Daily news roundups

Hack feeling the pressure, Union bits, Reading begin season on the road, LVU Sonic in USOC tonight, more

Photo: Earl Gardner

Philadelphia Union

John Hackworth is aware that pressure is mounting to turn things around on the field if he is to keep his job, telling Dave Zeitlin at MLSsoccer.com, “I know there’s only so much time”. Hackworth explained,

The reality is that it’s part of being in this job. There’s always that pressure. Now it just gets ratcheted up. I still believe our team can be a team that can do great things this year. We’re going to have to do that in a different fashion than all of us would like…

I’m not going to change too much. You look at coaches in other sports, coaches in the world of football, and when you get to be desperate, that’s when you really make mistakes. I hope we never get to a point of desperation.

Maurice Edu talks to SI about how joining the Union has increased his national team prospects. Edu says, “The fact that I’ve played a couple different positions, I think it definitely helps my cause. Versatility is important, especially when it comes time to pick the team. You give yourself as much of a chance as possible when you’re able to play different positions.”

We’ll have to wait until May 12 to know if Edu is called up for the pre-World Cup camp that is set to begin on May 14 at Stanford University. Given that FIFA rules state that clubs aren’t obligated to release players until after the “The final matchday at club level” on May 18 (see page 37 of “Regulations: 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil“), if Edu is on the 30-player roster, will the Union consider retaining him until after the road game against Kansas City on May 14, and home game against New England on May 17?

Ray Gaddis has been named to ProSoccerTalk’s Team of the Week.

Zac MacMath’s PK save against Seattle is SBI’s Save of the Week.

More power rankings: At MLSsoccer.com, the Union drop two spots to No. 15.: “Crisis time in Philadelphia. Got to think about going to a two-forward set soon, because this team needs at least one true finisher out there.” At ProSoccerTalk, the Union remain at No. 17: “New options, new ideas, new personnel — the Union need something.”

Another week with no Union players in since the end of the 2012 season.

At the Daily News, John Smallwood looks at the Union’s historically underwhelming goalscoring.

Brotherly Game has their stat hero and stat zero from Saturday’s loss as well as a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from the game.

The inaugural YSC Academy Cup, “a charity soccer tournament, benefiting YSC Academy,” will take place Thursday, June 12, 2014 at YSC Sports in Wayne, Pa. Click here for registration information.

Local

Yann Ekra received an honorable mention in the latest USL PRO Team of the Week.

Some Union-related Harrisburg City Islanders news from Michael Bullock at Penn Live ahead of Saturday night’s home game against Arizona United:

  • Cristhian Hernandez (knee) and Pedro Ribeiro (hamstring) are unavailable
  • Spanish-born midfielder Jose Barril, who trialed with the Union in the preseason, has received the necessary work papers and international clearances and is now training with the club and will be available for Saturday
  • With Ethan White looking at a one-game suspension after receiving a red card in the 66th minute in last Friday’s 4-0 loss to the previously winless Charleston Battery, Matt Bahner is expected partner with Richie Marquez in central defense.

US Open Cup play begins for area teams tonight at 7 pm when Lehigh Valley United Sonic are on the road to face GPS Portland Phoenix (PDL) in Maine. Look for our report from the match on Thursday.

Reading United begin their 2014 season tonight on the road at Jersey Express. Their first home game will actually be in US Open Cup play next week when they host Greater Binghamton FC Thunder (NPSL) on Wednesday, May 14 at 7 pm, the same time that Ocean City Nor’easters will be hosting New York Greek American Atlas (USASA) in cup play. Reading’s first home game in league play will be on Sunday, May 18 at 6 pm when they host NJ LUSO Parma.

Ocean City have named Shawn McLaws (Coastal Carolina), who debuted with the club last season, as their captain for 2014. Head coach Tim Oswald and team owner Giancarlo ‘El Presidente’ Granese talk about the qualities McLaws brings to the team here.

The announcement comes as Ocean City prepares for the semifinals of the US Soccer National Amateur Championships on May 22 where they will face Sonoma County Sol (NPSL). The game kicks off at 9:30 pm at Arundel High School, which is located just outside of Baltimore in Gambrills, MD.

MLS

Tonight features a midweek Eastern conference match between Houston (6th place, 11 points) and Columbus (4th place, 12 points). Kickoff is at 8 pm (MLS Live, MLS Direct Kick, SiriusXM FC). The Union currently are in eighth place with 8 points.

Also tonight, Seattle Sounders vs FC Dallas (10 pm: MLS Live, MLS Direct Kick, SiriusXM FC) and San Jose Earthquakes vs Colorado Rapids (10:30 pm: MLS Live).

There has been a good deal of talk about Cristain Maidana’s adjustment to playing in a new country and new league after comments from John Hackworth last week. At Soccerly, a look at the struggles of another South American DP, Toronto FC’s Gilberto.

Red Bulls head coach Mike Petke isn’t sure when he’ll release Tim Cahill (Australia) and Roy Miller (Costa Rica) to join their national teams to prepare for the World Cup. Both national teams have already asked for the release of the two players.

The Guardian reports that money raised by Manchester City “from licensing intellectual property to “third parties” – widely believed to be new City franchises in New York and Melbourne,” is part of UAFA’s Financial Fair Play investigation of the English club.

NWSL

Soccer Wire has an interesting look at the ultimately unsuccessful negotiations to form an affiliation between New York Red Bulls and Sky Blue FC. It seems the Red Bulls were keen on a deal but corporate headquarters in Austria was not. Could NYC FC move in instead?

US

Omar Gonzalez left last weekend’s Galaxy game against Colorado early with a left knee injury. LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena says the injury will have not endanger the defender’s World Cup prospects with the US, “I think it’s a very short-term issue and he’s going to be fine…I feel strongly about the fact this is a short-term issue and he’ll be fine. … There’s nothing long-term with his injury, I can promise you that.”

Oguchi Oneywu says of whether he’ll be called up for the US camp, “If called in, 100 percent great, and I’ll do whatever I can to be on the 23 [roster to Brazil]. If not, what can I do? It’s not the end of the world, it’s not the end of my career. Just got to focus on the next step.”

SBI looks at the US depth chart for wide midfielders.

Will Jozy Altodore stay at Sunderland — relegated or not?

At ASN, an early look at the game against Ghana on June 16, the first group game at the World Cup.

The six-part ESPN series “Inside: U.S. Soccer’s March to Brazil” will debut on Tuesday, May 13, at 7 pm. A network announcement notes, “Episodes will re-air multiple times on ESPN2 and will also air on both ESPN Deportes and ABC following their ESPN premieres.”

Soccer Nation reports, “The upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil has taken the top spot as the most searched for international sporting event by Americans in 2014, according to viagogo, the world’s largest ticket exchange. Within the U.S., demand for the World Cup is second only to that for the NFL Super Bowl, batting the MLB World Series back into third place.”

At The LA Times, Kevin Baxter has a list of US players who play for the national teams of other countries.

Elsewhere

French second division team Clermont Foot has announced Helena Costa as its new coach. The Portuguese coach, who last led Iran’s women’s national team, is the first female coach of a professional club in France.

You will recall the news from last weekend that a Napoli fan had been shot by a Roma ultra ahead of the Coppa Italia between Napoli and Fiorentina in Rome. The AP reports, “A Napoli fan has been banned from attending matches for five years in the wake of violent scenes which marred Saturday’s Italian Cup final and left a fellow supporter fighting for his life.” The banned fan is Gennaro De Tommaso, leader of Napoli’s ultras.

On the Brazuca.

5 Comments

  1. Andy Muenz says:

    Last week you had posted that “Some 140 third and fourth graders from the Chester Upland after-school youth development program will play in a Play Day in Chester round-robin soccer tournament outside of PPL Park today.”
    .
    Given that we had tremendous downpours that day, apparently it was postponed to yesterday. When I drove by PPL Park yesterday, there were a couple of nets setup outside Toyota Plaza and a bunch of kids playing. Go to see the Union supporting the local youth this way.

    • Ed Farnsworth says:

      Good to hear, Andy! I hadn’t thought that the event would be postponed after including it in the roundup.

  2. OneManWolfpack says:

    Anyone know anything about Jose Barril?

  3. Murphthesurf says:

    Are you delusional?

    Desperation Should Have Set In Weeks Ago!

    Q: is Hack dating Carroll ‘ s Sister?

    Not buying anymore tickets till the situation has changed. ..

  4. Scottymac says:

    I’m sorry, but the Castrol Index has zero credibility when Nogs is ranked lower than Fabinho and Wheeler.

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