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News roundup: Former Academy coach to lead Penn State, MLS signings, more

Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia Union

Penn State named former Union Academy coach Jeff Cook as their head coach.

Former Union player Freddy Adu is heading to yet another club. This will be his 14th.

Local

Ocean City Nor’easters have postponed their open tryouts due to weather.

MLS

South American players are bringing MLS to a whole new level.

A bunch of MLS teams made signings:

LA Galaxy signed their two veterans, Baggio Husidic and Ashley Cole, in a risky move.

D.C. United signed Venezuelan national midfielder Junior Moreno.

FC Dallas signed veteran defender Reto Ziegler.

Some other rumors are floating around, all but confirmed:

After losing Cyle Larin, officially to Bundesliga side Mochengladbach, it looks like Orlando will sign Sacha Kljestan.

Several MLS clubs are reportedly interested in Ukrainian striker Artem Kravets. Tottenham Hotspur youth player Samuel Shashoua may be coming to MLS on loan. Uruguayan center back Yeferson Quintana may be making moves to MLS as well.

Around the globe

USWNT player Morgan Brian is leaving NWSL and heading to French side Lyon.

Dates for 2018 and predictions for what’s to come.

23 Comments

  1. Why the Union coaching exodus?

  2. Hey at least we signed that Jamaican international

  3. el Pachyderm says:

    In other news, Union hands are nice and warm on these bitterly cold days while they sit on them while rosters around the league are shaped and modeled or remodeled, others wheel and deal to improve…. so I’m glad for warm hands. Don’t forget to Re-Doop.
    .
    Doop. Dupe.
    .
    What a word as I think about it. It’s negative connotations, homonyms or phones or denotations seem to fit so perfectly.
    .
    Oh hey, sun’s out.

    • The Combine is in 8 days, the draft is in 16 days and the first game is in 60 days. The Union’s roster is only 70% complete, and the Steel roster is less than 50% complete. How is anything going to get accomplished in such a tight window if the Union and Steel are short at least 3 key people responsible for talent evaluation?

      Other than Sugarman stating he is willing to spend, the organization has done nothing to demonstrate it is going to be a relevant participant in MLS.

      As for the coaching departures all are understandable.
      Sorber is going to work for Bradley in a progressive step to land his own manager’s role. Nikolav is a goalkeeping coach…in a nicer climate with a higher profile organization. Penn State provides financial security with a prestigious program that should compete for Big Ten and national titles.

      But where are the new hires and signings!!! Where is the identity? Are we a big spending club? No. Are we a talent development club? Not when you continue to add talent that prohibits the academy players from progressing.

      Earnie must have a large amount of cards he is holding and just waiting to spring on us. Lets hope it is a Royal Flush and not just two pairs… of dirty socks.

      • This happens EVERY YEAR! They bring in their new “star” signing when the team is already in Clearwater, then wonder why the squad doesn’t gel for the first two months.

      • That’s the thing. Coaching staff looks pretty thin. I suppose pretty much everyone knows this is it for Curtin. He has a start this season similar to last and the pressure to sack him will be high. Stewart seems to have a pretty good stomach for pressure, because this fanbase is might be more agitated than I’ve ever seen it. I’ll give him this. European window is only open 3 days now, but there better be some good news in the next week.

    • But el P, the atmosphere…the drinking in parking lots…the friends one apparently can’t see unless they go to the game…

  4. Even without a big DP splash, it looks like the Union could have improved by getting Kljestan and Harvey. Why they don’t even consider intra-league transactions is baffling.

  5. Nice pic of Freddy in his Union kit :/

  6. LA Galaxy are going find themselves asking “what the hell happened” in about 18 months. They will be rendered irrelevant VERY quickly in their own city.

  7. Old Soccer Coach says:

    If you look at Jeff Cook’s resume, Penn State is a clear step forward. Good for him to earn the chance and best of luck.

  8. Actually, the Steel’s roster is at five. The league minimum is twelve, and they played last year with thirteen. So it is considerably less than 50% complete.
    .
    That said, last season they got two players from the draft, and will probably get a like number or greater this year, given that barring trades the Union do not even need to attend the first two rounds since they have no picks.

  9. It’s really cute how the mlssoccer.com article about South American players raising the level of the league refers to Manchester City as NYCFC’s “sister club” rather than “parent club”.

  10. Quaker Shiker says:

    Coaching staff leaving the union? Yes, rats always leave a sinking ship!
    PLEASE someone buy our ship before Sugarman runs it onto the rocks and lets it sink.

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