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Women’s Soccer writers RJ Allen and Charles Olney Talk about what they are thankful for in women’s soccer and more on this week’s 123rd Minute.
Intro: Those Better Days by Mimi Page
This series will look at some of the biggest games in the women’s soccer world. Rather than simply recapping the score line, these articles will look at the beating pulse of each match. For the first article, I’ll take you back to the 2015 Women’s World Cup and the meeting of Europe’s powerhouses.
It easily could have been the final. But thanks to the luck of the draw, Germany and France met in the quarterfinals of the 2015 Women’s World Cup. Germany looked like title contenders—not surprising for a team that dominated Europe for 20 years. France was also looking surprisingly strong, desperate to take home the first major trophy for their country.
But French fans were understandably nervous to face the German powerhouse. Germany had won every European Championship since 1995. Meanwhile, France had failed to even come close to winning an international tournament despite having some of the best players in the world on their roster.
Whatever confidence the fans lacked, the French team had no doubts that they could win this game. Both teams were known for their physicality and you could tell from the first kick how much each of them wanted to walk away with a win. Chances were taken on both sides, but at the end of the first half, things were scoreless.
In the second half, things got even more physical as both sides started to worry about how long this game would go on without a goal. Their questions were answered in the 64th minute, when French superstar Louisa Necib launched a ball from outside the 18-yard-box past German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer to give France a 1-0 lead.
But it didn’t take long for France to become their own worst enemy. In the 84th minute, as the Germans moved their attack down field, a ball inside the 18-yard box bounced off the arm of a French player. A penalty was given to Germany.
French fans hearts stopped. You couldn’t often rely on Sarah Bouhaddi to hand you a miracle, but they all had hope.
Bouhaddi jumped the wrong way. The ball rolled into the back of the net and the game was even.
Both teams were looking for the winner, but as the second half went on, they looked more and more tired. In the end, neither side could break through and the match went to extra time.
The French may have been tired, but they were determined. They started extra time in control, creating great chances that they couldn’t finish. Nothing was more frustrating for French fans than in the 117th minute, when the ball was crossed to Gaetane Thiney. She was one-on-one with the keeper, but an awkward bounce off her leg caused the ball to go out of bounds.
You could feel the energy of that match through the TV screen. Everyone was tired. But they continued to play their hearts out, as physical as they had been in the opening minutes. Claire Lavogez dove for a header and flipped over a German player’s back, landing in a painful position but she got up. In extra time, Kheira Hamraoui took an elbow to the face and earned herself a gruesome bloody nose. She had to step onto the sidelines, but she just told them to stop the bleeding and get her a new kit so she could get back onto the pitch.
At the end of 120 minutes, it was still 1-1. The match went to penalty kicks—the worst ending to such a beautiful match of soccer.
In 2015, both France and Germany had some of the best strikers in the world. Their skill would be on display in this penalty set. Penalties were taken by the likes of Celia Sasic and Melanie Behringer for Germany, Louisa Necib and Camille Abily for France. In the end, it was 5-4, with only Claire Lavogez left to kick for France.
A bit of context about Claire Lavogez—she’s young. When she played this match, she had just turned 21. She hadn’t received much time with the senior national team prior to the tournament, but had emerged as one of the most talented young midfielders on France’s roster. She had impressed a lot of people, clearly enough to earn her the final penalty kick in this match.
She missed.
At first, she just walked off. The German team stormed the pitch, tackling Nadine Angerer with pure joy. No one doubted the power of the United States, but many thought the toughest match of the tournament may have been behind them. It wasn’t an easy road ahead, but there is nothing more hopeful than a chance.
Occasionally, they would show Lavogez amongst the celebrations. Her teammates comforting her or just laying out on the pitch, crying. Jessica Houara was the first person to hug Lavogez. Lavogez bit down on her jersey, clenching her teeth and trying not to break down. They flashed to her later, cradling her knees and crying while her teammates tried to console her. There were a lot of emotional moments in the Women’s World Cup, but this was one of the toughest to watch.
It was also the last World Cup match for many of the players that might be referred to as France’s Forgotten Generation. World-class players like Camille Abily, Louisa Necib, and Elodie Thomis would never play in a World Cup match again. And they would finish their international careers without a trophy or a medal to take home to their country.
It wasn’t enough, but this much was clear: they had given their all.
As the NWSL heads toward it’s 6th season–3 years longer than WUSA or WPS went before folding–now is the time to start building the sorts of traditions that are meant to truly last.
The logical place to focus our attention for this sort of developments is the final week before the Final. While some, including some British NWSL coaches, might wish the league would abolish the playoffs all together, I don’t see the league removing the playoff system going forward. So assuming the playoffs are here to stay, those days are prime territory for some innovation.
While it’s true that fans can only stay in the host city for so long, that’s still a lot of time in which to take advantage of events that might be offered. Make the events exciting enough and people might come just for them, even if they’re not especially interested in watching the final live.
So how would I set up these underused days heading toward the championship game? I’m glad you asked.
Day 1: (Likely Wednesday) The NWSL All Star Game
This is not a new idea or one I haven’t spoken about before. I have wanted an NWSL All Star game for as long as I’ve been covering the league. And there is no better time to have it than in the days leading up to the final.
Think about what it would mean. A game to exhibit the best of the best in the league playing against each other. And in a context where it’s okay to focus on the fun more than the outcome. An All Star game doesn’t have to rise to the stakes of the game coming a few days later. And that’s a good thing.
Here’s the basics of an idea: In early July the league would start allowing fan voting on the All Stars. Set it up however you like–by team or position or something else. The point is to give fans a direct say in who gets to head to game.
Each team would be made up of 17 players, 11 starters and 6 subs. The fans get to vote on 20 of the 34 spots with the coaches picking the reminding spots to make sure that they didn’t have 17 attacking players and no goalkeepers on their roster.
The teams could be broken up in several different ways: east vs the rest of the league, north vs south(ish), or US eligible players vs the world. Even taking the teams that finished 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 would work. The sky is the limit for how they split up the teams.
Two rules I would put in place to make sure that things weren’t slanted too much one way or another. Each team gets 4 spots for USWNT federation players, and every team must have at least one player represented in the game.
If a player who made an All Star roster is playing in the final, they can be replaced, either by the coach or simply by taking the next highest voted player from the same position. Not a hard fix to having a few out due to playing in the title game.
How do we pick the coaches? The two that didn’t make the final the year before? The two that did? Pull two names out of a hat on a livestream? Have fans vote? Doesn’t matter so long as they are willing to play along with the more relaxed feeling this game should have.
Day 2: (Likely Thursday) The NWSL Media Day
Media day is one of the best and strangest days of the year for those of us involved in writing about the NWSL and covering the teams.
Think of it like this. It’s media speed dating. All of the players are seated at tables, usually paired off together as a starter and a non starter, and the journalists move around the room, talking to players and trying to get quotes for pre-final pieces.
It is a surreal experience. And one that is shockingly effective for getting access to players and finding some interesting quotes to help punch up our pre game pieces.
There is nothing I really would change here with one exception from the 2017 media day. Media day needs to happen at least 48 hours before the final. Writers need to have time to digest the conversations we’ve had with players and write more thoughtful pieces. This year it was the day before the final and it was a difficult task for many of us to manage to get everything accomplished.
Day 3: (Likely Friday) The NWSL Awards Gala
Outside of the draft and the championship, the league has no real statement event. While I think the All Star game can help, even better would be a true annual awards gala, hosted the night before the final.
Think of how cool this could be. All of the nominated players, media from all over the world, league officials, and maybe even some season ticket holders of the ten different clubs, all together for an evening of awards, and a celebration of the league. The awards ceremony could be live streamed so fans from around the country and really the world could watch as Rookie of the Year or MVP is handed out right there. Right now, awards are announced by an email and a tweet from the league. That’s fine, but this would would add real weight to the news.
There are models out there for the league to look at when putting an event like this together. Our own Luis Hernandez even pointed out that Orlando City and the Orlando Pride have a yearly awards gala. While their $300 price tag for a table might be a little high for the NWSL, I do think they could get away with tickets in the $50 to $100 range for media and a select number of season ticket holding fans who would want to be there.
It would also give the league a chance to add more awards. Assist of the Year, Goal of the Year, Save of the Year, Unsung Hero of the Year could join the current cast of awards in the program. Players, coaches, general managers or team owners, even some media could step up to present awards. Maybe the league could event persuade Aly Wagner and Jenn Hildreth to host the event before calling the final the next day.
This type of event would requite planning and preparation, all of these events would, but it would be something that the league could use as a way to thank the players, teams, media and season ticket holders in a way that they currently don’t have a way to do.
Day 4: (Likely Saturday) The NWSL Championship
You know, the reason we’re all in (insert hopefully predetermined location here) in the first place.
By in large I think the NWSL does a pretty great job with the final itself. I wouldn’t change much that they are already well aware of and will likely tighten up going forward. Hopefully they can work on getting the time of the game a bit later in the day, though I wouldn’t hold my breathe there.
The NWSL needs to make the final more than just a game and a fan zone before it. They can elevate the event and spectacle that it should be by adding in either the all star game or the gala, both would be even better, to the run up to the championship game. They don’t need to break the bank to make the days leading up to the final worth it for fans and media to show up for. It would just take a bit of planning in advance to keep the costs down.
The league has proven it came improve year after year and that is is around to stay. Now is the time to start making the types of changes that make one of the two biggest events of the year even better.
Morgan Brian is packing her bags and taking her talents to Lyon. Jessie Fleming is allegedly setting her sights on Europe. Crystal Dunn is playing very well for Chelsea Ladies FC. And Rachel Hill has found her stride in Perth. Meanwhile, what’s going on in America you ask? Well, a very poor transition of women’s soccer out of Kansas City and into Salt Lake, and, as always, a lot of the same unsteadiness that the league has been known for in the past. From not having a commissioner, to clubs not being able to make ends meet, there are a lot of reasons why players are beginning to find American club soccer less appealing. Compare that to some great options for players overseas and the NWSL is left with some real hefty competition and some cleanup work to do. In reality, there are a lot of reasons that the women’s professional leagues in Europe and Australia are looking like more of an attractive option to players here in the U.S. Here are just five of those reasons.
Stability
It’s no secret that the NWSL isn’t the most stable league in the world. But knowing that and realizing that are two different things. For the Kansas City FC women and their fans, they got that reality slap of truth this last week. In America, it isn’t always set that where you are playing one year will equate to where you are playing the next, and that isn’t just because of trades. We saw it with the Western New York Flash too. It isn’t fun for the fans to lose their team and it definitely isn’t fun for the players to up and relocate. But unless you have hit the jackpot and are playing in Portland, your future in a city or with a team isn’t guaranteed. In Europe that isn’t necessarily the case. Part of that is because the beautiful game is a way of life across the pond, but the other part is the fact that the women’s league grew off of the men’s. And sure, that isn’t necessarily the most attractive part of their stability. We would all love for a women’s league to stand by itself, but having a larger league that can offer a history of successful management, an established financial basis, and an existing fan base leads to a better chance for a successful women’s club. Is it ideal? No. But does this structure work? Absolutely. And for a player, that can look really appealing.
Money
Money isn’t everything, but it sure is something. And we live in a time where women know their worth. They certainly know that they are worth more than the NWSL’s $15,000 minimum salary. So, for many young players – and sadly some veterans – they have to swallow a bitter pill and play at a level that is way below their pay grade. And it isn’t the NWSL’s fault. There simply isn’t money available. And for international players that aren’t from the U.S. or Canada, where their paycheck is signed by the National Team, the most that can be made is only $45,000. Take that in. Marta, one of the best women to ever touch a football, can only make $45,000 playing in Orlando. So as much as we would love to have these amazing international players in the NWSL, like Amandine Henry and Nadia Nadim, we cannot blame them when they decide to go back to Europe and make a bigger paycheck.
Skill Sets
We play women’s soccer at a very high level here in America. No one can deny that. We have the number one ranked National Team in the world, and some of the greatest depth the game has to offer. But there are some skills that we do not have. There are numerous styles of play that we do not possess. If a player is looking to become more well-rounded, then looking to Australia, France, or England may be just the ticket to get them to that next level of play (See: Rachel Hill in her past four matches with the Perth Glory). There is also the added benefit of knowing how to better play against a National Team opponent. And sure, the transition isn’t always an easy one, but it can benefit the player ten-fold if they can perform well. Take, for example, Lindsey Horan. Instead of playing college soccer, she began her professional career in France and because of that, she plays a very different style of game than the rest of her USWNT teammates. But that also leads her to create opportunities for her team that another player wouldn’t consider. It also leads to her having a different kind of strategic mindset when on the pitch. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Staying in Form
I made this point last month when I wrote about the W-League. There are great opportunities for NWSL players that do not affect their contract and give them the chance to stay in form during the offseason. For many players, especially young ones who aren’t bogged down by National Team duties, the W-League offers them a chance to further condition themselves, gain some new skills, and become acquainted with other playing structures. This is a great option for so many reasons, but the best part has to be that they get to come back and play a whole season in the NWSL as well. So for all those Americans and Aussies doing a bit of double-duty, keep on keeping on. Because a little bit of extra soccer never hurt anyone. Just ask NWSL MVP, Sam Kerr or NWSL Rookie of the Year, Ashley Hatch.
League Structure
This may not sound like a very important reason for foreign leagues to look so attractive to players here in the U.S., but there is something to be said about the opportunity to win multiple competitions while playing at a single club. In the NWSL, players can only with the NWSL Championship. They can play all season, be the best team in the league and then lose it all in the Championship Final. North Carolina knows what that’s like. And it’s awful. But then there are clubs oversees like Chelsea Ladies FC that get to play in the FA Women’s Super League, which consists of other English clubs, but also in the UEFA Women’s Champion League, which is made up of clubs across Europe. It’s more competition against different kinds of teams that only lead to more player development. It’s more opportunities to lift a trophy. And it’s more opportunities the completely dominate on multiple levels. Who doesn’t want that?
Surely there are more reasons than just these five for a player to consider playing somewhere other than the NWSL. This isn’t an exhaustive list. Not even close. And in some circumstances, these five reasons aren’t any of the ones that a player may consider when deciding to go play overseas. But the point of the matter is that the NWSL doesn’t hold the single most dominant place in women’s soccer. Not by a long shot. This league isn’t necessarily the biggest pull for professional players and we have to accept that, but we also have to look to fix it. Because what the league is doing isn’t enough. They need to stay competitive and progress. They need to do more to make the league more attractive on an international scale. But most importantly, they need to find stability. Because once they do, the other parts will begin to fall into place.
U.S. Soccer has announced that the U.S. Women’s National Team will open their 2018 schedule with a friendly against Denmark in January after the annual training camp in Los Angeles.
Denmark was the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 runners-up, defeating powerhouses such as Norway and Germany before falling to the Netherlands in the final. The USWNT last played against Denmark at the Algarve Cup in 2014, which resulted in a 5-3 loss for the Americans.
The game will be played in San Diego on January 21 at 4:30 p.m. PT, and will air on ESPN.
Emma Bayer is an 11 year old who will be doing a recurring interview series for Backline Soccer. You can find more out about how Emma got in to soccer here.
When I first got to know Bev, her last name was Goebel. She married Othaniel Yanez in 2012. She has played for the Washington Freedom, Western New York Flash, and currently for the Seattle Reign. She has also played professionally in Australia, Finland and Japan. Bev is always smiling! Here are a few facts about her:
Birthdate: July 19, 1988
Nickname from teammates: Bev
Hometown: Moreno Valley, CA
Age started playing: 5 years old
College/major: University of Miami, FL. Sports Administration
Career aspirations after soccer: To be a soccer coach and implement more tactics in youth soccer in America.
Why did you pick your particular uniform number: When I went to Japan three years ago, I learned a very technical and tactical style of soccer. My teammates were so kind and patient in teaching me this style. I was continually growing in so many aspects of my game and had a breakthrough year. I was given #17 from the club that year. After my breakthrough year, I stuck with the number. It was a new me and one that I was so proud of!
Pregame meal: Nuzest protein smoothie, and many carbs!
Workout music: Anything that Russ sings
Favorite cartoon character: Spongebob
Fave movie: The Mask
Fave actress: I don’t have one 😦
Hidden talent: Wish I had one, but I thought long and hard and could not think of anything 😦
Mentor (in soccer or life): My husband and parents! Always supporting me and inspiring me to be the best player and person I can be.
Fave charity/cause: Austen Everett Foundation
Life motto: Treat others the way you want to be treated
Superstitions: I do not have any.
Pets: Love dogs! But don’t have any pets currently. My favorite dogs are pugs!
If you were going on Amazing Race, which teammate would you want as a partner, and why?: Naho Kawasumi because she is so smart and can make anything work with her positive attitude.
You can find Bev’s Twitter here.
The Houston Dash have announced that they have hired Vera Pauw as their new head coach.
Pauw replaces interim head coach Omar Morales, who took over the position midway through the 2017 season after the Dash parted ways with head coach Randy Waldrum.
Pauw, who has held head coaching positions with the Scotland Women’s National Team, the Netherlands Women’s National Team, and the Russian Women’s National Team, joins the Dash after two years with the South African Women’s National Team.
“I’m very excited. It’s just a dream come true, isn’t it? To be able to be coach and play in facilities like BBVA Compass Stadium and in such a competitive league. Soccer is an evolving sport here in the U.S. with a unique background, and I am very excited about the opportunity ahead to work with a very talented roster. We have a solid core of players that will be key in reaching our goals for 2018 and beyond.” Pauw said in the Houston press release.
“We are thrilled to have Vera as the next Dash head coach and look forward to her making positive contributions to the club,” Dash president Chris Canetti said. “She brings a wealth of experience at the highest level, a strong record of success, and a passion for the game. She also has a strong desire to be a part of our club and believes in what we are building here in Houston.”
Laura Harvey has been named head coach of the new Real Salt Lake National Women’s Soccer League team.
“Laura’s record of excellence has been proven on both sides of the pond, and she obviously possesses a vast knowledge not only of the NWSL, but of international players all over the world.” Salt Lake general manager Craig Waibel said.
“Visiting with [RSL owner] Dell Loy Hansen, [general manager] Craig Waibel, [RSL MLS head coach] Mike Petke and others and having the chance to see their vision for the club locally and the sport nationally and internationally, it was impossible not to get excited about what RSL looks to do for women’s soccer. The facilities and environment that we will be able to offer our players are world-class. This is a great place for me to continue to develop as a coach, and I believe we will be able to make a huge stamp on women’s soccer not just in Utah but nationwide.” Harvey said in the team’s official release.
Harvey, who was the head coach with Seattle Reign FC for five seasons, led the team to two NWSL shields and two championship games – both of which the Reign lost to former NWSL team FC Kansas City. She had initially stepped down from her position with Seattle in early November to pursue a reported opportunity with U.S. Soccer. However, as of this writing, there has been no indication of what the opportunity was or its current status.
It was also announced today that Real Salt Lake would be announcing the name of the new NWSL team this coming Wednesday – articles with updates will be posted here on Backline Soccer.
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US vs Canada with the TSR hosts. They also hit on who they would swap between Us and Canadian players, if Ellis should be worried about her job and more on this week’s TSR.
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Where to find the hosts on Twitter:
RJ Allen
Lindsay Schwarz
Becca Kimble
The Scouting Report
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To check out more about Backline Soccer please visit backlinesoccer.com.
The National Women’s Soccer League has announced that it is ceasing operations of FC Kansas City, after re-acquiring the club’s membership interest in the league.
“As the league moves on, and as difficult as it is to share this news about FC Kansas City, we feel it is in the best interest of the league and the players at this time. Most importantly, we would like to acknowledge and sincerely thank all the fans and the city of Kansas City for their support of this club, the league and the sport over the past five years.” said NWSL Managing Director of Operations Amanda Duffy.
Late last week, the NWSL announced that a new club owned by Real Salt Lake would be joining the league in 2018, and as such the new club will replace FC Kansas City in the 10-team league.
In terms of roster and player movement, all FC Kansas City players currently on the roster will be transferred to the new club prior to the 2018 season. Salt Lake City will also receive FC Kansas City’s 2018 NWSL College Draft picks in addition to their places in the Discovery and Waiver Tie-Breakers and Distribution Ranking Order. Salt Lake will be given the No. 1 overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NWSL College Draft.
“This is the best and necessary decision for the future of the league and the players who have impressively represented NWSL and Kansas City over the past five years,” said former owner of FC Kansas City Elam Baer.
One of the eight founding teams of the NWSL, FC Kansas City leaves behind a legacy that includes three playoff appearances and two NWSL titles in five seasons.
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