Daily news roundups / Featured

Le Toux on NY, Union fans; more news

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

If you are attending the event at the Art Museum today at 2 pm kicking off the All-Star Game festivities — an event that will feature Mayor Nutter, Don Garber, a 12-foot giant soccer ball, as well as kids from area youth teams “cascading regulation-sized soccer balls down the steps” of the museum — feel free to post your pictures to PSP’s Flickr page.

Philadelphia Union

Check out PSP editor Dan Walsh’s preview of Saturday’s game against New York in the Guardian. Also later today, Adam Cann’s preview here at PSP.

Kerith Gabriel talked to Sebastien Le Toux about what he expects from Union fans on Saturday. Le Toux said, “I am expecting everything to be fabulous from the fans. I don’t think me being here makes me the enemy and I look forward to seeing the old fans. I know some people are going to be upset that I play here now and that I need to expect some boos, but I think fans understand that moving from team to team is a part of this league and I don’t play for them anymore. Honestly, I am happy to be a part of Red Bull now and I look forward to Saturday.”

Le Toux told Gabriel of the firing of Peter Nowak, “Right now, I am kind of a fan when I look at that situation. Obviously, since Peter has left, the team has been able to find success and that’s good for Philly and those fans who deserve to watch a good team. You can see that since the move, this team has had more energy and a rhythm that has provided them with some good games. I don’t want to get too much into it, but I think it was the perfect thing to do.”

Le Toux shared with Chris Vito his thoughts about being traded to New York: “I thought, ‘Oh no, I have to play Philly next weekend.'”

Vito asked Le Toux if he would consider a return to the Union. “To play there again, I don’t know. I said I would not come back, but that was a different circumstance. You can see from the results what John Hackworth is doing. He’s done a great job. He’s very capable of leading the team to good results. He’s good and the players have responded…I don’t know. That will have to be something I think about after the season. I had a great two years there in Philly. I will see what will happen, but I won’t say no.”

Sheanon Williams says of Le Toux, who was with Vancouver at PPL Park in March, “We thought we had seen the last of him. Now we’re going to see him two more times.”

Goal.com predicts a New York win and says, “Watch out for Sebastien Le Toux. But in this affair, that particular tip probably isn’t required.”

New York Red Bulls blog Once A Metro says, “Philadelphians hate New York for it being the center of the universe. New Yorkers think Philadelphians are mouth-breathing low lifes who throw up on small children, hurl batteries at players and make two hour trips through Jersey to stand sit in the 200 level and watch their team get beat. It’s time to take it to the pitch.” Don’t worry, Once a Metro, you’re always a Metro to me.

WV Hooligan says Saturday is a “Big time positioning game in July for the playoff race.”

John Hackworth said after the Friendly against Aston Villa on Wednesday that he used it as preparation for the Red Bulls game on Saturday. “What we tried to do is make sure a lot of the regular starters got a good 30-45 minutes of a high intensity training session today, which is a game. So we balanced that between the first and second half a little bit.”

More on the Villa friendly from SBI, EPL Talk, 90soccer.com, the Daily Mail, the Sun, and The Villa Blog.

More on the Greg Jordan and Jimmy McLaughlin loan to Harrisburg City Islanders we linked to on Thursday.

Philadelphia Union Academy

At the US Development Academy Finals in Houston, Union academy partner the PA Classics U-15/16 team defeated DC United Academy 2-1 on Thursday with goals from Connor Maloney and Andrew Mannon. PA classics are now second in their group and face Crew Soccer Academy Wolves on Saturday at 10pm.

Chester

The Union still owes the city of Chester $1 million in unpaid taxes, the Daily News reports. Chester mayor John Linder says, “We have not received the payments to date, but we are talking with them about everything — about the payments and the potential tax situation and how we can work out something that will be mutually beneficial for the Union and the city,” adding the two parties are “fast approaching some kind of agreement.”

On July 24, “Major League Soccer will join Philadelphia Union, AT&T, Chester Upland School District and organizers from KaBOOM! to construct a new playground and small-sided field at Science and Discovery High School.”

Local

Here’s a look back at the Ocean City Nor’easters 2012 season ahead of this weekend’s PDL Eastern Conference Playoffs, which also will feature Reading United.

Harrisburg City Islanders face Pittsburgh Riverhounds on the road tonight at 7pm. The article linked to above about the Jordan and McLaughlin loan says that because the pair appeared in the Villa friendly, “their availability might be as reserves.”

MLS

So, why is it that Le Toux has been on the rosters of three teams in one calendar year? US Soccer Players explores.

What’s up with Brek Shea?

adidas and MLS announced on Thursday that the new micoach Elite System will be integrated across the league in 2013, making MLS the world’s first “smart league.”

The Sports Network says the unbalanced schedule is good for rivalries.

Speaking of rivalries, The New York Times looks at Saturday’s “SuperClasico” between the Galaxy and Chivas USA. Or, as the Times puts it, the haves and the have-nots.

The Major League Soccer Business Summit that will be held right after the USMNT World Cup qualifier against Jamaica in September will bring “more than 250 league executives and team staff members” to Columbus.

MLS to Sacramento?

US

Abby Wambach says she’ll make a decision about where she’ll play pro soccer after the Olympics but her future could lie overseas. “A lot definitely depends on how this tournament ends up…You have to be smart about the choices you make and playing overseas would definitely be a possibility. I have had a lot of interest from Japan, Sweden and France.” The USWNT opens play at the Olympics Wednesday, July 25 at 12pm on NBCSN at 12pm against France.

Hello Giggles profiles Megan Rapinoe.

SI previews the women’s tournament at the Olympics.

Coming very close to counting chickens before they hatch, the San Francisco Chronicle says the USWNT should win the gold.

All of us at PSP offer our condolences to Claudio Reyna, whose 13-year-old son Jack has died from cancer.

Elsewhere

The Guardian rounds up some memorable finals from the Olympics.

Question to the Japan Football Association: Why is it that the World Cup-holding women’s team had to fly economy to the Olympics while the men’s team flew business class?

 

 

12 Comments

  1. James "4-3-3" Forever says:

    Man, with the pure joy players have expressed at Nowak leaving I wonder why there aren’t more juicy gossip stories about how bad a players manager he was.

  2. Sean Doyle says:

    Interesting question to debate: Should the Union make an effort in the off-season to re-sign Sebastien LeToux?

    • James "4-3-3" Forever says:

      I don’t think so. We have seen in recent weeks the kind of young talent we have languishing on the bench and I see no reason why we need to revisit those times. Considering Martinez, who looks decent, can’t get minutes and Perlaza is in the doghouse means we have enough strikers as is.

      • Jeremy Lane says:

        True, but those names you just mentioned could easily be jettisoned. I think the stronger argument against is Jack McInerney and Antoine Hoppenot. Both make way less and are much younger. Still, from an emotional standpoint, I’d love to have him back.

      • me too

      • WilkersonMcLaser says:

        Well, Jack frequently partners with Pajoy and Hoppenot is probably best as a super-sub for awhile longer. I could definitely see a situation where Le Toux joins that rotation and comes in for Pajoy or maybe even wins his starting spot. I like Pajoy well enough but Le Toux’s runs and workrate are generally better. In fairness, they both have 5 goals and 2 assists in MLS play this season.

      • right but what im saying is its about how good a player is

    • Nah. that ship has sailed. If they did it would be a typical, reactive front office PR move and not a soccer one.

    • Dan Walsh says:

      Maybe. Maybe not. It will depend on the formation Hackworth wants to play next year, whether he feels Le Toux and McInerney can mesh well, whether Pajoy is in Hackworth’s future plans, and Le Toux’s relationship with Nick Sakiewicz. Le Toux will cost anywhere from $270-350k a year. Let’s revisit this in a few months.

  3. No to Le Toux. He had his moments. We remember the good ones and not the bad ones. Lets get a real, experienced, DP striker. The team is clicking. The momentum is building. Its time for the DP, if they can find the right one.

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