Author: RJ Allen

Route Two Soccer – Evolve or Die

Posted on by RJ Allen

Kat Farris

Kat Farris

The Chicago Red Stars entered 2017 with high hopes. After several strong seasons that ended in the semifinals, this year was supposed to be their turning point. And not just in terms of results. They were going to be more flexible, would take better advantage of their talented roster, would develop and grow. But now after another disappointing semifinal result, it’s time to take a look back and see what happened to those promises.

The Big Change

There was one big change, and it was an enormously successful one. After starting the season at center back, Julie Ertz was soon moved up into the midfield, where she had an immediate impact. Ertz is a dynamic defensive player, exceptionally disruptive, and capable of initiating quick attacks after winning possession. Those skills become more valuable in a more advanced role, and Chicago used her to great effect.

In the early stages of the year, coach Rory Dames even experimented with playing Ertz in an attacking midfield role. While she is not anyone’s idea of a playmaker, her physical presence, disruptive abilities, and aggressive attacking ability all were useful in that advanced role. However, as the season progressed, she mostly played in a pure holding role, occasionally coming forward but mostly sitting back and shielding the defense.

On the whole, the Ertz experiment was a success, even as the effect seemed to diminish as the season progressed. But this wasn’t just about Ertz; the whole team seemed to wilt in the final several months, eventually stumbling into the playoffs as the 4th seed after a strong start.

Why did this happen?

The simplest answer might be injuries and fatigue. While Chicago was notable all season for the sparseness of its injury report (often listing everyone as fully healthy), it was also clear that many of those ‘fully fit’ players were actually carrying some knocks. Key players like Alyssa Naeher, Danielle Colaprico, Christen Press (just to name a few) have looked less than 100% for months. That might be due to the wear and tear of the season.

Sometimes teams just peak at the wrong time, and that might be what happened with Chicago. However, the story of Chicago’s failures shouldn’t be reduced purely to a problem with the players on the field. Because this team was also hampered by a serious lack of tactical innovation, something that became all too clear in the semifinal this weekend.

The 442 Diamond: Constraints and Limitations

Chicago spent virtually the entire season in the same tactical setup: a pinched 442 diamond, which is characterized by tucked in wide midfielders. We saw this again on Sunday, with Colaprico and Huerta (neither of whom would fit anyone’s idea of a traditional winger) playing in the wide positions.

This setup offers a very stable base and is excellent for choking off threats through the midfield. The pinched in wide players offer support, and can easily collapse on the ball when needed. And at least theoretically the diamond facilitates a short-passing midfield game. By moving away from the 442 as ‘two banks of four,’ you generate some forward impetus in attack.

However, the diamond is also severely limited. It features no true wide attackers, offloading the entire responsibility for width in the attack to the fullbacks. Of course, the modern fullback is generally expected to contribute significantly to the attack, but in most systems is given support by some form of wide attacker. In the diamond, there is no such support. That can be an advantage—since it gives your fullbacks a lot of empty space to run into—but is also a danger. Without clear partners to link up with, the fullbacks can easily become isolated. They may find it difficult to join the attack at all, which effectively condenses the team’s attacking options to a very narrow pathway down the center of the pitch.

Furthermore, the diamond also cedes wide spaces to the opponent’s attackers, to potentially devastating effect. On Sunday, North Carolina’s wide attackers (especially Taylor Smith down the right) were given endless expanses of green space to race through. With the Red Stars fullbacks stuck back in their defensive third, there was no one to stop those free runs. Casey Short did admirable work defending deep, but without her and Gilliland moving forward to join the attack, Chicago was left with a clogged midfield and nowhere else to go.

Route One Soccer with a Route Two Roster

When it works well, a diamond can give those players a chance to shine. But once countered, it offers very little flexibility. Facing off against North Carolina’s 4-2-2-2 ‘magic square,’ Chicago were deprived of space in the midfield and pressed back deep in defense. Without any real wide attackers, they could not push back Carolina’s fullbacks in order to relieve pressure.

And this was by no means the first time that Chicago has run into problems with their diamond. In fact, their persistence with this setup is one of the most baffling things about their season. For all the claims early in the year about fluidity and flexibility, they arguably were the most rigid team in the entire league.

In principle, a diamond can provide a useful staging ground for a strong midfield possession game. And at times this year, we saw the Red Stars finally seeming to produce the sort of technical soccer that has long been promised. The problem is that this depends almost entirely on the opposition’s willingness to let you play. As teams have increasingly packed the midfield and pressed their fullbacks high, Chicago’s central players have been starved of both space to operate and outlets for relief.

This is compounded by the apparent desire for Press to stay high up the pitch, rather than having her drop back to receive the ball and initiate attacks. Without her support in the midfield, passing lanes grow even more clogged, and attacks fizzle into wasted possession or costly turnovers.

Ultimately, against teams willing to adapt to circumstance, Chicago has been reduced to a caricature of their direct style. Instead of quick ball movement opening up lanes for through-balls, they are forced to resort to lumping the ball forward and hoping for knockdowns. This is hardly a good use of their resources under any circumstance and was an unmitigated disaster against North Carolina. On long ball after long ball, players like Mewis, Zerboni, Dahlkemper, and Erceg rose far above their Chicago counterparts to easily control the ball and restart their attack. It was as ineffective as it was baffling.

If Chicago were a fast, physical team with players of limited skill but maximal effort, this would make perfect sense. Route one soccer is an effective way to level the playing field against superior opposition. It allows your strong defensive unit to stay deep while giving you a modest chance at a lucky break on the attacking end.

But a team with Dani Colaprico, Vanessa DiBernardo, Christen Press, and Yuki Nagasoto in the middle of their attack has no business playing that way.

Where to Go from Here?

Chicago is blessed with an excellent roster, and much of the credit for that goes to coach Rory Dames, who has built this team up year by year. Dames was nominated for manager of the year, at least partially in recognition of that work. However, there’s a difference between assembling a top-level group of players and getting the most out of those players once you have them. And on the second front, it’s hard to say that Dames’ reign has been a success.

A team picked by many to win the Shield instead finished a distant fourth, and played one of their worst games of the season in the semifinal. And that’s not too dissimilar from what happened in 2016, either.

All in all, a team with a stacked roster and limitless potential has now spent the past two seasons barely staying above water. Over 46 games (regular season plus two semifinals) Chicago has managed a goal difference of only +5. That’s a shockingly weak result for a team filled with such good players. And it suggests that whatever the proximate causes for their poor performance in the semifinals, there are deeper issues with the team as a whole.

It would be surprising if Chicago made a coaching change in the offseason, but for the first time since the start of the NWSL, it’s no longer outside the realm of possibility. And regardless of who takes the helm in 2018, the priority will need to be significant tactical evolution. Playing direct helped turn Chicago into a playoff team, but unless they can diversify their options, they are unlikely to take the next step forward.

Ellis Names Roster For Korea Republic Friendlies

Posted on by RJ Allen

Jill Ellis has named 22 players to the roster for two friendlies between the U.S. Women’s National Team and Korea Republic.

Carli Lloyd returns to the roster while continuing to recover from an ankle injury, while Stanford senior Andi Sullivan returns to camp after recovering from an ACL tear suffered in late 2016.

Rose Lavelle (Boston Breakers) will be in camp,  but will not be on the game day rosters as she continues to work her way back to full fitness.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Campbell (Houston Dash), Harris (Orlando Pride), Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (7): Dahlkemper (NC Courage), Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Huerta (Chicago Red Stars), O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Short (Chicago Red Stars), Smith (NC Courage)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Lloyd (Houston Dash), Long (Portland Thorns FC), Mewis (NC Courage), Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC), Sullivan (Stanford)

FORWARDS (5): Dunn (Chelsea FC), Morgan (Orlando Pride), Press (Chicago Red Stars), Pugh (Washington Spirit), Williams (NC Courage)

Looking Back: 5 Things That Made This Season Phenomenal

Posted on by RJ Allen

Looking back at this NWSL season, a lot has happened. We saw a good amount of uncertainty and instability among the league as a whole. Between not having a commissioner, mid-season player retirements, and a whole lot of financial inadequacies for some clubs, it would be easy to say that this year has been more than rocky. And one could make an argument for that. But one could also make the argument that a lot of really great things happened this year as well. And since we are going into the Finals this weekend, and since that is probably all that WoSo news is revolving around currently, I thought we might take a look back at five great things that happened this season in the NWSL.

So here they are – five reasons this season has been phenomenal … 

Kerr Broke Some Records

The brightest spot for the NWSL this season was Sam Kerr. Hands down. Not only did she set the single-season and single-game scoring record for the NWSL this season on top of becoming the all-time leading scorer in the league, but she also made soccer fun for everyone. Whether it was her crazy post-goal acrobatics or her extra-time header to lift Sky Blue to victory, there came a point in this season when each and every fan – no matter their usual club – stood up and applauded for Sam Kerr.  Kerr made the impossible seem like a walk in the park. She made the difficult look easy. And she made the game entertaining. Plain and simple. And she now has the Golden Boot to prove it.

She also has her name in the record books: 17 goals for the season. 4 goals in a single match.

Sam Kerr really was magic this year. One might even say the best (not FIFA though).

Sky Blue Had The Fans On Their Backs

I think one of the greatest victories of the year, and the one that no one is really talking about, is the fact the Sky Blue FC brought up attendance 21% from the 2016 season. It was the highest increase in the league. And sure, this may not sound like the most exciting statistic in the league, but go with me on this for a minute. Sky Blue FC plays in Piscataway, New Jersey. They don’t have a major city or a major stadium. They also only have one U.S. Women’s National Player on their roster, while other teams have as many as six. But still, their fans came. And they supported. And they loved every minute of it. It just goes to prove that a club doesn’t necessarily need all the flash and pomp and circumstance to get the fans to follow them. Sometimes just realizing your identity as a club, owning it, and flaunting it is enough. If you build it and rep it, the fans will come. Sky Blue understands this, and they capitalized on it this year.

Franch Saved Some Balls

Adrianna Franch was a pretty amazing goalkeeper this year. Sure, she does have a rather talented Portland side to help her with regards to defense, but Franch led the league with 11 clean sheets, allowed the fewest goals in the league at 20, and had a league-high save percentage of 80%. So yeah, one could say that the Portland Thorns’ goalkeeper had a pretty extraordinary year. And all that hard work helped get her team into the postseason as well. Because as good as Portland’s offense was this season, none of that matters without an ace standing between the posts. She was that ace, and her statistics prove it. So overall, it’s a great year to be Adrianna Franch.

Labbé Got Real About Mental Health

Some people may not think Stephanie Labbé opening up about her battle with depression is something that made this NWSL season phenomenal, but I would disagree. In fact, the candid comments she made in her Lifetime interview should be applauded. She took a very real issue that a vast number of people deal with and brought it to the forefront. She owned how hard it can be when the world sees you as one thing, but you feel like something else. She took this taboo subject that no one wants to talk about and owned it. And that did more good than anything else that happened this year in the league. Because as fans we often see professional athletes as these giants who are untouchable – they are strong and together and can take on anything. But Stephanie Labbé reminded us that athletes are people too. And they can struggle with confidence and depression too. And what she did was brave and inspiring to anyone who has ever gone through some sort of mental health issue. So yes, Labbé’s vulnerability and willing openness is a win in my eyes. One that I will continue to applaud.

Alex Morgan Apologized

Last week it was reported that Alex Morgan got removed from Disney World’s Epcot for trespassing. She and some Major League Soccer players were intoxicated, became belligerent at the park, and were removed. If the story ended right there then this incident wouldn’t have made my list. Even after Orange County Deputies removed Morgan from the happiest place on earth, no one for a minute believed that she would be seriously reprimanded. Everyone knew she would play in Saturday’s match against Portland and that the Orlando Pride would brush this incident under the rug. Their statement of them handling the incident internally almost all but confirmed that. 

But then: Alex Morgan apologized. 

It was not only a smart PR move for her but also kind of important. Because Morgan is the pinnacle of what women’s soccer is – she makes more money than anyone else in the league, she is one of the faces of the USWNT, and she is arguably the most recognizable female player in the world. No one would have called her on it if she completely ignored what happened and kept going on with business as usual. But that would have set a precedent for the future of the sport and what is acceptable behavior. It would have told young players everywhere that acting like this during the season – or at all – is okay. It also would have sent a negative message to the city she represents through her talents. So she apologized. And by doing so she acknowledged that she was wrong. She set the bar. And though not very high, it still showed that her actions off the field matter just as much as those on it.

The 2017 NWSL season treated fans and WoSo enthusiasts pretty well. It was entertaining. It was engaging. At times it was heartbreaking. But that is what we want out of a league and out of a season. We want a reason to run around our living rooms screaming at the television after Sam Kerr does the impossible. We want to exhale a breath when Franch saves another shot. We want to go to the matches, and follow the players, and care about how they represent themselves and the game. We will always want this. And we will always want more.

So here’s to 2018 – may you be just as phenomenal as your predecessor.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Semi-Finals

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Semi-Final Game Previews:

The playoffs are here and our four teams are set. After watching all four teams face off last weekend, this semi-final weekend is sure to be one for the books. Let’s take a look at the matchups. 

Game 1: Portland Thorns vs. Orlando Pride

Portland Thorns record: 14-5-5
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 47

Orlando Pride record: 11-6-7
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 40

Portland fought for the right to get the home-field advantage for the semi-finals. Will it be enough today? I imagine a very tough match for both teams but Portland has that home-side on their side. Portland tends to come out of the gate quick, possessing a lot of the ball, and trying to pressure the opposing team to make mistakes. Their key will be to not get too impatient and ahead of themselves while stringing together a full 90′. Tobin Heath is expected to start but no word yet on how many minutes she will be able to play. She has shown a bit in her last two matches but how much she is able to contribute to this match may prove key for the Thorns. Portland would do well to run their attack through Hayley Raso and make sure she gets plenty of good looks to put one away. Playing such a defensive game against Orlando a few weeks ago provided them very little opportunity at goal, where the shots on goal they did get, relied on an Orlando mistake. The defense will be tested with the attacking duo of Marta and Alex Morgan but if their defense has so far been up to the task. 

Orlando’s Alanna Kennedy pulled off a last-minute free-kick stunner to put the Pride into this semi-final matchup, which will now be one of the bigger tests of their short time in the league. The last time the Pride played the Thorns, it was probably the most physical matchup of the season. The Pride will need to not only be extremely steady on defense but also try to curb their notorious last-minute opportunities and turnovers given to the opposing side. It was also announced earlier this week that Camila would miss the playoffs with a torn ACL and sprained MCL, which is a huge loss for the Pride’s creative side, which struggles to find help outside of Marta and Camila. If they can control their game plan, they have a real shot to steal one in Portland. Their key will be figuring out a way to deal with the defensive shutdown the Thorns will most likely push them into again. What shut them out in the last match against Portland was their inability to use the width, they were forced to play too compactly. Orlando was successful against Portland with the high press but that is hard to sustain for the full 90′. If Orlando can find a way to break the Portland compacted defense and finish the shots they manage to get. This game should be quite the matchup. 

Game 2: North Carolina Courage vs. Chicago Red Stars

North Carolina Courage record: 16-7-1
Position: 1st
Total Points: 49

Chicago Red Stars record: 11-7-6
Position: 4th
Total Points: 39

North Carolina is coming into this match having not beaten Chicago yet this season. Will this match break the losing spell? For all intents and purposes, North Carolina has been the most consistent team this season and their positioning and record prove that. Their biggest problem has been finishing though. A player like Lynn Williams takes a lot of shots but lacks the finishing aspect in some ways and relies on her speed. This could work this weekend or could be a downfall. The Courage will have trouble with Chicago’s defense so they will need to do a much better chance of finishing their chances, especially earlier in the game. Sam Mewis is also expected to have another stellar game, chugging along in the midfield setting up her teammates or taking shots on her own. She will need to be on and clicking for the Courage to roll. 

Chicago has been a bit of an enigma lately but have found themselves now facing the number one team in the league for their spot in the final. They should feel pretty happy with this match-up considering their winning record but the playoffs are a different beast. Chicago’s biggest thing will be consistency. Consistently defending the Courage attack and making sure to not give them any space to move. They will also need to do work to win the midfield battle and get more of their attack spurred. Christen Press was noticeably frustrated last week after the loss to Portland so I expect her to come out ready to lead the attack. Chicago will need to be better about feeding her balls so she does not have to drop so far back to get them. Julie Ertz will also be key for the Red Stars, a player I would argue has been the most important player on the field for Chicago this season. If Chicago can capitalize on their early chances and set their game up, they have a very good chance of pulling the win out. Alyssa Naeher and the Chicago backline will be tested, it is how they respond that will determine the winner. 

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR, which was the last episode featuring Sandra Herrera and Jordan Small.

In case you missed the episode, catch up here:

 

Soccer Takes From Jake: NWSL Semi-Final Edition

Posted on by RJ Allen

On Wednesday, NFL quarterback Cam Newton said something really dumb. And he rightfully got lambasted for it. Women in sports; guess what it’s fucking awesome. The things I have learned from those that cover sports as a member of the media or work for a professional team are nothing short of awesome. Respect and appreciate the work they do. By no means is this the end-all, be-all list of women in sports I am a fan of because of the work they’ve put in, but every so often the general question is asked, “Who are some women in sports that I should follow?” Well, these are some solid people to start with:

Well, these are some solid people to start with:

Susie Rants / Stephanie Yang / Rachael Caldwell / Jessica Konen / Katelyn Best / RJ Allen / Caitlin Murray / Caitlin Buckley / Alicia Rodriguez / Jamie Goldberg / Meg Linehan / Jackie Maynard / Brittany Alvarado / Jacqueline Purdy / Jennifer Gordon / Jenny Jeffries / Jonana Widner / Stefanie Loh / Ashley Scoby / Adriana Hooper / Elizabeth Wawryzniak / Katie Simons / Justyne Freud / Mina Kimes / Kate Fagan / Sandra Herrera / Kate Preusser / Brynn Baker / Katherine Oberg / Alyse LaHue / Jasmina Schweimler / Lauren Barker / Katie Nolan / Jacqui Porter / Arielle Castillo / Skyler Warrick / Kara McDermott / Emily Giambalvo / Hannah Roberts / Julie Stewart-Binks / Diana Moskovitz / Rachel Nichols / Sarah Spain / Jessica Mendoza / Jemele Hill / Aly Wagner / Kate Markgraf / Jenn Hildreth / Ariane Hingst / Rachel Bonnetta / Jackie MacMullan / Angie Mentink / Iliana Limón Romero / Alicia Rose DelGallo / Jackie Montgomery / Chloe Leadbetter / Alyssa Zajac / Allison Lee / Leigh Nieves / Ann Odong / Alanna Fairbairn / Erica Ayala / Jessica Luther / Kay Murray

Seriously the list can go on and on. The bottom line is whether they cover sports as a member of the media or work for a sports teams, these ladies do amazing work. Respect the hustle & grind they put in. Listen to what they bring to the table. Value what they do because despite what some bums might say (and there are a lot of them), women definitely belong in sports.

THE PORTLAND THORNS WILL WIN IF…
Have you been to Portland? It’s a home-field advantage unlike any other. You have to be something special to go into their house and leave with a win. The team on the field is talent plenty of people would put on a Christmas wishlist. Mark Parsons has more than proven he’s handled the transition from Washington to Portland and the bigger expectations that come with it. If the Thorns hold Orlando scoreless or at most one goal, I think it will be because of the trio of Adrianna Franch and defenders Emily Sonnett and Emily Menges – seriously, how Menges isn’t on the shortlist for Defender of the Year is absurd. And if I were a betting man, how could one not put a fiver on Christine Sinclair doing something good to send an already raucous crowd like the one Portland has into a frenzy? When everything is clicking for them on the field, their supporters provide such a home-field advantage that really it’s a natural wonder and something you have to see in person.

THE ORLANDO PRIDE WILL WIN IF…
Orlando’s work got harder for them with the injury of midfielder Camila. However, the stage is set for just the sort of thing you cannot rule out in which Marta does something that has everyone going, “Yep, that is why she is the Greatest Of All Time.” Her and Alex Morgan turned it on and became the dynamic duo everyone hoped they would when they needed to be in the regular season and that’s why they’re in the playoffs. The magic of the duo could just rise above the intimidating atmosphere inside Providence Park.

THE NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE WILL WIN IF…
They stay the course and stick with what brought them to the dance. It’s not dumb luck that the Courage basically lived at the top of the table. This is as complete a team you’re going to find in the world. Paul Riley’s squad has everything you want in a soccer team. Lockdown defense, amazing conductors in the midfield, and forwards who know how to find the back of the net. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it and while Chicago had their number in the regular season meetings, home field advantage counts for something major in the NWSL and the Courage sure play at home like they’ve been there for years.

THE CHICAGO RED STARS WILL WIN IF…
They can absorb North Carolina’s runs but stop them in the final third. Whether it’s their back four and Alyssa Naeher locking down and direct blocking shots or putting enough of a touch to direct the ball to go wide of the goal. If they can translate this into a counter-attack with an exclamation point of a Christen Press touch that we know she can do, even a formidable defense like North Carolina’s can be broken. They had North Carolina’s number in the regular season meetings, so Rory Dames and gang know how to do it against North Carolina.

THAT SAID, MY PREDICTIONS ARE…
Portland Thorns OVER Orlando Pride
HOWEVER… IT WILL TAKE GOING TO PENALTIES!

North Carolina Courage OVER Chicago Red Stars.
This one though will be decided in regulation.

And there you have it, Portland and North Carolina are Orlando-bound for the 2017 NWSL Championship.

Here is your music video break.

Song: “Sam’s Town” | Artist: The Killers

How To Beat Cancer by Selling Sports Bras

Posted on by RJ Allen
McCall Zerboni and Emma Bayer in September

Can a sports bra save a life?

When that sports bra is signed by a professional athlete and sold to raise money for the Keep-A-Breast Foundation, they can.

North Carolina Courage midfielder McCall Zerboni and 11-year-old Emma Bayer have teamed up since 2010 to help raise money by selling signed sports bras from professional women’s soccer players and then donating the funds to the Keep-A-Breast Foundation.

I asked Emma’s father, David, why the duo settled on Keep-A-Breast for their fundraising efforts. “Keep-A-Breast is focused on educating young women, so it seemed like a good fit for McCall & Emma, and the players of the soccer league. KAB has been very supportive. They send us literature, which we pass on to bra buyers and contributors.”

Bayer and Zerboni don’t just stop at the once a year auction, David explained. “In September, we went up to North Carolina for McCall’s game. It was breast cancer awareness night. We had done a Gofundme and raised $620 for a local charity up there (Pretty in Pink Foundation).”

Zerboni’s teammates have more than stepped up to help the cause. Abby Dahlkemper, Ashley Hatch, Darian Jenkins, Debinha, Denise O’Sullivan, Elizabeth Eddy, Jaelene Hinkle, Katelyn Rowland, Kristen Hamilton, Lynn Williams, Makenzy Doniak, Meredith Speck, Sabrina D’Angelo, Samantha Mewis, Samantha Witteman, Steph Ochs, Taylor Smith, Kelly Glendenning, and Brittany Bock have all signed and decorated sports bras in support.

A lot can be said for the league going back to the well of making NWSL players into role models. But in this case, I think Zerboni is showing that the players do play some role in showing the next generation they can do some good in the world.

If you are interested in bidding on one of the sports bras the link can be found here. Their Facebook can be found here, MZ & Emmers Sports Bra Auction for Breast Cancer.

Route Two Soccer – My end of the year ballot

Posted on by RJ Allen

It’s that time of year. With the close of the regular season, it’s time to start thinking about the end of the year awards. Here’s my take.

MVP

  1. Sam Kerr
  2. Marta
  3. McCall Zerboni
  4. Sam Mewis
  5. Julie Ertz

This is a close race, and I certainly wouldn’t argue with anyone who swapped first and second. Marta was incredible this year—the pivot of Orlando’s transition, the supplier of key passes, provider of holdup play, scorer of goals, and heart and soul of the team. Plus, I’m inherently skeptical of the goals-are-everything attitude which tends to dominate awards voting, and would really like to make the case for Marta.

But Kerr …

I think we’ll be talking for years about the season that Sam Kerr had in 2017. She was a force of nature and almost single-handedly kept Sky Blue afloat. That she played a role in that many goals, on a team so fundamentally limited, was nothing short of miraculous.

The top two are pretty clear in my mind, but there’s a lot more room for disagreement after that. I’m picking Zerboni third, though could just as easily go with her midfield partner Sam Mewis. Julie Ertz had a wonderful season, as the fulcrum of the Chicago defense, and as an important attacking force as well. The same goes for Jess Fishlock in Seattle. Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan missed time but were world-class when they played. Christen Press was the best in the league for the opening third of the season but then settled back to merely ‘good’ in the back half.

Ultimately, I chose Zerboni, Mewis, and Ertz to round out my top five. All three have been integral to their teams, but I picked Zerboni third because I think she is the absolute heart of the system North Carolina has built and sustained. Her work rate is unparalleled, and her ability to disrupt play unquestionable. Without a player like her, shielding the backline and stitching the attack together, the whole system would break down. It has been an incredible year for Zerboni, and she deserves immense credit for finding this next level of performance.

Rookie of the Year

  1. Ashley Hatch
  2. Meggie Dougherty Howard
  3. Mallory Pugh

In many ways, Rookie of the Year is the toughest category to define. In an MVP race, the quality is so high across the board that simply showing up is critical. You aren’t providing any value if you’re off the pitch. But for a rookie race, where the quality is generally lower, it’s less obvious. If Player A contributes 2000 minutes of league-average performance, there is a lot of real value there. But how to compare 2000 minutes of ‘average’ against Player B, who only managed 1000 minutes but was very good? From a team’s perspective, Player A is probably more valuable, especially given the low replacement level of the league right now. But from the perspective of deciding on a ‘rookie of the year’ award, it’s less obvious.

All of which is to say: I don’t have a clear method here, and in a very close race ultimately just went with my gut. And my gut tells me that Hatch was the best of the year. She scored goals, harassed the opposition, and almost seamlessly integrated into the North Carolina system. She played for a stacked team and therefore was only able to get about 1200 minutes, but I think she provided the best combination of bulk and peak performance.

To balance things out, my #2 is Dougherty Howard, who was an integral part of Washington’s team, stepping in to fill the holding role when Tori Huster was injured, and then doing very well as more of a #8 once Huster returned. She struggled at times, but it’s incredibly impressive to contribute that much and to play that many minutes, in a rookie year.

For my #3, I seriously considered Christina Gibbons (whose season shares a lot of similar characteristics with Dougherty Howard’s), Kailen Sheridan, and even Rose Lavelle. But ultimately I kept coming back to Pugh, who often struggled (understandably) to express herself for the Spirit. But she did enough to ultimately convince me.

Goalkeeper of the Year

  1. Adrianna Franch
  2. Katelyn Rowland
  3. Nicole Barnhart

Franch wins this one in a walk. She had some early season struggles with her distribution but improved significantly on that front. And in terms of shot stopping and control over the box, she was easily the best. Conceding just 20 goals in 24 games is impressive enough, and Franch wasn’t simply the beneficiary of a strong team defense. Her shots-on-goal per game ratio of 4.3 was on the low side, but not an extreme outlier (league average was 5.0). Which means her save/goal ratio was an extreme outlier. At 4.1, she was a full half point ahead of the closest competition, miles above the league average of 2.5.

Second place was also an easy call, with Rowland doing very well in every capacity. For third, I was tempted by a few names. Plenty of keepers had strong runs during the year: Kopmeyer and Labbe early, Sheridan in midseason, Harris toward the end. But ultimately I came back to the steadiness of Barnhart.

Defender of the Year

  1. Abby Dahlkemper
  2. Emily Sonnett
  3. Casey Short

I have no strong opinions on this one, and could easily have reversed the order, or swapped out these three for an entirely different set and still been pretty satisfied. To my eyes, Dahlkemper was the steadiest of the bunch, while Sonnett did a fantastic job reminding us why we were so hyped about her in the first place. Short, meanwhile, performed admirably at left back, with some decent play covering at center back when needed. Any of the three would be worthy winners. And I could equally make a case for players like Ali Krieger, Becky Sauerbrunn, Abby Erceg, Emily Menges, Kelley O’Hara, Taylor Smith, and Steph Catley.

Coach of the Year

  1. Paul Riley
  2. Tom Sermanni
  3. Vlatko Andonovski

The only real question here is which of Riley or Sermanni deserves first place. To me, it’s Riley. That North Carolina team has been incredibly impressive, relentless, and dominating all season. And while they’ve got plenty of great players, this is a true gestalt system, with many players doing far better than I would have guessed. They’ve integrated new faces without any trouble, swapped systems, handled injuries to key players without much difficulty, and stayed at the top of the league all season. There are more tactically savvy coaches, but none who got anything close to this sort of total buy-in from their team.

That said, Sermanni deserves immense credit for what he’s done in Orlando, particularly given the clear limitations of the roster. His big moves (including relying heavily on Kennedy and Weatherholt to anchor the midfield – which, raise your hand if you saw that coming) have worked splendidly, and the team looks more unified and more dangerous every week.

In third place, I went for Andonovski, not because his team looked particularly great this year. But unlike other teams facing serious difficulties, FCKC never folded. Even when the results weren’t coming, you could see them working hard, and see how they were going to get better. So it was no real surprise when things turned back around and they started moving back up the table.

Team of the Season

Sam Kerr – Alex Morgan – Christen Press

Marta – Sam Mewis – McCall Zerboni

Casey Short – Abby Dahlkemper – Emily Sonnett – Kelley O’Hara

Adrianna Franch

Most of these should be obvious from the comments above. Toughest call was leaving out Ertz, but I already have Zerboni in my XI to fill that role, so I chose to go with Press as a third striker instead.

Second XI

Megan Rapinoe – Lynn Williams – Shea Groom

Lindsey Horan – Jess Fishlock – Julie Ertz

Allysha Chapman – Ali Krieger – Becky Sauerbrunn – Taylor Smith

Katelyn Rowland

Williams didn’t score as many goals this year as in 2016, but I think she might have been a better all-around player. Groom may raise some eyebrows, but she was excellent for KC, supplying plenty of goals and assists directly, but contributing even more to the set-up. I went back and forth several times on Horan, who frustrated me at times this year. But on the whole, I think she did enough to justify a spot. Allysha Chapman had a marvelous year and was a big part of Boston’s defensive turnaround.

Honorable mentions (i.e. – the toughest exclusions): Amandine Henry (more minutes and she’d have made it), Naho Kawasumi (a magician, but drifted out of games a little too often), Vanessa DiBernardo (excelled in the #10 but was less effective in other roles, and missed time), Abby Erceg (could absolutely make a case for her as the best CB), Steph Catley (slow start but excellent second half), Sofia Huerta (really coming into her own), Angela Salem (the heart of the Breakers’ setup), and Christine Sinclair.

 

The Unknown International: Estefania Banini

Posted on by RJ Allen

[media-credit name=”Kelley Piper” align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]

The NWSL may be the American soccer league, many of its most talented players come from all over the world. This series looks at some of the best internationals in the NWSL, analyzing their role and impact on their national team and their NWSL club, as well as their overall style of play. This week, we will be looking at Washington Spirit and Argentinian striker Estefania Banini.

Who Is She?

Estefania Banini is a 27-year-old striker from Mendoza, Argentina. Like many of her fellow female footballers, particularly from Latin America, Banini struggled to play the game that she loved as a child. Her parents took her from club to club in Argentina, until they finally found a team that would take their five-year-old daughter. Despite these difficulties, Banini found success. She spent three years with Colo-Colo in the Chilean women’s league, winning the championship each season. When she came to the United States, some coaches expressed hesitation in what they perceived as a lack of professional experience. But she proved them wrong. She joined the Washington Spirit and played a critical role in their run to the NWSL Championship in 2016. She has been compared to fellow Argentine striker Lionel Messi and Brazilian superstar Marta. But struggles with her federation have left Banini struggling to break out on the international stage.

Argentina National Team

Argentina has one of the best men’s national teams in the world, with two World Cup titles and an appearance in the 2014 World Cup Final to prove it. One might think, then, that they would have at least a decent women’s side as well. But this has not been the case. In fact, Argentina’s women’s team has been largely silent for the last few years, to the point of falling out of FIFA Rankings due to their inactivity. Banini earned her first cap in 2010 but has seen few opportunities to play for them in the years since. Before their friendly against Uruguay this August, the team hadn’t played since 2014. With a shift in management, the AFA recently began to prepare for the Women’s Copa America, to be played in Chile next year. This seemed like a positive sign, but the team is now on strike–due to lack of payment and poor training conditions. Banini has been working against the odds her whole life and will continue to do so as the Argentina women’s team fights for respect.

Washington Spirit

While Banini has struggled with her national federation, she has found nothing but success at the club level. After three years and consistent championships with Colo-Colo in the Chilean league, Banini signed with the Washington Spirit and joined the NWSL. She started in the first four matches for the Spirit in 2015 before an injury sidelined her for the remainder of the season. But she came back in 2016, earning 9 starts in 13 appearances and playing in both postseason games. Even in limited time, her five goals were enough to earn her the Spirit Golden Boot. But amidst the Spirit’s roster restructuring last winter, Banini looked overseas and chose to play with Spanish side Valencia. However, midway through the 2017 season, she rejoined the Spirit. She earned 6 starts in 9 matches with the squad, and while they will not be traveling to the postseason this year, many are interested to see where the squad goes in the future. In particular, the partnership between Banini and Mallory Pugh was something to watch this season and could be something to keep an eye on in the future. Only time will tell.

Unapologetically Cool: 5 Reasons Ashlyn Harris and Umbro Works

Posted on by RJ Allen
Kelley Piper

There was a lot of material to write about this week – the NWSL playoffs are set, something is brewing with the Brazilian National Team, Pass The Ball just kicked off (with a little help from Julia Roberts and Ellen DeGeneres), and I still have a lot of thoughts on Sam Kerr not being a finalist for FIFA Female Player of the Year. But I needed a little break from so much seriousness this week, and I also needed a little retail therapy. So where does that leave us? With five reasons why the Ashyln Harris/Umbro partnership is going to be a successful one. Ready? Set? Lets talk about it!

Everyone Loves A Throw Back

On August 15, when news broke of Harris becoming the first female ambassador for the Umbro brand I thought two things. First, “That is so cool that she is breaking the mold being the first female sponsor.” And then, “You can still buy Umbro in America?”

I know that may sound harsh, but it’s true. Whenever I think of Umbro I think back to my glory days on a half-pitch with my Umbro checkerboard shorts, my little league rec soccer team that my dad coached, and orange slices and Capri Suns at half-time. It was glorious … and it was the 90s. Since then I haven’t seen Umbro around. But luckily, this can play to the advantage of the brand. Let’s not lie, the 90s are kind of in right now. And us millennials love to honor them with a throwback anytime we can. Harris and Umbro have taken this into account too. They know when the Umbro heyday was. So, along with a normal Spring ’18 premier line that Harris will help contribute on, the brand will also be releasing ‘classic lifestyle’ and ‘heritage’ pieces of some of their best throwback threads. So, get your credit cards ready, mid-to-late-twenty-somethings. You’re going to want some of this!

 

She Could Be A Champion Soon

Along with being a 3x NCAA Women’s Soccer Champion, and a World Cup Champion, there is a good chance that Ashlyn Harris could soon add NWSL Champion to her list of accolades. The Orlando Pride has been playing exceptionally well lately, and because of that, there is a chance that the stock in their fan-favorite starting goalkeeper will rise come the playoffs. And if the Pride do win it all, well, that means that Harris gets some more publicity through winning. As a brand, Umbro will be happy about that. Because winning sells. Let’s not lie. You don’t want to buy the basketball shoe of someone who’s team is sitting in last place. It’s not quite the same in the soccer world, but there is definitely some correlation with winning and sales. Everyone likes a winner. And a winner who rocks a throwback? Even better. Sign me up.

 

Her Fans Fan HARD!

The third reason that Ashlyn Harris and Umbro will be successful with their Spring ’18 collection has to do with the amazing fan base that Harris has surrounding her. They are supportive, and loyal, and loud. Don’t believe me? Check out social media whenever the USWNT lineup comes out before a game. No matter what – regardless if Harris is starting or not – the most intense debate begins on who the best American goalkeeper is currently. And Harris’ fans do not stand down. They will back their girl to the death, and I love that about them. Umbro should love that about them too. Because even though Harris only has about 400k followers on Instagram, they are some of the most loyal followers in the world. They will make sure to get the word out about the new line, and they will be sure to rock it themselves. No doubt about that.

 

She Breaks The Mold … And So Does Umbro

My favorite thing about Ashlyn Harris is that she is herself one hundred percent of the time. And the person she is, isn’t necessarily what the mainstream soccer world always wants her to be. And neither is Umbro. And that is what makes them such a good fit for each other. They are both unapologetically unique and true to themselves. Umbro hasn’t changed its course or its mission, and Harris isn’t one to be pushed into following the crowd. Neither one of them is your normal cookie-cutter soccer player or soccer brand. And neither is afraid to break the mold. They both stand for something and represent something almost pure. They are both here for the game and to live the style that they want. And that is what the fans of both the brand and the champion goalkeeper want too – to love the game and be who they are. That’s why it works. That’s why it’s a brand/player duo that makes people want to buy the product and cheer for the individual.

 

It’s Swanky Stuff

I mentioned earlier in the article that I needed a little retail therapy this week. In turn, I am currently writing this article rocking some checkered Umbro shorts. And let me tell you, they feel amazing … just like they did when I was six and following the ball around the pitch with no sense of what my position was actually supposed to be. And that’s what I really enjoyed about the Umbro pieces I recently bought. They were a good material, they were relatively inexpensive, and they brought me back to a time when life was simpler. They also got me a compliment at the local deli from the man standing behind me as I waited for my pastrami sandwich. “Are those, Umbro? That’s so cool!” I know, kind deli customer – you don’t have to tell me. Overall, I would definitely buy more Umbro apparel, and I am really excited to see what Harris does with the Spring ’18 line.

So there you have it, my friends – a different take on my weekly 5er. You can check out Ashlyn Harris and the rest of the Orlando Pride this postseason, and make sure to be on the lookout for some sweet-action Umbro apparel. Whether you are a Harris fan or not, this brand lives, eats, and breathes the beautiful game and if you are reading this article, the chance is that you do too. So give them another shot. Your inner child would want you to.

A Conversation with Orlando Pride Coach Tom Sermanni

Posted on by RJ Allen

It’s been a long road for Orlando Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni. The 2016 season of the Nation Women’s Soccer League brought many challenges to Sermanni’s side as they finished ninth in the table for their inaugural campaign. The start of the 2017 looked to bring more of the same for Orlando, but the gaffer was able to ride out only one win in the first seven matches, and eventually guide his team to a playoff spot, a first for an expansion team in the league.

With the regular season coming to a close, and the post season on the horizon, Coach Sermanni was kind enough to speak with me after the home match versus the Portland Thorns. The Pride had just earned its first point ever against Portland, so I took the opportunity to talk football with Coach.

Backline Soccer (BS): So Tom, the season is coming to an end you’re hoping to go into the playoffs, how much time have you spent thinking about the draft and into next year?

Tom Sermanni (TS): Not, honest, not a lot of time on the draft because at this time we only have a third round draft pick, so it really, that’s not…unless we do some trading, and that’s not really a major priority for us. To be honest, but we already for several weeks now started to–

At this point, Coach Sermanni took the time to greet Thorns defender Meghan Klingenberg who was a player for him in his time as manager of the United States women’s national team. He wished her well, and his face reflected his genuine feelings for her. Without missing a beat, Tom picked up where he had left off.

TS: So, it’s about looking at where we need to strengthen the team; we need to work out what we’ve done. What I think we’ve done very successfully is bring in good international players. We need to look at how many international spots we got next year, and where we can strengthen from there. One of the difficulties we’ve had coming in as a new team is to be able to get good quality domestic players, because teams don’t give them up. When you come in as a new team it’s hard to do that, so we’ve had to look at the international market and be creative in other areas. So obviously, the international market is something we need to look at.

BS: Any other options?

TS: The other one is looking at players– U.S. players, who perhaps have gone overseas to play and want to come back to the league. So we kind of cast the net out there. We got some names that we want to talk to, and hopefully chip away and strengthen (the team).   

BS: How did you improve the team between last season to this year?

TS: I think what we’ve done is made significant progress with the strength of the squad this year. Obviously, it was the management that brought Marta, but we brought five other players in here. I think if you include Marta, we brought in six very good players who have contributed, so we got the bases of a very good squad. So it’s now a case of just adding little bits and pieces to the structure that’s in place.

BS: So this season for the league there’s been a bit of turnover for the coaches, what are your thoughts on that. For a coach, most of the time your last day is going to be a bad one.

TS: Yeah. (Tom once again pauses to have a quick exchange post match with players exiting the locker room, then without missing a beat picks right back.) It’s always disappointing when I see a coach lose a job because we’re all out there working hard. At the end of the day in any league, some teams have got to win and some teams have got to lose. It doesn’t mean just because your team is losing that you’re necessarily doing a bad job. You look at particularly the Sky Blue occasion, they were really still right in the frame to make the top four at that stage. I feel for coaches that lost their job during the season, and also in the women’s game there tends to be a little bit more stability, so I’m hoping that the status quo can be maintained a little bit better, and coaches are allowed to have time to build the teams.

BS: Now, do you think you’d want to see more female coaches come into the league or do you think it’s hard to find a quality female coach?

TS: Look, I think that’s a complex question. The simple answer is yeah, we need to see more and more females coming into the profession, and as the game continues to develop professionally then there’s a greater chance of that happening. What you have to do is build over time depth of coaches. When you go to a typical coaches course, there might be 40 guys and there might be two women. Out of the 40 guys, maybe only ten of those guys get jobs, so if you only have two women maybe none of them are getting jobs. So for me, it’s a bigger issue than just saying bringing women professional coaches in, it’s an issue where there needs to be more at the youth level, development level staying in the game, and working their way in the system. I think a lot of time, there’s what I call “talking-ism” which doesn’t do anybody any good, but see we want a woman for this job, so they put a woman in the job whether that’s the right fit for her or the right fit for the team. I’m ranting about this in a long winded way because this is something I do believe in strongly. We need to encourage more and more women to be in the women’s game, but there needs to be more then it goes to the top. Does that make sense?

BS: Yeah, it does.

TS: There’s a lot of players now that have been professional players for several years now for their career, and if they finish, stay in the game at the coaching level. That’s what you want to look at. The other reality is that coaching is a tough job. When I say it’s a tough job, it’s a job that is fickle. There’s no security. You don’t know what going to happen. The hours are unsociable, you’re on the job 24/7 which is still great. It’s just the reality of the job, and often when females leave the game they go on to start another life…for women when their career looks like it’s coming to an end, they often have to think about “Okay, where am I going to go to actually start making a living for all the money I’ve given up being a poorly paid professional.” So there’s a whole range of stuff around getting more women’s coaches. There needs to be a big effort to more so then you get more in NWSL.

BS: If you had to have another assistant or Coach Smith left, what qualifications would a female have to have for you to add her to the staff?

TS: No different to a male. It’d need to be someone that you think has good knowledge of the game. Who is able to relate to the players, is able to work in with the staff, same as it would be for a guy. It’s not different. Hopefully, it could be one of the senior players saying “Look, I’m looking at retiring. I’m interested in coming on in the coaching staff.” I would take them onto our coaching staff in a heartbeat, but you’re still looking at the same thing. You’re still have someone who’s going to be able to do the job or you think has potential to do the job.

BS: There’s been some international teams that have also sacked their managers. I know you’re good where you’re at, but any temptation or a thought of jumping back into the international game?

TS: Going back into the international game? I enjoyed my time in the international game. Apparently, I was 50 to one for the England job, so I need people to put on money, so my odds get a bit more respectable. I would never say no, but obviously…and I don’t know what my future lies here. My contract is up at the end of the season. I enjoy my job, I enjoy the club. We have the basis of a very good team. So if I’m fortunate enough to be here next year, hopefully we can continue to keep growing this team. But I never discount anything, to be honest, I don’t say no I never want to go back to an international job. What I would say, pardon me, if I was going back to an international job it would need to be somewhere where I felt there was a chance to do something as opposed to just a job. So it would need to be a program that you think has potential to grow or you feel that you can take it somewhere.

BS: It’s a real trick because you have several countries that may not support the women’s game or you have New Zealand for example where you don’t have a lot of time together as a squad, and so it becomes an issue.

TS: Yeah, those are hard. Those kind of jobs are probably better for younger coaches coming up through, trying to make their mark on a team. They have the energy, and that kind of stuff. Probably not so much for someone at my stage of my career. So certain jobs that would appeal to me if they came up and if I was without employment, but I’m not out there looking. I enjoyed bits of the international game. You got every program that you think you can take somewhere. When John Herdman went into Canada, it was a real web, but the potential was there. When I went to Australia, there was a potential to move into Asia, so you’re building stuff, so when you got those situations. Then it’s good. Sometimes as a coach, you need to get a job because you haven’t got a job. Sometimes, you’re lucky enough to be in a job where you feel you can make a mark, and take a team somewhere you can build something. Generically, lucky most of the time to have those jobs, and this (Orlando Pride head coach) is another one that’s kinda got those qualities.

BS: You’re a manager that likes to build. You’re done a great job building the Pride, second year contending, the developmental academy, is there anything that you’d like to see in the club structure that you’d like to improve on?

TS: There’s not a lot to be honest. You’re restricted here. You say developmental, and it would be great to have that development phase all the way through, we have the academy, we have the ECNL which is part of it. Unfortunately, the college system comes in the way, and that stops that development. You don’t have control over the destiny of those players both being able to keep them, and at a critical time you don’t have your hands-on development with them because they are at college for four year. It’s difficult to get the development underneath here. Hopefully as this club progresses and it gets bigger, is younger teams getting into the philosophy of how Orlando Pride plays. You want to see that continuity, and maybe at sometime, down the track but I don’t think it’s anytime soon you might end up with a reserve team.   

BS: Changing gears a little bit, in your opinion, why is not a women’s open cup in the United States, and what needs to happen to get that on?

TS: I think the major reason is first of all, the difficulty that everyone’s had to get a professional league established, and you can go off in a whole range of different ways because then you’re juggling too many balls there. What we got to do is, we have to get this league set up and established. I read an article recently not about expansion, but about getting the standards of the ten teams higher. I’ve talked about that until I’m blue in the face, and I’m 100% in favor of that. So what we need to do with these ten teams, I mean Orlando Pride is up there, Portland is up there,and there a couple of others, and there’s a drop off. We need to get that right. That is priority number one. Get that right, then you can start at looking at other things. You don’t just want to be piecemeal, we’ll have a U.S. Cup and things aren’t all over the place. So for me, get this league right. Get ten teams, get standards we need to set. Conditions for players, training arrangements, standard of grounds, get all that sorted, then start adding to it.

BS: Do you think it’s the responsibility of U.S. Soccer to do that for the league. It’s the federation’s responsibility to have an open cup. Even though the federation supports the league, doesn’t NWSL have to do it.

TS: It’s a balance to that, but ultimately the federation is a major decision-maker. And I think they have said and are trying to do the right things, but again it’s a balancing act. The teams in the league that started this league five years ago when nobody wanted to come near it. Either  individual owners and groups of owners have put their heart and soul and the money in there. Then like anything the league jumps with teams like ours coming into it. There’s an old saying a fleet is as fast as its slowest ship. You then have to start bringing up those teams to a better standard, and that’s part of the federation partly responsible, the league itself is partly responsible, and the owners are partly responsible to say “okay, we’re in this, a new bar has been set, and we need to get to that bar.”

BS: It’s been five years of existence with the league, you’re still talking about stabilizing the league. How many more year are we talking in those terms?

TS: You have to go back historically here. You look at the MLS (Major League Soccer), and I was here in 2001 and MLS was on its knees, and that was at six, seven years in. If it wasn’t for (Philip) Anschutz bankrolling four or five clubs. It was a real (feeling of) which way is this going to go. You can go back ten years, teams are still playing in rubbish fields. It’s only ten years ago. New York City (FC) playing in a postage stamp. It’s a balance of time, patience, vision, organization, and then having the foresight to get things in place. It’s a real balancing act to get it right, and you have to have a little bit of patience, and at the right times you have to get the right decisions to get the league chipping on and improving.

BS: So there’s no set timeline, but in your opinion if you’re going to put a number on it…

TS: A couple of years. I think the idea of MLS team (affiliating with an NWSL team) is a great idea because you already have structure in place, you have finance in place, knowledge in place, facilities, you have the whole thing. So for me, what I believe it’s something the federation is working hard on. I think if I’m an MLS club, I think it’s great to have an Orlando Pride as part of it. I think we add a lot to this club, if it’s done properly, and I think from a financial perspective if you do it right, it’s actually not a financial burden. It’s somewhere where you add value to the club, so I would like to see in the coming years if the smaller owners are struggling to make the investments they’re making then MLS clubs then step in and take over the teams. But and I’m very, very conscious of this, the guys that were in there putting the money in there when nobody else was interested. You need to value what they have done for this league.