In September, the USWNT crushed Paraguay in back-to-back friendlies by a 17-0 aggregate score. This past week, the USWNT crushed Uzbekistan in back-to-back friendlies by an 18-1 aggregate score. While the September matches felt mostly a waste of time, the April matches felt instructive and useful, for both Vlatko Andonovski’s plans moving forward and U.S. fans trying to figure out those plans.
U.S. Soccer released the eighth (and final?) episode of the Gregg Berhalter Podcast (hosted by former FC Dallas midfielder Bobby Warshaw) on Tuesday. The USMNT manager spent a lot of time discussing the intense final window of qualification, reflecting on "The Ocho" as a whole and how all that shapes his decision making going toward the World Cup.
Rafael Soriano has entered the Douchebag Hall Of Fame for assaulting a referee then claiming the ref was milking it “because she’s a woman.” The Desportiva Ferrovíaria coach was red carded then fired after the match.
Soriano came onto the pitch to argue a call at the start of halftime during a fifth-tier Campeonato Capixava match against Nova Venecia on Sunday in Espirito Santo, Brazil. He left as a reviled asshole, headbutting assistant referee Marcielly Netto in the nose.
An assistant manager in Spain pulled a Moonlight Graham on Sunday, crossing that foreboding white line and onto the hallowed green grass, but his reward wasn't the eternal bliss of playing catch with Shoeless Joe Jackson — he got a shove in the back, a red card and cries for his dismissal at Colmenar Viejo and the revocation of his coaching license. Real life is nothing like Hollywood.
After Sunday's barnstorming 2-2 draw between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad, it was clear that managers Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp, as disciples of attacking football, were spiritually lifted by what they'd seen out on the pitch.
As with many soccer coaches of his era, Joe Morrone did not fit the profile of what we would consider a modern soccer coach.
First, he did not have a background in the sport — "I think the first time I saw a soccer game, I was playing in it," Morrone said.
Then there was his appearance on the sideline — donning sunglasses and a suit and toting a clipboard that rarely survived the full 90 minutes.
MANCHESTER, England - Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp says it is simply a joy to carry out their analysis work on Manchester City ahead of Sunday's Premier League title clash at the Etihad Stadium.
The two teams, who have dominated the league over the past five seasons, are separated by just a point with leaders City hoping they can restore some breathing space with a victory.
King Otto, directed by Christopher André Marks, was released in select theaters and digitally (Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Vimeo, Vudu, etc.) on March 25, and we highly recommend it to anyone who has the slightest interest in Greece's incredible Euro 2004 triumph under the leadership of German manager Otto Rehhagel.
United States head coach Gregg Berhalter is urging his players to stay "in the moment" ahead of Sunday's World Cup qualifier at home to Panama with a shot at reaching the finals on the line.
The U.S. battled to a 0-0 draw away to Mexico on Thursday and sit three points behind leaders Canada in the CONCACAF group standings. They are tied with Mexico on 22 points but are above them in second place on goal difference.
With its spot in the World Cup already clinched, the Netherlands is using the March international window for a pair of friendlies against Denmark and Germany in Amsterdam.
While Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay were arriving at the KNVB Campus in Zeist on Monday, 70-year-old manager Louis van Gaal was giving a customarily unfiltered press conference on player selection, his choice for national team successor and the prospect of a World Cup in Qatar.
Van Gaal didn't hold back when asked to discuss the host nation.