Philadelphia UnionÂ
Union II opened their stay in Columbia with a 3-1 win.
The Union are preparing for Minnesota tomorrow night.
Coach Curtin’s thoughts heading into the match.
MLS
A takeaway for each team after Week 30.
Matt Doyle’s take on the Week 30 action.
Diego Rossi is off to a hot start in Turkey after being loaned by LAFC.
The MLS Team of the Week is available here.
This week’s episode of Instant Replay is available here.
World
Arsenal and Crystal Palace fought to a 2-2 draw on Monday Night Football.
Gio Reyna could miss the next phase of qualifying with an injury.
Jill Ellis is a fan of a World Cup every 2 years.
Not a fan of the World Cup going to every two years. It basically means that every international window goes towards World Cup qualifying and it becomes much more difficult to stage other competitions such as continental championships and nations leagues.
It is a disgrace.
.
It marginalizes EURO’s and COPA or Gold Cup… which in my opinion are better tournaments than World Cup- Gold CUp excluded.
.
Basically these players will be in constent qualification or World Cup mode. Cycling non stop. Such a dumb money grub bastard idea.
.
Truly… as much as I think Arsene Wenger is a brilliant man, his comments on this (players wanting MORE) makes me think he is huffing Dust Off.
.
It’s not like having more World Cups will produce different winners.
.
I’m surly and terse today. Must be the Ben Simmons bullshit.
Can’t help you there. I stopped following the NBA when Jordan retired from the Bulls.
Much like “Thursday Night Football” more does not always equate to better. Doubling the WC would just water a great product down too much.
There are other/better ways to grow the game and raise its profile thru other competitions.
2022 = Men’s World Cup
2023 = Women’s World Cup
2024 = Olympics (U23), Euros, Copa America
2025 = WC Qualifying, ????
.
I’m sure there are all sorts of competitions that could be dreamt up for 2025. There are 6 federations, what if they took 6 teams from each federation, put them in pods of 6 for 5 game round robin formats, award points for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place finishes then the federation with the most points wins the competition?
.
I’m just spitballing here – I know the above would be a trainwreck, but just saying they could get creative and come up with something else to fill the summer void.
I have to say it. I can’t keep it in.
.
As if Covid didn’t mess with these crucial years of development for Union Youth or Union2 …as in having no league or consistency of meaningful games- because lets be real about it beating West Chester United 7-1 doesn’t count….. the team needed to fly to freaking COLOMBIA to play soccer. And by meaningful, as respectfully as I can say it…there isn’t one team in Colombia’s current first division from Cartagena. If someone can offer a different answer, I’m all elephant ears.
.
So while I am glad they won 3-1 the other day… what the actual fuck is going on with soccer for the highest level players we are developing in this country …..that AREN’T yet or actual first team players?
.
How long until this is figured out.
.
End Rant.
Deportivo Cali seems to play in first division. Thesis blown I guess… not.
I mean that is the negative way to look at it, sure.
–
The positive way to look at it is “Wow this historically cheap team that used to train in a public park now cares so much about getting their youth team minutes they sent them down to Columbia for a tournament no one has ever heard about!”
–
I’m sure most other reserve teams aren’t even playing as much as U2. If there is one thing the Union has shown its their dedication to youth development and I think they are doing the best they can.
Touché, James.