Photo: Philadelphia Union
Philadelphia Union
Pro Soccer USA caught up with Fabian Herbers.
Union academy review.
New Zolo Talk podcast is up.
Local
Junior Lone Star released their inaugural UPSL season schedule.
U.S. Soccer
Kyle Martino reflects on his run for president.
Christen Press trade drama hits the USWNT’s roster.
MLS
FourFourTwo looks at playing the kids.
Why some MLS clubs aren’t replicating the Red Bulls’ USL reserve model.
Toronto FC signed midfielder Victor Vazquez to a multi-year extension.
NYCFC signed a 15-year-old to a Homegrown contract.
LAFC acquired a U.S. youth international’s rights from FC Dallas. Ives Galarcep and Charles Boehm make some good points about that trade.
The Sounders are eying a DP striker for the summer transfer window, so some supporters came up with this:
Now the much awaited sequel. (🎬 Moohead) https://t.co/sb2O8EU43c pic.twitter.com/Wjy8lDdV00
— Sounder At Heart (@sounderatheart) March 21, 2018
On the Filibuster podcast, around the 60th minute, Massive Report‘s Pat Murphy gave an update on #SaveTheCrew. Cut to the quick: Murphy believes the Crew will eventually move to Austin.
Around the globe
Manchester United finally apply for a women’s team. Welcome to the 20th century, chaps.
Prosecutors are investigating AC Milan’s Chinese sale.
Highlight of the day
One way to spend a snow day:
@EPAYouthSoccer #snowday pic.twitter.com/c4VEjtYLKW
— Matt Langford (@DocMatt77) March 21, 2018
http://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/3427880/zlatan-ibrahimovic-has-played-last-manchester-united-game-leaving-for-mls-sources
Official.
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https://twitter.com/GrantWahl/status/976833593820504064
Oh Boris? He didn’t go far enough. It’s past time the rest of the world stop acting like Russia will play by any rules.
(can’t believe I’m saying this) I’m with Boris on this one (someone get me a bourbon please)
I don’t think Herbers is a bad player but he picked the wrong time and position to be mediocre. With Fafa and Ilshino coming back Burke looking strong and Ayuk netting goal for the Steel he may find himself buried fast in the depth chart.
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Although it is nice to be two players down at the beginning of season and still have viable options.
Interesting statement in the article about the Red Bulls 2 model that the Union are happening to follow.
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“Budalic said that Orlando City will reconstitute its reserve team next year, but in USL Division III. Budalic said the lower average age of players in the league — between 19 and 22 — would allow the reserve team to be more closely aligned with its academy.”
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Other points worth highlighting in my opinion: 1. The depth of youth soccer talent in the club’s immediate region influences matters greatly. 2. Costs vs benefits vary greatly from situation to situation.
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And an observation I would make responding to the article is that you have to have not only the right USL coach able to adapt to the changing conditions, that coach has to have a good deal of trust and confidence in those who are in effect controlling his fate by their player availability decisions.
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Do not underestimate the value to the Keystone sports organization of the relationship between Brendan Burke and Jim Curtin that developed when they were both with the organization in different capacities earlier.
What Union are doing is fantastic in this regards.
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Still kinda wish Union II was at Chester and divorced from Steel and Steel formed its own USL team but it is what it is.
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Maybe once the pipeline is strong enough they can split…. Union offering some players to Steel to build out a USL roster and Union pulling back to Chester to house an entire USL team of Academy and reserve players.
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An interesting read about the ongoing politics surrounding World Cup bids.
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http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2765861-why-the-us-could-lose-its-2026-world-cup-bid-to-morocco
– “Why the US Could Lose Its 2026 World Cup Bid to Morocco”
Honestly after seeing the blatant greed involved with FIFA requirements for bidding, I hope the U.S. does lose the bidding. Should be called the Switzerland Greed Cup. It’s more fitting.
I would LOVE to have the World Cup here…right until I read about the stipulations.
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“…tax exemptions, legal immunity, zero legal liability and a clause that would insist that unlimited amounts of foreign currency could be shipped in and out of the country.”
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So shady. I’m sorry, I’ll watch on Fox Soccer. That is ridiculous.
Legal Immunity? No, you are not a state diplomat.
Unlimited amounts of foreign currency? Are you running your money-laundering operation right out in the open? Or are you expecting local businesses to be able to give you change in Drachmas?
Food for thought. I wonder if the Union might start a team in USL2? Wasn’t there a rumor about moving the Steel to Delaware where the Sixers are building a complex in Wilmington? Maybe it wasn’t the Steel but a new team in the third division. If they started a USL2 team this would give them even more opportunity to play academy players in a pro environment. Also The announcement about Richie Graham investing more into the team….hmm.
“Path to the Pros”
The rumor was fan-driven, based on some ties between the Sixers and the Union. Nothing concrete. But it would make sense.
Would love to have the Union have a team in every division of US soccer. The more teams the better.
John….we have to stop agreeing like this. Word and thought adversaries to the end.
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Excellent comment. Touched on it a bit myself above thread.