Morgan (89) and Debinha (88) are the only NWSLers in the top 10.
It looks like Smith (88) actually has the same rating as Debinha, but unlike the KCFUBAR star wasn't announced as part of the Top 10.
Do you ever get the sense that folks outside the US are trying to get Smith to Europe by disrespecting her work for club and the league in which she plays?
More Eurocentric FIFA bullshit. I knew it was only going to get worse with the USWNT having a poor (for them) world Cup showing...and I was right. Of course they also mostly ignore WWC23's best team (Nadeshiko, obvs), also about as surprising as the sun rising in the east. Ah, well...let 'em have their day. Going forward, only Spain is going to matter much.
I wonder what players and what fans did the voting. Lauren James had a great season with her team, but not so much at the World Cup, in fact a semi disaster. Smith should be on that list and Naomi Girma too me is a huge miss. If Sam Kerr doesn't win it, I don't know when she ever will. Even at the World Cup when she wasn't playing she was in the front of everybody's mind.
It’s not lol, it’s the full season award and it’s actually meant to be *less* Eurocentric than the ballon d’or because the ballon d’or shortlist is created by France Football, whereas the FIFA Best awards are voted on by world media, coaches of affiliated nations, players, and fans.
But yeah...that reads like a “best of the World Cup” list to me as well. Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Amanda Ilestedt, Linda Caicedo, Salma Parauello, and Alex Greenwood are clearly on there cause of WC performance.
Sam Coffey call-up is absolutely wonderful and deserved (!), but I hope KK (or whoever is on charge) is on the phone yesterday getting us a viable backup 6 in preparation for her long absences from the team, because our current option is gonna be unsustainable for long periods of club play, like during the Olympics next season.
I'm not advocating for an imminent signing. I'm saying that our current backup has never been a viable backup, and anyone in charge/paying attention over the last year should now have that on their shortlist of roster needs for the future with Coffey getting called back up now. Porter as our only 6 during the Olympics period next season means dropped points. Her contract is up after this year though...
Also, yes, of course, hence my saying "whoever is in charge" and why I also said elsewhere that I'm anxious for the sale to complete...
So realistically....no. Unless the Mystery Buyers are actively working with the current Peregrine FO. And while that might be happening...I doubt it.
And even if LeBlanc was dealing like a Vegas croupier...the window closed July 25.
And even if LeBlanc was a master scouting ninja...who's she gonna get? Coffey was almost a walk-on who developed into an international. How're you going to find a better-than-Porter reserve without luck that freakish?
I get it; I want all this stuff to happen, too. But there's things that might happen and are worth stressing about...and things that are nearly impossible. And that's how I see this happening anytime before maybe-November AND it assumes that the new owners have deep pockets, are hugely hooked into WoSo, and see picking up a Coffey-backup as high on their list.
Having briefly mentioned my kid's former HS teammate who is now at Harvard, where she's already making a name for herself. Played in all six matches so far and even netted her first college goal (as a mid/defender). Player she most reminds me of is Olivia Moultre, Suzy could be Liv's older sister.
Fun fact: incoming freshmen include two icelanders, one with a spectacularly long last name of Héðinsdóttir Gonzalez. Somehow, the Crimson have accumulated four dóttirs. Short flight?
My PSA is the nitter extension still works. Today anyway. I only access Zitter content either embedded or via browser, and they've royally screwed up how the second displays. Nitter fixes the chronology, for now.
Yes, I think Morgan Weaver could get another USWNT look. In the NWSL she is tied for fourth in scoring, tied for third in assists, mind meld with her teammates Sophia Smith and Sam Coffey, excellent defender, superb at the high press, a massive 90 minute engine and the happiest person you could have on the team. The other thing is she seems to be on a exponential learning curve. If she does get a call up, it only adds more pressure on the team to find backups at forward and defensive mid.
Not sure I see that as even a possibility until after the Olympics. And she would need to take another big step up. Macario and Pugh will also (hopefully) be back beginning of next year. Macario, Fishel, and Shaw are all best centrally, which will keep Smith on the wing. And if Pugh returns even close to her form when she was injured, that left wing is hers for the next cycle. Love Weaver, but I think the reality would be a Lynn Williams style constant in-and-out NT career if she made it.
I sort of agree with you and your suggestion she may be like Lynn Williams or I would also say Ashley Hatch: as an in and out on the National team player. That is a fair projection and takes nothing away from her because Williams and Hatch are great players.. Morgan's body of work does make her hard to ignore. Of course Macario, Girma, Smith, Horan and LaVelle are locks, but there are a lot of good players.
To compare Weaver to the other shiny stars in goals/assists Smith 11/5; Hatch 9/2, Weaver 6/4, Williams' 7/1, Bright 6/0, Shaw 5/2, Rodman 4/2, Thompson 3/1 Swanson 11/6 (2022 only). Weaver is number three in that 2023 group. Central attackers are the most stacked group with Alex Morgan, Macario, and Hatch to get by. If Swanson is healthy left wing is hers, but Williams, Thompson and Weaver are all strong players. Rodman and Smith are the strongest for RW, but Thompson can play there too.
Her game has improved in several aspects this season and given her boundless energy and speed, I'd like to think Weaver Model 2023 has a legit shot at a nats slot.
I am prejudiced, but some prejudices still prove accurate over time, e.g., not sharing a sleeping bag with a scorpion, or a fresh, soft peach is infinitely better than a hard one.
For sure! Thorns without Smith, Dunn, Sugita, Rodriguez and now Coffey are not good. Without Weaver and on top of that, they'd be abysmal. Literally Moultrie would be our front 6.
"On one hand, $160K is really good business for a club that badly needs to both re-sign certain players and bolster their roster with greater attacking threats (shout-out to this site for getting that info). On the other, this team cannot get sold quickly enough. I struggle to believe this move happens with stable, local ownership that invests properly in the club. Here’s to hoping the 2024 Reign don’t resemble the 2023 Red Stars because as of right now, it appears to be trending in that direction."
We may be rivals, but blog commenters are all the same :)
Yeah, I was def hoping for a VERY mild MCL sprain (lol) and thus back on the field by the 30th...but that she hasn't been back on-field yet (as of 2 days ago) feels dubious for that return. Still hopeful, though!
She's 12 days since injury. Sept 30 would be 4 weeks. I'm gonna guess we see her for limited minutes in that one. But I would not be surprised if we don't see her again until the playoffs.
Janine posted a pic of herself running a goofy treadmill that controls % of body weight hitting the belt. Soph could be using that, or water jogging, or...? Needs to stay in shape as she heals and I'm guessing has a breathless medical team monitoring the process. Plus an armed Nike guard keeping away any faith healers.
This is a league one of whose marquee broadcast events just got postponed by weather and then bumped to a rinky-dink streaming service. Where, pray tell, is all this lovely bonus money going to come from? How excited is UKG going to be to put another million into the NWSL bank after that?
Sometimes I think we forget that the league and sport we love is still in a lot of ways a niche market in this country...
No one’s forgetting anything. I don’t think it’s that hard to see that the NWSL is becoming *exponentially* more popular and profitable while still acknowledging the multitude of issues it still has to overcome, broadcasting arguably chief among them. Not sure that a weather event and getting bumped by COLLEGE FOOTBALL changes that: There’s three markets on the west coast alone -- likely soon to be four-- that bring in 20k+ fans per game. This isn’t 2010 anymore: No one’s expecting it to become a top 5 sport, but there’s plenty of non-niche interest and investment already for what’s still only a 10 year old league.
Regardless, I doubt KKC would have turned down Arsenal, especially since her contract was up in January.... but I would like to see NWSL teams go for players of her profile (like NCC did with Manaka). 150k + achievement bonuses ain’t that much.
Ticket sales are a bagatelle. The real money comes from 1) sponsorships, and, especially, 2) broadcast revenues. And while it's better than YouTube, it's hard to see how the NWSL broadcast revenues are that much healthier. $150K might not seem like much...unless your club is leaking money. We won't ever know, but I'd be shocked to find that many NWSL clubs are turning healthy profits right now and some, like Chicago, have to be cash fires.
So while it's not surprising that the Cup Final got bumped for college football, it's also a reminder that pro WoSo is small potatoes in the US sports marketplace, and that the current "broadcast deal" leans heavily on streaming and a very minor broadcast channel (CBSSN). One of our biggest games was backseated by some random minor-league football game.
I'm not saying that the league can't grow. But it's going to take a LOT of continued cash infusions until it can grab a substantial viewing public. Getting the Match of the Week on The Ocho? That's not gonna feed the bulldog.
Ticket revenue may not be the biggest revenue generator comparatively, but it’s a damn good indicator of local interest, which is important to showing broadcast partners that there’s actual money to be made. Local interest is really, really important to growing leagues: you can’t just make the jump from niche sport to consistent national broadcast without some proof that there’s staying power....and no one likes watching games on tv with no fans in the building. It’s also not just ticket revenue: the rating are higher, big name corporate sponsors are involved, soccer-specific stadiums are being built, and clubs are getting sold at valuations we couldn’t have imagined 5 years ago.
The idea of growth really depends on what your expectations are for the league. If you’re looking for it to break into the top 5, you’re probably going to be disappointed. If you’re looking for it to get closer to MLS, I think that’s a perfectly reasonable long term expectation.
There’s also still a incredibly pervasive notion that women’s soccer (and women’s sports in general) can’t be mainstream just because it hasn’t been in the past, mostly because it hasn’t been available to watch. Every time broadcasters make an effort to actually get women’s soccer on TV, the numbers are excellent. There’s plenty of data out there showing that woso gets high ratings when broadcast, despite the built-in inequities.
So yes: the biggest hurdle is getting effective broadcasting deals and then getting those broadcasters to put games in prime time more frequently. I’d imagine the next TV deal is substantially more than the previous 4.5 million, and hopefully there’s been some lessons learned. Time will tell as far as the extent, but I’m pretty optimistic given the data we have.
OL Reign today announced that the club has transferred goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce to Manchester United of the Women’s Super League, which involved an agreed upon transfer fee. Per league and club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Phallon is someone who we value and has achieved quite a lot both on and off the field during her time here,” said OL Reign general manager Lesle Gallimore. “We worked with Phallon and Manchester United to make sure all parties were satisfied with the move and once we got to an agreement, everything moved pretty quickly. We will be forever grateful for Phallon’s achievements with OL Reign and wish her all the best in the WSL."
Tullis-Joyce was acquired by OL Reign in 2021 after playing for Stade de Reims in France. The 26-year-old finished with 47 appearances, 135 saves and 15 clean sheets across all NWSL competitions. Tullis-Joyce holds the club record for most clean sheets (13) in regular season play and ranks third in the club’s all-time regular season saves list (110).
At the end of the 2022 regular season, the New York City native led the league with nine clean sheets and fewest goals conceded (19) to help the club secure its third NWSL Shield and earn a spot in the NWSL semifinals.
As a member of the team, the goalkeeper was selected for NWSL Best XI of the Month honors twice and was a finalist for 2022 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year.
OL Reign thanks Tullis-Joyce for her accomplishments with the club and wish her continued success at Manchester United.
OL Reign today announced that it has exercised the 2024 option on midfielder Jess Fishlock’s contract, bringing back the Reign original for a 12th year with the club.
“We still have work to do this season, but I’m happy to share that I’m coming back for another year,” said Fishlock. “This city and our fans have shown so much love over the years throughout my career, so it’s only right to keep the party going!”
Fishlock has played in 176 of the club’s 222 regular season games since 2013, joining Reign original Lauren Barnes as one of two players in league history to play at least 175 regular season games for the same club. At 14,992 regular-season minutes played, the veteran midfielder is eight minutes shy of also becoming the second player in league history to reach 15,000 regular-season minutes played for one club, a feat that would also be shared with Barnes.
Throughout 2023, Fishlock has made 12 starts in 13 regular season appearances, recording three goals and 25 shots. In just the second game of the season, Fishlock became the first player to score in all 10 NWSL regular seasons.
Anyone know when Director of Medical and Head Athletic Trainer Katie Donnelley was hired? Was that a quiet hire? I pay pretty close attention and was under the impression that we had not filled that position after the Pierre saga...
A quick look googling her name and reading more about her (https://www.regenathleticmedicine.com/who-we-are), it looks like she's spent a good amount of time with the USWNT senior and youth teams recently, and over the last 10 years (and worked for the Thorns prior?)...so, that's nice. Thorns article in their new tweet from today also says she "worked with the U.S Women’s National Team on its sports medicine staff [while at this past World Cup.]" It was her 3rd WC, in fact. Looks like she went to U of O for her Masters. She's on the Thorns (Timbers) website listed under staff, but is the only one listed without a picture (could be new?)
BTW- this article seems like a direct response to me, and anyone who was questioning wtf Thorns staff were doing over there for a month while the season chugged on at home lol
Whatever with Angerer and Donnelly... Seemed like legit opportunities. The KK thing is such BS. The transfer window was open during the World Cup and she came back with nothing while other NWSL teams made international signings. They can't admit it but she's checked out and looking for another job because the new ownership is 100% gonna replace her.
Not defending KK cause I don’t think she’s good at her job and I didn’t like the optics of the WC gig, but Paulson ain’t spending shit until the sale’s done....which kinda stops any potential transfers.
Now, I’d like to see some work being done on contracts etc (and maybe there is), but my guess is that Merritt’s general attitude is “no more money for you.”
Yeah, if she doesn’t keep her job with the Thorns, then it doesn’t really matter what knowledge was imparted to benefit the club at a later time (or the agents she got to meet.)
Not signing any big names (or anyone) may benefit us though, if we can get through the end of this season without totally blowing it. There’s a double expansion draft coming, and all of those teams who brought in big names will have to protect them all…and those bubble players will be SOL. I think many other teams who did this didn’t have a super talented in-pen 1-9 on their roster (assuming same rules as last expansion to protect 9) and as such would still benefit by upgrading their protected core. Of course, deals could (and likely will) be made ahead of time to have more control over who we lose, but I can still understand keeping the roster lean at this point in the season to mitigate having to protect more quality players.
The Thorns already have more than 9 that could/should/want to have protected, and wasting time before expansion to bring someone(s) in seems like a waste of time (or other resources) when they’d just be taking the spot of a player we already need to keep. Unless KK could’ve gotten a top superstar in that window that would be worth replacing one of our 1-9, I think doing that business after the expansion draft is smarter. Then, cut loose some of the fat that has developed, and bring in some starters and some mid-quality depth. We don’t really have a lot of those type of players. Our substitutes are usually magnitudes less talented than who they replace. OL Reign has figured out how to have a ton of stars and decent depth, and other teams are moving that direction as well.
I do think the Horan transfer left us with an open spot though? Janine is also on the SEI list and will be back next season. Thankfully I think that means she won’t need protection (anyone know for sure?)
Def would be nice to have new ownership in asap so they can prepare for both drafts, as well as contract renewals, potential retirements (and valuable replacements), as well as filling big holes after expansion draft. Lot to do that doesn’t include the sale. Major bummer if they miss the boat in the off-season and we have to deal with another season of uncertainty and status quo while new owners wait until the 2024 offseason to make their mark.
I know it’s not actually, but it’s funny because lots of conversations were had here pondering what they were doing while the team cratered at home. It’s an oddly timed article. Would have been nice to see that pre, or, during the WC.
Side note, but I find it amusing that the article that talks about how “the Thorns go global to stay at the forefront of woso(!)” just directs back to a Timbers web address.
So, Dr Nadim has had interesting things to say about why she's spent time in Dubai and Qatar (which, I know, are not Saudi Arabia, but many similarities). Yes, there's the fact that she's had her ACL surgeries and major portions of her rehab there (Dubai). Yes, she's been an invited guest of Qatar prior to the World Cup and a FIFA ambassador during it. But... at least in her case these places have offered opportunities to work with refugees -- specifically, to spend time with Afghani families, women, and children. That, plus the language familiarity, has made it a bit like "home" for her. There's also the shopping. =)
As to Plumptre, she's going to play for Kelly Lindsey (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Lindsey), a former US international who retired at age 23 due to knee injuries, now head manager of Al-Ittihad and previously head coach of the Afghanistan women’s national team, the Morocco women’s national team, St Mary's (WCC), and Sky Blue (in the WPS). So, Lindsey's been around for a long time and is used to working in Islamic nations and what all that might entail w/r/t women in sport and society.
Just did a little research on Lindsey. Sky Blue be Sky Blue -- she was named interim head coach in mid-June 2009, led the team to 5 wins and 3 draws, then resigned in a one-sentence resignation letter with just a couple of matches to go. Sky Blue's then-GM went out of his way to badmouth her to Kassouf. It's a time capsule into how f-ed up WoSo has been and how far it has come. Given what I've read about Lindsey in other pieces in the Guardian, she seems to be high character and working for equity and social change through sport.
The 2009 Sky Blue season was a ride. First they hire Ian Sawyers as GM/HC who had previously coached the Cyber Rays in WUSA, where Kelly Lindsey had played. Then six games into the season (1-3-2), Sawyers is fired, allegedly for creating a toxic workplace for players and staff. Quick reminder: Ian Sawyers is married to Julie Foudy and they met while he was the assistant coach at Stanford and she was a student. Back at Sky Blue, Lindsey becomes head coach and the VP of sales becomes the GM. Team goes 5-4-3 and is in play-off contention. End of July, the new GM fires the assistant coach without telling Lindsey, who then resigns the same morning. Christie Pierce Rampone takes over as a player-coach, and Sky Blue wins the championship.
Not only did the GM then badmouth Lindsey to Kassouf, the club president gave a number of statements to the AP and the NY Times. But I'm not sure I agree with you that we've come far - just last year Thorns had a coach who lost the locker room over an inappropriate relationship with a player. There was the Huw Williams situation in KC just before that. And then Cromwell in Orlando. Not to mention all the Riley, Dames, Holly stuff coming out in 2021. Maybe we talk about it more now, and there might be slightly more professionalism that no FO employee is running to the press to smear some one.
Thank you for filling in this history. I am incredibly grateful to you.
I don't mean "You've come a long way, baby!" like it's all so much better now. I just mean that there's at least some semblance of pieces to deal with this stuff. I was shocked at the character assassination by the GM. I didn't know anything about Lindsey until the Plumptre news, but what I've read and heard since is really impressive.
No matter how far I tilt my head, I just can't see it. But I'm not trying to earn a living soccering, either.
I do know folks who worked there, and lived in an American compound where the...uh...rules about behaviors did not apply. Also predated the kingdom's hard turn to fundamentalism, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This broke about a week ago. I have to think it's connected to why she's been sitting. Harvey's trying to figure out what she has as the end of the season draws near.
Yeah the rumor’s been out there for a while, but definitely gaining steam now that the window is about to close. Seems strange given United seem not to want to sell Earps....so she’s going to a second tier WSL team as a backup at least for the time being.
(The Reign are also, ya know, flat out better than United)
Yeah, I saw someone "with sources" (lol) say that she was already over there doing media stuff in preparation for the announcement. And a local Seattle reporter noted yesterday that she wasn't at the Reign training....
I was wondering if this is a weird move from OL before the sale is complete to maybe keep her from going back to the French league to a rival (she came from Reims)...maybe she was interested in going back overseas and they said "here let me steer you towards the WSL while we're still in charge..." lol. Or maybe the optics of the Reign sale behind the scenes aren't favorable for PTJ. I believe the WSL window closes tomorrow. Wacky stuff, though...United is quite the shitshow, esp on the women's side.
It’s a VERY weird one for me. She’s been heavily involved in the local community, is completely beloved by Reign (and NWSL) fans, and has a path towards the USWNT #1 spot.
Risking that at this point in her career to go to United --a mostly dysfunctional club on and off the field-- and maybe be a backup is....confusing to say the least.
I'm not sure I would call ManU a 'second tier WSL team'. They finished two points behind Chelsea and have Champions League this season. They have been trying to build something, but they are very dysfunctional. Their stars all seem to want to leave and the club just lets them go for free? They could have cleaned up with transfer fees for Russo, Batlle, and Earps over the last year.
It's likely she agreed to the move before it became clear that MU wasn't going to let Earps leave, but not sure why she would want the move? And I'm not convinced WSL style of play is going to help PTJ improve the things that need work to reach international level.
I’d say there’s a top two in Chelsea and Arsenal, then a slight drop to United and City....even if United and City have occasionally finished higher in the table. So, maybe not a clear second tier per say, but Arsenal and Chelsea have both been much more aggressive in promoting their women’s team and attracting players over the last few years. Part of it is certainly the general dysfunction around United.
But yeah, United has been active this summer, despite losing Russo to Arsenal. I’m interested to see if any of their signings pay off. Agreed that PTJ probably thought Earps was gone, however.
Gotham with a big pickup there. They've got a lot of experienced firepower on offense now.
Teams just keep leveling up their rosters and getting better and I'm not even sure we'll keep the good players we have; sure makes me antsy for this damn sale to complete....
I don't expect an imminent signing now, obviously, but it would've been nice if they could've gotten some of those renewal contracts over the line by the end of the season (or before they lose their job.)
Moreso, it's frustration built up over the last several years of roster inaction. Yes, we had a winning team, but it would be quite shortsighted to not see the need on the backline simply from an aging out/retirement perspective, like, 2 years ago. Counting on a rookie (Reyes) is all we've gotten, and she's been playing more on the R side (not her primary position in college.) Many teams have greatly upgraded their rosters over the last 1-2 years.
I did a little research to see if the inaction over the past few years is really as glaring as it seems. Here are the significant signings every year since 2014:
2014: Jess McDonald, Sinead Farrelly, Vero Boquete
2015: McCall Zerboni
2016: Nadia Nadim, AD Franch, Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Lindsay Horan, Hayley Raso, Amendine Henry
2022: Hina Sugita (a Parsons signing), Janine Beckie
2023: Nobody
So, significant incomings every other year, including the post-Riley free for all up until Parsons left, then a noticeable gap. I think you *could* argue that the draft hits make up for the lack of spending, but I don’t really buy that.
The big issues are that teams around us are spending more than they ever have which makes even relative inaction much more noticeable in comparison AND the fact that almost all our best players are internationals. But it’s also undeniably true that we’ve never gone two years without multiple significant signings until 2022-23.
1) 2015 also included what should have been a huge signing, Genoveva Anonma, who’d been tearing up the FBL. Like a lot of Riley (spit!) signings, she did poorly here.
2) Context is interesting. Look at the situations:
2015-16 - After worst season (still!) ever and a coaching change. Big rebuild.
2017 - Shield and Star. So no surprise just depth (Celbee) in 2017.
2018 - Lots of the marquee players leave (Henry, Nidim) so another pretty big rebuild - that doesn’t do what it’s designed to (beat the Damned) because many of the signings are either unsuccessful (Iffy, Andressinha) or misused (AMC, Foord).
2019 - Surprising! The squad had just been thoroughly railed by NCC all season plus the final. Speed killed…but nobody fast in the hopper…
2020/21 - Big missing piece here is supposedly major international (rumor: Diani) scotched by Covid. Dunn supposedly (like Henry) long-term project. Parsons still troubled trying to use her effectively.
2022/23 - New coach both seasons, plus championship in ‘22.
So I’d say that the past two seasons seem fairly normative, comparable to 2017-2019 when the only significant signings that produced any value were Purce and Carpenter.
The coaching changes and sale announcement post -2022 really do matter, as does the post-2021 Paulson bunkering and the ‘22 championship. I’m pretty unshocked that there’s been little FO ambition during that time…
Yeah I don’t think we really disagree- There were plenty of quiet off-seasons prior scandal going public. There are also plenty of valid reasons for why we feel the recent lack of action more strongly despite those pretty barren off-seasons in the past. The biggest one for me personally is that the rest of the league is on an upwards trajectory ambition-wise while the Thorns move in the opposite direction because of the ownership being in flux. The Thorns were always the league’s top dog even during NCC’s period of on-field dominance....and that’s just not the case anymore. Ambition is largely relative.
(I’m not convinced Diani was ever happening, but who knows! Certainly an interesting sliding doors moment)
First, on re-signings? They may be done. We won't know until we do. See "Peregrine FO communication issues".
Second, I wrote a big long rumination on this over at Riveting!. tl:dr I disagree that it was particularly shortsighted of the FO given the circumstances.
Looking at the roster in 2022 there were no really obvious gaping needs outside of Sinc, and that was politically impossible to deal with, so...
I think the FO had a plan for the backline that included Menges recovering her form, Hubly not regressing, Reyes, Nally, and Provenzano developing as useful depth, and planned to bring someone in as 'Brunn aged out.
Then the squad won it all in '22.
Then the sale.
So as frustrating as it is, I don't think that it's shocking that we haven't seen "big signings". The last time that happened as 2015-16, and that was because the Riley (spit!) tire fire.
And FWIW...many teams sucked ginormous pipe and HAD to upgrade or die. The Thorns didn't (whether or not they should have...) That's the problem with winning out; it makes an FO hesitant to change.
Ya know, I think the lack of signings over the last few years is actually a pretty interesting conversation. My take:
1. I agree that we haven’t necessarily had a “glaring need” per say, for new, starting caliber signings. I’ve argued that the last few off seasons when there’s been frustration about lack of additions.
2. Elite teams and well run organizations bring in new high-end talent yearly even when they don’t need to.
3. We’ve been real short of that intermediate level (think the Kristen Hamiltons, Katie Stengels, Jaz Spencers, Cari Roccaros of the world) that can do a job when needed. As a result, we’ve been a high highs / low lows team because we don’t have minutes eaters in either the attack of defense.
4. I think the org hit big on Weaver and Coffey -- both good, but not Smith/Thompson/Rodman prospects-- and got a little over their skis on their in-house talent evaluation and development abilities. That’s how we get a reliance on Izzy panning out, Nally suddenly turning competent, Betfort being a consistent backup striker, etc.
5. Merritt doesn’t want to spend as a lame duck owner, and certainly hasn’t wanted to since Parsons left post-GW. That’s a separate issue from whether the squad is in suitable shape or not.
So....maybe the lack of signings isn’t totally down to cheapness, but it’s either that, simple naivety, or a combo of both. It might not matter: they could win the double this year and I wouldn’t be *completely* shocked because of the top of roster talent....but the bill is going to come eventually, especially if Dunn et al decide to take off.
I suspect a combination of 1) Paulson - both attitude and wallet - issues, 2) musical coaches after Parson’s last season, 3) Covid, 4) Plans (Diani?) that didn’t work out, 5) optimistic predictions for draftees (which wasn’t just GW/KK - remember Henderson loved the D’Aquila pick!) that didn’t happen, 6) perceived strength of the roster, and 7) GM issues (KK lack of skill, GW losing it/unable to adapt to NWSL 2.0.
Now the sale adds a whole new layer.
I’m not sure whether to expect facing a major rebuild. I agree that the lack of aggressive roster building over the post-Parsons period has to be considered a potential problem. But right now? We don’t really know.
Y'know, I might have been a bit too harsh on West Ham, though. It looks like they're making a big effort to claw their way into the group of WSL teams legitimately fighting for a spot in the Champions League. Ueki is a goal machine...but she also was getting brilliant service at Beleza. That'll be the key to success with the Hammers. Of the Beleza goal scorers, it's actually Fujino who is more able to create on her own.
No kidding. I remember watching Yui Hasegawa try to hide her annoyance at tactically clueless teammates (except Dagny, of course!) more than once. Even played out of position, she's a lot better off at City. If they can get Riko the ball often enough, she could make a real difference for them, but do I see that happening? Nah...
I know, right? Not only did my beloved Verdy Beleza have yet ANOTHER player poached, but Wet Ham are pretty dire (or at least were). That's a step down in team quality for Riko-senshu, and I doubt the hammers are going to CL. But hopefully a nice paycheck!
I don't envy your job in trying to rank this indistinguishable mess of a table. 18 matches into a 22-match season and only 11 points separate #1 from #12.
I hope this was just based on the WWC, not on the entire year's work. That's the only way you can justify leaving off Smith.
https://twitter.com/womenstransfer/status/1702314915522867409
Smith also got dissed in the FIFA 24 player ratings.
https://www.theloadout.com/fc-24/womens-ratings-top-100
Morgan (89) and Debinha (88) are the only NWSLers in the top 10.
It looks like Smith (88) actually has the same rating as Debinha, but unlike the KCFUBAR star wasn't announced as part of the Top 10.
Do you ever get the sense that folks outside the US are trying to get Smith to Europe by disrespecting her work for club and the league in which she plays?
In what alternate universe is Mary Fowler ahead of Sophia Smith? Just can't even take these awards seriously now.
More Eurocentric FIFA bullshit. I knew it was only going to get worse with the USWNT having a poor (for them) world Cup showing...and I was right. Of course they also mostly ignore WWC23's best team (Nadeshiko, obvs), also about as surprising as the sun rising in the east. Ah, well...let 'em have their day. Going forward, only Spain is going to matter much.
I wonder what players and what fans did the voting. Lauren James had a great season with her team, but not so much at the World Cup, in fact a semi disaster. Smith should be on that list and Naomi Girma too me is a huge miss. If Sam Kerr doesn't win it, I don't know when she ever will. Even at the World Cup when she wasn't playing she was in the front of everybody's mind.
It’s not lol, it’s the full season award and it’s actually meant to be *less* Eurocentric than the ballon d’or because the ballon d’or shortlist is created by France Football, whereas the FIFA Best awards are voted on by world media, coaches of affiliated nations, players, and fans.
But yeah...that reads like a “best of the World Cup” list to me as well. Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Amanda Ilestedt, Linda Caicedo, Salma Parauello, and Alex Greenwood are clearly on there cause of WC performance.
Yeah literally no one from the NWSL?
Y’all Koraleva is the ref tonight LMAO, someone is gonna die out there.
Prematch instructions: "I don't want to catch anyone not punching, you got me?"
Sam Coffey call-up is absolutely wonderful and deserved (!), but I hope KK (or whoever is on charge) is on the phone yesterday getting us a viable backup 6 in preparation for her long absences from the team, because our current option is gonna be unsustainable for long periods of club play, like during the Olympics next season.
1) is there space on the roster for an immediate signing?
2) Why would Peregrine want to spend anything for 2024? Won’t be their problem.
I'm not advocating for an imminent signing. I'm saying that our current backup has never been a viable backup, and anyone in charge/paying attention over the last year should now have that on their shortlist of roster needs for the future with Coffey getting called back up now. Porter as our only 6 during the Olympics period next season means dropped points. Her contract is up after this year though...
Also, yes, of course, hence my saying "whoever is in charge" and why I also said elsewhere that I'm anxious for the sale to complete...
So realistically....no. Unless the Mystery Buyers are actively working with the current Peregrine FO. And while that might be happening...I doubt it.
And even if LeBlanc was dealing like a Vegas croupier...the window closed July 25.
And even if LeBlanc was a master scouting ninja...who's she gonna get? Coffey was almost a walk-on who developed into an international. How're you going to find a better-than-Porter reserve without luck that freakish?
I get it; I want all this stuff to happen, too. But there's things that might happen and are worth stressing about...and things that are nearly impossible. And that's how I see this happening anytime before maybe-November AND it assumes that the new owners have deep pockets, are hugely hooked into WoSo, and see picking up a Coffey-backup as high on their list.
Having briefly mentioned my kid's former HS teammate who is now at Harvard, where she's already making a name for herself. Played in all six matches so far and even netted her first college goal (as a mid/defender). Player she most reminds me of is Olivia Moultre, Suzy could be Liv's older sister.
https://nitter.net/Harvard_WSoccer/status/1699947763343995165#m
Fun fact: incoming freshmen include two icelanders, one with a spectacularly long last name of Héðinsdóttir Gonzalez. Somehow, the Crimson have accumulated four dóttirs. Short flight?
Twitter has gone TAFKAP and New Coke on us.
"X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter."
Eh, give it time.
Prince => The Artist Formerly Known As Prince => The Artist = Unpronounceable Runic Symbols => Prince
Coca-Cola => New Coke and Coca-Cola Classic => Elimination of New Coke and "Classic" => Coca-Cola
Or, just call it Xitter, rhymes with Shitter.
My PSA is the nitter extension still works. Today anyway. I only access Zitter content either embedded or via browser, and they've royally screwed up how the second displays. Nitter fixes the chronology, for now.
https://x.com/USWNT/status/1701626693708898457?s=20
Vlatko out, Sam in....along with Fishel, Shaw, and Kruger.
Also think there’s an outside chance Morgan gets that Rapinoe spot at some point if she keeps performing like she has been.
Yes, I think Morgan Weaver could get another USWNT look. In the NWSL she is tied for fourth in scoring, tied for third in assists, mind meld with her teammates Sophia Smith and Sam Coffey, excellent defender, superb at the high press, a massive 90 minute engine and the happiest person you could have on the team. The other thing is she seems to be on a exponential learning curve. If she does get a call up, it only adds more pressure on the team to find backups at forward and defensive mid.
Not sure I see that as even a possibility until after the Olympics. And she would need to take another big step up. Macario and Pugh will also (hopefully) be back beginning of next year. Macario, Fishel, and Shaw are all best centrally, which will keep Smith on the wing. And if Pugh returns even close to her form when she was injured, that left wing is hers for the next cycle. Love Weaver, but I think the reality would be a Lynn Williams style constant in-and-out NT career if she made it.
I sort of agree with you and your suggestion she may be like Lynn Williams or I would also say Ashley Hatch: as an in and out on the National team player. That is a fair projection and takes nothing away from her because Williams and Hatch are great players.. Morgan's body of work does make her hard to ignore. Of course Macario, Girma, Smith, Horan and LaVelle are locks, but there are a lot of good players.
To compare Weaver to the other shiny stars in goals/assists Smith 11/5; Hatch 9/2, Weaver 6/4, Williams' 7/1, Bright 6/0, Shaw 5/2, Rodman 4/2, Thompson 3/1 Swanson 11/6 (2022 only). Weaver is number three in that 2023 group. Central attackers are the most stacked group with Alex Morgan, Macario, and Hatch to get by. If Swanson is healthy left wing is hers, but Williams, Thompson and Weaver are all strong players. Rodman and Smith are the strongest for RW, but Thompson can play there too.
I just hope Morgan gets a look!
Her game has improved in several aspects this season and given her boundless energy and speed, I'd like to think Weaver Model 2023 has a legit shot at a nats slot.
I am prejudiced, but some prejudices still prove accurate over time, e.g., not sharing a sleeping bag with a scorpion, or a fresh, soft peach is infinitely better than a hard one.
For sure! Thorns without Smith, Dunn, Sugita, Rodriguez and now Coffey are not good. Without Weaver and on top of that, they'd be abysmal. Literally Moultrie would be our front 6.
Interesting that Ertz is still there.
It’s her last hurrah game along with Rapinoe
They're giving her a well deserved send-off game.
First comment on the PTJ SounderatHeart post:
"On one hand, $160K is really good business for a club that badly needs to both re-sign certain players and bolster their roster with greater attacking threats (shout-out to this site for getting that info). On the other, this team cannot get sold quickly enough. I struggle to believe this move happens with stable, local ownership that invests properly in the club. Here’s to hoping the 2024 Reign don’t resemble the 2023 Red Stars because as of right now, it appears to be trending in that direction."
We may be rivals, but blog commenters are all the same :)
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Hell, I thought this WAS a Thorns fan writing about our travails...
https://x.com/ThornsFC/status/1702442229900484871?s=20v
Looks to ME like Soph is (hopefully) gonna be good to go for the 30th.
(And Sam’s rating is a joke)
All we can do is hope that young bone heals fast.
Sure hope so. Ryan (Clarke) had recently said she hasn't even returned to on-field training yet...
That’s makes sense; the injury was only a week and half ago. Even on the lowest end of the severity spectrum, only a week out seems pretty short.
Yeah, I was def hoping for a VERY mild MCL sprain (lol) and thus back on the field by the 30th...but that she hasn't been back on-field yet (as of 2 days ago) feels dubious for that return. Still hopeful, though!
She's 12 days since injury. Sept 30 would be 4 weeks. I'm gonna guess we see her for limited minutes in that one. But I would not be surprised if we don't see her again until the playoffs.
Janine posted a pic of herself running a goofy treadmill that controls % of body weight hitting the belt. Soph could be using that, or water jogging, or...? Needs to stay in shape as she heals and I'm guessing has a breathless medical team monitoring the process. Plus an armed Nike guard keeping away any faith healers.
The anti-gravity treadmill! Janine is making good progress and has been back running on the pitch recently, as well.
I saw it mentioned that Soph was doing her aerobics on the stationary bike out on the pitch and observing the on-field training.
https://x.com/Stillmanator/status/1702245147616890911?s=20
She was my underrated WC breakout. Happy as an Arsenal fan, but MAN 150k+ bonuses? Cmon NWSL!
This is a league one of whose marquee broadcast events just got postponed by weather and then bumped to a rinky-dink streaming service. Where, pray tell, is all this lovely bonus money going to come from? How excited is UKG going to be to put another million into the NWSL bank after that?
Sometimes I think we forget that the league and sport we love is still in a lot of ways a niche market in this country...
Hell, it's a niche even where we have winning teams! The Courgettes grandstands look like High A minor league baseball.
No one’s forgetting anything. I don’t think it’s that hard to see that the NWSL is becoming *exponentially* more popular and profitable while still acknowledging the multitude of issues it still has to overcome, broadcasting arguably chief among them. Not sure that a weather event and getting bumped by COLLEGE FOOTBALL changes that: There’s three markets on the west coast alone -- likely soon to be four-- that bring in 20k+ fans per game. This isn’t 2010 anymore: No one’s expecting it to become a top 5 sport, but there’s plenty of non-niche interest and investment already for what’s still only a 10 year old league.
Regardless, I doubt KKC would have turned down Arsenal, especially since her contract was up in January.... but I would like to see NWSL teams go for players of her profile (like NCC did with Manaka). 150k + achievement bonuses ain’t that much.
Ticket sales are a bagatelle. The real money comes from 1) sponsorships, and, especially, 2) broadcast revenues. And while it's better than YouTube, it's hard to see how the NWSL broadcast revenues are that much healthier. $150K might not seem like much...unless your club is leaking money. We won't ever know, but I'd be shocked to find that many NWSL clubs are turning healthy profits right now and some, like Chicago, have to be cash fires.
So while it's not surprising that the Cup Final got bumped for college football, it's also a reminder that pro WoSo is small potatoes in the US sports marketplace, and that the current "broadcast deal" leans heavily on streaming and a very minor broadcast channel (CBSSN). One of our biggest games was backseated by some random minor-league football game.
I'm not saying that the league can't grow. But it's going to take a LOT of continued cash infusions until it can grab a substantial viewing public. Getting the Match of the Week on The Ocho? That's not gonna feed the bulldog.
Ticket revenue may not be the biggest revenue generator comparatively, but it’s a damn good indicator of local interest, which is important to showing broadcast partners that there’s actual money to be made. Local interest is really, really important to growing leagues: you can’t just make the jump from niche sport to consistent national broadcast without some proof that there’s staying power....and no one likes watching games on tv with no fans in the building. It’s also not just ticket revenue: the rating are higher, big name corporate sponsors are involved, soccer-specific stadiums are being built, and clubs are getting sold at valuations we couldn’t have imagined 5 years ago.
The idea of growth really depends on what your expectations are for the league. If you’re looking for it to break into the top 5, you’re probably going to be disappointed. If you’re looking for it to get closer to MLS, I think that’s a perfectly reasonable long term expectation.
There’s also still a incredibly pervasive notion that women’s soccer (and women’s sports in general) can’t be mainstream just because it hasn’t been in the past, mostly because it hasn’t been available to watch. Every time broadcasters make an effort to actually get women’s soccer on TV, the numbers are excellent. There’s plenty of data out there showing that woso gets high ratings when broadcast, despite the built-in inequities.
So yes: the biggest hurdle is getting effective broadcasting deals and then getting those broadcasters to put games in prime time more frequently. I’d imagine the next TV deal is substantially more than the previous 4.5 million, and hopefully there’s been some lessons learned. Time will tell as far as the extent, but I’m pretty optimistic given the data we have.
LA and to a lesser extent SD have caused a big jump in leaguewide attendance, putting it permanently above the one million/season mark.
I was skeptical especially about LA and they've proved me wrong while helping the league as a whole.
With SD in Snapdragon and no longer slumming on a college pitch, their '23 numbers will be a lot higher as well.
...and it's official. Phallon T-J is heading to ManU.
https://twitter.com/womenstransfer/status/1702239372764946517
Team statement:
OL Reign today announced that the club has transferred goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce to Manchester United of the Women’s Super League, which involved an agreed upon transfer fee. Per league and club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Phallon is someone who we value and has achieved quite a lot both on and off the field during her time here,” said OL Reign general manager Lesle Gallimore. “We worked with Phallon and Manchester United to make sure all parties were satisfied with the move and once we got to an agreement, everything moved pretty quickly. We will be forever grateful for Phallon’s achievements with OL Reign and wish her all the best in the WSL."
Tullis-Joyce was acquired by OL Reign in 2021 after playing for Stade de Reims in France. The 26-year-old finished with 47 appearances, 135 saves and 15 clean sheets across all NWSL competitions. Tullis-Joyce holds the club record for most clean sheets (13) in regular season play and ranks third in the club’s all-time regular season saves list (110).
At the end of the 2022 regular season, the New York City native led the league with nine clean sheets and fewest goals conceded (19) to help the club secure its third NWSL Shield and earn a spot in the NWSL semifinals.
As a member of the team, the goalkeeper was selected for NWSL Best XI of the Month honors twice and was a finalist for 2022 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year.
OL Reign thanks Tullis-Joyce for her accomplishments with the club and wish her continued success at Manchester United.
That's a lot more words than we ever got about Horan's transfer to Lyon.
Also, they're kept the Human Tick on board:
OL Reign today announced that it has exercised the 2024 option on midfielder Jess Fishlock’s contract, bringing back the Reign original for a 12th year with the club.
“We still have work to do this season, but I’m happy to share that I’m coming back for another year,” said Fishlock. “This city and our fans have shown so much love over the years throughout my career, so it’s only right to keep the party going!”
Fishlock has played in 176 of the club’s 222 regular season games since 2013, joining Reign original Lauren Barnes as one of two players in league history to play at least 175 regular season games for the same club. At 14,992 regular-season minutes played, the veteran midfielder is eight minutes shy of also becoming the second player in league history to reach 15,000 regular-season minutes played for one club, a feat that would also be shared with Barnes.
Throughout 2023, Fishlock has made 12 starts in 13 regular season appearances, recording three goals and 25 shots. In just the second game of the season, Fishlock became the first player to score in all 10 NWSL regular seasons.
Anyone know when Director of Medical and Head Athletic Trainer Katie Donnelley was hired? Was that a quiet hire? I pay pretty close attention and was under the impression that we had not filled that position after the Pierre saga...
A quick look googling her name and reading more about her (https://www.regenathleticmedicine.com/who-we-are), it looks like she's spent a good amount of time with the USWNT senior and youth teams recently, and over the last 10 years (and worked for the Thorns prior?)...so, that's nice. Thorns article in their new tweet from today also says she "worked with the U.S Women’s National Team on its sports medicine staff [while at this past World Cup.]" It was her 3rd WC, in fact. Looks like she went to U of O for her Masters. She's on the Thorns (Timbers) website listed under staff, but is the only one listed without a picture (could be new?)
https://twitter.com/ThornsFC/status/1702093874246877228
BTW- this article seems like a direct response to me, and anyone who was questioning wtf Thorns staff were doing over there for a month while the season chugged on at home lol
Whatever with Angerer and Donnelly... Seemed like legit opportunities. The KK thing is such BS. The transfer window was open during the World Cup and she came back with nothing while other NWSL teams made international signings. They can't admit it but she's checked out and looking for another job because the new ownership is 100% gonna replace her.
Not defending KK cause I don’t think she’s good at her job and I didn’t like the optics of the WC gig, but Paulson ain’t spending shit until the sale’s done....which kinda stops any potential transfers.
Now, I’d like to see some work being done on contracts etc (and maybe there is), but my guess is that Merritt’s general attitude is “no more money for you.”
Yeah, if she doesn’t keep her job with the Thorns, then it doesn’t really matter what knowledge was imparted to benefit the club at a later time (or the agents she got to meet.)
Not signing any big names (or anyone) may benefit us though, if we can get through the end of this season without totally blowing it. There’s a double expansion draft coming, and all of those teams who brought in big names will have to protect them all…and those bubble players will be SOL. I think many other teams who did this didn’t have a super talented in-pen 1-9 on their roster (assuming same rules as last expansion to protect 9) and as such would still benefit by upgrading their protected core. Of course, deals could (and likely will) be made ahead of time to have more control over who we lose, but I can still understand keeping the roster lean at this point in the season to mitigate having to protect more quality players.
The Thorns already have more than 9 that could/should/want to have protected, and wasting time before expansion to bring someone(s) in seems like a waste of time (or other resources) when they’d just be taking the spot of a player we already need to keep. Unless KK could’ve gotten a top superstar in that window that would be worth replacing one of our 1-9, I think doing that business after the expansion draft is smarter. Then, cut loose some of the fat that has developed, and bring in some starters and some mid-quality depth. We don’t really have a lot of those type of players. Our substitutes are usually magnitudes less talented than who they replace. OL Reign has figured out how to have a ton of stars and decent depth, and other teams are moving that direction as well.
I do think the Horan transfer left us with an open spot though? Janine is also on the SEI list and will be back next season. Thankfully I think that means she won’t need protection (anyone know for sure?)
Def would be nice to have new ownership in asap so they can prepare for both drafts, as well as contract renewals, potential retirements (and valuable replacements), as well as filling big holes after expansion draft. Lot to do that doesn’t include the sale. Major bummer if they miss the boat in the off-season and we have to deal with another season of uncertainty and status quo while new owners wait until the 2024 offseason to make their mark.
No, it's not a direct response to us. What it means is that they're doing a shitty job of talking to the local fan base about what they're doing.
I know it’s not actually, but it’s funny because lots of conversations were had here pondering what they were doing while the team cratered at home. It’s an oddly timed article. Would have been nice to see that pre, or, during the WC.
Side note, but I find it amusing that the article that talks about how “the Thorns go global to stay at the forefront of woso(!)” just directs back to a Timbers web address.
Yup.
This is just a giant holding pattern until a sale is finalized.
When it DOES get finalized, let's hope that the new owners come in spending like nouveau riche Texans.
No one had this one on their bingo cards: Ashleigh Plumptre transfer to Al-Ittihad of the Saudi Women's Premier League.
It begins...
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/13/plumptre-signs-for-al-ittihad-in-boost-for-saudi-womens-premier-league
I can only imagine the deep and enduring lure Saudi Arabia has for woman athletes. 💰💵💰
Maybe there are others. Shopping?
So, Dr Nadim has had interesting things to say about why she's spent time in Dubai and Qatar (which, I know, are not Saudi Arabia, but many similarities). Yes, there's the fact that she's had her ACL surgeries and major portions of her rehab there (Dubai). Yes, she's been an invited guest of Qatar prior to the World Cup and a FIFA ambassador during it. But... at least in her case these places have offered opportunities to work with refugees -- specifically, to spend time with Afghani families, women, and children. That, plus the language familiarity, has made it a bit like "home" for her. There's also the shopping. =)
As to Plumptre, she's going to play for Kelly Lindsey (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Lindsey), a former US international who retired at age 23 due to knee injuries, now head manager of Al-Ittihad and previously head coach of the Afghanistan women’s national team, the Morocco women’s national team, St Mary's (WCC), and Sky Blue (in the WPS). So, Lindsey's been around for a long time and is used to working in Islamic nations and what all that might entail w/r/t women in sport and society.
Just did a little research on Lindsey. Sky Blue be Sky Blue -- she was named interim head coach in mid-June 2009, led the team to 5 wins and 3 draws, then resigned in a one-sentence resignation letter with just a couple of matches to go. Sky Blue's then-GM went out of his way to badmouth her to Kassouf. It's a time capsule into how f-ed up WoSo has been and how far it has come. Given what I've read about Lindsey in other pieces in the Guardian, she seems to be high character and working for equity and social change through sport.
https://equalizersoccer.com/2009/08/02/lindsey-resignation-still-unclear-sky-blue-fc-moving-forward/
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/sep/23/lewes-kelly-lindsey-in-afghanistan-i-had-to-build-trust-with-the-players
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_5EwCDj4s4
The 2009 Sky Blue season was a ride. First they hire Ian Sawyers as GM/HC who had previously coached the Cyber Rays in WUSA, where Kelly Lindsey had played. Then six games into the season (1-3-2), Sawyers is fired, allegedly for creating a toxic workplace for players and staff. Quick reminder: Ian Sawyers is married to Julie Foudy and they met while he was the assistant coach at Stanford and she was a student. Back at Sky Blue, Lindsey becomes head coach and the VP of sales becomes the GM. Team goes 5-4-3 and is in play-off contention. End of July, the new GM fires the assistant coach without telling Lindsey, who then resigns the same morning. Christie Pierce Rampone takes over as a player-coach, and Sky Blue wins the championship.
Not only did the GM then badmouth Lindsey to Kassouf, the club president gave a number of statements to the AP and the NY Times. But I'm not sure I agree with you that we've come far - just last year Thorns had a coach who lost the locker room over an inappropriate relationship with a player. There was the Huw Williams situation in KC just before that. And then Cromwell in Orlando. Not to mention all the Riley, Dames, Holly stuff coming out in 2021. Maybe we talk about it more now, and there might be slightly more professionalism that no FO employee is running to the press to smear some one.
Thank you for filling in this history. I am incredibly grateful to you.
I don't mean "You've come a long way, baby!" like it's all so much better now. I just mean that there's at least some semblance of pieces to deal with this stuff. I was shocked at the character assassination by the GM. I didn't know anything about Lindsey until the Plumptre news, but what I've read and heard since is really impressive.
No matter how far I tilt my head, I just can't see it. But I'm not trying to earn a living soccering, either.
I do know folks who worked there, and lived in an American compound where the...uh...rules about behaviors did not apply. Also predated the kingdom's hard turn to fundamentalism, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
https://x.com/womenstransfer/status/1701895078908698757?s=20
PTJ may be gone
This broke about a week ago. I have to think it's connected to why she's been sitting. Harvey's trying to figure out what she has as the end of the season draws near.
Yeah the rumor’s been out there for a while, but definitely gaining steam now that the window is about to close. Seems strange given United seem not to want to sell Earps....so she’s going to a second tier WSL team as a backup at least for the time being.
(The Reign are also, ya know, flat out better than United)
Yeah, I saw someone "with sources" (lol) say that she was already over there doing media stuff in preparation for the announcement. And a local Seattle reporter noted yesterday that she wasn't at the Reign training....
I was wondering if this is a weird move from OL before the sale is complete to maybe keep her from going back to the French league to a rival (she came from Reims)...maybe she was interested in going back overseas and they said "here let me steer you towards the WSL while we're still in charge..." lol. Or maybe the optics of the Reign sale behind the scenes aren't favorable for PTJ. I believe the WSL window closes tomorrow. Wacky stuff, though...United is quite the shitshow, esp on the women's side.
It’s a VERY weird one for me. She’s been heavily involved in the local community, is completely beloved by Reign (and NWSL) fans, and has a path towards the USWNT #1 spot.
Risking that at this point in her career to go to United --a mostly dysfunctional club on and off the field-- and maybe be a backup is....confusing to say the least.
I'm not sure I would call ManU a 'second tier WSL team'. They finished two points behind Chelsea and have Champions League this season. They have been trying to build something, but they are very dysfunctional. Their stars all seem to want to leave and the club just lets them go for free? They could have cleaned up with transfer fees for Russo, Batlle, and Earps over the last year.
It's likely she agreed to the move before it became clear that MU wasn't going to let Earps leave, but not sure why she would want the move? And I'm not convinced WSL style of play is going to help PTJ improve the things that need work to reach international level.
I’d say there’s a top two in Chelsea and Arsenal, then a slight drop to United and City....even if United and City have occasionally finished higher in the table. So, maybe not a clear second tier per say, but Arsenal and Chelsea have both been much more aggressive in promoting their women’s team and attracting players over the last few years. Part of it is certainly the general dysfunction around United.
But yeah, United has been active this summer, despite losing Russo to Arsenal. I’m interested to see if any of their signings pay off. Agreed that PTJ probably thought Earps was gone, however.
(And, it's official! https://x.com/OLReign/status/1702435388584013948?s=20)
The day's other news:
Stengel transfer to Gotham.
Leon transfer to Aston Villa.
Gotham with a big pickup there. They've got a lot of experienced firepower on offense now.
Teams just keep leveling up their rosters and getting better and I'm not even sure we'll keep the good players we have; sure makes me antsy for this damn sale to complete....
See my reply above….
I don't expect an imminent signing now, obviously, but it would've been nice if they could've gotten some of those renewal contracts over the line by the end of the season (or before they lose their job.)
Moreso, it's frustration built up over the last several years of roster inaction. Yes, we had a winning team, but it would be quite shortsighted to not see the need on the backline simply from an aging out/retirement perspective, like, 2 years ago. Counting on a rookie (Reyes) is all we've gotten, and she's been playing more on the R side (not her primary position in college.) Many teams have greatly upgraded their rosters over the last 1-2 years.
I did a little research to see if the inaction over the past few years is really as glaring as it seems. Here are the significant signings every year since 2014:
2014: Jess McDonald, Sinead Farrelly, Vero Boquete
2015: McCall Zerboni
2016: Nadia Nadim, AD Franch, Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Lindsay Horan, Hayley Raso, Amendine Henry
2017: Celeste Boureille
2018: Andressinha, Iffy Onomonu, Midge Purce, Caitlin Foord, Ellie Carpenter, AMC
2019: Nobody
2020: Rocky Rodriguez, Becky Sauerbrunn, Christen Westphal
2021: Crystal Dunn, Natalia Kuikka,
-- Parsons leaves--
2022: Hina Sugita (a Parsons signing), Janine Beckie
2023: Nobody
So, significant incomings every other year, including the post-Riley free for all up until Parsons left, then a noticeable gap. I think you *could* argue that the draft hits make up for the lack of spending, but I don’t really buy that.
The big issues are that teams around us are spending more than they ever have which makes even relative inaction much more noticeable in comparison AND the fact that almost all our best players are internationals. But it’s also undeniably true that we’ve never gone two years without multiple significant signings until 2022-23.
So. Couple of things.
1) 2015 also included what should have been a huge signing, Genoveva Anonma, who’d been tearing up the FBL. Like a lot of Riley (spit!) signings, she did poorly here.
2) Context is interesting. Look at the situations:
2015-16 - After worst season (still!) ever and a coaching change. Big rebuild.
2017 - Shield and Star. So no surprise just depth (Celbee) in 2017.
2018 - Lots of the marquee players leave (Henry, Nidim) so another pretty big rebuild - that doesn’t do what it’s designed to (beat the Damned) because many of the signings are either unsuccessful (Iffy, Andressinha) or misused (AMC, Foord).
2019 - Surprising! The squad had just been thoroughly railed by NCC all season plus the final. Speed killed…but nobody fast in the hopper…
2020/21 - Big missing piece here is supposedly major international (rumor: Diani) scotched by Covid. Dunn supposedly (like Henry) long-term project. Parsons still troubled trying to use her effectively.
2022/23 - New coach both seasons, plus championship in ‘22.
So I’d say that the past two seasons seem fairly normative, comparable to 2017-2019 when the only significant signings that produced any value were Purce and Carpenter.
The coaching changes and sale announcement post -2022 really do matter, as does the post-2021 Paulson bunkering and the ‘22 championship. I’m pretty unshocked that there’s been little FO ambition during that time…
Yeah I don’t think we really disagree- There were plenty of quiet off-seasons prior scandal going public. There are also plenty of valid reasons for why we feel the recent lack of action more strongly despite those pretty barren off-seasons in the past. The biggest one for me personally is that the rest of the league is on an upwards trajectory ambition-wise while the Thorns move in the opposite direction because of the ownership being in flux. The Thorns were always the league’s top dog even during NCC’s period of on-field dominance....and that’s just not the case anymore. Ambition is largely relative.
(I’m not convinced Diani was ever happening, but who knows! Certainly an interesting sliding doors moment)
First, on re-signings? They may be done. We won't know until we do. See "Peregrine FO communication issues".
Second, I wrote a big long rumination on this over at Riveting!. tl:dr I disagree that it was particularly shortsighted of the FO given the circumstances.
Looking at the roster in 2022 there were no really obvious gaping needs outside of Sinc, and that was politically impossible to deal with, so...
I think the FO had a plan for the backline that included Menges recovering her form, Hubly not regressing, Reyes, Nally, and Provenzano developing as useful depth, and planned to bring someone in as 'Brunn aged out.
Then the squad won it all in '22.
Then the sale.
So as frustrating as it is, I don't think that it's shocking that we haven't seen "big signings". The last time that happened as 2015-16, and that was because the Riley (spit!) tire fire.
And FWIW...many teams sucked ginormous pipe and HAD to upgrade or die. The Thorns didn't (whether or not they should have...) That's the problem with winning out; it makes an FO hesitant to change.
Ya know, I think the lack of signings over the last few years is actually a pretty interesting conversation. My take:
1. I agree that we haven’t necessarily had a “glaring need” per say, for new, starting caliber signings. I’ve argued that the last few off seasons when there’s been frustration about lack of additions.
2. Elite teams and well run organizations bring in new high-end talent yearly even when they don’t need to.
3. We’ve been real short of that intermediate level (think the Kristen Hamiltons, Katie Stengels, Jaz Spencers, Cari Roccaros of the world) that can do a job when needed. As a result, we’ve been a high highs / low lows team because we don’t have minutes eaters in either the attack of defense.
4. I think the org hit big on Weaver and Coffey -- both good, but not Smith/Thompson/Rodman prospects-- and got a little over their skis on their in-house talent evaluation and development abilities. That’s how we get a reliance on Izzy panning out, Nally suddenly turning competent, Betfort being a consistent backup striker, etc.
5. Merritt doesn’t want to spend as a lame duck owner, and certainly hasn’t wanted to since Parsons left post-GW. That’s a separate issue from whether the squad is in suitable shape or not.
So....maybe the lack of signings isn’t totally down to cheapness, but it’s either that, simple naivety, or a combo of both. It might not matter: they could win the double this year and I wouldn’t be *completely* shocked because of the top of roster talent....but the bill is going to come eventually, especially if Dunn et al decide to take off.
I suspect a combination of 1) Paulson - both attitude and wallet - issues, 2) musical coaches after Parson’s last season, 3) Covid, 4) Plans (Diani?) that didn’t work out, 5) optimistic predictions for draftees (which wasn’t just GW/KK - remember Henderson loved the D’Aquila pick!) that didn’t happen, 6) perceived strength of the roster, and 7) GM issues (KK lack of skill, GW losing it/unable to adapt to NWSL 2.0.
Now the sale adds a whole new layer.
I’m not sure whether to expect facing a major rebuild. I agree that the lack of aggressive roster building over the post-Parsons period has to be considered a potential problem. But right now? We don’t really know.
Riko Ueki to West Ham.
If she's gonna go to West Ham, they should at least change their name to West Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Epic!
Y'know, I might have been a bit too harsh on West Ham, though. It looks like they're making a big effort to claw their way into the group of WSL teams legitimately fighting for a spot in the Champions League. Ueki is a goal machine...but she also was getting brilliant service at Beleza. That'll be the key to success with the Hammers. Of the Beleza goal scorers, it's actually Fujino who is more able to create on her own.
West Ham? Seriously? That' s like a U-12 side signing Lionel Messi...
Or Inter Miami...
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No kidding. I remember watching Yui Hasegawa try to hide her annoyance at tactically clueless teammates (except Dagny, of course!) more than once. Even played out of position, she's a lot better off at City. If they can get Riko the ball often enough, she could make a real difference for them, but do I see that happening? Nah...
:(((
I know, right? Not only did my beloved Verdy Beleza have yet ANOTHER player poached, but Wet Ham are pretty dire (or at least were). That's a step down in team quality for Riko-senshu, and I doubt the hammers are going to CL. But hopefully a nice paycheck!
Yes it is hard to rank these 12 unpredictable, surprising, disappointing, sometimes surging, sometimes flailing teams. It is a crazy year! Go figure.
This year has been very hard to do so!
I don't envy your job in trying to rank this indistinguishable mess of a table. 18 matches into a 22-match season and only 11 points separate #1 from #12.
I do what I can, but it's extremely tough for sure.