Daily news roundups / Featured

Colombia, tactics, academy, more morning news

Union

Union Director of Player Development and Scouting Diego Gutierrez features prominently in this piece from the MLSsoccer.com that looks at the resurgence of Colombian players in the league:

“The state of Colombian soccer is not the best right now. A lot of clubs have gone belly up and their finances are in disarray. The only way to balance books is to sell their assets…the Colombian player within Latin America offers a unique package and value. They can adapt and accommodate to any culture—a lot are bilingual, a lot have played in other leagues in South America and Mexico. Yet their value in the market is inexpensive, and they fit [MLS] well.”

If you prefer to read the story only with photos of Union players, a story we did on this very subject last March.

The Union website has a piece by Kevin Kinkead that looks at five tactical storylines for the upcoming season. Coincidentally, the PSP will be running a series on possible tactical formations starting on Tuesday.

While it remains unclear who the third keeper will be for the Union this season, one possible option from last year will no longer be available. Harrisburg City Islanders goalkeeper Tomer Chencinski, who trained with the Union after the conclusion of the USL season last year, has signed with Finnish club VPS.

The Offside has a great piece surveying the Union’s fledgling academy system that includes profiles on possible candidates for home grown player status.

Tickets are now on sale for the friendly between Orlando City and the Union on February 19.

Independence

The Independence open tryout, postponed last week because of snow, has been rescheduled for February 28 and March 1.

The club has released its season ticket pricing. There are a wide variety of very affordable options to support a team loaded with talent.

Local

Wednesday was National Signing Day, the first day of the year that high school players can sign letters of intent with college teams. Here’s a roundup of some local signings from Montgomery County, Lancaster County and the Jersey shore.

MLS

This interesting piece from ESPN looks at the league’s attempt to create “competitive balance” through the salary cap and arguments that this might not be such a good idea.

Houston Dynamo just got approval from the Houston City Council to proceed with construction of a new stadium. Can the city afford it?

Here’s a discussion on the quality of officiating in MLS.

US

Teal Bunbury has formally filed his one time switch with FIFA to tie him to the USMNT.

The BBC looks at Eddie Johnson’s hopes to “reignite” his career through his loan from Fulham to Preston North End: “The bottom line is I’ve come to score goals.”

Elsewhere

FIFA will begin testing goal-line technology next week. Ten companies have submitted systems for evaluation.

Citing safety concerns, FIFA will decide whether snoods, those neckwarming things that have become strangely popular, should be banned. Strangely, banning snoods over concerns that they make players look ridiculous is not an issue.

Qatar fired its national team head coach Bruno Metsu on Thursday because of the team’s recent loss to Japan in the Asian Cup quarterfinals. “It is not easy to build a strong team when there is a small player base in the country,” he said. He did not add, “Even if they receive the kind of favoritism from match officials we enjoyed at the recent Asian Cup, this country will have to resort to all kinds of dubious and questionably legal methods of bringing in players born in other countries, preferably South American countries like Brazil, if they are to stand a snowball’s chance in hell of not being thoroughly humiliated on the pitch in 2022.” I’m pretty sure he was thinking it, though.

You may remember the film Pelada from last summer. We were only to happy to help get the word out about a local screening of the film and grateful for the opportunity to interview one of the stars. This site for independent filmmakers uses Pelada as an example of how to successfully market a soccer film in the US.

Footy on the Telly™

Friday, February 4
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke 2:30pm GolTV
Reading v QPR 2:30pm FSP
Saturday, February 5
Stoke City v Sunderland 7:30am ESPN2
Newcastle v Arsenal 10am FSC
Manchester City v West Brom 10am FSP
Udinese v Sampdoria 12pm FSP
Wolverhampton v Manchester United 12:30pm FSC
Villarreal v Levante 2pm GolTV
Burnley v Norwich 2pm FSP
Cagliari v Juventus 2:30pm FSC
Everton v Blackpool 4pm FSP
Barcelona v Atletico Madrid 4pm GolTV
Aston Villa v Fulham 5pm FSC
Spurs v Bolton 6pm FSP
Tolima v Independiente 6:15pm GolTV
Chico v Once Caldas 8:30pm GolTV
Sunday, February 6
Newcastle v Sydney 1am FSC
Bologna v Catania 6:30am FSP
West Ham v Birmingham 8:30am FSP
Swansea City v Cardiff City 10:30am FSP
Chelsea v Liverpool 11am FSC
Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt 11:30am GolTV
Inter Milan v Roma 2:30pm FSC
Valencia v Hercules 3pm GolTV
Lyon v Bordeaux 3pm FSP
Genoa v AC Milan 5pm FSC
Palmeiras v Corinthians 5pm GolTV

3 Comments

  1. C’Mon URRRRRZZZZZ. A win or draw by Reading v. QPR keeps that damn dirty Neil Warnock’s Rangers from matching or passing Reading’s record 106 point haul from the 2005-2006 season.

  2. This Moneyball at its finest. The Union have identified an undervalued market (Colombia) and are taking advantage of it.

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