D.C. United coaching search, USMNT wins big, and more: Freedom Kicks for 11/17/2020

Freedom Kicks are supposed to be more of a breakfast product, but Covid isolation has reduced time’s grasp on what happens when. As such: lunchtime Freedom Kicks!

Let’s start with your latest D.C. United coaching news:

At least two MLS assistants, and a third who was recently let go by the Red Bulls. Since I don’t know much about the dynamics of what Ezra Hendrickson’s role is in Columbus, and I wasn’t impressed by Chris Armas’s time in NJ, I’d say that out of that cohort Gonzalo Pineda (who holds the role of being the tactics guy on Seattle’s bench) is the most interesting to me. He’s former Mexican international too, which would open up networks that United has maybe not had access to in the past.

I’ll also throw in that since that Pineda tweet got out, I’ve heard from multiple people that cover the Sounders all saying that a) they don’t want him to go, and b) that it would be a great hire.

One consequence of any coaching search is that existing assistant coaches are probably going to move on, which brings us to the bad news:

It’s hard to blame Nolan Sheldon for looking elsewhere. The writing has been on the wall from the moment United chose to make Chad Ashton the interim head coach over him. Meanwhile, Austin adds to it’s “DCU, but Texas” vibe.

The USWNT roster just came out, and I’ll be writing about it pretty much as soon as I finish this post, but here’s where I tell you that the Washington Spirit have two players in the squad: goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe and striker Ashley Hatch.

Rising star Ashley Sanchez on USWNT camp and her rookie NWSL season | Just Women’s Sports
Ashley Sanchez didn’t get a second call-up after last month’s camp in Colorado, but it sounds like she took a lot away from the experience. She’ll be back in the picture before long.

USMNT shows dazzling scoring display in Panama rout | Stars and Stripes FC
As you may have heard yesterday, the USMNT steamrolled Panama 6-2, with goals from Nicholas Gioacchini (2), Sebastian Soto (2), Gio Reyna, and Sebastian Lletget. I missed the game because the county told me my flu shot appointment would be at the same time, but then I got up there and they said it’s actually today, which for me yesterday meant it was tomorrow.

So anyway the game’s on my DVR and I don’t have a flu shot yet.

MLS Transfer Tracker: Hulk has offer from MLS club | MLSsoccer.com
I don’t think this is United, and Hulk is 34 so I have doubts there too, but nonetheless: Hulk to MLS?

Rob McElhenney from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Ryan Reynolds from movies have officially gotten the all-clear to buy Wrexham AFC, leading to this:

Ana Jurka talks women’s soccer ahead of Cambio de Juego launch and Clásico Nacional Femenil | FMF State of Mind
Liga MX Femenil is garnering more attention this year, and that includes Telemundo starting a show built around women’s sports that launched with yesterday’s Chivas-America match.

Join the B&RU 2020 MLS Playoffs Bracket Challenge | Black and Red United
Do what these words say!

Alright, I need to finish this so I can write that USWNT thing so I can get my flu shot, unless I’ve unwittingly just entered a Kafkaesque nightmare in which the day always changes for inscrutable reasons.