PSG coach Enchouafri did resign, perhaps he could coach the Reign? He’s one of the best woso managers—-beat Lyon twice this season/destroyed Jill Ellis in their only matchup/and unlike most big name coaches doesn’t necessarily need big name stars to win
Canadian veteran Diana Matheson announces retirement: I'm announcing my retirement today ❤️🇨🇦1/2 pic.twitter.com/gSSG3zSUI6— Diana Matheson (@dmatheson8) July 7, 2021 Seems like it's been some time coming, as she mentions her body not holding up, and she hasn't seen any time in KC this season from what I can tell and hasn't played for Canada this year either.
https://www.themaneland.com/2021/7/8/22568817/orlando-pride-sign-forward-jodie-taylor Orlando Pride Sign Forward Jodie Taylor Pride bolster attack for the remainder of the 2021 season with the addition of the England international. The Orlando Pride have added help in the attack with the signing today of English forward Jodie Taylor. You may recall that the Pride acquired Taylor’s NWSL rights from the North Carolina Courage on Feb. 4 in exchange for defender Carson Pickett. Taylor is signed through the remainder of the 2021 season. Taylor, 35, joins the Pride from French giants Olympique Lyonnais, where she spent the 2020-21 season. With Lyon, Taylor appeared in six league matches, scoring one goal, and competed in the 2020 UEFA Women’s Champions League final, helping her team to a 3-1 win over German side VfL Wolfsburg. “Jodie is a proven goal scorer and has carried that across every club and every league she’s played for and in, and the value of her experience and professionalism is immeasurable,” Orlando Pride General Manager Ian Fleming said in a club press release. “The day-to-day impact of having a player of her caliber in the squad will be a lift to our entire group as we continue to march toward our objectives for this season. We’re happy to be able to welcome Jodie back to the NWSL following her year in France, and excited that she will be a member of the Pride.” “Every time I leave the U.S. and the NWSL, there’s certainly aspects of the league that I miss and it always brings me back,” Taylor said. “I’m super excited to be joining the Orlando Pride. Marc Skinner is a coach that I have actually wanted to play for, so that’s exciting. And following how the team has done this season, it’s great to see they started well. Midseason, I think it’s about just coming in and trying to adapt as quick as possible, trying to fit in as quick as possible, jell with the players, jell with the staff. I’m just really looking forward to getting going.”
WaPo's Steve Goff reporting on a tip that ManU is courting Mark Skinner - more on the coaching carousel! Also, sounds like ACFC is trying to get Press from Louisville before the expansion draft, with no luck so far; Racing apparently playing hardball.
Louisville should get absolutely as much as they can for Press -- and Heath. That is the way it works.
Yeah they took big risk picking the players that may not play for them and instead got their rights. They gambled big. Could have picked two more good players that could have contributed to the team months ago.
Angel FC should trade two second round picks for both of them. You are getting still fast and very technical players with so much experience with winning mentality compare to unknown draft players that may take time to develop or not do well at all.
If I were Louisville, no way would I go for a trade like that. I would be looking either for other allocated players or for top draft picks if there are some that are sure things. It might take a multi-team transaction to get a deal done.
Uh NC fans, do you want to try explaining what your team is thinking with this trade? #NWSL trade and it's big one. Amy Rodriguez and $60k allocation money to the Courage in exchange for Kristen Hamilton, Hailie Mace, and Katelyn Rowland.Oh, and the teams play tomorrow night in Kansas City— Dan Lauletta (@TheDanLauletta) July 22, 2021 I mean, yes ARod is a great player who can still score, but this seems massivley uneven...
And now apparently terms have been reached: As first reported by @TomJGarry I understand Man Utd women have now agreed terms with Marc Skinner to become their new manager. #MUFC— Emma Sanders (@em_sandy) July 22, 2021
I don't think I would trade Kristen Hamilton straight up for Amy Rodriguez at this stage of their careers. Hamilton has been a very valuable part of North Carolina the last several years. But Mace, Hamilton, and a good backup keeper?? Unless this has something to do with fearing they were going to lose them anyway in an upcoming expansion draft (and I have no idea), what is going on??
From Chris Henderson (All-White Kit): This year:Hamilton - 0.35 xG/0.20 xA per 90'Mace - 0.20 xG/0.21 xA per 90'Rodriguez - 0.41 xG/0.18 xA per 90'NC likely betting that A-Rod's numbers will go up with a better supporting cast.— Chris Henderson (@chris_awk) July 23, 2021
Maybe financial issues are contributing to what the Courage are doing? Or, maybe you are right about the expansion draft, maybe they were not going to be able to protect the three and figured they should get something for them. In any event, there must be a decent explanation for something that seems very unbalanced.
Expansion Draft. Teams can only protect so many players. Louisville raided the Courage for Milliet and Merrick. Two players Riley loved and rated highly - and had they known Dahlkemper was going to leave, they would not have left Merrick exposed. Instead of losing players for nothing, they're getting $60k - which is a good amount of money in the NWSL, plus a player they can leave exposed. Kate Rowland is likely and overpriced backup goalkeeper. Sam Murphy is good enough for when Casey Murphy isn't available or needs a break. Hailie Mace has been underwhelming. There have been flashes of why she was so highly coveted, but frankly she's lost out to Havana Solaun - and Solaun isn't slated to be a starter when everyone is available and dressed. Hamilton is more interesting. Especially when you factor in Erceg. But, again, she's the type of player likely to be exposed in the expansion draft. She's not a spring chicken, she'll be 30 next year. She doesn't consistently score goals. She's very hot and cold. I think this is a trade for today for KC and a trade for tomorrow for NC. The comments from folks saying NC is tanking this season to rebuild aren't paying attention. Rowland only plays occasionally, Mace has become a substitute, and Hamilton is useful as a starter when the players in front of her are on national team duty or injured - and A-Rod can fill that role just as well. You lose three players that you don't have to protect, they would've been of interested to LA and SD, and you've replaced them with a player that'll be 35 next year, and might be retired. Plus A-Rod is a Riley player. It's not a "big win" for the Courage, but it is waaaaaaay too early to say they got rolled, either. I'm in the wait and see camp.
Further follow-up: Orlando has hired Florida Gators coach Becky Burleigh to be interim coach for the rest of the NWSL season. Burleigh led the Gators for 26 years before retiring recently. Nice addition to the NWSL coaching ranks in terms of demographics as the first American woman to coach in the league since Parlow Cone.
Big correction: I totally forgot about Denise Reddy's three years at Sky Blue and LePeilbet's short interim at Utah. (Lisa Cole also was in the league in 2013 for Boston, but she did not finish the season like Parlow Cone did.)
Interesting that it's a wavier and not a retirement. She's a few months short of her 40th birthday, but could she have a playing gig lined up overseas?
Doubtful. She's 39. Waiving her keeps the Courage from signing her to a short term contract this weekend. As best I can tell, the Courage still only have one goalkeeper available. They're down a net 8-9 players right now: 3-4 in Japan, net 2 from the KC trade, and 4 from Covid protocol. They did sign a NT replacement player this week, and they might have Abby Erceg back, but that's only marginally better than last weekend where they dressed 15 in KC. And with Sam Murphy likely still in the Covid protocol, that leaves Casey Murphy as the only available GK. I haven't read the Covid protocols, but it's possible that Sam Murphy and Havana Soloun can be available if they continue to test negative, but last I checked it was still a two-week process for exposure, not just positives (like Jessica McDonald and Ryan Williams).
Having 1 GK is not a good idea if injured. Who would be the backup goalkeeper if it happens? And do they have the experience to handle that position?
Seems a bit cynical to me to think that they chose the waiver option specifically to handicap another team... If I understand the roster rules correctly, going to waiver is basically in her best interest, as I wouldn't be surprised if she wants to get a full season's salary if she can, which is what would happen if a team picks her up on waivers since that process preserves the existing contract. Wholesale dropping her current contract for a chance at a short-term gig doesn't really do that.
Dahlkemper to Houston (reportedly at her request): After several months in flux, Abby Dahlkemper lands with the Houston Dash. She left Man City recently. NC Courage had her NWSL rights. NC gets $25k + incentives from Dash. Incentives will determine how much of a bargain the trade is for Houston to get a #USWNT defender.— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) August 29, 2021 Supposedly, there's a wave of other things tied to the deal. We'll see.