2022 Player Moves

Discussion in 'NWSL' started by SiberianThunderT, Dec 20, 2021.

  1. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    #1 SiberianThunderT, Dec 20, 2021
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2021
    Alright - separate from the drafts, here's a thread for all the other personnel changes for this coming season!

    Several have been announced already, so I'm certainly missing a few, but here are some of the interesting things already happening in non-draft roster moves:

    Jaelene Daniels (nee Hinkle) returns to North Carolina:
    https://www.nccourage.com/news_article/show/1199622
    ...no comment on this one.

    Houston sign Argentine forward Paulina Gramaglia on loan from UAI Urquiza:
    https://www.houstondynamofc.com/new...na-gramaglia-on-loan-from-uai-urquiza-for-202
    I'm definitely hopeful that they've found another good international here, especially one from Latin America, as they had fairly poor luck with internationals in general until recently (Daly, Sanchez, etc.). I really want to see NWSL become a destination for all Western-hemisphere players.
    For the record, UAI Urquiza is one of the top clubs in Argentina, having risen to prominence in 2012 and regularly go toe-to-toe with River Plate and Boca Juniors, also providing more Argentine NT players than the other two (at least at the moment).
     
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  2. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
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  3. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    I guess it's a good move indeed. At 21, she's still incredibly young, so she has a huge margin to increase her skills, fitness, tactical awareness, and at the same time she already has a lot of experience on the domestic and international stage: she was instrumental in U-20 Nadeshiko Japan's win at U-20 WWC 2018, not only with her goals (just 2, in the end), but especially with her assists, runs, dribblings; she subsequently won two Japanese title with NTV-Beleza in 2018 and 2019 and became, at her young age, a fixture of the Senior NT.

    But these days, she most probably looked around her and discovered that her best team-mates at NTV-Beleza from the last years (Yui Hasegawa, Yuka Momiki, Ayaka Yamashita, Mina Tanaka...) have all transferred overseas or to other Japanese clubs, to the point that Beleza is currently just 5th-placed in the league. She hasn't much to learn there anymore: a new experience in California can be a new, exciting path of personal and technical growth.

    For records: she's a player I would always be eager to sign for my team. I remember a comment @FanOfFutbol made back in 2018, when he saw her play for the first time at U-20 WWC 2018, that I basically agree with: "Endo is one of those rare players that makes those around her better".:coffee:
     
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  4. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    NC Courage send forward Lynn Williams to KC in exchange for GK Katelyn Rowland, funds, and a draft pick

    NC Courage then bring in Brazilian forward Kerolin from Madrid CFF (not to be confused with Read Madrid) using allocation funds to buy off the rest of her contract with the Spanish club. She played with several Brazilian clubs before moving to Madrid, including two Copa Libertadores campaigns (one title-winning) with Audax.
     
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  5. 59Amerinorsk

    59Amerinorsk Member

    Chicago Red Stars
    Norway
    Mar 31, 2017
    Yay! Yuki Nagasato is back with Red Stars!
     
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  6. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Great news. Who Chicago's coach is going to be?
     
  7. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    Michelle Betos has now been signed by Gotham FC. Betos was with Louisville last season, though she was waived earlier, meaning this move isn't a trade like the Yuki-to-Chicago deal was. Gotham now has both Harris and Betos on their roster... Gonna be a very interesting fight for who's starting in goal.
     
  8. McSkillz

    McSkillz Member+

    ANGEL CITY FC, UCLA BRUINS
    United States
    Nov 22, 2014
    Los Angeles
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What does a team do when they have two starting keepers? Play one and then play the other the other week? Or is it whoever does the best at practice every week?
     
  9. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
     
  10. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    Probably rotation or in case of injury they still have a starter.
     
  11. luvdagame

    luvdagame Member+

    Jul 6, 2000
    korniek's use of height and ball skill impressed me last year. a little more mobility and she could own the middle of the park - even for the wnt.
     
  12. luvdagame

    luvdagame Member+

    Jul 6, 2000
    ... with devastating effects feeding or entering the box late.
     
  13. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    The exchange between KC and NC continues: the Courage picked up Katie Bowen after she was waived by the Current earlier in the offseason
     
  14. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    Reports on Twitter right now that vice-captain for Japan's INAC Kobe Leonessa, Hina Sugita, is headed to Portland

    paging @blissett for analysis of the move!
     
  15. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    We're already discussing the matter on Nadeshiko Japan's thread since the news came out. :ninja:

    By the way, it's very likely that this transfer's process is what led to Sugita's otherwise inexplicable cut from the roster of Asian Cup 2022, that's currently underway (with Japan winning their first match by 5-0 vs Myanmar).

    We're talking one of the brightest Japanese midfielders of the latest years. For what awards in international tournaments are worth, Hina Sugita was Golden Ball (MVP) at U-17 WWC 2014 (that Japan won) and at U-20 WWC 2016 (where Japan got 3rd-place), but especially she was impressive with her technique and tactical awareness in both of these tournaments. She's mostly an holding midfielder, but she's actually multi-tasking: she can build-up the action from the early stages, she can disrupt opponent's plan, she can assist, she can score. She's been a key-piece of Nadeshiko Japan's midfield at least since WWC 2019 and of INAC Kobe Leonessa, that's the club currently leading Nadeshiko League (that just had a break in the middle of the season for the Asian Cup).
    Oh, and with all of that, she's just going to turn 25 at the end of this month! :coffee:

    On the Nadeshiko thread, we all hope she's going to get significant playing time, given Portland's huge roster and the experience some other Japanese players recently had in NWSL. I turn the question to you, @SiberianThunderT; the expansion will of course shake things up in NWSL and will give some more playing opportunities to many players, but what do you think about the current solutions Portland have in the midfield? Do they suggest Sugita, given her role, could get a starting spot or at least some solid playing time? :cautious:

    To me it could be a top-level move: Sugita was one of the key-pieces of Nadeshiko Japan NT under coach Takakura and she will most probably be under new coach Ikeda also. She joins superb technique and incredible work-rate. But it's important to know if Portland signed her to invest on her or just to have choices in the midfield.
     
  16. hotjam2

    hotjam2 Member+

    Nov 23, 2012
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    it’s kinda ironic that some Euro fans tend to call American soccer to basic “kick & run”, while idly worshiping the Nakeshiko(for their technical virtue) yet Japanese players themselves prefer coming to the US/NWSL over any league in Europe? I mean last year 5 JA players were in n the NWSL/now possibly 7, where’s only 1-3 in the four big leagues in Europe.
    Can’t say it’s because of better pay either; England’s WSL has now 11 Australians(NT’s), 10 Swedes. 8 Norwegian, 6 Canadians(which might even beat the NWSLs count of CA/NT’s)
    If it’s anything like Casey Stoney’s coaching of last season of Man U, it be a lot of long, overhead balls slugged out from the CB’s like their in an batting cage! So she’ll be looking for mids more to high press or pursue upfield instead of a possession/playmaker(so probably Kornieck is more Stoney type?)

    if I could ask; what is Orlando getting in return out of all these losses to San Diego?
     
  17. Smallchief

    Smallchief Member+

    Oct 27, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    I though Korniek played beautifully in the first few games of the season, but declined in the latter half of the season. I think she was injured and maybe didn't recover -- or maybe teams learned to defend against her. She is a formidable presence, there's no doubt about that.
     
  18. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Your counting need to be updated: at the moment there is no way NWSL could have 7 Japanese player, since Yuka Momiki and Saori Takarada left to play, indeed, in Europe (Linköping, Swedish league).

    I'd say, at the moment, we're at 5 Japanese players in NWSL (Nagasato at Red Stars, Yokoyama at Spirit, Kawasumi at Gotham, Endo at Angel City, Sugita at Portland) vs 6 in Europe (Kumagai at Bayern, Hasegawa at West Ham, Iwabuchi at Arsenal, Momiki and Takarada at Linköpings, Hayashi at AIK). But the count is even more skewed towards Europe if you consider that most of the players I've mentioned there are current NT members, while Nagasato, Kawasumi, Yokoyama weren't called in NT since years. Also, there are others Japanese players in European top-divisions (Italy, Spain) who aren't part of the NT: counting them would give even bigger numbers to Europe; on the other hand, there are sparse young Japanese players in US college system, but I'd dare to say this has to do with education at least as much as it has to do with soccer. :coffee:

    Anyway, you have to review your numbers. ;)
     
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  19. cpthomas

    cpthomas BigSoccer Supporter

    Portland Thorns
    United States
    Jan 10, 2008
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks for all this info. Being a Portland Thorns season ticket holder since the beginning of the NWSL, I will comment.

    When I saw this was in the works, I checked out Hina Sugita on line, but it was not clear to me which was her regular mid-field position. I was hoping it was holding mid. Portland has had Angela Salem playing holding mid, and she has been very good, but she will be 34 in July. Although the Thorns have done very well, it seems pretty clear to me they are doing succession planning, as a number of their players are in the upper age area (Sinclair, Klingenberg, Sauerbrunn, Salem). Thus they are bringing in young players (Sophia Smith, Morgan Weaver for example), giving them playing time, building towards the future. Sugita fits into this perfectly.

    There are four Thorns players out of contract, not yet signed for the coming season. One of them is Salem. Although I am sure they would like to have her back, I have been hoping they would be looking for their next holding mid. It looks like they think they have found her.
     
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  20. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    As I wrote above, Sugita is very versatile and in years she's been tried in various positions, including advanced MF, both in youth National Teams and in club. But she's a holding midfielder at heart and that's the position she was always played in Senior National Team since she was included in it, no matter what the line-up of the team was (mostly a 4-4-2) and no matter which team-mate was sharing that role with her (be it Narumi Miura, Rin Sumida, Fuka Nagano or others who were changing around her).

    I am very happy to hear from you that holding midfielder was basically Portland's missing piece for the upcoming season, because this could grant that Sugita's signing was a great move both for the club and for her international career. :thumbsup:
     
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  21. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Taling about Portland Thorns and midfielders, maybe you can return the favour to me, @cpthomas, by helping me with additional info about another transfer, not involving Japan, this time, but my country Italy.

    Although it's not official yet, reliable sources claim that Milan AC signed Celeste Boureille. I am familiar with her name and I remember seeing her play for Portland, but I'd like to know something more about her profile, to get a better idea of how much it fits current Milan's needs.
     
  22. hotjam2

    hotjam2 Member+

    Nov 23, 2012
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    sorry, meant no single Euro league can hold up to the NWSL 5+ Japan players. Checking; WSL/England only 3 players. Bundesliga 2, France 0. Perhaps some of the weaker Euro leagues can top 5?
    Though the NWSL players you mentioned aren’t on the NT anymore, there still big names compared to the current Nakeshiko(who have faded to FIFA ranked #13 recently).
     
  23. cpthomas

    cpthomas BigSoccer Supporter

    Portland Thorns
    United States
    Jan 10, 2008
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    When Boureille started with the Thorns, she got a fair amount of playing time but always has come off the bench except when needed as a starter due to other players not being able to play. This last year, her playing time was down. My assessment is that she is about as good as she is going to get, as compared to some other players who started behind her but have passed her on the depth chart.

    As a player, she is reliable as a defender but not too strong in the attack, tending more to serve longer balls to the front rather than bringing the ball up herself. If they are looking for a defensively minded midfielder, she should fit what they are looking for.

    With Sugita coming to the Thorns and Boureille not yet having signed a contract, I figured she might be going to another team. It probably will be good for her; and Milan AC will get a solid, if not spectacular, player.
     
  24. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    ...That's exactly what they need in this moment of the season! There are other MFs that are playing the creative role in Milan in this moment (although they recently lost Vero Boquete to Fiorentina), so a solid holding midfielder is the perfect profile for their needs.
     
  25. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    Courage just waived Sam Murphy!
     

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