NC Courage get Keeper Stephanie Labbe to fill the designated Canadian GK spot on the team. Also signed Defender Ally Haran from Wake Forest after one pro year in Iceland.
Very happy to see a quality GK like Labbé get back in NWSL. She deserves to be playing for the NWSL reigning champion team.
Well, one thing Riley has shown is that he doesn't play favorites in goal. Both keepers will get their chances, but he'll ride the hot hand.
Fortunately, that's not how things work on championship teams. Whoever starts opening day will have to earn that start.
Unless it makes sense for ther other keeper on the team to start. D'Angelo started two important games in 2018 - the win vs. Lyon and the semifinal win vs. Chicago. The best-suited keeper will start. I would read Riley's twitter post fairly literally. We always strive to get better. Kate and Steph will be brilliant for each other. We seek out risk takers. Environment like this you won’t always come out on top but you will be pushed to your personal best everyday. You are responsible for your success everyday #follownoone https://t.co/sg9LJfKWsj— PHR (@prileyfury4life) February 11, 2019
Bingo. D'Angelo started the 2016 championship win and Rowland the 2018. Riley played the best keeper on the given day. Let's also remember that there was no hesitation to play D'Angelo in the 2018 semifinal, when Rowland could have played if the backup wasn't an option, but she was carrying a minor injury.
D'Angelo started the semi-final because Rowland couldn't play due to a concussion. Rowland was clearly the #1 by the end of the season, just like she was clearly the #1 by the end of 2017. I expect it will be the same at the end of 2019. That's all I'm saying.
Spirit signed two Matilda midfielders: Amy Harrsion signed a contract and Chloe Logarzo will be on loan from Sydney FC.
does nwsl take on a lot of loans? how does this work? her w-league team won't be paying her, would they? they're out of season. spirit is essentially signing her, no? is this the same as when a loanee goes to the w-league during the nwsl off season?
I am guessing that being on loan means the Spirit do not have any claiming rights and/or her contract does not contain the standard NWSL option for the Spirit to exercise to keep her for another year. Would someone else please clarify this for us?
The Dash traded for Christine Nairn. https://www.houstondynamo.com/post/2019/02/26/dash-acquire-mf-christine-nairn-trade-orlando-pride
That's a good trade by Houston. I think Nairn has some miles left on her. If Huerta plays the 10, as the coach wants her too, she can go forward at will with confidence that Nairn will fill in behind her. Houston should have a formidable offense with Daly, Huerta, Latsko, and Ohai.
I can see: Ohai, Daly, Prince up top with Latsko backup Kristie, Huerta, Nairn with Simon, Hanson backup Chapman, Polkinghorne, Brooks, Comeau in the back. Not too shabby.
Houston may actually be competitive, if they can put it all together. The potential is there. Nairn is still a solid player.
i’m not convinced that this is a good trade for the dash. i thought nairn lost her starting spot in orlando last year. she seems to have begun to recede (in the nwsl as opposed to the w-league) as the league moves forward. orlando, of course, might think that they made a great deal, depending on if they can pick up a non wwc starter.
I liked Romero when she played for Houston a few years back. I'm wondering how she fits in with Houston now. Comeau at right back did a good job last year and that is (or was) Romero's position. I remember Romero as small and delicate-looking, often left all alone on her side of the field to defend one on one -- and masterful at spectacular tackles. I saw her on TV a few months ago and she's beefed up now--looking more the woman and less the girl.
romero was indeed very good when she played for the dash. but i’m not sure it's the same nwsl she's coming back to. hopefully the " woman" she now is will be able to cope. i think both romero and nairn are “former greats” that the coach is hoping works well for the team. i don’t think they will, but he may be absolutely on target in a year in which wc players are gone a lot.
Well, about as late as it can get, NWSL announces the allocation list for this year: It's as official as official gets.The list for allocated players for 2019 is here! Take a look at who's allocated for @CanadaSoccerEN and the @USWNT Federations. pic.twitter.com/aC8CtGktPV— The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) April 5, 2019
McCall Zerboni? Hey @Beau - in your struggling efforts to figure out how the NWSL salary system/limits/cap/budget actually works, how are teams supposed to know what they can afford if the "federation" players aren't named until a week before the season starts? If the Courage suddenly find themselves on the hook for Lynn Williams and Jessica McDonald - how long until they have to become compliant? And is there really a budge/cap in this league? My feeling is that there isn't. The numbers published last year made zero mathematical sense from day one. It feels like the league has salary "guidelines" to keep Portland from spending everyone else into oblivion, but common sense will be applied instead of cold hard limits when it comes to injury replacements and mid-season signings.