I don’t have a good way to start today’s post, so let’s just get to the links!
Brian and Sauerbrunn ruled out of January USWNT camp | Stars and Stripes FC
Morgan Brian probably just needs to rest up and heal her various injuries in general, so bedding in at Olympique Lyon (she just signed there recently) rather than jetting out to California for a camp is probably a good idea.
The bigger news is Becky Sauerbrunn, who has a stress reaction in her foot that will require “several” weeks of rest. Hopefully that’s the extent of it, because a longer-term injury (remember, Maurice Edu’s long-term injury absence with the Philadelphia Union started with a stress reaction in his leg) is a big deal in a year where World Cup qualifying looms.
Loudoun County advances plans for D.C. United second-division team, stadium | Loudoun Times-Mirror
You’ve read our coverage of D.C. United’s western outpost. Here’s the view from out in Loudoun itself.
In Washington Spirit news, here’s the main thing to take note of:
Andi Sullivan still isn't on the list of eligible players for the draft, but I'm told she will be. https://t.co/LBmfD7KHx3
— John D. Halloran (@JohnDHalloran) January 11, 2018
Andi Sullivan, a northern Virginia native who is becoming a regular in USWNT camps, is the runaway choice for the #1 overall pick. The Spirit currently hold that pick, so we’re most likely a week from having “Spirit select Sullivan” stories on site.
Pair of trades sends Long to Seattle, the rights to Foord to Portland, Johnson and Stott to NJ | NWSLsoccer.com
Speaking of the NWSL, things got wild yesterday. Steve Goff broke the news on Twitter, and the trade was announced soon thereafter. This is a huge deal, sending a USWNT regular in Allie Long to a rival club, handing Sky Blue a desperately needed starting defender in Rebekah Stott and a good forward in Katie Johnson, and netting the Portland Thorns Caitlin Foord, an Australian national team star who has been sought after by teams throughout NWSL for two years.
The folks at Sounder at Heart and Stumptown Footy have thoughts on the first (but definitely not last) big deal of the NWSL offseason.
New England Revolution’s Lee Nguyen requests offseason trade | MLSsoccer.com
Philly and Minnesota should be leading this charge, but Sam Stejskal only names the Chicago Fire as one of the interested parties here. As for the New England Revolution...I’m starting to get a 2018 Wooden Spoon contender vibe out of them.
FC Dallas Signs Homegrown Defender Jordan Cano | FCDallas.com
Everyone loves FC Dallas for signing so many homegrown players (this is their 21st!), but the Toros still strike me as having a “sign ‘em all and let God sort ‘em out!” attitude to these players, something that I wasn’t impressed by when Schellas Hyndman was doing it. Of the 10 homegrown players on the Dallas roster today, only 3 have actually played real minutes, and only Kellyn Acosta is an actual starter.
Ex-Orlando, Houston forward Giles Barnes signs with Liga MX side Club Leon | MLSsoccer.com
Didn’t see this one coming. Also, just slightly different from that Landon Donovan to Leon rumor that was going around.
Hopeful of full recovery, team re-signs defender Sauro | Columbus Dispatch
Gaston Sauro has been through knee injury hell since doing quite well upon arriving in MLS in 2015. He’s been out for basically 2 years due to a torn PCL, a chondral defect, and then an infection, but the Crew have stuck with him (even with a very deep group of center backs).
New York City FC Signs Cedric Hountondji | NYCFC.com
NYCFC just added a 6’5” 23 year old Beninese international (who was a France u21 previously) and over 100 appearances as a pro in Ligue 2.
Impact loses Blerim Dzemaili as coaching staff is unveiled | Montreal Gazette
Remi Garde’s coaching staff includes former French national team goalkeeper Joel Bats. Oh, and also, Best 11 level midfielder Blerim Dzemaili is heading back to Serie A, which is probably a bigger story.
Shifting gears to the MLS draft, scratch one local name off the list:
Very happy to announce I have signed with FC Maccabi Netanya! pic.twitter.com/t3DbSdYmoR
— Jake Rozhansky (@Jroz12) January 11, 2018
How the FMF wooed Jonathan Gonzalez and other dual U.S.-Mexico nationals | ESPNFC
Dennis te Kloese gets it:
Due to the fact there is so much talent in the United States of Mexican descent and with the possibility to represent both Mexico and the United States, the case of Jonathan will not be the last.
Does anyone at US Soccer?
Former Manchester United defender Phil Neville emerges as candidate for Lionesses head coach role | Women’s Soccer Zone
Phil Neville has no experience coaching in women’s soccer, and little experience coaching anyone...and he’s close to getting a gig with a top 5 women’s national team.
What I’m trying to say is that England is really looking at screwing up their chance at winning France 2019.
‘I can’t describe my feelings’ – Saudi women finally allowed into games | The Guardian
A long, long, long overdue move in Saudi Arabia. It’s incremental (only certain stadiums allow it, and women have to sit in women-only sections), but progress is progress.
This is the most disrespectful soccer move I’ve seen in years | SB Nation
All hail Sauce God.
That’s all I’ve got. Go watch a movie this weekend, because by this time next week we’ll be through the drafts and getting started on the 2018 season.