By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 20, 2019) US Soccer Players – This is the time of year for crowning champions. In Europe, domestic cup tournaments typically close out the long club season. The continent’s biggest trophies, the UEFA Champions League and Europa League provide an appropriate end to the season. For the first time in history, both finals will feature only English clubs. The . . .
Frank de Boer’s grace period
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 17, 2019) US Soccer Players - The phrase “grace period” gets plenty of run in modern society. It sees use in the technical application like the grace period for interest on a credit card and in a more metaphorical sense. People get grace periods in all sorts of situations for all sorts of reasons. Only the hardest heart could judge performance without granting . . .
Peter Vermes on decimated Sporting KC’s CCL hangover
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (May 16, 2019) US Soccer Players - With his trademark flat-top haircut, straightforward manner, and unquestioned authority over technical matters as Sporting Kansas City's longtime coach and sporting director, Peter Vermes carries something of an old-school vibe. The former USMNTer and founding MLS player is presently getting an unwelcome throwback to the league's . . .
LAFC benefits from Vela’s choice
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (May 15, 2019) US Soccer Players - Since 2019 is an odd-numbered year, Major League Soccer is taking a brief hiatus in June because of the Gold Cup. MLS will stand down during the tournament's group stage, but games will pick back up when the knockout rounds begin. For teams like LAFC, who has a star player from one of the participating Gold Cup nations, that should . . .
Cincinnati’s technical side, Zardes a DP in Columbus
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 15, 2019) US Soccer Players - The MLS calendar year is just one 12-month season of change. A rash of coaching changes in the early going of the 2019 campaign means more than usual to talk about when it comes to new faces and reorganization. New England has handed the reigns of their program to Bruce Arena. Colorado installed Conor Casey as an interim manager . . .
Does MLS know that it’s a league in transition?
By J Hutcherson (Mar 14, 2019) US Soccer Players - Three MLS clubs decided to “part ways” with their coaches over the last few weeks, a euphemism for firing them. In most cases, that ends up with two resets for the club involved. From the coach that started the season, to the interim, and then to whoever takes over. Considering the situations that normally lead to that “parting of the ways” it’s . . .
Big seasons for USMNT players in the Bundesliga, Scotland, and Belgium
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 13, 2019) US Soccer Players – If August brings with it the promise of what could be, May is the time to assess results. That’s what teams, coaches, and players who earn a living across Europe do at the end of every season. Over the past nine months, we’ve witnessed many successes and plenty of failures. For Americans playing in Europe, it has once again been a . . .
The importance of the second-leg
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 10, 2019) US Soccer Players - On Tuesday, Liverpool executed a comeback for the ages against Lionel Messi and Barcelona. Anfield pulsated from the opening whistle to the moment Divock Origi side-footed Trent Alexander-Arnold’s smart quick corner in the net, then erupted in celebration at full time. On Wednesday, Tottenham Hotspur fell behind by two goals . . .
MLS 2019 so far: Good, bad, and ugly
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (May 10, 2019) US Soccer Players - The first 10 weeks of Major League Soccer’s 2019 regular season are now in the books. Though 24 rounds remain over the next five months, it’s a good time to take stock. Here’s a rundown of what we’ve seen so far. The Good Goals and Greatness: Just a few months ago Josef Martinez completely smashed the single-season scoring . . .
Oscar Pareja takes the next step in Liga MX
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (May 8, 2019) US Soccer Players - When he made the leap from MLS to Tijuana, Oscar Pareja took a risk. Never before had a coach made such a move, joining Liga MX after having coached solely in MLS. Pareja survived until the end of the regular season which is in itself an accomplishment. Nine teams, half of Liga MX, fired its coaches during the Clausura 2019 . . .
