Shelby Hogan traded to NJ/NY Gotham FC
The Portland Thorns GK competition is now down to Mackenzie Arnold and Bella Bixby.
The Portland Thorns have made another move. They have traded goalkeeper Shelby Hogan and $40,000 in allocation money to NJ//NY Gotham FC for a 2025 International Roster Slot and $10,000 in intra-league transfer frees.
“We want to thank Shelby for her contributions these past few years to our club, she has been an excellent member of our goalkeeper core, and wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors,” head Coach Rob Gale said in a press release.
After going undrafted, Shelby Hogan would go on to appear in 25 matches for the Portland with 82 saves in four years with the club.
She now heads off closer to her home (Massachusetts) by heading to NJ/NY Gotham FC. Hogan will have the opportunity to learn from 2024 Goalkeeper of the year Ann-Katrin Berger.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Gotham FC and I am super excited to take on this new opportunity in my career,” said Hogan. “I’m looking forward to getting started and to be able to connect with all the fans that make this club so special. I can’t wait to give my all on and off the field to help contribute to the team’s success. I’m eager to see what we can accomplish together!”
In 2024, she appeared in 21 matches, tallying 70 saves and recording nine clean sheets, the second-most in the league, behind only Orlando Pride’s Anna Moorhouse (13).
“Shelby is an experienced NWSL goalkeeper who had a strong season last year with Portland,” Gotham FC General Manager and Head of Soccer Operations Yael Averbuch West. “We are thrilled to have her join our team.”
Portland now has two goalkeepers left on their roster: Mackenzie “Macca” Arnold and Bella Bixby.
The extra international slot will be massive for the Portland Thorns as it’ll allow them to add a potential big name to the roster.
The offseason has been off to a sad start with many goodbyes and very few additions, but a lot more should be announced shortly.
You can read the press release on the trade here.
Couple of thoughts.
I’m utterly meh on the loss of Hogan herself. All three remaining keepers were fairly interchangeable. Arnold had better numbers but looked poor. Bixby was a tire fire in ‘23. Which one leaves is kinda “eenie-meenie”
But…
The deal itself looks weak. $40K in allocation $$ and a keeper for 10K and an international slot?
And the whole thing brings up the “who’s running this show?” We waived both draftee keepers then dump Hogan? Waive Hubly but sign a second-rate Brazilian CB? WTF?
Who is doing this shit? Smith? Leblanc? WTF?
The Thorns don’t seem to know what they’re doing, “2 goal” Arnold was a big mistake, she was a known sieve and it’s probably not a coincidence that the Thorn’s goalie coach is Australian and his dad just happens to be the Australian women’s national team goalie coach overseeing Arnold’s poor Olympic performance prior to picking her up. Hogan was in her first year of starting, she had 9 clean sheets, second most in the league, and that’s with Arnold’s four disastrous starts and those horrible games under Mike Norris. Imagine, she and the Thorns might have led in clean sheets if the Thorns had better leadership. They’ll stick with Bella but she’s a long way from being game ready.