Beckenbauer dies at age 78, Macario back to training, and more: Tuesday Freedom Kicks
Hello, I am back from several days in Ohio for my brother’s wedding and preparing for a rainy Tuesday in DC.
Bayern Munich, Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer dies aged 78 (ESPN)
“Der kaiser,” who won a World Cup as both a player and coach and was pivotal in the history of Bayern Munich, passed away on Sunday.
Macario returns to Chelsea training after 18-month injury absence (Pro Soccer Wire)
This is very good news. Beyond the impact of Macario’s absence on the USWNT at the World Cup, it’s been painful to see such a young player miss so much time after an ACL tear.
Where MLS Eastern Conference depth charts & rosters stand for 2024 (MLS)
Summaries of where things currently stand for each of the team’s in MLS’s Eastern Conference. Western Conference overview should be out today. Looking at the depth chart, D.C. United clearly still have some recruiting to do in the next couple months.
2024 NWSL Draft: Croix Bethune, Maya Doms, Ally Sentnor and the rest of the biggest prospects ahead of Friday (CBS Sports)
The 2024 NWSL College Draft is fast approaching, and CBS’s Sandra Herrera brings us an early look at some of the top prospects.
When it comes to MLS’ Designated Player, it comes down to finding the fountain of youth (SBNation)
Our own Donald Wine, on an ongoing trend to use the Designated Player position to try to find young talent. D.C. United are a notable outlier here.
I’ll close things out with a graphic of most-searched NWSL teams by state over the past year. The Spirit were 7th most-searched overall.
Today’s weather is looking pretty stormy, so stay safe everyone!
New Hampshire up there, being all contrary.
Michigan being OL Reign is interesting as well
Small sample sizes do weird things.
18 months is a long time in this day and age even for an ACL tear. Was there more damage/other tears from the incident? Or maybe they were super conservative to make sure she was 100% before jumping in?
Still no formal announcement from DC about the coach. Doyle’s summary of DC has us very much in an incomplete state across the entire pitch (something we all seem aware of). We do seem to be about as active as most teams though – of course Miami is allowed to do whatever they want, and Colorado has made some moves. But many teams are either selling or sitting quietly. I get the sense there’s going to be some stratification in the league between the high spenders and everyone else this year.
Darth Garber’s take: Miami > the rest of us.
The new Galaxy…..
Julian Gressel just officially signed with Miami.
He’s going to get a ton of assists feeding the ball to Messi and Suarez.
Darth Garber has just announced the Miami Super draft. It features Miami picking any player from each team and is agnostic of the salary cap.
Maybe. There is talk of him playing as a right back now on the backline. That’s probably not a great role for him–and he’d be competing with Yedlin for roles and PT I think.
For both DC coaches actually. The Spirit may have a coach they may not.
We’re at least going to start the season with Troy in charge. I’m worried the Spirit will be stuck in limbo for half the season while Barcelona finishes winning everything.
Looks like a “may” for the Spirit now!
I never got to see Beckenbauer play, so this was what immediately came to mind at the news yesterday.
“Beckenbauer obviously a bit of a surprise, there.”
I saw Der Kaiser when he played for the Cosmos vs the Dips at RFK. Man, that was quite the crazy era. RIP Franz, you were LEGEND.
Had the privilege of seeing Beckenbauer with the Cosmos in the late ’70’s, early ’80’s. Paired with Carlos Alberto in the back. Pure class. I remember at one match he made a very late run and blasted a shot from the top of the 18. GK never even moved.
As a NY kid, I saw a fair amount of Franz. Pure class, indeed.
I saw the 1974 WC Final–Netherlands against West Germany–on TV. I saw Beckenbauer play for Bayern Munchen on TV multiple times. And I saw him in person with the Cosmos multiple times. So elegant as a player.
Being a DC-based site…if that NWSL map was the Senate, lots of power for Angel FC, OL Reign, and Gotham FC.
I think Doyle is wrong with how he sees us lining up. My guess is either a 4-3-3 (if Lesesne sees Pirani/Hopkins as CMs) or a 4-2-3-1 (if Pirani projects as being more advanced). It’s also possible he goes 4-2-2-2 to keep the partnership with Benteke/KDP, but I don’t think that really suits the rest of the team.
The 4-2-3-1 makes the most sense to me given our current squad. If Rodriguez is healthy then we’ve got four decent winger options (KDP, Rodriguez, Dajome, Stroud) competing for a two spots while Hopkins and Pirani battle for the 10 spot. Back line is a little thin, but my guess is that Greene will be resigned as a depth piece. Biggest hole by far is at CM/CDM. Definitely need at least one, maybe two depth players there.
4-2-3-1
Agreed
Totally random thought, but I was watching the highlights of the final game of DC’s season, and the announcers talked about New York’s “blue jerseys streaming forward,” and it made me wonder if anyone ever called the Hudson River Derby between NYCFC and the Red Bulls the “Blue Jerseys vs. New Jerseys.” Surely that’s been done, right?
Ha, perhaps on Reddit. The Apple TV commentators would be summarily executed if they admitted the Redbulls are NJ.
Hold your horses everyone Major League Rugby is adding a 12th team based in Charlotte for the 2024 season: https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2024/01/06/world-rugby-backed-usa-development-team-to-join-mlr/
The primary driving force behind is World Rugby after discussions with MLR and USA Rugby in regards to developing players towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup and the 2031 Rugby World Cup, which the US hosts.
An important development is with the addition of the Charlotte team MLR is brining back Conferences. NOLA Gold and Chicago will join OGDC, Charlotte, Miami, and New England in the Eastern Conference whilst the West will be Dallas, Houston, Utah, Seattle, LA, and San Diego.
The basis of the Charlotte team is an evolution of the USA Hawks development team concept.
It’s kind of sad Old Glory is now at the SoccerPlex. I wish they could find some stadium in the District to accommodate them.
They were playing at Cardinal Stadium at Catholic University of America the first two seasons. Then they moved to Segra for 2021-2023. Now they are the SoccerPlex as you said. Honestly, I wish they could play games at Buzzard Point. Though that would make February through early July chaotic for scheduling purposes on the weekend.
Danny Tusitala is returning to OGDC for a 5th season. He has played in every single MLR game in the history of OGDC for OGDC.
https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2024/01/04/mlr-notes-tusitala-back-for-dc-houston-signs-teenager/
In the July 2024 International window for Rugby Scotland will be playing both Canada and the US on this side of the pond. Its not officially announced, but that’s what its looking like. Also potentially a stop in South America for Scotland.
It’ll be tough, but good test match for both the US and Canada against one of the Tier 1 sides and a member of the Six Nations.
https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2024/01/03/scotland-lining-up-july-2024-americas-tour-to-canada-usa-and-chile/
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