D.C. United coaching search, Philadelphia Union receive an actual shield, and more: Freedom Kicks for 11/10/2020

Good morning! Looks like we get one more day of almost unsettlingly good weather before it rains and gets colder, so I think I need to find an excuse to get over to downtown Annapolis for a stroll. That’s it, that’s my big event for the day.

Instead of more boring details from isolation life, let’s talk soccer:

D.C. United’s first offseason priority: Hiring a coach | Washington Post
More details on D.C. United’s ongoing search for a new head coach, including a note that Ben Olsen’s as-yet-unclarified front office role will involve helping evaluate candidates, and that Javier Aguirre (who we brought up last week) may have at least been contacted at some point.

Looking at D.C. United’s roster going into the offseason | Black and Red United
We tried to read the tea leaves when it comes to the roster. We don’t have a ton of information, because this is MLS, but we can get pretty far into what to expect during this offseason nonetheless.

Moving along, here’s the story behind the Philadelphia Union celebrating with a Supporters Shield that appeared to be an actual shield:

It’s because it was an actual shield. I love this, and encourage you to click on this tweet to get the full thread. Yes, the holders of the Shield should have made sure it got to Philly earlier, but what is MLS if not a league where we’re trying to figure things out on the fly? The Union should treasure this first trophy, and the weird specifics of getting a Captain America shield with a vinyl wrap. This is the fun part.

With the real Supporters’ Shield arrival delayed, the Union lifted a modified Captain America shield instead | Brotherly Game
More details, including photos of the straps on the back of the shield that allow you to wear it.

Union seal the Supporters’ Shield, their first-ever trophy, with 2-0 win over New England | Philadelphia Inquirer
Yes, even more details, including the note that ABC cut away from showing the ceremony. Thank you national broadcast partner! Really making it feel like the league matters to you!

Why “the Philly way” is suddenly MLS’s hottest model after the Philadelphia Union’s Supporters’ Shield triumph | MLSsoccer.com
A smart breakdown of how the Union got to this point, which includes both their vaunted academy, some other principles, and nailing it in the transfer market. It’s a path that a team like United can take without having to afford a Carlos Vela (though you know, a Vela equivalent is also fine).

Craig Harrington officially out as Utah Royals FC Head Coach | RSL Soapbox
Weeks after being suspended pending an internal investigation, the Utah Royals officially fired head coach Craig Harrington amid allegations of abusive language. Former USWNT defender Amy LePeilbet remains the interim head coach.

That’s it for me. I need to get some breakfast.