Age 21, standing at 6-4 and hailing from Muskego, Wisconsin, you probably think you know the USMNT’s latest salvation at the forward position, Andrija Novakovich. You’ve probably sketched a mental outline of a big, blundering center forward with an affinity for Milwaukee’s Best, but we mustn’t forget that Harry Kane was similarly written off for being a chubby, traveling salesman-looking version of Butt-head.
In a wide-ranging interview recently, Landon Donovan spoke of coming out of retirement for a second time, opting to join Liga MX, Mexico-U.S. politics and the state of U.S. Soccer. Donovan, perhaps the greatest American player ever produced, knows as well as anyone what he’s talking about when he discusses the state of U.S. Soccer, but he’s dead wrong in saying the next USMNT coach needs to be an American.
Former USMNT striker Charlie Davies has called time on a once hugely promising career that was devastated by a serious car accident in 2009 and a subsequent 2016 cancer diagnosis. Davies' 10-year career included stints in Sweden, France, Denmark and with D.C. United, New England and Philadelphia in MLS, as well as 17 appearances and four goals with the USMNT between 2007 and 2009.
The mystery of who the USMNT will play during the March international break has been revealed. The USMNT will take on Paraguay in March 27 in Sahlen's Stadium in Cary, North Carolina (home of the NWSL's North Carolina Courage).
The & vs.
Six of the eight candidates for U.S. Soccer president came in touting change as their primary platform. It turns out, voters — unlike most American soccer fans — didn’t want change. After three rounds of voting, Carlos Cordeiro was named the new U.S. Soccer president as the U.S. Soccer Federation opted to elect Sunil Gulati’s vice president to its top post.
The campaign to elect a new U.S. Soccer president is turning into wonderful, brilliant, shitty reality TV. It’s basically become an episode of Survivor, and the alliances are already being formed.
The U.S. Soccer Federation will elect its first new president since 2006, when Sunil Gulati started his tenure as the most powerful man in the sport in this country. Eight candidates are seeking election. Last I checked, only one can become U.S. Soccer president.
Geoff Cameron is back at it. After giving an in-depth New York Times interview last week, the USMNT defender had more he wanted to say. A Players' Tribune article was published on Friday as the Stoke City player spoke about how he feels U.S. Soccer needs to move forward, a timely piece given the U.S. Soccer Federation presidential election on Saturday.
The U.S. Soccer Federation will elect its first new president since 2006 on Saturday. Exactly four months after the USMNT’s disastrous loss to Trinidad and Tobago, soccer’s governing body in America will finally be able to move forward with new perspectives, new ideas and, most importantly, a new U.S. Soccer president.
When the USMNT lost Jonathan Gonzalez to Mexico, it highlighted a disconnect between U.S. Soccer and the Latino community. It’s an issue that desperately needs to be fixed. But while the U.S. focuses on keeping Mexican dual nationals stateside, they can’t forget about the European-based dual nationals who are eligible to represent multiple countries at the senior level. In particular, five young Americans abroad need to be locked down to ensure they play for the USMNT.
U.S. Soccer is going through a bit of turmoil right now. Presidential elections are about a week away, the contracts of the USMNT coaching staff are about to expire and one of the country’s young rising stars switched nationalities to Mexico. Perhaps most alarming right now: There are no March friendlies currently slated on the USMNT schedule.