Thursday, December 17, 2015

Some Soccer News for Dec 17, 2015

Abby Wambach left in a cloud of NOISE. She played her last game as a professional player on Wednesday, for the USA, a 0-1 home loss to China.
-A couple things to note:
1) She had 255 international caps.
2) Scoring 184 goals!
3) 77 of them header goals!
4) It was the first USA loss in the USA in 11 years. 11 years.
5) Wambach did a lot of interviews in the run up to the game (a round-up from SI), and in every one she pointed out 2 things: The USA women deserve to paid the same as the men. And the men need a new coach cuz the one they have has failed. (Just search around, the interviews/articles are all over the place.)
6) Exit stage right. (I doubt that is the last we will hear from her.)

Mix Diskerud replies to Wambach's call for "foreign" players to be removed the USA team:
Wow Abby, I guess there are pros and cons in limiting the base for selection. You have just singled out a few of us. But why? Why are we your single oddballs? Think about who you try to disenfranchise. Because if you see us as the group to disenfranchise, then at least let it be known who we are. Stats and history will show - "our group" has more than others produced volunteer and defending soldiers for what, by us, is willingly chosen and gathered to be worth protecting: Your nation. Wish you would accept it as ours too. I know we're not quite equal. From "your group of people" the country's Commander in Chief need to be selected. However, other than that - you and I share something not unique, but constitutionally earned, a birthright to defend this nation as an American. Wherever we go. Led by whoever has earned, by democratic process, his/her right to lead, on or off the field, in peace, in war, in practice, or in any other kind of pursuit of your happiness. Enjoy your retirement. But stay active. We all need you. Oddballs or not. Mix
A photo posted by Mix Diskerud (@mixdiskerud) on


High praise for Wambach from the highest office:


dN

No surprise that Carli Lloyd was named the US Soccer Female Player Of The Year.

dN

Minnesota United roster news: The team has released Kalif Alhassan (who then promptly signed with Tampa Bay), Geison Moura and Alejandro Vela.
-Also, the team did not pick up the option to buy Yago who had been on loan from Vasco da Gama.
-Tiago Calvano, Brent Kallman and Juliano Vicentini are all returning for 2016 according to Wes Burdine at Northern Pitch.

dN

Our main man Burdine was on the Howler podcast Dummy this week talking about Batman Miguel Ibarra.
-Here is the profile of Ibarra written by Wes for Howler.

dN

Drew Beckie is the latest player to bail out from Ottawa - signing with Carolina. The 5th player to leave the team this week.
-New Ottawa head coach Paul Dalglish told local media that on his 1st day in charge 3 players asked to leave the team. They are all gone already. Along with several others now. It'll almost be like starting over.

dN

San Antonio Scorpions is now owned by Spurs Sports + Entertainment, an organization that owns the NBA San Antonio Spurs, and also owns a NBA D-League team, a WNBA team and an American Hockey League team.
-The question becomes, what happens to the NASL version team? The rumor says Spurs will move their new team to USL.

dN

Gabriel Brener who had owned 25% of the Houston Dynamo has bought the 50% stake that AEG held and now controls the team. He has partners that own part of his percentage, and Oscar De La Hoya remains a 25% owner as well.

dN

Toronto is now (finally) attempting to form an actual MLS defense: signing fullback Steven Beitashour (from Vancouver) and centerback Drew Moor (from Colorado.)

dN

The Final of the Copa America Centenario will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford NJ. The game is scheduled for Sun Jun 26.
-16 teams will participate in the tournament.
-USA (Group A) , Brazil (Group B), Mexico (Group C) and Argentina (Group D) are the four top seeded teams for the group stage.
-USA Group Stage games:
Fri Jun 3 at Santa Clara - Levi's Stadium
Tue Jun 7 at Chicago - Soldier Field
Sat Jun 11 at Philadelphia - Lincoln Financial Field
-No word on when  the actual group stage draw will take place.

Joining the 10 South American teams from CONMEBOL will be 6 CONCACAF teams: Mexico, USA, Jamaica, Costa Rica and the winners of Panama v Haiti and Trinidad + Tobago v Honduras (both games to be played on Jan 8 in Panama City.)

dN

I really didn't think Chelsea would fire Jose Mourinho this season no matter how bad things got. I was wrong. He is gone.
-Here is the team statement.

dN

A website called Football Leaks is posting stolen documents that show the ugly and sometimes illegal business dealings of international soccer clubs. Dutch team Twente has been exposed and now sanctioned by UEFA. By Sam Borden of the New York Times.

dN

The Swiss justice agency has frozen bank accounts containing tens of millions of dollars related to FIFA and FIFA officials at the request of the USA department of justice. Andrew Warshaw of Inside World Football reports.



The Bird Is The Word

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