Happy Thursday, everyone. There was a ton of news over the past day or so, but it all starts with our former manager getting a new job:
Wayne Rooney is headed to Birmingham City, and it appears that Pete Shuttleworth and Carl Robinson will join him on his staff there. Hoping he can take the Blues up to the Premier League.
D.C. United interviewing GM candidates, per sources: Finalists, search timeline (The Athletic)
Looks like the D.C. United general manager search is down to at least 2 candidates: Nashville SC assistant GM Ally Mackay and Columbus Crew assistant GM Issa Tall. We shall see who ends up taking charge of our team.
U.S. Soccer announces men’s and women’s rosters for 2023 Pan American Games (SSFC)
Ted Ku-DiPietro is among the players that will represent the United States later this month at the Pan Am Games. This is pretty cool for KDP…go get ’em!
Watch “Messi Meets America” on Apple TV+ (MLS)
That new Lionel Messi documentary is now out on Apple TV+. Will I check it out? Yeah sure, eventually. It’s not super high on the priority list, however.
Lionel Messi: Inter Miami star will not go on loan (BBC)
Also, Messi will not go on loan in the winter window to Barcelona, or anywhere else. He committed to MLS, so he’s going to endure the long MLS offseason for those who don’t make the playoffs.
San Marino haven’t won since 2004 and are world’s worst team, but they’re not giving up (ESPN)
A cool story about one of the bottom teams in the FIFA rankings, San Marino. I’d love to visit there one day, for a match or otherwise!
Marshall Islands: The last country on Earth without a national football team (BBC)
From the worst team in the world to the newest team in the world, the Marshall Islands are set to take flight with their national team. And their jerseys are DOPE!!
That’s Erick Thohir’s music! Indonesia is hoping to file a bid to co-host the 2034 World Cup alongside Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore. They would go up against Saudi Arabia’s bid, which is heavily favored, but the Southeast Asia/Australia World Cup will likely be the most coveted among fans.
Weston McKennie: USA now expects to beat world’s best teams (ESPN)
The USMNT take on Germany on Saturday, and Weston McKennie wants everyone to know that the team doesn’t expect to just compete with the world’s best teams. They expect to beat them. Let’s start on Saturday!
FA unlikely to light Wembley arch with colours of Israel flag (BBC)
The FA does not currently plan to light up Wembley in the colors of the Israel flag because of fears of backlash from detractors. Maybe they can find a way to be able to express the desire and hope that peace can one day find a home in the region.
NBA open to regular-season game at Real Madrid’s Bernabéu (ESPN)
As a Real Madrid fan, I hope this happens and that my Detroit Pistons are involved. I’d love to see this, and this is the type of sporting event Real Madrid was hoping to be able to host from time to time when they renovated the Bernabeu into the best soccer stadium in the world.
That’s what we got today. Enjoy!
Messi: The Movie!!
You knew it was only a matter of time.
The inspiring true story of how the greatest player ever won a tournament we just invented, then got injured. A real rags to riches tale.
Seriously, though, let a GM come who will absolutely slay at their job.
I read this as “let a GM come who will absolutely stay at their job” and yeah, that too.
Yeah, you’re right, gotta watch it with that monkey’s paw. Always.
I’m just hoping for someone competent, will stay in the job, and keep Kasper from affecting player acquisition except for using MLS’s byzantine trade procedures.
Yeah, Kasper not leaving at this point is irksome. I fully expect Messi and entourage’s presence in the league to usher in a new era of league rules that will make Kasper’s knowledge set irrelevant, and the “old dog, new tricks” truism to make him even more of a non-contributor
Both Men’s and Women’s Eagles 7s have named their captains and traveling rosters for the Pan-American Games.
Men’s: https://eagles.rugby/news/faitala-talapusi-named-panamerican-games-captain-as-usa-mens-sevens-traveling-roster-is-announced-20231010
Women’s: https://eagles.rugby/news/usa-womens-sevens-locked-in-for-2023-panamerican-games-as-traveling-roster-is-announced-2023109
As a note the Women finished in the top 4 of last season’s HSBC Women’s 7s series and automatically clinched a berth for the Olympics in Paris next summer. The Men didn’t do so well last year, and had to win the North America qualification tournament back in August. They were undefeated in that tournament and clinched a berth in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
Jackson Hopkins got named to the Pan-Am Games roster too. I hope he can keep getting games, and up his skillset. He seems to still have confidence, but it felt like his development stalled this season. He’s still pretty young and there’s time for him to really become a contributor, but if he could start to be that player that made it seem like a good idea to ship out Julian Gressel, I think we’d all enjoy that.
Similarly, Kristian Fletcher is doing great work in his loan with Swansea’s academy. This is the type of thing that’s leading me to have high expectations from him next season. Getting these experiences, getting that confidence, and then producing for the first team. United is going to need it.
I hadn’t heard anything on the Fletcher front, any news or sources?
It’s just the occasional Tweet, but I think he’s scored at least three goals there. A couple of them may have been PKs, but one or two of them were match winners. Again, it’s with their academy team and not their senior side, but it’s still good to see him producing, and I really hope our next coach gives him a pretty sustained run. He’s my easy candidate for taking a leap the way Ku-DiPietro did this year.
Hey, that’s pretty nifty. Not sure what level Championship academy play should be judged under, but I too wish him to get some confidence and come back ready to break through next year.
Looks like Gabriel Pirani got called up for Brazil, too.
It’s very much a 2nd choice team for USYNT, but still pretty cool for Ted and Jackson, and I’d bet they both appreciate having another friendly face there. They both have some potential but with limits. Ted’s short for a front-line player, and IMO Jackson’s too slow to hold an attacking position at that level. Ted turns the ball over trying to do too much, dribbling through multiple defenders, whereas Jackson turns over the ball being too indecisive and definitive with his touches and passes.
I haven’t seen the Messi documentary yet, but I did just watch the Beckham documentary series on Netflix. It was enjoyable, and while his time in MLS got some short shrift, it was nice to see RFK again. Messi makes an appearance at the end, along with his goal against Cruz Azul.
That Marshall Islands gear is pretty dope, and I love that they’re dong bucket hats.