• Hector and Eels expose serial banality of the obligatory interview
    Broadcasters have paid for the right to talk to players who have just finished a physically and mentally taxing job, and they have air time to fill. With air.
  • Sunderland still learning to cope with life in the lower tiers
    In the League One promotion playoffs, my hometown team Lincoln City secured a place in the final at Wembley next Sunday after beating Sunderland FC over two games.
  • Santa Clara's Jerry Smith on his enormous pride in his national champions and how he almost messed things up
    After Smith's "worst halftime speech" of his career, 11th-seeded Santa Clara beat top-ranked Florida State in the Women's College Cup final.
  • Didier Chambaron on steering U.S. Soccer's coaching education 'evolution'
    In February of this year, U.S. Soccer promoted Frenchman Didier Chambaron to director of coaching rducation, replacing Belgian Barry Pauwels.
  • Lisa Cole on coaching in the USA and abroad, the state of women's soccer, and mentoring Brandi Chastain
    Soccer is the world's game. But Lisa Cole's resume may be the only one in the world that includes all these names: Mississippi. Boston, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Houston. Papua New Guinea. Antigua & Barbuda
  • Ali Riley on an NWSL homecoming after starring in Europe, her eclectic off-field projects, and her Olympic quest with New Zealand
    In between 2010 and 2011 WPS title wins and her NWSL arrival to Orlando, Ali Riley played for Rosengard, Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
  • On the Bundesliga coaching carousel, where loyalty counts for nothing
    There are good ways and bad ways of leaving a club and managing a move, as illustrated in the Bundesliga this season.
  • MLS's youth venture: Season 1 celebration set for Texas; future success depends on how it helps amateur clubs
    MLS kicked off its 25th season on Feb. 29, 2020. It suspended it on March 12 because of COVID. It returned to play July 8. During the hiatus, the league made an extraordinary move.
  • Californian Michael Hoyos on his Copa Libertadores quest with Ecuador's Barcelona SC after his Argentine pro career launch
    He was born and raised in California's Orange County and played for the Irvine Strikes. In 2007, he was recruited to join Estudiantes in his parents native Argentina.
  • Ditching the Crew flies in the face of everything MLS should be proud about
    The Crew was saved because it was worth saving, and so was its name. Unfortunately, those running the Crew don't seem to share that same optimism and confidence.
  • Fascinating footnotes to the NASL's weird and wonderful history
    The newsletters are authored by the league's PR director, Cliff Kachline (later the National Baseball Hall of Fame historian, who writes in crisp, informative and lucid sentences.
  • The Galaxy is grinding, often down (or dominated) but never out
    New coach Greg Vanney still has a lot of work as he demands a greater understanding of what's happening on the field, but so far the results have been favorable.
  • An icon among referees: Betty Ellis made history on Mother's Day 40 years ago
    Volunteering to ref for her son's U-6 team led to Betty Ellis waving the flag on George Best at Spartan Stadium.
  • Steve Cherundolo on fame in Germany, World Cups with the USA, and coming home to coach the Las Vegas Lights
    Many Americans, and more all time, have found success playing in Europe, but nobody else has had an experience like Steve Cherundolo's.
  • Mostafa Edders on soccer during Ramadan, respecting diversity, and coaching education around the world
    Soon after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Illinois Youth Soccer Association executive Mary Jane Bender asked Mostafa Edders to stop by her office.
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