NWSL schedule release day, MLS blocks Jesus Ferreira transfer, and more: Thursday Freedom Kicks
Happy Thursday, everyone. Looks like we will have some warmer temps today, even though it will come with some rain. The best part of today is that at 3:00pm ET, the full 2024 NWSL schedule will be released!
This means we’ll know the schedule for the Washington Spirit. Let’s do this!
MLS nixed $13M Ferreira transfer to Russia (The Athletic)
Jesus Ferreira and FC Dallas had a $13M transfer agreed to with Spartak Moscow, but MLS stepped in and blocked it because they don’t want to do deals with Russian clubs. I see a lot of people on Twitter bashing the league for this, but they are actually right here to protect both the club and the player from a league and team that is notorious for not paying player wages or transfer fees.
Dortmund agree Gio Reyna loan deal with Marseille, Forest (ESPN)
Sounds like Dortmund has agreed to loan deals with both Nottingham Forest and Marseille for Gio Reyna. Now, it’s on the player to decide where he wants to go.
Argentina to play friendlies in Chicago and Maryland ahead of Copa America: Sources (The Athletic)
If you aren’t up for paying hundreds of dollars to see Lionel Messi maybe perhaps play at Audi Field on March 16th against DC United, then you can maybe pay dozens of dollars to definitely see him play at FedEx Field this summer with Argentina.
Deloitte Money League: Real Madrid overtake treble winners Manchester City to top table (BBC)
Real Madrid got some serious money coming in now, and with the completion of renovations to the Santiago Bernabeu, making it likely the best soccer stadium on planet earth, that revenue is only going up.
On my podcast, I’m interviewing each of the candidates for U.S. Soccer Vice President. That election occurs in a couple of weeks. I begin with a thorough interview with Nathán Goldberg, the former assistant GM at Gotham FC.
Ivory Coast sack Gasset before sneaking into last 16, while Ghana axe Hughton (The Guardian)
Ivory Coast fired its manager as they are hosting the Africa Cup of Nations, but wait! It looks like they snuck into the knockout stage, so now they’re without a coach and still in the tournament they’re hosting.
Transfer season: 10 MLS clubs with the most work to complete (MLS)
DC United is on this list, and what they think the Black-and-Red need are central midfielders.
That’s it for today. Look for coverage of the full 2024 Washington Spirit schedule here when the fixtures are released!
What the heck is FC Dallas thinking transferring a player to Russia? In addition to the problems with their clubs not paying, Ferriera would become a hostage and be barred from going home. His life would be in the hands of one of Mr. Putin’s goons.
If there’s anyone complaining about MLS blocking this transfer, they’re either a moron or a bot. FC Dallas and Ferreira deserve whatever crap they get for thinking it was ever a realistic idea, let alone a good one. I’m sure he can get a move to another European league and make good money.
Totally agree Cavan. First, there’s the geopolitical aspect: Russia (internally) is going to become more of a target as this war goes on. Don’t be surprised to start seeing bombs in subway stations if Ukraine gets desperate and feels they need to bring the war “home” to Russians. And Russian clubs are limited in their ability to compete outside of Russia. Then there are the purely business details about this–that Russia may hold out some of the transfer fee (as they’ve done in other situations). Or Russian currency may take a tumble even further. And as a person of color, and holding an American passport, he becomes a convenient target (by goons as well as internationally). Smart of MLS to block this transfer.
10-4. 100%
To be clear (and I played chess in Russia in 1974), Russian people are not the problem. Despotism is the problem. I was treated like gold, even by the KGB.
For the life of me, I don’t see how it is that Putin has not been capped (New Jersey style) by now. He is powerful paranoid, but …really?
Glad to see Gil has a loan deal option. I tend to think that while Forest would be a higher level of play, Marseille would be better for him–a more “offensive” league with generally better weather which allows him to be more of a force offensively (especially as a #10 if Marseille uses him in that role).
Goff reported that United is bringing everyone to Saudi Arabia, except Gabriel Pirani who’s with Brazil, and Tyler Miller, who’s recovering from injury. They’re also bringing Graham Jones, an Academy left back (and possibly the next homegrown signing), and second round draft pick Brandon Parrish, who coincidentally is a central midfielder. Is that the depth the team would go with? Is he better than Jeremy Garay? Is the team really going to go with three draft picks on the roster, which I’m pretty sure would be the first time since 2011 (Perry Kitchen, Chris Korb, Joe Willis).
If the lads play like Perry, Chris and Joe, I’d be pleased with my tickets.
Happy Robert Burns Night to you all. Sing auld lang syne, at a minimum for Scotland’s plowman’s poet.
Making Burn’s dinner party for dear friend who just rang the bell (breast cancer, she had her last treatment yesterday). So, I’ll see you all tomorrow with profound sense of gratitude.
(Haggis, or Chemo…..? A serious question…….)
We had quite a run in the draft, there. In successive years: Chris Pontius, Rodney Wallace, Jordan Graye, Perry Kitchen, Chris Korb, Joe Willis, Nick DeLeon, Taylor Kemp, and Steve Birnbaum. All of them played over 100 games for United, except for Wallace (who was traded to Portland for Dax McCarty, who then brought us De Ro), Graye (a FOURTH round pick who still played 20 games for us), and Joe Willis (a THIRD round pick, who has ably proved to be a quality MLS starter).
Times were different then, but that’s one of the best runs in draft history.
I always forget about Garay. I am rooting for him, but he just seems to be taking up a roster spot now.
Assuming Yamil Asad doesn’t come back, I’m pretty sure only Steve Birnbaum and Russell Canouse have been on the roster longer than Garay at this point. And he’s never played a minute of MLS soccer. The lack of central midfield depth has been the talk of United’s offseason by the soccer media, and right now Garay is the depth there. But a loan to Loudoun certainly seems like the most probable path of his season, unless he really levels up in a big way.
At this point, if the coaching staff doesn’t think he’s a workable body, time to move on, indeed
JF wouldn’t even make it through the medical in Russia before they found something to incarcerate him for in his “possession.” Seriously, did everyone forget Griner’s harrowing experience?
Anyway, not convinced that Forest is the place for Gio, even as a loan. Forest are very close to a potential points deduction because they signed too many players too quickly- wing depth is not the problem there, it’s making a solid squad out of current signings. So, I’d prefer he go permanently elsewhere.
If Forest needs to jettison some players, can we get Lewis O’Brien back?
Ha, if O’Brien wanted us, he could have had us.
I was gonna say O’Brien definitely wanted to go back to the other side of the pond. Though I got the impression that he enjoyed his time here.
In former United player news, it looks like Minnesota has officially signed Moses Nyeman (and good luck to him!), and David Ochoa is in camp with LAFC.
Both of those teams are Tyler Miller’s old clubs.
Dc United just posted a “30 days till kickoff” thing with TKD on it. Reminding us that we kinda only have TKD on the roster so far…
Anyone have hotel recommendations in the DC area? The missus and I are staying the weekend to watch the Spirit and DC on Saturday and Sunday in May.
Ideally setting either near the stadium or a short walk from the metro. Thanks!
I believe the Phoenix Park Hotel next to Union Station is pretty cheap(ish) on the weekends. It’s mostly used for people commuting in during the work week. Otherwise, the Cambria Hotel is right by the stadium, and is supposed to have a very nice rooftop bar.
The Holiday Inn National Airport (assuming you fly in to National) is right across the street from the airport, very inexpensive for the DC area, and very close to Metro, on the yellow line. Which you can take across the river, switch to the green line at L’Enfant Plaza and then get off at the Navy Yard stop and walk to Audi Field. If you come Memorial Day weekend, expect DC to be a mad-house with Rolling Thunder in the area and lots of traffic/streets blocked off due to official motorcades.
(I feel like the walk from the Waterfront stop is nicer to the stadium, but just a personal preference.)
I also like the walk from the Waterfront. But I thought I’d keep it simple for Metro newbies.
I would think for your purposes, Cambria is geographically a great choice.
The Spirit schedule is here!
https://thedistrictpress.com/2024/01/25/your-washington-spirits-2024-regular-season-schedule/
A lot of people took MacKay’s comments about Donovan Pines to mean “don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” I never read them that way. I took them as negotiating points with Mackay basically saying “if you can find a better deal–go for it. But if you can’t–and I don’t think you will–then let’s talk.” I think his agent is tell him “wait until we get close to Feb. 1st and teams saw their first option fall through and are desperate to add someone–then you’ll get the offer you want.” Could happen. But frankly, I think Donovan will be joining the team in Saudi Arabia and re-signing with DCU.
Um, Donovan Pines signed with Barnsley. Unless something just happened.
Got it. I knew he visited and then returned here with no signing. And missed the announcement he’d signed. Oh well. At 6’4″ he is now a “Tyke”