Yes, we still have the postseason to play still, but that hasn't stopped player moves from happening already. Specifically, Van Wyk has already announced her departure from Houston. This thread is for all the offseason player (and coach? and league staff? and team??) moves we may get!
Tom Sermanni out as coach of Orlando Pride.— John D. Halloran (@JohnDHalloran) September 14, 2018 INBOX Tom Sermanni out as @ORLPride coach #NWSL pic.twitter.com/e8tTUK4kuP— Howard Megdal (@howardmegdal) September 14, 2018
Well that will be two new coaches for next season? Just where are they going to find one? Any promising assistants? With the success Pauw has had at Houston, can we expect any more coaches by way of Europe?
As much as I like the idea of getting new coaching blood, I also like Tom in general. I'm kinda hoping that, as Riley just didn't fit with Portland, that Tom just didn't fit with Orlando and he gets picked up elsewhere in NWSL. The Spirit are currently sitting on an interim coach, and there are certainly question marks in Houston too. ...having more teams would help get new coaching blood, too, but that's unlikely to happen for 2019. Fingers crossed for 2020. (And we still very much need a commish.)
I feel like every American professional women's soccer league we've had seems to want to implode right before a WWC year. Let's hope the NWSL clubs are able to stick around next season though it's not looking great for SBFC right now with their supporters group refusing to buy season tickets until things change.
There are rumors that Pauw might be leaving Houston. Also there are hints from media on twitter to the effect that if Pauw wasn't leaving, some players were going to leave. Rumblings out of Houston this morning. Sounds like Vera Pauw will not be back with the Dash, announcement could come before #NWSL Championship— Dan Lauletta (@TheDanLauletta) September 20, 2018
https://equalizersoccer.com/2018/09/20/vera-pauw-out-as-head-coach-of-houston-dash/ ...says she wants to go back to husband in the netherlands.
Well, that makes sense. I wonder how long she would've been committed to Houston had they made the playoffs? Perhaps the same end result, considering she made a family decision.
This page published today on OL's website confirms that Jessica Fishlock is going to join OL, but it's just a loan until the end of the European season: I am going to translate for non-French-speakers: "OL women's team made a big hit on the last day of transfer market, Friday the 12th of September. Midfielder Jessica Fishlock joins Reynald Pedros' roster until the end of the season, on loan from American club Seattle Reign FC, where she was playing along with former Lyon's player Megan Rapinoe and where she just had to bow [to Portland] in play-offs' semifinals". So it looks like Fishlock just changed her destination for NWSL off-season, from Australia to France.
UEFA Champions League Final is May 18 (if OL makes it to the final), so she'll hopefully be back for a good portion of the NWSL season.
Welcome to Reign FC @elise_kk8! We have signed Australian midfielder Elise Kellond-Knight for the upcoming @NWSL season. Kellond-Knight will join @TheMatildas teammates @lydsaussie and @stephcatley for her 1st season in the NWSL.READ MORE: https://t.co/wE7Q3YXq9k pic.twitter.com/SZ2FQUt1rr— Seattle Reign FC (@reignfc) September 24, 2018
Do I remember well that Reign had already tried to sign Kellond-Knight last season but there had been problems (most likely with visa)? This will probably mean that Seattle will have to waive an international (Kawasumi, since she's not a starter anymore in Vlatko's plans?).
Close but no. It was confusion over NWSL's "discovery player" rules that stopped her from coming. At some point before the 2018 season started, NCC had claimed her as a discovery player, and either wouldn't or couldn't release their claim for Seattle to take her.
Bledsoe has re-signed with the Spirit and will be going out on loan to Sydney FC (@BlueCrimson) for the offseason.
Where all 2018 players stand right now: https://equalizersoccer.com/2018/10...nounce-roster-updates-seven-on-re-entry-wire/
And how's this for silly? https://equalizersoccer.com/2018/10/02/amanda-duffy-on-new-streaming-deal-expansion-and-more/
Already posted that in the Sky Blue thread, but I repeat it here, where it could have more visibility: Per the Norway thread, we get to know that Rebekah Stott and Amanda Frisbie signed for teams in Toppserien for 2019 season (Avaldsnes and Klepp respectively). Now, this doesn't look at all like some kind of off-season committment (à la Aussie-W-League): Norway season goes from March to November (with a long break in summer for WWC in France), so it more or less completely overlaps with NWSL. What can it mean that two Sky Blue DFs (and starters in season 2018, if I remember well) decided to leave the ship? It could just mean that their experience in New Jersey was miserable, for the reasons we know, and that they want to change, but do I read too much into it if I doubt that they could have the feeling that there will be no Sky Blue in NWSL next season?
Yes, I think that's reading a bit too much into it. Other teams have had starters leave for Europe. And if SBFC were to fold, some players might be more inclined to stay, as that would mean they wouldn't be playing for SBFC anymore So probably the more people we see go abroad the more likely it is that SBFC is staying and the people just wanted out of NJ.
Leroux might miss the start of the 2019 season - she's announced that she's pregnant again. (I say "might" because IDK what her due date is, and I haven't seen the Pride say anything aside from "congrats".)