I like this ^^ idea a lot. Looking ahead to the 2016 season, based on what they are doing in the NWSL Off Season, I see players Coming back better than they were at the end of the season: Eddy, Dahlkemper, D'Angelo, Hinkle, Mewis, and Nick. Coming back sharp: Erceg, Heyman, and Leroux. NamePosDOB2015-16 Off Season Andrade F 1/10/921 (?) Ayinde F 5/16/95 (?) D'Angelo GK 5/11/93Can WNT Camps Dahlkemper CB 5/13/93Aus. W-League: Adelaide Eddy M 9/13/91Nadeshiko League: Yunogo Belle Erceg CB 11/20/89NZ Nats beat Brazil 11/28/15, Nadeshiko League: As Elfen Saitama Hamilton F 4/17/92 (?) Heyman F 7/4/88 Aus. W-League: Adelaide Hinkle FB 5/28/93USWNT Vict. Tour, Jan Camp Jeon M 19/14/88S.Korea WK-league: Incheon Red Angels (?) Jones GK 7/20/88 Working out in Canberra, Aus (?) Leon F 101/02/93Working out in Toronto, mostly (per twitter) Leroux F 5/7/90 USWNT Vict. Tour, Jan Camp Mewis M 10/9/92USWNT Vict tour, Jan camp Moros FB 5/06/85Working out in Portland, mostly (per twitter) Nick M 10/27/87UEFA Champ. League: Apollon FC Williams F 5/21/93 (?)
I expect that the NWSL would adopt similar rules to MLS, and any Canadian team would be able to count US and Canadian players as domestic.
I'm really pleased that both Hinkle and Mewis are allocated. It suggests that USSoccer sees them as assets in the long term. I doubt either makes the Olympic roster for 2016. I was a little concerned due to Mewis' lack of playing time in the last few victory tour games and due to Hinkle's mark making the cross & assist in the last game of 2015. I did like Hinkle's poise/self-assuredness when making her comments on the recent USSF video. http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2016/01/09/13/11/160109-wnt-off-and-running-in-2016 It is nice the Flash get the salary cap benefit.
Thanks for asking, I was just reviewing the Player Moves thread before posting about it. In short, I think the trade was good for WNY. Getting both Hinkle and Mewis allocated helped mitigate the salary cap impact. I remain hopeful that we get a Canadian allocation......... Sydney seemed to be the pro and leader she was expected to be when with the Flash. I was very impressed by her demeanor when she came back for a night to sign autographs after her surgery; If she stayed here in 2016, I think she would have been very professional in the locker room and on the field . Even so, she wanted to be in KC, and that would always be a factor. Her probable absences for the Olympics also would have been detrimental. MacDonald showed her ability to score in Portland and Houston. Having a true goal-scorer will be great. I was always scared when she was on the field vs. the Flash. She seems to be taking a positive approach to coming to WNY, based on her twitter comments, and by doing a Q&A on the Flash web site. I like the fact that she is mature and brings the experience of playing for several good coaches to the team. The Flash had plenty of forwards with Leroux on the team and now they still do; I am really anxious about getting a head coach and finding out how all the pieces will be fit together. Also, I think Rich Randall, the GM, is doing a great job as the key person currently representing the Flash to the players and to the public.
I think it all depends on Herdman, since D'Angelo and Leon are already there- he doesn't have to make a decision to put anyone else there and he doesn't have to allocate either of them them to get them the NWSL experience. I don't see him allocating a different player to WNY without knowing who the head coach will be. I've convinced myself there is no advantage to Canada to allocate either D'Angelo or Leon and I have now talked myself out of even hoping for another allocated player from Canada.
Eckerstrom is definitely a card-carrying member of the Goalkeeper's Union - she wants to swim with chain mail in a shark feeding frenzy and experience zero gravity. I like her already. Sabs gets to rock the #1 and Britt the #18.
Double YAY! Here is Devo's followup to the press release http://www.democratandchronicle.com...es-lease-potential-new-rhinos-owner/78863514/
Rich Randall was on Kick This! radio Saturday morning, archived here: http://www.kickthis.com/kickthis/ A few things he said: He had been in contact with Sidney Leroux throughout the process of getting the trade to FCKC. He was texting with her Friday, and she knew he was going to be on the radio show Saturday. He has been talking with Jess McDonald and she is excited to come here. and wants to be someplace for years, not just a season . These things indicates to me that he wants the Flash to have much better player relationships than existed after 2014. He wants to make it very clear to the fans that the Flash are setting up so these are our players for years. They know the big roster turnover was bad for the fans. Joe Sahlen seriously considered buying the Rhinos and had discussions with the City and USL. Another point came up on the program. The Rochester Razorsharks basketball team (PBL) last October moved its offices to Marketplace Mall, outside Dick’s Sporting Goods, and the owner loves it – lots of fan contact. They have a hoop and evens do small-group clinics right there. I haven’t been there, but it sounds great. Randall said the Flash have not set up Rochester headquarters yet, but they want it to be in a very visible location. He gave no hints about finding/signing a coach.
I'm happy for Jess. Can't be too good for a kid to be in 5 different cities (if you include Germany) in 4 years.
I want to share my thoughts about getting new turf installed before the season. I think the Flash should open the season on the road this year and have the first home game very late in April or in early May, so there is enough time for the turf to be installed. The timeline below shows that even Sunday April 17 is too early for a first game. I’d ask the league for a May 1, or later first home game. To install a turf field, the internets say 3 to 6 weeks. Field turf says 27 days, once the drainage and base is done, which practically speaking is 6 work weeks. http://www.fieldturf.com/en/artificial-turf/construction-and-installation Here is an optimistic timeline. The reasoning and assumptions are below. April 17: Target for first home game April 11-15: Cleanup and shakedown. February 15- April 8: Install new turf. February 8-12: Remove old surface. February 1-5: Contractor mobilization. January 11-29: Bidding and contracts. --If you target the first home game for Sunday April 17, then you want the installation done by Friday April 8, to allow a week for cleanup and prep, and to have one practice. --6 weeks back is Monday February 29. Add a week (min.) for weather delays, and add a week (min.) to repair/prepare the drainage system and base stone. --Plan a week to remove the old turf. --Plan 3 weeks for bidding and signing contracts. And one week for the contractor to mobilize and order materials once the contracts are signed. Assumptions. The construction drawings for the existing field are available, are accurate, and any changes during the original construction are documented. New construction drawings will not be prepared; the Contractor will need to survey the base uncovered when the old turf is taken up and lay out the new turf accordingly. No significant repair or reconstruction of the drainage system, base stone, or fabric anchor system is needed. The City does not bid, contract, or run the project. The Contractor is available in early February. Materials are available in mid February Today is January 17, so we’re already 6 days behind schedule for an April 17 open. For every day after January 29 the contracts are signed, the completion date is at least a day later than the 17th.
The length of time can vary greatly. It is much quicker when you start with an already pre-existing artificial turf rather than converting from natural grass to artificial turf. Although if they were going to completely replace the drainage system (has there been drainage problems?) it won't save as much time. BC Place, for example, had it's new turf installed in 12 days. I doubt that WNY would have that quick of a timeline, but 3-4 weeks isn't implausible. It would probably be better to give it 2 weeks after being installed for the first game, while holding as many practice sessions/exhibition games on it as possible to help settle it down (this was one of the biggest problems for BC Place, they had just 1 week between finish and the start of the WWC, thus having some bad bounces during games).
I agree with your point about needing more time after installation is complete to break in the field. The 3-4 week installation timelines are based on the new surface being fully compatible with the underlying materials and how they are structured. From my life and professional experience, the chances of that being true at Sahlen's stadium are tiny, especially if the new surface is an upgrade from the existing, rather than just replacing old with new, and I would never plan on it. WRT any existing drainage problems, I am unaware; but then again, I wouldn't make a plan based on assuming the system was in perfect condition. Question: was the turf at BC place installed in February?,or even March?