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Today is the MLS SuperDraft, and it comes with the least amount of hype that it has had, perhaps ever. We’ll have a dedicated thread for it later this morning, but as the league pivots away from the draft as a primary method of player acquisitions, reducing its important makes sense. The league is trying some other methods of building offseason hype, one of which is in the links below; we’ll see how they go!
Episode 379: Eugene Rupinski and Travis Clark | Filibuster
If you haven’t yet, go listen to the second of this week’s two episodes of Filibuster as you get ready for the SuperDraft.
2020 Mock SuperDraft v2.0: The final prediction before Thursday | Travis Clark | MLSsoccer.com
To get more Travis in your life, you can take a look at his final Mock Draft. D.C. United’s only pick is late in the second round, so they don’t make an appearance.
Sources: Larry Sunderland in line to be named new USMNT U-17 coach
A nugget in here: D.C. United assistant coach Nolan Sheldon was approached to be the US U-20 national team coach, but he turned it down to stay with United. That’s the job that just went to Anthony Hudson, former head coach of the Colorado Rapids.
. @gorwld tells me he is exploring options in Europe after @dcunited let him go this winter. Scored 10 goals in 16 matches for @LoudounUnitedFC. Hasn't ruled out returning to US but says Europe seems more likely. German native starred at @MarylandMSoccer #dcu #mls #usl
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) January 8, 2020
With D.C. United/Loudoun United already having signed Erik Sorga, that took Gordon Wild’s chances of staying with United from slim to nil. Wish him the best of luck in whatever step he takes next.
MLS’s offseason this year will include a league wide jersey drop on February 5th, featured in FIFA 20; events at New York Fashion Week; and special jerseys for every team that has been around since 1996, including the somewhat eye-rolling decision to include teams that weren’t in MLS then, except for one: the New York Red Bulls, who for whatever reason will not have any MetroStars stuff present.
Georgetown, Maryland soccer, past two NCAA men’s champs, will play each other - The Washington Post
If you want to see some of the best that college soccer has to offer, well, they’re right here.
A good check-in with John Harkes and Ian Harkes.
Sources: MLS considering changes to DP rule to encourage young player signings – The Athletic
This is a bad idea. Just when teams are starting to naturally focus on younger players who can be sold down the road, the league wants to trample in an introduce another set of byzantine rules about player acquisitions. Because it really isn’t about that, it is about teams with less budget freedom trying to reign in the teams that have more money to spend.
Thorns trade Purce, 2021 draft pick to acquire Raquel Rodriguez from Sky Blue - Stumptown Footy
A pair of huge trades in the NWSL, with the Portland Thorns trading away Emily Sonnett, UVA grad who regularly makes USWNT rosters, Caitlin Foord, a regular for Australia who might not play in NWSL this year anyways, and Midge Purce, who got her first USWNT cap this year.
The NWSL draft is next week, and if you are missing all of the wheeling and dealing it used to entail, I would suggest that you jump in and follow the NWSL right now.
That’s all I have for today, what’s up?