D.C. United’s Saudi Arabia trip, Paredes named Young Male Player of the Year, and more: Friday Freedom Kicks
Another snowy day! I bought groceries yesterday and have nowhere to be, so I’m excited.
D.C. United set for four-game preseason trip to Saudi Arabia (Washington Post)
D.C. United will soon depart to the Middle East for preseason training and 4 games against Saudi Arabian club teams. A source told the Post the team is “building a business relationship” with the Saudi league and federation and that “Saudi entities are covering all expenses and paying appearance fees.” Seems pretty gross to me.
They’re training in VA in the meantime.
Kevin Paredes exclusive: ‘So many USMNT legends have won the Young POTY award. It’s a dream come true’ (The Athletic)
An interview with Paredes about the award, his development at Wolfsburg, and relationships with teammates.
Paredes also stopped by Golazo’s Morning Footy to talk about the announcement:
USMNT’s January camp is underway, but do participants ever move on to meaningful roles? (CBS Sports)
A look at the odds that a player at USMNT’s January camp, who are mostly MLS players, is likely to make it onto a (non-friendly) roster.
Angel City FC signs Phair, 16, youngest player in World Cup history (Pro Soccer Wire)
Casey Phair played for South Korea in the 2023 World Cup and now joins the teenagers swelling the ranks of the NWSL under the relatively new U-18 rules.
I mean, SA is right up our alley. We’ve been sponsored by a defense contractor, a cryptocurrency entity, and probably a murderous dictatorship next by the looks of it.
You do know the US sold weapons to Saudi Arabia in 2022… look I’m not Saudi Arabian but I am half-Palestinian and people are acting like good people can’t exist in that region of the world and I’m tired of it. Saudi Arabia is allies with the US as well… People won’t ever understand how the US has their hands in that part of the world but the middle eastern countries are always the monsters. I’m tired of it.
There are more monsters on I-66.
YOU are clearly a good person.
I look forward to watching soccer with you.
And likewise with everyone else here as well. I get the distaste everyone has, but sometimes that distaste of something as general as a country, turns into hate for specific individuals.
It shouldn’t, and definitely not for the people who bear the brunt of the regional politics. I recognize the importance of being on friendly terms with SA politically, but it comes at a cost. And I think I’m aware enough not to lump every country in the region in as the same. I do apologize if that’s what it seemed like I was doing.
Looks like I misunderstood brother, I apologize if I came in harsh.
PapiShmpoo, let me make a distinction. I don’t consider the Saudis a “bad people.” I think an alliance with the Saudis is important. I think the power relationships in the Middle East (and the politics) are….complicated. That said, there is a reason the Saudis are offering us such a deal: Sportswashing. And I can condemn that and still find value in the US establishing a relationship with the Saudis. I greatly dislike nations (be it the Chinese hosting the Olympics, etc.) hosting events to try and reduce accountability for certain actions. It’s a calculated effort (Sportswashing) to reduce negative PR on an issue.
Financially and in-terms of prep, I can see why DCU is making this trip. All of our expenses paid, we get 4 games (with little travel) against 4 teams that are in mid-season form: that’s fantastic. That said, I absolutely HATE sport washing. Doesn’t matter if we’re talking the Russians and Chinese with the Olympics, or any other country or team trying to duck some accountability on an issue.
I agree completely with JoeW’s comments.
Major League Rugby has officially confirmed Charlotte as an expansion franchise for this season. They will be called Anthem Rugby Carolina (RC), aka Anthem RC. Anthem RC is backed by World Rugby and USA Rugby in a partnership. Normally in MLR each team must have at most 10 non-domestic players in Match Day 23s. But Anthem RC will most likely have at most 6.
There will be an expansion draft, but the players made available have been asked to be at most mid-20s and either already US national team eligible or within 2 years of completing the 5 year residency requirement. This is because the ARC is an evolution of the USA Hawks, a U-23 development squad for the US National Team. With World Rugby and USA Rugby’s backing ARC will be focused on developing players for the USA Men’s Eagles (Rugby 15s national team).
https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/major-league-rugby-comes-to-charlotte-in-a-groundbreaking-partnership/
Previously shared: https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2024/01/06/world-rugby-backed-usa-development-team-to-join-mlr/
I’m hoping these new teams coming in can be on the Sabercats level. Love the small stadium they have there.
It is a great small stadium.
Annie, as usual, great job. You and the rest of the DP team are really revving up for the season and providing a lot of content. Wish I could go see Kingsbury in her internship but I was supposed to go to Great Falls today to shoot snow and ice on the Potomac and it was closed–alas, don’t think I’ll make it to Arlington. But with the strength in her hands, I’ll bet she can really knead dough well.
Kudos to Kevin Paredes. You know, we (DCU) could be pretty amazing if we ever got our act together on youth development. It is so fricking short-sighted to not invest in the Academy, to be late to get our USL affiliate going, late on our MLSNext team. For a team that has publicly said we aren’t going to be TFC, LAG, or InterMiami when it comes to big star spending, going the Academy route and developing homegrown talent is the economical, intelligent, cheapest way to compete. It truly drives me crazy that we’ve been so consistently late to “the game” on that insight and action. Just really dumb. Also stupid.
I like how Lesesne is counting out-loud about the number of consecutive passes on the monkey in the middle drill. You can tell he’s pushing a “we’re going to possess the ball” mindset early.
Also, on that field turf–damn that’s got to be as hard as concrete when you go down on it. If I’m a GK doing drills on that turf, I’ll be wearing 3 goalie jerseys as padding (even separate from the cold).
Its even stupider when you consider what a youth soccer hotbed the DMV is.
I am going to go one further — not only did DCU come too late to the USL affiliate, and is now at least 2 years behind on MLS NextPro, I want to bring you back to those heady days 9 years ago when DC United decided to try to emulate Philly Union’s residential academy with their own residential academy program at a local boarding school, Calverton. Never heard anything official about that dissolving, but I’ve certainly never heard anything about it since the splashy launch.
The F.O has been a clown show. Maybe Lesesne and Mackay can remedy that.
Samantha Mewis has officially retired from professional soccer. The injury that has kept her out for so long seems to have done for her career. She is 31, and a generational talent in midfield. She will be missed.
So true. Amazing player.
I’ve been waiting all week for some good rumors for DC United. We’ve gotten some news, and a player signing, and a trade for the rights to a player, but…
We need (good) players on this roster!
I bet that if anything happens, it will happen a day before the season begins. You know, the usual DCU way.
And Kasper will somehow still be involved.
We do need (good) players, but it’s too early to expect anything. This is just the inevitable result of waiting too long to hire a GM, who then maybe took a little long in hiring a coach. Lesesne has had precious little time to learn about the players he’s got. I wouldn’t expect anything to happen during the Saudi trip, unless they uncover someone playing there.
Lesesne will assess what he’s got, and then what he desperately needs. And, then, they’ll see what’s still left to be picked, after the European transfer window has closed.
Interesting point about the Saudi trip. And I’m not trying to justify why it’s a good idea. But there is this: with all the oil money, a bunch of European players jumped to play there. And despite the PR efforts by Ronaldo (which makes me think even less of him btw), a bunch of them are apparently very dissatisfied with their experience playing there and want out. My point being: maybe there is a DP to be had–someone looking for an exit from the Saudi league.
SKC decided to part ways with Gavin Wilkinson. Pretty big L (by which I mean originally hiring him) by the organization and especially Vermes, who now goes into the season without a GM to work with again.
Some DCU youth news. Left back Graham Jones and Goalie Luke Peacock were (are?) training with the club. 3 other academy pkayers including top prospect Gavin Turner are training with Loudoun Utd.
https://x.com/dmvsoccer96/status/1748482498986717613?s=12