Photo: Scott Chandler, courtesy of UCLA Athletics
Philadelphia Union
The Union went for defensive depth in the Third and Fourth Rounds of the draft on Tuesday, selecting center back/holding midfielder Aaron Simmons (UCLA) and midfielder Raymond Lee (Saint Louis University).
Jim Curtin said of the selections, “In rounds three and four we were looking to add depth defensively. In [Aaron] Simmons, we got a kid that can play center back, is comfortable at defensive midfield, can compete athletically and give us some great depth at those two spots.
The Union Twitter account said after Lee’s selection, “Coaches look to see him emerge into a left footed, left fullback for club.”
Curtin explained, “To add a left footed, left [full] back [in Raymond Lee] was important for cover. We see a kid with a high upside, really good speed down the left hand side and a left foot, which is a commodity. So again, a guy that will come in and compete for playing time at that left back spot. We are happy with the two guys we got, they were guys we targeted even before the [first two rounds] of the SuperDraft began.”
More on Simmons and Lee at PSP, Philadelphia Union, UCLA, Saint Louis University, Philly.com, CSN Philly, Brotherly Game, and Playing for 90.
In an (apparent)* interview at Kessler Reports (there’s no introduction to provide context about when it happened), Jim Curtin talks about a number of topics. In addition to saying a goalkeeper “is literally about to get signed,” and that the team is “looking to bring in a holding midfielder,” Curtin said of CJ Sapong and the search for an additional forward,
CJ can come in and be a No. 9, a guy who you can get crosses to and he’s proven he can score a lot of goals up there by himself. He gives you the flexibility, he can play on the left, he can play wide right. He can play and move in any of those front three spots, which I really like. Is there a situation where we could play with two forwards this year? Yeah, that’s a possibility I’m exploring where CJ could be partnered with a guy we’d bring in. You can’t have enough forwards. Everybody is looking for a goal scorer. We’re still actively pursuing the striker position.
Curtin also says the team has an “unlimited number” of intraleague loans at its disposal — which contradicts the intraleague loan information on the MLS website (information that admittedly is from 2014) — and seems to suggest Harrisburg City Islanders will be practicing at the Union’s new training facility next to PPL Park, a possibility first reported by Kevin Kinkead in December.
More Carlos Valdes rumors, huzzah! Pasiontricolor.com.uy reports (crappy Google translation here) Uruguyan side Nacional is interested in the central defender. Valdes said in an interview with Caracol Radio quoted in the report,
I had a conversation about the interest and the possibility there. However, there are still many things to be clarified, but it surely could be given in the coming days, if I do not stay in the United States…At first it would be a loan with option to buy for six months or a year, but I’m not sure.
More backstory on the latest Valdes rumors from Simply Futbol.
Maurice Edu comes in at No. 30 in the latest ASN Top 100 of US players.
The Union’s Rais Mbolhi and Algeria face Ghana on Friday (11 am, beIN Sport) in group play at the Africa Cup of Nations. At ESPN, a look at the French roots of the Algerian national team.
Sons of Ben
Looks like the Sons of Ben Movie will soon have its Philadelphia premiere!
Local
The Philadelphia Tribune has a report on a visit from “some of the soccer industry’s most regarded people of color”– including the Union’s Vice President of Soccer Development & Community Relations Rob Smith, who is also an executive board member of theBlack Soccer Coaches Committee — to Ferguson High School last Friday.
MLS
Could Sebastian Giovinco arrive in Toronto before the start of the season?
Toronto FC II is expected to be announced today as the name of TFC’s USL PRO team.
Kansas City and DP Claudio Bieler have mutually agreed to part ways.
LA Galaxy have re-signed local lad Dan Gargan.
New York Red Bulls have acquired goalkeeper Kyle Reynish from Chicago in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2016 SuperDraft.
At Brotherly Game, Eugene Rupinski on “The Allocation Ranking Fallacy.”
At MLSsoccer.com, a look at the size difference between SuperDraft picks and Homegrown Player signings.
New MLS and US Soccer swag will soon be on the way.
US
A playoff berth in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship is on the line when the US (currently third place) faces Trinidad & Tobago (fourth place) today (5:30pm: Fox Sports 2, Fox Sports Go). US Soccer explains,
If these standings hold, Panama would win the group and earn automatic qualification to the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand. The second- and third-place teams, currently Guatemala and the USA, would advance to a playoff match on Saturday. The CONCACAF U-20 Championship’s four playoff-bound teams will be reseeded to determine the matchups, and the two playoff winners would then qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
A win or a draw will see the US advance to the playoff round.
This:
Just confirmed by Jurgen Klinsmann, CONCACAF Olympic qualifying has been moved up roughly 6 months, to this fall. Big impact on @ussoccer
— Rob Stone (@RobStoneONFOX) January 20, 2015
Robbie Rogers has an opinion piece at USA Today in which he explains how FIFA fails to support gay players. In an interview at LAG Confidential that includes excerpts from his book, Rogers describes how, despite their long standing relationship, Jurgen Klinsmann has not responded to several attempts from Rogers to contact him since he came out.
In an interview at SI, Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud talks about Gedion Zelalem:
He’s really clever. He’s got really great technique. The main thing I think we would love to improve is the impact in the physical way. He will get muscles (laughs) – he will get strong. He’s still so young…I think he will need to play several games at the high level internationally. He will take advantage of it, and his confidence will increase. I’m sure he will be an important player for the U.S. national team, especially because he is really clever and his technique is fantastic.
Information about purchasing individual match tickets for the Women’s World Cup is now available.
Hope Solo, in the news again for non-soccer reasons.
Elsewhere
At the Guardian, Marina Hyde on Sepp Blatter, “the world’s best dictator.”
Regarding the Kessler Reports interview, did I miss Carroll resigning with the Union? In the interview Curtin says ” we have Brian and Lahoud there” but I don’t believe he is on the roster right now, at least not on the Union website.
He is gonna resign probably in the Albrite, Fred role.
Yes I expected Carroll and/or Casey to return at less money for depth, but again, nothing announced by the team.
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That being said, replacing Edu/Okugo with Lahoud/Carroll is a significant downgrade at the position. Still waiting for the plan to be explained and for a reason to watch in 2015.
I know that a lot of people are coming down hard on Valdes because of the rumors that he is going to be sold. But do you actually think the Union were going to have all of that money invested solely on the back line.
Rais is going to get paid this year and Assuming Edu is Central Defense we still have Berry and White and that is not bad by MLS standards. I think this move is more what the Union want and not what Vades wants.
It’s more than that. The Union hope someone does take Carlos, because they really believe he is finished. Last year’s subpar performance was written off by many as post world cup fatigue, but he may have used up whats left of his knees to make his World Cup dream come true. No one in Chester will say that out loud, it would detract from his value, but that is what is being whispered.
The team also does not see Austin Berry as someone who will be much help. They were hoping to lose him in the expansion draft.
Don’t be surprised when you see this team pick up another CB before they get a left back.
I think that the team, and you, might be right about Valdes. He looked a shell of his former self…and a bit overweight. Might be time to cut the cord.
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Regarding Berry, I don’t think that we gave him enough of a chance. He has proven to be able to play at this level. It would seem foolish to spend our limited budget on positions that we are not in pressing need of.
Not sure what it is, but no one really wants Berry and Yallop was certainly quick to let him go.
Curtin knows him pretty well and doesn’t seem to factor him into his thoughts going forward.
Got me. Bad attitude, maybe.
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The Edu to CB decision is perplexing, given that Lahoud (who isn’t terrible but…) is being mentioned repeatedly, an a legitimate option at the #6. I think that Curtin may be making a very bad call with that one (a la Amobi). I think that the club should keep Berry (or bring up Marquez), and play Edu in the midfield.
I agree. I liked the way midfield looked in the Open Cup Final. I think Cutrin did too.
Maybe Maurice believes CB is his way back into the USMNT mix for the next cycle.
Right now though, if Valdez is done and Berry isn’t considered capable, Edu is the best CB and the position is actually thin.
Is the (apparent) a reference to this was information given out at a different event and he’s the only one reporting it? Are there doubts that Kessler interviewed Curtin?
A pretty backhanded comment regarding Scott and his talk with Curtin.
Simmons and Madison were going at each other pretty good in the College Cup Final……..I think one even slapped the other in the face……that would be pretty funny if they were team mates next year. Stuff always happens that way!
“In an (apparent) interview at Kessler Reports (there’s no introduction to provide context about when it happened”
– I imagine it happened recently. Curtin has made himself available multiple times between the draft and “Curtin Call”.
I think we in the U.S. tend to laugh at the ridiculous press fabrications, agent-planted speculation, player quotes taken out of context, and behind the scenes f-ery that happens constantly in European, South American and Central American soccer. We’re not used to that stuff happening in MLS, and it feels a little weird when all of a sudden your club is caught up in the silliness (imagine being a Whitecaps fan with the Camilo fiasco last year, hooo boy). The Valdes situation has that feeling for me right now, but I’m not going to lay it all on his doorstep – especially when he and his own agent never seem to be on the same page.
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On paper, right now, the Union are obviously a better team with him than without him. However, if selling him frees up money and allows them to sign a top striker, that changes the calculus entirely.
A good insight Ben. Well written.
If the plan is to play Edu at CB (I really hope it’s not), I would part ways with Valdes. Lot of money, form was poor last year and CB’s are a-plenty in Philly.
OK, I’ll probably get hammered for this but are the Union actively looking for a starting LB? As much as I like Ray Gaddis I really hope he is not our starting LB in the starting 11. He has great recovery speed which allows him to defend but he is also a liability once teams lob balls in the air. He can’t support the play going forward the way the Union need him to. Fabinho is way to hit and miss as a starting LB. This has been and on going saga since the departure of Jordan Harvey. To me the signings the Union need to get done before training camp is a quality starting Striker,Holding Mid(depending on where Edu winds up), and LB. If these primary needs don’t get done in a timely manner then the Union have failed to deliver IMO. I like the depth moves and I hope they will replace some of the underwhelming excess baggage the Union felt the need to carry for far to long. But again we need a starting 11 that is 2nd to none.
Gaddis should be the Union’s starting RB…and he will again be one of the top 5 in the league. The only time that Ray’s play was suspect was when he was completely overworked, with league and cup matches, and his form was still rather strong. What he lacks in size (balls played through the air), he makes up for with supreme positioning. The one that should be on the block is Sheanon. HIS defending was lacking and he spent far too much time playing as a wing. Gaddis is a better player.
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All this said, Sheanon adjusting to the left is a decent option. Quality LB’s are a bit of a rarity and teams that have them are not too willing to part with them.
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agreed, Gaddis should start at RB………Williams should be a reserve. How many times in a match do you see him get caught up the pitch and they play in behind him? Answer: too many. His throw in is nice, but it you can’t keep him on the pitch just for his throw in………a lot more to the game than that!
Yeah and I can do without the “BOOM” every time he does it too- very very annoying and quite tacky.
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Sheanon’s growth has stalled a bit IMO. I know last year was rough physically and all the leadership and player turn over, pun intended, can cause discontinuity- but really I’ve cooled on Williams.
Personally I would be quite happy with Gaddis at LB next year and Williams at RB. Good LBs are not easy to find, and we have more pressing priorities that would improve the club more than replacing one of those two.
I wouldn’t hate that combo, but I think that Ray is a better RB than Sheanon is a bad LB…if that makes any sense. Sheanon can still play physical (commit fouls) and provide his long throw-ins, from the left flank.
My “apparent” interview was conducted Monday. Beyond the lack of need to include that within an introduction, the fact that the headline led with Exclusive should give insight into what the source of the interview was, which was not the Curtin Call. Hence exclusive. One-on-one. No one else.
Additiinally, given that you had a fan perspective on that very Curtin Call, wouldn’t it have been best to assume I was not writing about the same subject?
Finally, I tweeted numerous times about going to PPL Park, talking to Curtin and also transcribing the interview. But I guess that is neither here nor there.
Tweet? What’s a tweet?
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kidding.
@jokesfrom09
Would it have killed you to write a simple introductory paragraph? Not everyone follows you on Twiiter.
It’s an exclusive. What does an introduction accomplish that reading comprehension doesn’t without it?
But okay cool.
Context?
Three people out of over 1000 apparently had issues with figuring out context, but that’s neither here nor there.
Apparently.
A few things:
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1) I edited Ed’s original post to add the word “apparent” in parentheses. Ed did not write that. I did.
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2) In viewing the post itself on the Kessler Reports site, it included no context at all about the quotes. Literally, nothing, other than “exclusive” and these quotes. That is unusual. It’s simply not the way it’s done in journalism.
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3) “Exclusive” carries a different connotation than you describe. It means you have material that nobody else has. It says nothing about how you got it. In the absence of context, there were questions about how you got it and whether it was an actual interview or something you picked up at the Iron Abbey.
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4) Had I seen what you posted on Twitter, Scott, then no, of course I would not have added the parenthetical. But I don’t pay attention to your Twitter account. Nothing personal. I just don’t. Nor should I have to. See #2 above.
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5) You have dramatically overreacted, Scott. Chill. We have an edit button, and I’ve used it.
1) I didn’t attribute anyone directly with the writing of that particular phrasing.
2) There’s a difference between no introduction paragraph and “sat down with Jim Curtin”? I see little addition in context. Interview format, exclusive. That’s a similar, if not the same context.
3) PSP had a write-up on the Curtin Call. My interview covered things that where not discussed at the event, though certain things overlapped due to the fact that it was the same person talking. Checking against one another is one way to figure that out. As for unusual, that means it’s not unheard of, nor do I care if it’s atypical of journalistic standards. It’s pretty much just nitpicking over the usage of ‘dishes’ instead of prefacing the headline, post exclusive, with interview.
4) I’m wondering how you found the post at all, then. I published late on Tuesday and didn’t throw it up on FB until late morning Wednesday. But that’s neither here nor there. As for having to follow my twitter account, that’s each to his own, but my site is basically run through my Twitter account, so there’s that.
5) I reacted to what appeared to be a slight. It’s within typical journalistic practices to reach out to parties before making what appears to be a statement about credibility or otherwise. You had ample time, apparently, to contact me about what you perceived to be a lack of context, or at least not write what came off as a condescending comment concerning my article.
Of the thousand plus people who wandered onto KR, only three wondered what the supposed context was of the interview. Apparently it wasn’t really an issue.
Professional courtesy would have solved this situation by preventing it in the first place. It’s a typical journalistic practice.
4) Probably Google News or Google Blogs alerts for “Philadelphia Union.”
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5) Only 3? … Ok. Gotcha. 3. And … Time? We have time? Time is the one thing PSP’s contributors most certainly have too little of, which is why I’m not going to hash this one out any further. (Nearly every misstep that anyone sees on PSP is due to us being rushed because of a lack of time.) I answered you because that’s what I do. Now I’ve said what I have to say, I edited the post above, and that’s all that there’s going to be.
“Sorry for being passive aggressive, Scott.”
– Was that so hard?
Actually, it’s more like, “I’m not getting into a silly Internet fight about this, so move on.”
Can’t respond to your comment for some reason, Dan. But maybe don’t start the silly internet fight next time.
None of us have time. Time is finite. We all wish we had more.
That doesn’t mean we have to be passive aggressive about another outlet/writer’s access or writing.
1) Grow up. You’re having a temper tantrum over something trivial. You should have pointed us to your Twitter explanation, asked us to change the wording (which we would have), and then moved on. Instead, your tantrum overshadows a pretty good interview.
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2) Accept accountability. You’re the one who failed to adequately explain in your post the context of your interview. Frame it properly next time. It’s not our job to scroll through your Twitter feed to do it for you.
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3) I don’t do passive-aggressive. I do passive. Or I do aggressive. I try to keep the aggressive packed up, but now that I’ve read more of your comments here and on Twitter, you’ve pissed me off. Go away.
Could Hope Solo just go away?
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If ever a given last name was more appropriate I challenge you to find it.
…even Han pulled his head out of his ass eventually.
Napolean doesn’t even acknowledge his relation.
Come on somebody. I’ve got $20 riding on someone out there being old enough to get that reference.
You win, although I question your spelling of he personal name. Substitute “o” for the second “a”. You refer to the lead character from The Man from U. N. C. L. E.
Thanks Coach. You are correct, of course, on the spelling. Thanks for helping me collect.