Three-year Veteran to Solidify Spirit Midfield; San Diego also Receives 2004 Second Round Draft Pick SPIRIT ACQUIRE U.S. NATIONAL TEAM MIDFIELDER ANGELA HUCLES IN TRADE WITH BOSTON FOR ALY WAGNER SAN DIEGO – U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder and three-year WUSA veteran Angela Hucles has been acquired from the Boston Breakers in exchange for midfielder Aly Wagner, it was announced today by Spirit general manager Dave Presher. The Spirit will also receive Boston’s second round draft choice (15th overall) in the 2004 WUSA Draft. Release Summary · Hucles started 53 of the 57 games she played in for Boston totaling 20 points. · Hucles had her breakout season in 2002, as she tallied 10 points and became a regular part of the U.S. Women’s National Team. · Wagner played in 20 games for San Diego compiling eight points. “We are excited to add Angela to our roster. She is the consummate modern-day player combining athleticism, intelligence, skill and hard work that translates into winning results,” said Presher. “Angela will also be a tremendous asset to our community, as she is a well-respected person and role model.” Hucles, 25, who was Boston’s 12th round selection in the WUSA Inaugural Draft, started 53 of the 57 games she played in during her three-year stint with the Breakers. She had her breakout year during the 2002 season, compiling three goals and four assists, leading the way to her becoming a regular member of the U.S. Women’s National Team. Her three-year total of six goals and eight assists for 20 points ranks fourth on the all-time Breakers scoring list. The Virginia Beach, Virginia native is expected to solidify the Spirit’s midfield next season. “Angela Hucles is an outstanding player with great athleticism,” said Spirit head coach Omid Namazi. “She is a very versatile player, who will add tremendous speed, passing ability, and composure to our team. Angela has the ability to play a number of positions making our squad a better all-around team.” San Diego drafted Wagner as the league’s #1 overall pick in the 2003 WUSA Draft held last February. She started 20 games for the Spirit, scoring two goals and four assists in her rookie season.
Hucles is a good player. But now we have no Boxxy AND no Wagner?!?! I know Wagner didn't set sparks flying this season, but now she will probably come into her own this coming season (just in time for the Breakers). This is EXTREMELY disappointing. Hucles is very good, but will she ever have as much potential as Wagner?? Glad to have Hucles, but not at the expense of Wagner. What was the point of this?? It would be nice to hear a bit more from the Spirit on why exactly they thought it was GOOD to let Wagner go. Why'd they even bother with the second round draft pick.
Is this a bad joke? I've never been more shocked by a trade in ANY SPORT I FOLLOW, WHICH IS MANY, than this one. Talk about giving up on a star real quick. Wow. Did I say I'm shocked?
Let see, basically: Hucles = Aly Wagner, Shannon Boxx, Margaret Tietjen and Carly Smolak I wonder who they're going to trade Shannon MacMillan for tomorrow.
Maybe the CyberRays will give him Mandy Clemens for Wambach. What a deal!! (ok, I'm getting carried away with my examples...I'm mad )
What the f***! We traded the wrong player! Unless there is another move to be made, we are stuck with no playmaker once again, and we still have Foudy? I have been the biggest voice of disappiontment regarding Wagner's play this past season, but to totally give up on her is another thing. There must be some things behind the scenes that we don't know about. She certainly doesn't fit Omid's hardworking team model. Where does Hucles play? Out wide, in the center? I had to check the WUSA site to confirm what my eyes where telling me.
Re: What the f***! She plays wide on the left for both Boston (I think) and the Nats. Is there some foreign player we are picking up that is just absolutely fabulous at center mid...or what?!!??
MacMillan Traded to Seasame Street For Elmo - SD Thrilled to Have Furry Red Sub I suppose ^THAT^ will be the headline in next week's sports page! Hucles is SOMEWHAT solid, but give me a break!!! To even make the reference that Hucles is in the same arena as Wagner is insulting. I know others were trying to be nice, but no way...We didn't need a new mid, we needed a new back! So unless we get Cat Reddick, I will be sorely disappointed in the Spirit for this upcoming season...
This IS a horrible JOKE!!! How the Spirit are going to justify a player of Wagner's sophistication is beyond me. What's our starting center midfield now, Foudy and Daniela, ouch!!! The only reason we didn't see more assists out of Wagner this season was because San Diego had little speed up top in Latham and Fleeting. Watch her pick up 10-15 assists working with Dagny Mellgren. This is ridiculous, this ruins my day... The only thing I can think is that a deal with a foreign player is in the works, otherwise this sucks. Boo Spirit...I think I might be more disappointed now than I was after the playoff loss. Expect Hucles to come in and be a very average player while Wagner continues to improve into one of the world's best. Nice job, Spirit, now you can join the rest of San Diego's pro teams in being able to say that you've traded some really great players.
My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I went to the WUSA site just before coming here. Are Omid and the Spirit management insane?? I too have been disappointed in Aly's productivity with the Spirit this year, but damn, I think Hucles sucks! ok, maybe that's a bit strong, but I just don't think she's anything at all. bleeech. Aly has done very well with the Nats, but I don't see anything positive when Hucles plays with them. I do NOT see what Ape's fascination with her is. UGGGHHH!!!
Like I told the kkers... Could be SD is looking at a foriegn player to fill the playmaker spot. That would be the only reason to give up Wagner. (not a good reason but a reason non the less) So what roles does Hucles play? Was she brought in to fill the void Boxx left? And who will be that 2nd round pick? A keeper? ......... boooooo SD GM. Boooooooooooo.
Namazi and Presher on TV tonight KSWB 5/69 10:20 KUSI 9/51 10:50 The three other stations will show Wagner highlights and talk about the trade, Channel 10 said that they will try to squeeze it in. Don't abandon the ship yet Spirit faithful.
Re: Re: What the f***! I know all that. The question was more rhetorical, as in "where does she fit with the midfield we've got. Foudy-wherever she wants to play Daniela-centrally, more defensive Neilsen-the only real #10 on the roster, small, slow, all heart, local favorite,great touch and vision Conners-servicable on either flank Sullivan-great speed on the outside Bush-a project still Latham-does she move to MID when Mac returns? Zhang-will we ever see her again? MacMillan-does she play wide right? Maybe we package Hucles for the right to pick Reddick in the draft. That I could live with. This makes very little sense. In time Wagner will be the best #10 ever for the US. Asking her to be the Messiah this year was too much. I've got a lot of faith in Omid and Presher, but you guys have got a lot of proving to do to the entire SD soccer community. I'll wait to reserve final judgement. I still think there is more to come.
Whatever. On the face of it this is a bad joke. Have faith? Okay, we have until next spring to figure it all out, but no one on any of the boards can make any sense out of this trade from the San Diego point of view so it's very hard to keep the faith when YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!!! I'll get back to my rosary now...
He went there... Wow JScott,that takes confidence and maybe a bit of cockiness to say that Aly could/and will top Akers...Not saying that you are completely wrong, but that is walking on thin ice. Back on the trade - I never lose faith, but at times I do lose respect
Re: What the f***! lab99, you got it wrong. Angela played primarily in the center for Bsoton this season with Lilly running the left. In the first two seasons Boston used Hucles on the left with Lilly in the middle and you know where that got them.
WUSA: Spirit sends Wagner to Boston for Hucles, draft pick There's a little more about the rationale in this Soccer America article: It sounds like either Daniella or Zhang Ouying won't be returning. I still think it's a nice little present for Boston. I hope Aly's not too upset. She seemed pretty happy in San Diego .
Re: He went there... When I refer to the greatest #10, I am talking about the position, not the women who have worn the jersey. Akers was not a true #10 in the Pele, Maradonna, Zidane sense. She was an out-and-out target forward much like a Christian Vieri or a Ruud van Nistelroy. Carin Jennings played as a wide playmaker, much like Luis Figo does for Portugal, and April Heinrichs was a Gerd Muller/Gary Lineker type. Back then the US played a 3-4-3 without a classic #10 behind the forwards. Most WNT fans never saw them in '91 (I was at their send-off game at UCSB), and many people think that Akers was a midfielder because that is where she was forced to play late in her career. When she was a prep in Washington and later at UCF, she was the most dominant physical striker the game has ever seen, and I say that with all the confidence of someone who has coached women for 20 years in SoCal, and spent many an afternoon with a number of current WNT and WUSA players. Parlow, Wambach and Fotop on their best day couldn't do what Akers did for more than a decade. Its a shame there was no WUSA for her. Jennings is the other player who most soccer fans missed, but for my money she was the best athlete that ever wore red, white and blue, and the only women I ever saw that could play with men at the highest level. She was twice the player Mia ever was, and Jim Gabarra probably has the home video to prove it. No disrespect MM8, but I'm not wrong. I'm just older, but I love your enthusiasm.
Re: Re: What the f***! Thanks for the correction Nat. I wasn't sure about Boston with Lilly. Since we have now acquired her, and you have seen her play a lot: why did she start off on the wing when they had Lilly all along? I know she plays that spot most often for the Nats. Is that her natural position and Lilly could more easily move to another position than a newbie? What do you think of Hucles as a center mid? It sounds like Namazi is going after a foreign player for center mid, so it will be interesting how the team comes together next season. ...Still mad...I wish I could see the news channels tonight from SD.
This makes me physically ill. Hucles and the 1st choice in the draft next year wouldn't be worth Aly. There has to be more going on here, doesn't there? Is there some foreign midfielder out there that would be worth taking Aly's place? There certainly isn't anyone on the team now that can do that job. By making this apparently one-sided trade, are Presher and Namazi publicly admitting that they now believe that they made a huge mistake by trading players to get the chance to get Aly?
