In depth analysis of the Portland Thorns in 2020 season with new players added to help the team. https://footballbh.net/2020/05/22/portland-thorns-2020-transfer-strengths-scout-report/ You can read the rest. Surprised they mentioned about them in this site. Think its British. The Portland Thorns have long been a household name in the NWSL, and are arguably the most established club in the entire league. The Thorns have created something special in the football-mad Rose City, garnering an incredibly large fan base and playing football that is attractive, yet effective. Since head coach Mark Parson’s arrival in 2016, the Portland Thorns have flourished by winning the NWSL Shield in 2016, the NWSL regular-season title in 2017, and coming close in 2019 by making it all the way to the NWSL playoff semi-finals before falling 1-0 to the Chicago Red Stars. However, for such a high profile team like the Portland Thorns, these results have not met the fans’ expectations, forcing Parson to dive deep into the transfer market in order to restructure the team. The recent signings of Sophia Smith, Raquel “Rocky” Rodriguez, Becky Saurbrunn, and Morgan Weaver will look to provide Parson’s side with a much-needed sense of stability in the back and an injection of pace up front. This tactical analysis will review how the Portland Thorns latest signings can contribute to the team after reviewing last season’s tactics in the form of a comprehensive scout report.
The Athletic has a great article with more info about the proposed tournament in Utah and a survey on players' opinions of the season/tournament based on 2 internal docs: https://theathletic.com/1835822/2020/05/25/nwsl-utah-tournament-plan-nwslpa-survey/ I think that you should support the Athletic and subscribe, but if you're behind a paywall, a few key things from the article: -Consensus in the league seems to be that the NWSL could survive no games in 2020, but some individual teams may not be able to survive past 2021 without some play this year. -Medical protocols would be in place, including players being tested weekly during preseason and continuing through the tournament (tested before each match). -About 10% of the players expressed opinions in the survey that they would be unlikely to play in the proposed tournament. -More than 50% of the players have had exposure to 5 or more people outside their household during the past couple of months, which is concerning. The NWSLPA said that stricter lockdown guidelines would have to be in place for the tournament (and players would have to be following them). And the word is that there may be an official announcement of the tournament this week, but of course, everything is still fluid.
Also small group training can begin today for some teams: The NWSL announced that small group training has begun *today* and full team training may begin Sat., May 30, subject to local laws. Some teams will have to adapt. Example: Reign announced "travel to a nearby county that is in Phase Two of the Washington State process" to train.— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) May 25, 2020
Unpopular opinion, I do not mind the tournament. With stricter guidelines and frequent testing it should be fine. One of the consensus to the country at large reopening has always been vigilant testing and contact tracing. Therefore if the NWSL can ensure that I think it’s a good sign. Yes the will be frequent games but nothing these players haven’t experienced before. Heck they can just pretend they are playing in the Olympics which would have been happening around this time anyway.
N.J. coronavirus update: Gov. Phil Murphy says pro sports can resume in Garden State | Good news for Giants, Jets "UPDATE: Professional sports teams in NJ may return to training and even competition – if their leagues choose to move in that direction. We have been in constant discussions with teams about necessary protocols to protect the health and safety of players, coaches, and personnel." https://www.nj.com/giants/2020/05/n...n-garden-state-good-news-for-giants-jets.html The article focuses on the NFL teams in NJ, but the governor's comments should also apply to Sky Blue.
I quite like the idea of the tournament, i think it could be really fun and is a good solution for an important lost season. And of course, starting up before other leagues brings the NWSL in front of lots and lots of new eyeballs which could have a very positive long term effect. But it has to be done safely for the general public -- the staidum must be empty. And it MUST be safe for the players, protecting them from injury and virus and i'm not convinced that can be done. I'm sad about that because i would enjoy it.
That's alright. They skipped most of the 2019 NWSL season and would've skipped most of this season anyway. Just pretend they're at the Olympics.
My gut feeling is that almost all national team players will partake. This is a very out spoken group so the fact that none of them have publicly announced that they would opt out is a good sign. Some of the ambivalence might have been because the NWSL is noted for botching these types of planning in the past but I have been really impressed with commissioner Baird who could not have started this job at a worse time.
I won't be pleased if national team players opt out -- and I will express my displeasure. The well-paid national team players should want to descend from their lofty perches to show kinship with their lowly sisters in the NWSL.
Right. I agree with Blaze20. At the end of the day, I think the USWNT players will understand that by sitting out, they will risk damaging their personal brands. And right now that's what they really have. Some of their hardcore fans are already agitating on social media (turf bad!), but once the games start, I expect all of the teeth gnashing over surfaces to subside, and the the joy of actually having games to carry the day. Can I see a couple players sit out? Sure. Obviously Alex Morgan is almost certainly out. Beyond that, any players that opt out will come from, in my mind, teams that aren't expected to challenge. I would expect all the WNT players on Carolina, Portland, Chicago, and host Salt Lake opt-in. It also is yet another reminder that the Federation Players don't belong to their clubs. A reckoning is coming sooner rather than later over these players. And if there is a substantial (5 or more) WNT players boycotting this event, I can see it happening before 2021 season.
sure. as long as the players as a full group don't feel like the owners are using them as experimental/replaceable chess pieces without sound health protections. ... which is what the lowly sisters might be dealing with/feeling, without the nters using their weight to require some better conditions. (not talking about absolute safety - no such thing exists.)
Gov. Murphy’s Sky Blue FC, NWSL face boycott by USWNT stars in soccer’s return from coronavirus (UPDATE) https://www.nj.com/sports/2020/05/g...l-boycott-by-uswnt-stars-in-nwsls-return.html ",,But there’s another pro team in New Jersey affected by Murphy’s decision: Sky Blue FC, the soccer team he owns..."
I want soccer to resume BUT it is quite a bit premature. Yes I know our CiC (Clown in Charge) wants things to return to normal and so do many people but the Bundesliga has shown that it is a mistake as they have some new cases among the players since the premature restart. This in spite of heavy testing and no fans at matches. It is just sports and it is not worth potential spreading of the virus and endangering the well being of the great athletes involved. There REALLY needs to be a viable vaccine (and most people taking it) or a real drop in cases before any leagues restart. Of course the almighty dollar (or Yen or Pound or Deutschmark or any of the currencies world wide) will rule and the leagues will risk the players well being so as to "save the season." When what they really mean is "not cost us any more money." As much as I love watching soccer I would not be willing to risk even one player getting sick because of a too soon restart.
This was apt timing, @FanOfFutbol, I was about to post something (below) about the German Bundesliga. I haven't seen anything this week about new cases there - they would suspend the player's team and recent opponents for 2/3 weeks, I think they said - but neighbouring leagues are still inactive because of finding positive tests. I agree that the focus on money above health is... crazy, really (even the head of Fifa said it). (And now, the rest of the post...)Some league football is live streaming this weekend, the women's Bundesliga is resuming - first game is the likely champions Wolfsburg vs FC Köln, Friday 8am ET. The other Champions League team should be decided by the 2nd vs 3rd game, Bayern and Hoffenheim, on Sat 7am ET, and a relegation battle Leverkusen vs Duisburg is at 8am. Videos should stay online, at least for 2 games. https://www.bigsoccer.com/posts/38692578
This article mentions two infections on one team and I saw another that said three league wide in the first week. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52819868 I found these two quotes interesting as well. I kind of think soccer would look funny played under these conditions.
If we have big sponsors in NWSL, does that mean we could have prize money for the shield and playoffs in the future? That would definitely help increased the competition. I'm sure its been talked about before. They should set aside funding, that generates money like in stocks or something and paid for the shield winners and playoff winners. So even the players paid low, they can earn big from winning. They be really motivated to be the best. Lets say the team wins the shield, they get 500,000. In the playoffs, the runner ups in the semi finals get 100,000. Winners of the semi finals get 400,000. The winners of the final should get a million distributed among the players. Thats about 2.5 million in total prize money. That kind of prize money would encourage the best international players to come over as well.
https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/how...019-20-winners-get/19jbauady17cw1ieojo40yextz https://herfootballhub.com/the-fa-need-to-show-respect-to-the-womens-fa-cup/
Those numbers are ridiculous amounts. Not going to happen any time soon. If you've got that mony to spend, just add 2.5 million to the league salary budget. It'll make a huge difference for the majority of the players in the league. I mean the prize money for winning the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup just went from $100k to $300k six or so years ago.
And as it should shock nobody, Rapinoe is out of the NWSL tourney in Utah. https://www.sounderatheart.com/seat...9474/megan-rapinoe-ol-reign-nwsl-challege-cup