please at least play Najem and not Ilsinho, I beg you.
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Does anyone have a comparison YOY of salary spending? Blake went up, but Ilsinho/Fabinho/Herberswenr down right? Edu and Pontius salaries are gone but Accam is in. All of our new signings are probly near minimums. I’d be willing to bet we’re spending less than last year. Do we even have 30 men on the roster yet? How many players do the Steel have?
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The stock market drops more and Sugarman loses more, this team is a disgrace. I feel bad for the players trying hard and getting no backing. I feel bad for the people who re-upped this year. I had been pushing a group of 10 at work to do a 5 game plan, no way I’m doing that anymore. Sugarman won’t spend money, Ernie won’t sign anyone, Curtin won’t think outside the box. This is a low point in soccer for Philadelphia. The day after the highest of high points for the other football team.
Yeah, thing are pretty bleak. The only thing I can hope for is to play the young guys a lot. Looks like Trusty is going to start. Hopefully we also gets lots of Jones/Najem/Fontana. At least 1 of them should be starting every game. Should also get lots of minutes of Epps/Herbers/Ayuk.
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Even all of that isn’t interesting.
I agree with you, I just don’t see
Curtin making changes like thst and switching people in and out. That hasn’t ever been his MO
Yeah. I mean I know Herbers will get time this year and even if Ilshino is starting he’s never playing a full game. But man, there’s just nothing new about this team. Just getting that 10 changes so much and they just fell on their face. Earnie has been so underwhelming.
Just had a thought that this might be Stewart’s double secret plan to can Curtin by the summer. Set him up to fail. Though it could backfire and just give Curtin more cover for poor results. Ugh. Barring a surprise star turn from Najem, this is going to be a crap season.
Maybe Earnie should focus on actually getting players. The only useful people he has brought in so far have been Fafa and Medunjanin. I fail to see how our roster would be worse if he wasn’t the GM.
No excuse needed to let Curtin go at the end of last season, or even the season before that. The failure to fill the roster with the available resources is independent of that decision. This team is more frustrating than fun right now.
I really don’t think Najem will even get a chance to play. At this point I’m just hoping they let Trusty play.
Great One, you already probably know, the YOY salary comparison becomes possible accurately in May when the spring Salary figures are released by the players Union.
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The Steel, as I type, have seven signed players (USL contracts), the three draft picks whose status is under evaluation, and a group of trialists whose identity and number changes almost daily. the practice sessions I have seen are “fleshed out” with players from the Academy across the street from YSC. The Academy list has some consistent repeaters, but is never identical day-to-day, either by identity or quantity.
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The trialist list reflects the variability and detail of MLS training camp cuts, so to be less than precise, but the target changes shape frequently.
Thanks for the info.
Does anyone think that Kathy Carter won’t win? Does anyone believe that she is even remotely a decent choice? I’m all for more women being in-charge, but not when she seems so ill-suited to the task at hand.
+1
She’s just more of the same. Possibly SUM gets even more opaque and ingrained
she’s perfectly suited to make money. she is on the record as indicating that is the only thing important in US Soccer.
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She is the next president of US Soccer.
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Exactly. No the task at hand.
Not the task at hand.*
I have a feeling Martino steals this one. Just a hunch.
May you please be right Pete.
The more I see Lindsey Vonn the more I detest US Soccer. How is it that in skiing the kids are developed so well that we have not only one but two fantastic skiers?! Meanwhile US soccer better do not keep the status quo by electing Sunil’s understudy (Kathy Carter). Major change is required to make sure that we get in soccer the same success as we have in skiing!
I’m not following this logic…is your point that US Soccer should try to emulate the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association because the U.S. (with a population of 326 million) was able to develop TWO fantastic skiers?
There are actually many more such as Bode Miller and Ted Ligety. The point is that the US Ski & Snowboard Ass is doing something right in the development of youth; US soccer is doing very little right. Our best players need to go abroad to get developed…
Half the world does not ski at all, so a lot less competition to be the best. Skiing is a rich man sport, so a lot less competition ie it’s a first world sport. Costs $$$ to do. Cost $$$$$$ to be trained. And at the end of the day how many people make a true living doing it. Maybe 50? 100? And US skiing has it own problems with development. A lot of good people fall through the cracks. Don’t fit the mold. Get left behind. Full disclosure… I ski and love the sport.
U.S Skiing should be focusing on urban areas…it’s a totally untapped market. Many of these kids are now getting approached by the Mexican Skiing Federation.
I sense sarcasm…
+1 Zizouisgod. That response was so so good.
Could not agree more.
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I remember back in the 80s when US skiing really got its act together thanks to the #grassrootsskiing movement into the inner cities #downhill@downtown and really boosted the number of kids interested in the sport. Then in the 90s the new coach licensing programs really boosted the tactical knowledge of the youth coaches in the sport that has really translated on the hill (just see last years U18 team!). Not to mention the quality of the referees and the introduction of VAR has really cleaned the sport up. And then in the last few years, the togetherness of the team, the successful recruitment of so many dual-nationals, coupled with that spot on formation switch and some perfectly timed substitutions really have the squad firing.
CP, and Zizou, wonderful job.
Can’t wait till complaining changes to actual games. By the way, if they fire Curtin, I think Ernie should go with him. Truthfully the team hasn’t gotten worse under his coaching it’s stayed about the same. Not a whole lot has changed since Ernie has come here with player acquisition. Now how do you find a owner willing to spend too put anybody who replaces them in a position to succeed? If only we had pro/rel, then Sugarman would spend even less.
I’m pretty sure the Union are already the top USL team. Why not win something for it? C’mon Pro/Rel!
Agree, All4U. Might be more fun to root for a competitive Div. 2 team.
Though I just had the thought, there’s no funny money in the USL. Right? Oh noes. I take it back. I take it all back
I don’t know, FC Cincy already put the screws to the Revs a few days ago. I kinda think they would end up above the Union at the end of the season.
Yea, that part about no funny money, glad you caught on. I really don’t think the Union could survive as a USL team. But that’s just me.
I was really just trying to have fun with it. If they were relegated, I’m sure all the “high” priced talent would be sold off or shipped to some other MLS team, and the “kids” would be the ones filling out the roster with USL retreads. With Sugarman as the owner, I think the Union would fail to be competitive wherever they were.
You think Sugarman would keep the academy as part of the team? He still has to pay something for the stadium and taxes I believe. I think players, the academy and the Steel would be the first to go. Corporate sponsors would carry the team until the contracts expired, unless going down would be a reason to break them. Also what would be the point in going up for him? Bigger bills? It’s not like T.V. money is that big to cover expenses. Really we would need an owner willing to risk more money than Sugarman does now with single entity protection. He went from decently wealthy MLS owner when he was awarded the team to not even as wealthy as some USL owner’s.
I was originally thinking players like Real, Jones, Trusty etc. under the “kids” banner. But the academy and BSFC opens a whole new can of worms, doesn’t it. I still am going to go with the assumption that Sugarman eventually wants to sell the team. He’d have to keep the academy at least to make it more attractive and to have a resource for “cheap” labor. Also having the academy would allow for new “talented” players he could promote or even sell off (does USL get a percentage like MLS does?). I definitely think BSFC would go, or if there was a USL2, be dropped to that. But in the end, Sugarman would have to do everything he can to get back to MLS in order to make the eventual sale profitable.
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Very interesting scenario though. It really would be such a car wreck though wouldn’t it?
Depressing stat of the day: Jay Sugarman only makes a million dollars a year in total compensation. Istar Financial is trading at around $9.90. Even taking into account possible unrealized vested stock options from previous years it won’t ever be enough to make us financially competitive.
Every year I hope (and am ultimately disappointed) that the Union will be one of the three MLS teams invited to participate in the Carolina Challenge Cup. MUSC Stadium (formerly Blackbaud) is a great stadium (it is actually the first privately built soccer specific stadium….opened a month prior to the one in Columbus), the pub in the stadium is a site to behold, the entire Charleston area is a great place to vacation and you won’t find a nicer fan base than in Charleston. Six quality matches (three doublheaders) in eight days for a cost of $75 (package price for all 6 games). Hopefully someday……
That does sound like fun. I believe the Union have a deal with Clearwater for a while though.