Monday's soccer news starts with a safe assumption. Most of us at some point have looked at a schedule and tried to eke out a path to success. Whether it was turning a lousy grade into a better one or convincing ourselves there's enough time left on a project, the calendar becomes our friend. Well, until it turns on us and we recognize that it's counting down to an inevitable outcome. That's an . . .
Jose Mourinho and the changing role of the super coach
Friday's soccer news starts with a simple concept. What does a super coach look like without a super team? It works for any sport, asking how tactics and strategies adjust without the elite player advantage. Since super coaches regularly lose jobs with super clubs, we already know that those advantages might not necessarily make the difference. They're also not necessarily enough to . . .
Marcelo Bielsa defends his approach
It's been an interesting few days for Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa. In a press conference, Bielsa defended his approach that includes scouting other Championship clubs training sessions by showing the media exactly what he does. The easy takeaway is that he does a lot, focusing on a level of preparation that he has no problem dismissing as excessive when it doesn't work. What's at question . . .
MLS makes Austin FC official
The soccer news starts with MLS officially announcing Austin FC will join the league in 2021. As everybody with even a moderate interest in MLS already knows, Austin was going to be the new home of the relocated Columbus Crew. Instead, Crew supporters pushed for a new investor/operator, with the team remaining in place. Former Crew investor/operator Precourt Sports Ventures is now the . . .
Frank de Boer’s job in Atlanta
The soccer news starts with Atlanta United officially introducing new coach Frank de Boer to the media. As expected, the mood was upbeat with de Boer saying all of the right things about the club. Easy enough when the club in question is the defending MLS champion. De Boer's job role is clear. He can't allow the club to noticeably drop off from last season's form. That he could be doing that . . .
Premier League losses for Newcastle and Fulham
The soccer news starts with the USMNT players in Europe and Mexico. In the Premier League, DeAndre Yedlin subbed out in the 82nd minute for Newcastle United's 2-1 loss at Chelsea. Failing behind in the 9th minute, Ciaran Clark equalized in the 40th. Chelsea scored their winner in the 57th minute. "We’ll look at that performance and take belief out of it," Clark said. "We’ve come away to Stamford . . .
Real Madrid’s not so super season
There's a way of looking at what's happening with Real Madrid as the eventual pause button on any serious consideration of a European Super League. Everybody in that league can't win, creating a problem for clubs where winning is crucial to their identity. Like say, the 5th-place team in La Liga. Real Madrid is 10 points out of 1st-place, a spot held by their old friends Barcelona. Their city . . .
Gaming the MLS SuperDraft
The soccer news starts with the Philadelphia Union's intriguing approach to the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. They opted out entirely, trading all five of their picks to expansion club FC Cincinnati in return for an immediate $150k in general allocation money and the potential for $50k more. FC Cincinnati now enters the draft with 10 picks. Whether or not this was good business for either team is the . . .
Playing through the winter break
Though it might not last for much longer, English soccer's insistence on not taking a winter break will be one of those things we miss when it's gone. The Premier League and the lower divisions not only play through, they load up on games around the holidays. Even if the weather isn't accommodating, the games continue. There's no stop-start to the season, resetting in January when the transfer . . .
Timothy Weah at Celtic
The soccer news starts with the official announcement that USMNT forward Timothy Weah will join Celtic on loan for the rest of the Scottish Premier League season. Celtic is currently in 1st-place in the SPL table, tied on points with Rangers with a game in hand. Weah leaves PSG after spending the first-half of the season trying to break into PSG's group of elite forwards. PSG rewarded his effort . . .
