By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Jan 23, 2020) US Soccer Players - It's drawn comparisons to a family reunion, an enormous produce market, the world's largest collection of tracksuits, and the Mos Eisley Cantina from Star Wars, among others. We're talking about the annual United Soccer Coaches Convention, of course. This unique date on the American soccer calendar unfolded in Baltimore last . . .
Alums McBride, Stewart begin to sketch out their vision for USMNT
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Jan 16, 2020) US Soccer Players - The new management structure for the USMNT program is slowly taking shape, as are the priorities and mentality of those in charge. This week new USMNT general manager Brian McBride was introduced to the media via a conference call, joined by his new boss sporting director Earnie Stewart. The two offered insight to their approach . . .
Process, perception, and US Soccer’s latest batch of hires
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Jan 10, 2020) US Soccer Players - There's a saying, known to some as the first law of holes. It goes like this. "If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging." After what most would consider an extended period of stumbles, setbacks, and own goals, the United States Soccer Federation is doing its best to stop digging. At field level, USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter . . .
What we learned about American soccer in 2019
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Minimalism, empty vessels and FCs galore: American soccer leans into the rebrand
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Dec 20, 2019) US Soccer Players - On Thursday morning Louisville City did something striking. The USL Championship side released a statement acknowledging that the recent redesign of their crest had gone down like a lead balloon among their fans and the general public. "To be blunt, our recent brand rollout has failed you," wrote club president Brad Estes. "We . . .
“Soccer in the City” aims to tell a new story of the American game
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Dec 12, 2019) US Soccer Players - Michael Holstein noticed something about the soccer scene he played in while growing up in the DC suburbs: By and large, it simply didn't reflect the region's dazzling diversity of cultures, nationalities, and ethnicities. "It's bigger here than most places, but it was always like this fringe sport and that always seemed weird . . .
Is American big money finally warming up to soccer?
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Dec 6, 2019) US Soccer Players - Not so long ago, soccer was an extremely tough sell among the investor class in the United States. That's putting it mildly. Even as the 1994 World Cup charmed American audiences by the millions, former US Soccer president Alan Rothenberg had such a hard time lining up Major League Soccer's ownership group that the league's launch . . .
What I’m grateful for in soccer this Thanksgiving
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 27, 2019) US Soccer Players - The holiday season looms, and another eventful year of American soccer nears its conclusion. It's a good time to take stock and seek a wider, deeper perspective. By and large, 2019 was a time of transition for the USMNT. After more than a year of treading water without a permanent head coach, the program pushed forward under . . .
Lessons from November as USMNT re-learn the CONCACAF ropes
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 21, 2019) US Soccer Players - After the USMNT's one-sided 7-0 Concacaf Nations League win over Cuba at Audi Field last month, Michael Bradley was asked for his opinion on the confederation's new tournament. The veteran midfielder was honest in his assessment. "Not a huge fan, at all," he admitted. "You want to play on as many days as possible against the . . .
Zlatan, Rooney, and MLS’s pesky relevance quandary
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 14, 2019) US Soccer Players - Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced his departure from the LA Galaxy this week after two seasons packed with scoring exploits on the pitch and headline-grabbing quotations off it. David Villa, an MLS icon of similar proportions with NYCFC before spending the past year in Japan with Vissel Kobe, revealed his impending retirement as well. . . .
