Fern Mc Costigan

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Can the Union make a decent run into the postseason?

Jim Curtin entering his fourth year at the helm of the Philadelphia Union, he knows this campaign he and his U Boys looking forward to a prolific campaign that can deliver them a spot in the always coveted league postseason.

With new illusions and goals set in their preseason in Clearwater, Florida, the Union is looking forward to a stellar and spectacular campaign with hopes of making a jump all the way to the league finals.

So far, this squad in the preseason has open up its doors to many young prospects of its academy coming from their USL affiliate Bethlehem Steel already training with the big club in Florida.

With three academy prospects in Tomas Romero, Michael Pellegrino and Branden Aronson, the Union is optimistic that these three young lads can join the current crop of Homegrown Players in defenders Matt Real and Mark McKenzie.

Also adding a new forward in Cory Burke joining midfielder Anthony Fontana among their most promising of players surged from their academy and now fighting for a starting spot with the Union.

All of these players making the big team and with Romero, Aaronson and Pellegrino on the brink of making the big team, Philadelphia is betting on its youth programs by building this squad for its future.

Still the squad front office directives assured some of its previous campaign base by res- signs Ilsinho, Fabian, Fabinho and Erik Ayuk, all of these set to return to the City of Brotherly Love for the 2018 campaign.

Ahead of this upcoming campaign the Union only deal besides Cory Burke, joining him former midfielder great from the Chicago Fire of Ghanaian David Accam to reinforce this club frontal attack.

David Accam will join in the midfield by adding a new dynamic in its attack along with Alejandro Bedoya, Fafa Picault, Haris Medjunanin, Ilshino, Marcus Epps, Adam Najem and Anthony Fontana.

Adding a new competition for who of these chaps will become the Union starter in the upcoming campaign as well with newcomer Accam in the lineup for sure he will contribute a lot to his new squad.

As the Union prepares for a contested 2018 campaign in Florida, so far manager Jim Curtin is looking very excited with the squad he is working with and the newcomers in several rookie players he is working with and possibly making the team.

With the MLS 2018 campaign within days of its start, still the Union can make some moves and land a player or two to reinforce, in the case of manager Curtin he does not lose any sleep and works with his young talent along the majority of its last campaign core.

At the end, the Philadelphia Union is one squad looking forward to put on display a brand new game with its young and experienced players pushing for a much more notable finish in this campaign.

The Union can finish within the seventh and if lucky these can be fighting their way to sixth place and nab the last spot in the postseason in the Eastern Conference, still these have to deliver notable results at home as well increase a winning from on the road.

Photos Credit and Property of Philadelphia Union Football Club 2018

With Premiership on their sleeves, City aiming for Champions

What a campaign the Citizens of Manchester City are having, with the league title under their sleeves now for Pep Guardiola and company are looking to consummate the ultimate of feats, by winning the Champions League.

So far, the Citizens are putting a display of authority in Premiership as well now looking forward to establish themselves among the greats in all of Europe.

Aiming for what seems to be a grand campaign in Etihad Stadium, City is aiming for the stars and especially the foursome, with the league almost wrap, Carabao Cup to play against Arsenal, FA Cup and now moving nearing their pass to the next stages in Champions.

As Pep Guardiola, squad cemented an amazing win over their hosts FC Basel at St Jakob Park, considered the house of horrors for several English squads of the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and recently Manchester United in the stages group.

Today was a different story for a Premiership squad that seal the deal with a goal rout and a clean sheet to be within 90 minutes of the next phase of quarterfinals. as the second leg between these two squads is to be play in the Manchester City colossus of Etihad.

As one squad motto in America’s game of football called the Oakland Raiders display proudly with a Commitment to Excellence, this squad is ahead in this adage that after a disastrous Pep Guardiola first year, many can state he is back and to an unusual extent.

Not for the Spaniard being in his second year in the helm of this club and now the seeds of his work are showing off after hefty expenditures he put this club and converting this club as an unstoppable force in Premiership.

The man is a wizard in the football world and with City today was a grand day for several of his starters in his initial eleven with Ilkay Gundohan doing it today with a double and Sergio Aguero scoring that nears him to a milestone.

Manchester City had a field day in Basel with his backfield keeping a close tab on its striker force of Valentin Stocker, Mohamed Elyounoussi and Dimitri Oberlin.

Getting the full credit were the fab four that preserve the win and clean sheet for keeper Ederson as the Portuguese had a grand performance of not allowing the locals any liberties towards his posts as well a brilliant defensive display by his fab four.

As a one sided first half were City scored the majority of its goals, with Ilkay Gundohan opening the scoring in the 14 minute followed by Bernardo Silva 18 and Sergio Aguero’s 198 goal in the 23 to close the first half with a 3-0 lead.

Once again, Ilkay Gundohan making his moves scores the fourth goal in the 53 minute making it a double for him and nearing a possible foursome among one of those plays that could been an spectacular goal scored as a hat trick.

For Pep Guardiola this win fills him with joy after another mission accomplished and moving on to the next compromise, a his goals with Manchester City is to send a message that there is a new Sherriff in Europe and is the Sky Blues.

Photos Credit and Property of © Manchester City Football Club 2018

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Peter Vermes and his SKC ready to a disputed 2018

Sporting Kansas City is one squad to take over Major League Soccer primetime on this upcoming 2018 in what looks a contested campaign in the eyes of many experts. For manager Peter Vermes is business as usual in preparing his squad as an all-around contender.

After many moves in the off and preseason, the SKC manager is ready to front a new era under the helm of his club after many of his veterans departed to other squads and seeing a new influx of players coming to Children’s Mercy Park.

This campaign will be a new challenge for him and looking forward to see a continuance of his squad fighting in the top spots of the Western Conference as always and maybe a possibility of making a run to the conference if not league finals.

As the midfield with returning veterans Roger Espinosa, Cristian Lobato and Illie Sanchez, the SKC welcomes Chilean Felipe Gutierrez, Scottish winger Johnny Russell and French Yohan Croizet, adding a new dimension in the Wizards attack.

In addition, the arrivals of forward acquired from NYCF Khiry Shelton and defender Emiliano Amor on loan from Argentina side Velez Sarsfield, will reinforce this squad heavily in these positions. With the club also making way for this club future, they signed three new Homegrown Players in forwards Zach Wright and Gianluca Busio and defender Matt Lewis.

With a mixture of veterans and rookies the SKC will front a contested campaign and thanks in part to the league Targeted Allocation Monies, many clubs in the campaign have reinforced their areas of most need.

The Wizards taking advantage of the situation the results speak after seeing several of their long time veterans depart to other squads, this 2018 will be a new campaign and new faces to show off a new competitive SKC.

As for manager Peter Vermes excited for this 2018, recently in a news conference he stated his excitement for the new season ahead as well in the preseason making all sorts of changes that will surely influence his squad.

Among one of those changes will be the SKC style of play, also with a possibility of the squad getting new players and without comment Vermes stated, the SKC after seeing several of its veterans leave, for this long running manager its back to business.

With a club always being in the postseason and always a tough competitor in league play, this campaign will see a new Wizards looking forward to get into the league finals.

As the SKC showing off with a new investment of $75 million state of the art, Pinnacle training center just unveiled to the media as a part of this club new achievements and venture with the US Soccer Federation and Mercy Children’s Hospital.

So far, the Sporting Kansas City top brass adding more of the GAM general allocation the Midweek titans are looking forward to add new faces as the Brad Evans deal is about to close in the next days per league approval.

At the end, Peter Vermes with his newcomers and the returning veterans, the SKC will have a grand campaign with a possible fourth place finish if not fighting its way for sixth place in the end; do not discard them from finishing in the top six spots.

Photos Credit and Property of Sporting Kansas City Football Club 2018

The SSE Airtricity League of Ireland entering its 34th campaign

With the SSE League of Ireland opening on Friday February 16, with the headliner match in the colossus of Dublin Aviva Stadium with two of its major squads from Eire’s capital. The Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians FC will headline this campaign opener with their traditional and contested Dublin Derby.

As ten squads start, a new campaign composed of 36 matches and 2 major Cup competitions in the Daily Mail FAI Cup Sunday November 4 at Aviva Stadium and the EA Sports Cup on Saturday September 15.

Three teams of the Aitricity League will take part in the knockout stages of the UEFA’S Champions League with last edition SSE champions Cork City and in the Europa League Dundalk FC and Shamrock Rovers.

As these three squads looking forward to once again bring some glory as the way the Lilywhites of De Town did it in 2016 in the Europa League, a participation of a couple of squads in these competitions once again will put this association players in the radar.

After UEFA changing the format of Champions League favoring big leagues, rishi clubs will have to face off four rounds instead of three and compensation for smaller leagues in any side eliminated from Champions League goes straight into Europa League next rounds.

Irish sides in the past Champions League competitions had to win a tie to guarantee the safety net the Europa League, still for these three SSE Titans its business as usual and the way these reinforce to make front of a contested European pack.

With the championship starting another campaign and for sure will deliver us another fun and disputed campaign from all of its ten members, I do see a certain success from newcomer and recently promoted Waterford FC.

With last edition, champion Cork City netting a treble, by winning the Daily Mail FAI Cup and League of Ireland shields along the Munster Cup in 2017, so far in this 2018 winning the Presidents Cup, over Dundalk. By showing off this squad mettle and heading to be the all-around favorite to win the league shield.

Still don t count out the Lilywhites of Dundalk looking forward after losing several of their top rated players, these have armed themselves towards another run for the shield and for their manager Stephen Kenny looking to return to primetime.

If the league ended today maybe a finish in first with Cork City, followed in second by Dundalk, third place Shamrock Rovers, fourth between Derry City and Limerick battling it out, preceded by Saint Patrick’s, Bohemians, Waterford, Bray Wanderers and Sligo Rovers battling in the bottom.

Come Friday febraury 16 with the Shamrock Rovers vs Bohemians Derby the League of Ireland opens its championship followed by Dundalk hosting the Bray Wanderers, Saint Patricks to play at home against the league champions Cork City and Waterford against Derry City.

With Saturday, only game scheduled the Sligo Rovers are to host Limerick FC.