Huh. Joanna Lohman has announced her retirement (less than a week before the season begins). I didn't keep track of which matches she did or didn't play in during the Spirit's preseason.
Yeah, the numbers I've seen would only make sense if nearly every player made the league minimum. When I made that observation to someone with whom I was chatting about it, the conversation stopped.
To be fair, at this stage of survival, I'm cool without their being hard and fast rules - especially if the various stake-holders are also cool. I also understand completely why they wouldn't want to publicly talk about such things.
Apparently Sky Blue is getting to be the beneficiary of a larger exodus from Bayern Munich in that they just signed Gina Lewandowski
Also, it sounds like Casey Murphy's rights have somehow migrated to the Reign and she'll likely be playing for the Seattle-area team very soon.
Well, I understand that Lynn Williams will be away with Australian NT for the World Cup, but having her, Betos and Murphy in the roster isn't a little too much?
Might want to tempter any expectations for Chicago this year... Mautz suffered an ACL injury in training and will be out for the rest of the season.
Thorns waive Onumonu and Weber. I can see both getting picked up by teams that need attacking depth. They also signed defender Madison Pogarch, midfielder Emily Ogle, and forward Simone Charley to supplemental contracts. Sky Blue add veteran defender Gina Lewandowski, who played for Bayern Munich for many years. Also goalkeeper Kaylan Marckese to a supplemental contract and fullback Sabrina Flores to NT replacement contract.
I especially can see Weber getting picked up. I wonder if the Thorns tried to trade them, although they basically had to waive them with other players coming in. Raso now has her green card, so no longer occupies an international slot. Andressinha now is with the team. And Angela Salem now is finished with grad school and is with the team. It looks to me like the Thorns preferred those last two to Onumonu and Weber. I personally am sad to see Weber leave, she worked her tail off whenever she was on the field. I saw the three supplemental contract players during pre-season and thought both Pogarch and Ogle were impressive, especially Pogarch who may become the heir apparent to Klingenberg when she is ready to retire. Not so much Charley, but the Thorns do need attacking players with their losing players to the World Cup.
Well FIFA regulations require 2 GK at all times, and since Lydia will be gone for 6 weeks or more, something needed to be done. It would've been possible to use an amateur replacement player to warm the bench, like we used Adelaide Gay last year. (Gay is the shortest keeper in the NWSL at 5'6' and holds the league record for most lineup appearances (over 30 with 4 different teams) without ever getting on the field.) But it's been clear all spring that Vlatko has been holding out that last roster spot for someone and i think Murphy is it. I suspect she will be with us for the rest of the season instead of temporary. And it's worth pointing out that although we have two starting caliber GK, both are not young and planning for a future that could be sooner rather than later makes sense. And if we do sign her, we will have the tallest player in the league!
https://washingtonspirit.com/2019/0...-elise-kellond-knight-in-trade-with-reign-fc/ The Washington Spirit has acquired defender/midfielder Elise Kellond-Knight from Reign FC in exchange for goalkeeper Sammy Jo Prudhomme.
The Pride just waived Ubogagu, apparently for her to play for a club in Europe. That really sucks to lose your #2 scoring threat...
Follow-up: reports from Spain suggest she'll be signing with CD Tacon, the team that Real Madrid has purchased (but has not renamed yet).