Here are the notables since last Friday’s update:
- Gotham FC: Forward Cece Kizer signs through 2025
- Houston Dash: Michelle Alozie extends for two seasons
- Chicago Red Stars: Jenna Bike extends through 2026
- U-20 WWC Players Update
- Former Utah Royals find new homes
- Gotham FC: Sinead Farrelly honored on Sunday
- ESPN: NWSL General Manager survey
Gotham FC: Forward Cece Kizer signs through 2025
On Saturday, the club announced that Kizer, who had been released by the Houston Dash last week, had been signed for the rest of the 2024 season, plus the 2025 season. (September 7th press release)
Houston Dash: Michelle Alozie extends for two seasons
On Monday, the Dash announced that the Nigerian international forward has a new two-year contract for the 2025 and 2026 NWSL seasons. (September 9th press release)
Since 2021, Alozie, who was born in California and has an undergraduate degree in molecular biology from Yale (Wikipedia bio), has had a part-time job as a cancer research technician. (2022 local news segment, 2023 FIFA.com article)
Chicago Red Stars: Jenna Bike extends through 2026
Also on Monday, another forward re-signed for two more seasons: Jenna Bike, who has been with the Red Stars since 2023 after being waived by Gotham FC at the end of the 2022 season. (September 9th press release)
Bike went undrafted in the 2020 NWSL college draft and then played two additional seasons for Boston College, where she pursued a masters degree and then a doctorate in nursing. (2022 profile article; Wikipedia bio)
U-20 WWC Players Update
Racing Louisville’s Milly Clegg was the only NWSL player whose team did not advance to the Round of Sixteen. Clegg did score a late consolation goal for New Zealand in their second match (video highlights).
Three other NWSL players have also scored a goal at this year’s U-20 WWC, including Manaka Matsukubo for Japan, plus two USA players: Ally Sentnor and Gisele Thompson. Emeri Adames contributed 3 assists for the USA in their 7-nil victory over Paraguay.
The remaining NWSL players, by national team:
- Canada (1): Amanda Allen (Orlando Pride, but loaned to Lexington SC last week)
- Japan (1): Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage)
- United States (8): Emeri Adames (Seattle Reign), Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Riley Jackson (North Carolina Courage), Savy King (Bay FC), Ally Lemos (Orlando Pride, Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC)
The USA faces Mexico on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. EDT. Before that, Canada takes on Spain at 5:30 p.m. EDT. On Thursday, Japan will play Nigeria at 9:00 p.m. EDT. For the complete Round of Sixteen schedule, see “U-20 WWC 2024: Round of Sixteen Schedule with TV and Streaming Details”.
Former Utah Royals Find New Homes
Last Friday, the Utah Royals released Nigerian forward Ifeoma Onumonu and French midfielder Amandine Henry.
On Saturday, French club Montpellier HSC, which finished 6th in the Première Ligue last season, announced that Onumonu had been signed. (MHSC press release) The press release noted Montpellier needed an experienced forward as their oldest forward was only age 22 and the remaining three were age 20 and younger. The length of contract was not mentioned in the press release.
On Monday, Liga MX Femenil side Toluca FC revealed via Instagram that they had signed Amandine Henry. As of Tuesday night, no press release had been posted on their club website.
Gotham FC: Sinead Farrelly honored on Sunday
While most eyes were on Alex Morgan’s retirement match in San Diego, another important NWSL player was honored earlier in the day: Gotham FC’s Sinead Farrelly who retired earlier this year due to concussion issues.
Jonathan Tannenwald of the Philadelphia Inquirer has a profile article on Farrelly that is well worth reading: “Sinead Farrelly shares thanks and remarkable vulnerability as Gotham FC honors her retirement”.
ESPN: NWSL General Manager survey
Jeff Kassouf on ESPN.com has a pair of articles that are must reads. Both are based on survey interviews conducted by Kassouf “with general managers (or equivalent highest-ranking soccer executives) from all 14 NWSL teams throughout late spring and early summer”.
The first article covers responses to multiple questions, while the second article is focused on just one question concerning player abuse protections:
- NWSL GM survey: League execs on draft, USWNT, rule-breaking, more
- NWSL GMs: Player reforms ‘gone too far’ since abuse cases
The first article has some revealing answers concerning the profitability of teams, whether the college draft should have been kept, changing the NWSL calendar, league expansion, and other issues.
The second article’s title is a bit misleading as it is only “some” of the league’s general managers. Here is the first paragraph from that article:
Two years after allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse rocked the NWSL, some league general managers are now voicing concerns that reforms for players have “gone too far,” a survey by ESPN found, which has prompted pushback from the players association.
Some of the quotes from general managers in the article are frankly concerning due to their uninformed perspectives.
But a prevailing sentiment was that “the pendulum has swung too far the other way,” a phrase two separate GMs used verbatim.
“I think it’s still a very stressful place for staff,” a GM said. “I think you have to be very calculated in every conversation, every interaction that you have with athletes. We have to err on the side of extremely positive or conservative policies that I think in any other professional or corporate environment wouldn’t really necessarily exist.”
And later in the article:
“There’s a fear amongst staff about what you can say, what you can’t say, what you have to ask players’ permission for, what you don’t, if you’re going to get in trouble for this,” one GM said. “And that means, to me, it’s gone too far.”
One wonders what this specific general manager thought was appropriate before the abuse investigations.
Also, this hypothetical was presented:
GMs pointed to the inability to hold, or perhaps a fear of holding, a one-on-one meeting with a player over game tactics or performance.
There is no legitimate reason why a meeting discussing game tactics or strategy would need to be one-on-one. Regarding player performance meetings where discussions could be sensitive, a player could have one of their team’s NWSLPA representatives present. Likewise, a head coach could have an assistant or an analyst with them.
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