Coffee Talk: Here’s To New Beginnings (theunsubs.com)

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8kx0k7/coffee_talk_heres_to_new_beginnings/

Coffee Talk: Here’s To New Beginnings (theunsubs.com)

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http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2018/05/20/coffee-talk-heres-to-new-beginnings/3867

Coffee Talk: Here’s To New Beginnings

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8kw7o1/rowdie_takeaways_week_10_tbr_v_pit/

Rowdie Takeaways Week 10: TBR v PIT (self.TampaBayRowdies)

Cautiously or Recklessly Optimistic- You all know it's coming, but I'll save patting myself on the back for the next section. This is a wild time to be a Rowdies fan with the rumors swirling around ownership, the change in manager, some major lineup shakeups. There are so many talking points in and outside of this game. Let's talk about the positives and negatives in the game, and then move onto the bigger picture.

Where the Rowdies inspire confidence- I warned you. In the third minute of the game, Alex Morrell receives a short corner, takes a quick run to the outside of the box and plays a perfect ball that Rozeboom deflects into the goal. The assist was beautiful. I've been dying to see the Rowdies put the ball into the box from better positions in the attacking third and that's exactly what Morrell does. I said this before the season started, you use Morrell for 60-70 minutes and let fresh forwards pick up for him when he's out of gas. Collins subs were timely and all made sense. It seemed Collins had a plan for this game and it worked offensively. The Rowdies were unlucky not to score three or four. The Cole for Nano sub came at the right time. I still believe you have to figure out how to work Graf into the starting lineup, but that's a future issue. Collins gets an A for substitutions where Campbell would get a C or D because his subs seemed reactionary or often way too late in the game. The biggest victory in this draw was the moral victory of battling back from a first-half deficit. This Riverhounds team was fantastic with Dover and Forbes in the middle, those guys are lethal. I didn't see the Rowdies change too much in the style of play from previous home matches. We simply got better side to side passes in the attacking third which is par for the course with the Rowdies at Al Lang. We'll see if more intricacies develop in the Collins era as far as how the team attacks. What we did see was less long balls from the back for stupid turnovers. We also saw a Rowdies team that just seemed more energized and determined. Hopefully, this sentiment carries on in the upcoming weeks and the next road contest which will be Neill's first true test as a young manager of a club with three years of bad road results. Also, Flemmings passed the ball a couple times.

Where the Rowdies struggled- The turnovers were killer. Schafer's turnover led to the second goal with a bad slide by Magalhaes. Magalhaes needs to play more composed in the back line. Portillos was very shifty but his passing and lead boot touches keep making him a negative player in the attacking half while still not being polished defensively. With Collins out of the defensive lineup, the Rowdies backline has a lot of questions to answer very fast and the injuries have already piled up. It was questionable to go with Fitzgerald right out of the gate and he had the opportunity to come out and clear the first goal or cover it up. The through ball was great and the attacker had pace but the ball reaches the box and Fitzgerald backed away instead of attacking the ball and dropping on it. Mizell cleans those chances up for breakfast. Maybe I'm being harsh, but I think Fitzgerald is better off attacking that ball and forcing the issue because he allowed a straight shot at him that led to the own goal. The turnovers were the sloppiest part of the Rowdies game. There was a concerted effort to knock Rozeboom off the ball and press him because his possession is questionable. And no matter how many nice turns and moves Guenzatti makes, he's still been ineffective in the attacking third. He needs to get in a position where he can make key passes. All the criticism being levied, the Rowdies were resilient and this is the best they've played in since the Monarchs game well over a month ago.

Spectacular saves and magnificent blunders- The Rowdies were saved by the Hounds keeper Lynd who had both goals go by him within his reach. In soccer, you have to take the goals how you get them because as we saw later, Flemmings was consistently denied by Lynd. Similarly, for Fitzgerald, the own goal is partially on him with Lachowecki getting his share of the blame for torpedoing himself at the ball. I'd say the second goal Fitzgerald was dead to rights, but Fitzgerald rebounded with two spectacular second-half saves that saved the point for the Rowdies.

The Scottish Experiment- Of all the sports I've watched, never have I seen anything like this. Maybe because this is a second division soccer league this sort of player becoming coach midseason thing can just occur without much buzz, but this is still lunacy in my mind. Collins went from best defender of a suspect defense to manager of a team whose status in soccer is in a weird state of limbo. I'm assuming the MLS2StPete parade is a distant memory despite starting only last year. Can we still expect a stadium rebuild? What is the future of the Rowdies? In the meantime, can Collins make the most of a team with talented players that haven't gotten the necessary chemistry yet to win on the road? Collins has some work to do in the standings as well with the Rowdies having played 10 games and sitting in 9th place. The battle for the organization is uphill. This is sports movie territory. This is also disastrous territory. I'll be here for all the action along the way.

Armchair adjustment, how can we get the striker more involved?- Behind can the defense play competently and can the Rowdies limit turnovers in future games, this question ranks third on my long list of things to look for in Rowdies games. Hristov has not had the ball at his feet very often this season and that does not bode well for the best finisher on the team. Collins HAS to find ways to get Hristov the ball in dangerous positions.

One final Morrell celebration- I need my fellow Rowdies fans to take Morrell seriously. It's not JUST the pace that makes him so dangerous. It's how Morrell attracts the defense and opens up the rest of the pitch to go on a run to the net. He was doing the exact same thing last year and Campbell inexplicably rolled with Guenzatti and Restrepo at the end of the season and not the guys who got him into the playoffs (Paterson and Morrell). Morrell's most glaring weakness is sturdy but quick defenders that can dispossess him if Morrell takes a bad touch, but Morrell is a smart player and a VAST improvement over Flemmings. Flemmings made small improvements but he's still too far into the woods to see any trees just yet.

Buying into the things- This is my favorite Rowdies storyline currently. Collins keeps saying he wants his team, wow that is weird to say, to buy into his system, his plans, his something. What is it, I guess it's better that we don't know because it's tactical. We'll find out in the coming weeks if Collins is speaking about an actual system of play or just some media jargon to keep us happy. As I said before, this looked like a Rowdies home game where the difference was the defense is crippled and turnovers were futile. Yet here I am actually excited to see what the Rowdies do on the road against that dreadful Toronto club. Toronto has 0 wins. If we lose to Toronto, then the Rowdies are legitimately cursed. Someone bring a goat to that game. What should be a layup for Collins next week will have me on the edge of my seat. The Rowdies cannot afford to even draw against the worst club in the league.

Loving these write ups, well done again! I don't want to see Flemmings on the pitch at all ever again, period. He can be sold yesterday. Definitely loved seeing Morrell start for sure, was a nice change. I too was surprised to see Akira in goal. If I remebmer correctly, we destroyed Torontwo on the road last season....so that better happen again.

I forgot to mention Collins put Leon Taylor on the subs bench, very curious to see if he gets on the pitch soon and what he brings to the table. Him vs. Flemmings could be a possibility. It’s hard for me to completely give up on Flemmings because the Red Bull’s figured out how to use him. This guy had 10 goals last year, all inside the box. I don’t think Campbell was malleable to realize he has to adjust the offense around Flemmings when he’s on the field. Collins might be more focused on how to use certain guys the right way.

TIL We have a player named Leon Taylor...

19 year old kid. He was on the subs list last night and Fernandes wasn’t so Collins must take him seriously.

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8ksv03/rowdies_home_attendance_thread_game_4_vs/

Rowdies Home Attendance Thread – Game 4 vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC [5/19] (self.TampaBayRowdies)

Sales leading up to last night looked really strong from watching Ticketmaster and it ended up being our second best showing of the short season so far (6,202). The rain ended up not disturbing the game too much, but most certainly killed walkups as the worst of it was really the hour or so before the match kicked off. So far, we're at a good pace against the first 4 games of last year. Two weeks and we're back at it against Atlanta Twonited...

weather turned out to be fantastic! It rained enough to keep the temperature down, but not make it a humid swampy sauna. Unfortunately it was windy and threatening enough to stop us from hoisting a possible tifo....but (un)luckily, that moment never came......Glad to see we still broke 6k!

Bought an extra ticket to bring my friend but she was terrified of rain so didn't even up going. Sucks that from what I've heard it didn't even rain during the game all that much

Can't blame anyone for no-showing. That storm rode the coastlines from coast to coast all day. It would've been a washout on the Tampa side.

By the looks of things the loved getting muddy on the grass hill!

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8kqezw/rowdies_draw_22_with_riverhounds_in_collins/

Rowdies Draw 2-2 with Riverhounds in Collins’ Coaching Debut (theunsubs.com)

Boy did we squeak that one. If it weren't for those absolute goalkeeping howlers and some indecision by the opposition, we would be staring at a 3-0 loss. Something to be said for Akira's performance too. But really, it seems we forgot how to play this game.

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http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2018/05/19/rowdies-draw-2-2-with-riverhounds-in-collins-coaching-debut/3864

Rowdies Draw 2-2 with Riverhounds in Collins’ Coaching Debut

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https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/12/03/princess-leias-hairstyle/

Princess Leia’s revolutionary hairstyle was an homage to George Lucas’s passions

“George didn’t want a damsel in distress, didn’t want your stereotypical princess–he wanted a fighter, he wanted someone who was independent,” Fisher explained to the BBC in 1977.

In fact, the iconic hairstyle probably is the result of a historical mashup. Photos of Lucas’s references are on view in a traveling exhibit called “Star Wars and the Power of Costume,” currently at the Museum of Fine Arts, in St. Petersburg, Florida. An inspiration board shows a photo of Clara de la Rocha, a famous Mexican revolutionary who rose to rank as colonel and who was descended from landowners, with a bandolier slung across her body and wrapped around her waist. Her hair is styled with the distinctive twin buns On the photo is a yellow Post-It with Lucas’s handwriting: “Mexican—Revolution—Hairstyles—Women.” There are also sepia-toned photos of blanketed Hopi women and girls with the twirled twin buns. Together, these photos suggest Lucas’s intent was more homage than exact replication.

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http://pittsburghsportscastle.com/riverhounds-sc-fight-for-2-2-draw-against-tampa-bay/

Riverhounds SC fight for 2-2 draw against Tampa Bay

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https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/wolves-neil-collins-leeds-united-14679100

Former Wolves and Leeds United ace takes his first steps into management

Neil Collins has been appointed manager of USL team Tampa Bay Rowdies

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https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2018/may/where-are-they-now--stuart-campbell/

Where Are They Now? | Stuart Campbell

What is the former Town man up to nowadays?

Former Grimsby Town midfielder, Stuart Campbell, has been plying his trade as a coach with American soccer side Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Campbell, who played 161 times for the Mariners between 2000 and 2001, has just parted company with the club that he has been with since 2011.

He initially joined North American side as a player into the role of a player/coach under manager Ricky Hill, and when Campbell retired from the pitch in 2013, he became their full-time assistant coach.

In 2015, Rowdies coach Thomas Rongen was fired after the club struggled to a 2–2–6 start to the NASL's fall season. Campbell was promoted to manager and led the team to a 3–4–4 record over their remaining games.

Former West Ham, Chelsea and Liverpool midfielder, Joe Cole was one of the players working for Campbell during his reign.

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http://www.tbo.com/sports/rowdies/2018/05/19/rowdies-ties-debut-of-new-coach-neill-collins/

Rowdies tie in debut of new coach Neill Collins

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https://www.dkpittsburghsports.com/2018/05/19/hounds-rowdies-parkes-cole-draw/

Hounds, Rowdies squander chances in draw

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https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/919568-cole-s-strike-helps-rowdies-earn-draw

Cole's Strike Helps Rowdies Earn Draw

Tampa Bay rallies to earn home point in front of 6,202; Pittsburgh remains unbeaten

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM6TAGw29Js

HIGHLIGHTS - Rowdies vs Pittsburgh RiverHounds - 5/19/18

Tampa Bay Rowdies

Published on May 19, 2018

HIGHLIGHTS presented by Tampa International Airport

The Rowdies and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC played to an exciting 2-2 draw. Rozeboom and Cole scored the goals for the home team.

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/998291880214441984

Tampa Bay Rowdies

‏Verified account

@TampaBayRowdies

Who was your Man of the Match in last night’s 2-2 draw against @RiverhoundsSC?

12:58 PM - 20 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/998290444189552641

Tampa Bay Rowdies

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@TampaBayRowdies

Hear what @neillycollins3 and @LanceRozeboom had to say after last night's 2-2 draw against @RiverhoundsSC.

Post Game Recap: vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds

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12:52 PM - 20 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/998279721749286912

Tampa Bay Rowdies

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Tampa Bay Rowdies Retweeted tbusoccer

Amazing job by @tbusoccer U17 boys! Fantastic achievement!

Tampa Bay Rowdies added,

tbusoccer

@tbusoccer

The TBU Rowdies U17B are the Florida State Champs! This is their 2nd state championship in a row. The boys are also the current regional and national Champions. Great win today! Well played!

12:10 PM - 20 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/998240878836711424

Tampa Bay Rowdies

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@TampaBayRowdies

Take a look at the Rowdies Save of the Game presented by @TechVacations.

@akirafitzgerald made a fantastic save late in the game to keep the Rowdies and @RiverhoundsSC tied 2-2.

9:35 AM - 20 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/RalphsMob/status/998034902682611712

Ralph's Mob
‏
@RalphsMob

When @JDL_87 shows us love! 🙏🏽🙏🏽 #TeamTampaBay #lfg @TampaBayRowdies @RaysBaseball

7:57 PM - 19 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/jochengraf/status/998224148508954624

Jochen Graf
‏
@jochengraf

It was great to be 🏡 at Al Lang.

Not happy with a draw, but excited to get back to work this week preparing for Toronto next weekend.

#COYR

8:29 AM - 20 May 2018 from St Petersburg, FL

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/998216949837393920

Tampa Bay Rowdies

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@TampaBayRowdies

.@LanceRozeboom on his first goal for the Rowdies🎙️

"Neill made it a point, especially in the first few minutes, to play quick off the corners."

Lance Rozeboom on his goal against Pittsburgh Riverhounds

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8:00 AM - 20 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/998203107040411649

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@TampaBayRowdies

Head Coach @neillycollins3 on his first match at the helm:

"Those lads tonight tried to do everything I asked. At times it worked. At times it did not work. But the most important thing was they were trying to implement specific things that I had asked."

Neill Collins - Postgame Comments

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7:05 AM - 20 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/998190907701817344

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Home💚💛💚

😍

6:17 AM - 20 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/Jimmerz4Jjmac/status/998045041389076480

JJ McCabe
‏
@Jimmerz4Jjmac

Come on you Rowdies!! #AlLangStadium #DTSP #StPeteSunset @TampaBayRowdies

8:37 PM - 19 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/RalphsMob/status/998028577995153409

Ralph's Mob
‏
@RalphsMob

Home 🏡😍💚💛⚽️🙌🏽💪🏽

7:32 PM - 19 May 2018 from Tampa Bay Rowdies

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https://twitter.com/JDL_87/status/997979907694256130

@JDL_87

Jose De León Retweeted Tampa Bay Rowdies

Thanks for having us!!! Let’s GO @TampaBayRowdies

Jose De León added,

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Verified account

@TampaBayRowdies

Shoutout to @RaysBaseball’s @JDL_87 for coming out to support the Rowdies!

#TeamTampaBay

4:18 PM - 19 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/998030100384841728

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@TampaBayRowdies

Thank you to everyone who came out and supported us tonight!

We missed playing in front of the best fans in the league💚💛

7:38 PM - 19 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/998025782705442816

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Rowdies Snap Losing Streak In Collins' Coaching Debut

Match recap: http://bit.ly/2rSinvM

7:21 PM - 19 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/KodyAllenson/status/998004546952712192

Kody Allenson
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@KodyAllenson

Joe Cole. @TampaBayRowdies.
5 Hole.

#TBRvPGH

5:56 PM - 19 May 2018 from Tampa Bay Rowdies

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/998023780243931136

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HIGHLIGHTS presented by @FlyTPA

The Rowdies and @RiverhoundsSC play to an exciting 2-2 draw. Rozeboom and Cole scored the goals for the home team.

#TBRvPGH

7:13 PM - 19 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/998012412681949185

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FINAL The Rowdies draw their first match of the season with a 2-2 score against @RiverhoundsSC.

6:27 PM - 19 May 2018

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/05/20/impact-originals-reflect-start-club-ahead-25th-anniversary-match

Impact originals reflect on start of club ahead of 25th anniversary match

MONTREAL -- The Montreal Impact made their humble home debut as a fledgling member of the American Professional Soccer League on May 21, 1993.

Thanks to the vision and backing of the Saputo family, the Impact were born in the soccer void in the city after the Montreal Supra were left without a league when the Canadian Soccer League folded in 1992, six years after it was created.

The Montreal Canadiens were in the midst of a run to their record 24th Stanley Cup title as National Hockey League champions when the Impact took to the pitch at Centre Claude Robillard for the first time on that Friday evening 25 years ago.

With current Impact executive Nick De Santis in the starting XI, Montreal defeated the Tampa Bay Rowdies 4-2 before an overflow crowd of 5,380.

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https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/8kg7nl/dc_united_introduces_fam_fan_allocation_money/

DC United Introduces "FAM"... Fan Allocation Money. (self.MLS)

Just got an email from DCU for Fan Allocation Money, or FAM. Targeted towards season ticket holders (which I am not, so I don't know why I got the email...), DCU is allegedly giving STHs flexibility in using their unused season tickets.

FAM is a digital currency redeemed through the DC United app that can be used for buying additional seats, upgrading your own seats, and buying VIP experiences (field-side seats).

Some other features of FAM:

• Cannot be redeemed for cash
• If you trade in your tickets less than 48 hours before a match, you only get 60% of the face value of the ticket
• Does not roll over into a new season
• Cannot be used for playoff tickets (like that's gonna be a problem anytime soon...)
• Can't be used for concession or gift shop purchases

I'm trying to be as neutral as possible here, but I just can't see how DCU season ticket holders can be happy about this. Taking away the ability to get cash for tickets to games you can't attend seems to bone ticket holders pretty hard. I'd be interested to see what DCU ticket holders think, but with the uproar over the supporter groups this seems to be another bone-headed move by the FO. Thoughts?

*Edit: As I'm not a season ticket holder to any team and never have been, I didn't know that you couldn't sell your tickets for cash. I thought that season ticket holders could sell their tickets to games they can't attend either through Ticketmaster/StubHub, or through an official exchange from which you could get cash for those tickets. I did not think that ticket holders could sell their tickets back to the team. My apologies for my ignorance and confusion.

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Youth Transfer Fund MLS is about to introduce “YTF,” a new pool of money to... (theathletic.com)

https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/8kebht/mls_is_about_to_introduce_ytf_a_new_pool_of_money/

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https://theathletic.com/359370/2018/05/18/mls-is-about-to-introduce-ytf-a-new-pool-of-money-to-purchase-young-international-players/

MLS is about to introduce “YTF,” a new pool of money to purchase young players

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https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/8kespu/satire_major_league_soccer_is_about_to_introduce/

[Satire] Major League Soccer Is About To Introduce, "WTF," A New Pool Of Money For, "Whatever" (thenutmegnews.com)

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https://www.thenutmegnews.com/current/2018/5/18/major-league-soccer-is-about-to-introduce-wtf-a-new-pool-of-money-for-whatever

Major League Soccer Is About To Introduce, "WTF," A New Pool Of Money For, "Whatever"

NEW YORK - Insiders with Major League Soccer indicate that the league will soon introduce, "WTF," an acronym that stands for "Whatever The Fuck," which will be a new pool of money for, "Whatever the fuck you want to spend it on that might increase the profile of the league in some small way."

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https://www.sportstalkflorida.com/soccer/miami-beckham-united/waiting-for-beckham/

Waiting For Beckham

Where is the Miami MLS team?

In a perfect world, David Beckham’s Miami Major League Soccer franchise would be playing in a brand new stadium. But nothing is ever perfect and the MLS is still looking at David Beckham and asking where is your stadium? On February 5, 2014, the league gave Beckham a discounted rate to buy an expansion team and place the franchise in Miami. The league is still waiting for some sign of life more than four years later from Beckham’s soccer team. Beckham added new business partners in mid-December 2017 but the stadium is still in limbo although the MLS thinks Beckham will eventually have a soccer stadium opened but it appears that it will not happen before 2021 at the earliest. Officially Beckham still does not have an MLS team although he has owners and a team name and possibly a stadium.

The latest snag is that Beckham’s new partners didn’t care much for the Overton location for a stadium.  Overton is not out of the picture but there is tire kicking going on elsewhere within Miami and a city owned golf course property may be the apple of the Beckham group’s eye. There was a hope that Beckham’s group could get a question before voters in August about taking over the property. That may not happen and a vote could be pushed back to November. The Beckham’s group’s initiative has to be placed on the ballot by June 8 to get before voters in August.  It has been a struggle for Beckham and his advisers to land a stadium with a planned seaport stadium blocked by various interests. Beckham and his group were steered to land near the Miami Marlins baseball park but securing the land needed for the project is became a problem and Beckham abandoned the plan.  Beckham eventually decided on Overton but it appears he has been overruled. Beckham’s group wants Miami but there is a bigger question. Does Miami want them?

Beckham was at the royal wedding but he still does not have a Miami MLS team on the pitch.

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http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20180520/michael-arace--crew-sc-supporters-score-again-with-ticket-pledge

Michael Arace | Crew SC supporters score again with ticket pledge

There is a host of reasons why Anthony Precourt had a secret Austin exit clause written into the purchase agreement when he bought the Crew five years ago. Some of the reasons are even legitimate.

Precourt loves Austin because he has a weakness for queso, he said. Precourt loves Austin because that’s where he had his bachelor party; so said Dave Greeley, president of Precourt Sports Ventures. Precourt loves Austin because Major League Soccer needs to gouge new money from new markets.

Melted cheese, fond bachelor memories and pyramid schemes — these are all legitimate reasons to respect their ambition.

But the “Columbus is a failed market” story that has been peddled for months by MLS commissioner Don Garber, Greeley and Precourt is a whole lot of hooey. I mean, come on.

It is clear now that Precourt never tapped into the power of his greatest constituency. Oh, he hung out with Frankie Hejduk, sloshed around soccer bars and ran his or his father’s credit card. Yet, he and Greeley never truly engaged with the supporter groups — not like they should have. They only did enough to shield their grift.

Let us revisit September 2011, when the Crew business people set a goal of selling 10,000 season tickets. They didn’t quite hit their mark in 2012, but they got a 30 percent bump.

In 2013, Precourt bought the operation, and he included the secret exit clause. Four years later, he blamed Columbus and its fans and its business leaders for the failures of his administration and announced he was exploring a move to Austin. Garber went, “Yeah!”

If you’ve ever stolen a horse, or even if you haven’t, you have to know this was all a load of manure. Last week, #SaveTheCrew punched another hole in the con job.

Thursday morning, the Community Outreach subcommittee launched #STCProject2019 with a campaign they’re calling “Take the Pledge.” They used social-media platforms to direct interested parties to savethecrew.com, where they could pledge to buy season tickets “following the sale of Columbus Crew SC to a new local investor/operator.”

There were more than 1,000 responses by midnight Thursday. There were more than 5,000 pledges to buy tickets by midnight Friday. Remember, Precourt had more than 43,000 hours to try to sell 10,000 tickets. #SaveTheCrew got half that in pledges in 48 hours.

Thousands of locals re-upped and/or added to their packages. Hundreds of new fans also took the pledge, which in Columbus trended on Twitter. Scores of folks — from Pittsburgh to Memphis to islands in the Caribbean to Europe — pledged to buy and donate. Some of these are Columbus ex-pats. Others are simply soccer fans who are disgusted with the brazenness of Precourt and MLS. They want to believe in soccer’s special supporter/club relationship.

One of 18 subcommittees of a grassroots movement accomplished this without a whit of paid advertising or professional marketing. Among the volunteers was the crew who manned the #SaveTheCrew tent at the Taco Festival at Genoa Park on Saturday. I walked by after the thunderstorms and it was mobbed.

Understand: Project 2019 is only just getting started. Look out.

The “Art Modell Law” suit is paused in a Franklin County Court, ostensibly to give local investors time to make their pitch to buy the Crew. The Pledge, as it says at savethecrew.com, is not designed “to pad a bunch of stats, but to give a fresh, local investor/operator the chance to get a running start on success.”

In this context, a Massive Rolodex is a brilliant idea. And it is being compiled under the aegis of having Precourt out of the picture, which also is brilliant.

Precourt never wanted anything to do with Columbus. He was an absentee owner, a negligent landlord and, it turns out, a feckless con man. Now, the community that he abused is responding in kind. Have a nice day.

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http://www.realclearlife.com/sports/american-soccer-doesnt-second-class/

American Soccer Doesn’t Have to Be Second Class

We have the money to make MLS genuinely major league—here's why we haven't been spending it.

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http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/concacaf-us-venues-2018-gold-cup

Concacaf announces 15 US venues for 2018 Gold Cup

Details unveiled for expanded national team soccer tournament.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/may/21/why-the-us-men-will-never-win-the-world-cup-and-thats-ok

Why the US men will never win the World Cup (and that's OK)

The dream of USA dominating world football has been a dream for years. But structural and cultural issues ensure it won’t happen anytime soon

Official Neill Collins Announced as Tampa Bay Rowdies Head Coach (rowdiessoccer.com)

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8kd03c/neill_collins_announced_as_tampa_bay_rowdies_head/

Official Neill Collins Announced as Tampa Bay Rowdies Head Coach (rowdiessoccer.com)

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https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/919199?referrer_id=2824806

Neill Collins Announced as Tampa Bay Rowdies Head Coach

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (May 18, 2018) — After a professional playing career that spanned 18 years and 10 clubs, Neill Collins has taken the next step in his career by taking over as head coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the club announced Friday.

Collins, 34, holds a UEFA A Coaching License and will coach his first match tomorrow night against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Al Lang Stadium.

To date, Collins has made 598 professional appearances in a staggering career. He wore the captain’s armband Wednesday night in what was his 67th appearance for the Rowdies since joining in 2016.

“I am excited to announce Neill Collins as the new head coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies” said club Chairman and CEO Bill Edwards. “I’ve witnessed Neill’s intensity firsthand, and I know everyone in the locker room has immense respect for his ability and work ethic. He’s got the skills, the drive and the attitude to move the club to the top of the table. There are good coaches out there, but I think you can make a great coach by giving someone who already has a passion for the club a chance to lead it to victory. I have great faith in Neill. I know he intends to succeed in his new role with the Rowdies.”

“Curtailing my playing career is not an easy decision, but when an opportunity is as good as this one, it’s impossible to turn down,” Collins said. “It’s a fantastic club with many fantastic people behind the scenes and an excellent playing squad. I’m excited about the challenge of taking this club to where I think it should be.”

As he moves to lead the coaching staff, Collins in no longer expected to play for the Rowdies.

Collins owns and operates NC3 Coaching Academy in Lakewood Ranch, where we has worked with some of the brightest young soccer talents in the Tampa Bay area, as well as offseason work with established professionals.

He has also previously worked as a volunteer coach with the United States Paralympic National Team.

The Rowdies, led by Head Coach Neill Collins, take the pitch at Al Lang Stadium this Saturday against Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8kello/collins_focused_on_changing_rowdies_mindset/

Collins Focused on Changing Rowdies’ Mindset (theunsubs.com)

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2018/05/18/collins-focused-on-changing-rowdies-mindset/3723

Collins Focused on Changing Rowdies’ Mindset

When Neill Collins’ phone rang on Thursday morning to summon him to a meeting with Tampa Bay Rowdies owner Bill Edwards, getting an offer to coach the team he’s played for since 2016 was not what he was expecting.

After roughly two and half seasons with Stuart Campbell at the helm and a mediocre start this year, though, Edwards was ready to head in a new direction and wanted to Collins for the job.
Collins accepted without much hesitation.

“I genuinely thought (the meeting) was to get my counsel how to take things forward, discuss perhaps what was happening and how we could improve things,” Collins said. “Within two or three hours I’m going to be the head coach. That’s just life in football. It’s ups and downs and roundabouts. You never know week to week what’s going to be happening. This is probably the biggest whirlwind I’ve had in my career, but it’s certainly and exciting chapter.”

Like many of Edwards’ decisions, the coaching shakeup is an unusual situation. Collins, 34, has been Tampa Bay’s best defender on the back line and arguably the best player overall through the first nine matches of the United Soccer League season. The Scotsman remains on the club’s active roster, but he’s not expected to suit up for the Rowdies again as he puts all his energy on the fulltime job of coaching.

It’s an abrupt end to an 18-year playing career for Collins, though he won’t have much time for reflection on the early retirement as he gets set for his first match as coach Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.

“I’ve not had time to think about it yet,” he said. “It’s going to come at different points when I realize I’m not gonna be running out there to play and tackle and head and shout at people. But there’s gonna be other challenges that are exciting and I’m looking forward to having an influence on the bigger picture. I’m really excited about that.”

Veteran Joe Cole, who has already announced this will be his final season as a player, is grateful for the swiftness of the club’s actions after Campbell’s exit and also praised Collins as “hardworking” and “demanding” shortly after Friday’s training session.

“You don’t want to be left in limbo too long, so the fact that it happened quickly I thought was good for all concerned,” Cole said. “Obviously you’re sad with the ex-coach leaving because obviously you feel a degree of responsibility. You’re part of the problem, you know. Then the new guy comes in and all of a sudden there’s new ideas, so it’s a lift. There wasn’t a long time in that limbo zone where there’s maybe a caretaker manager. Bill’s been very astute and done everything quickly and made his decision. We’re ready to go.”

“I’ve been there plenty of time when managers change hands and new guys come in,’ Cole added. “Sometimes you have an immediate effect, sometimes you have a slow burner. I think he’ll just be looking to impose his personality and will on the team over a course of time. Hopefully it starts from the kick off tomorrow night.”

Collins, who holds a UEFA A Coaching License, has a tough task as a first-time coach being thrown into the job with about 75 percent of the season left to go. He’ll need to hit the ground running and learn on the job to meet the expectations of ownership and the supporters that had high hopes.

For the time being he’s focusing on getting the players — and the entire organization — in a better headspace following the recent four-match losing streak.

“I think there’s always changes that can be made in any team. For me the biggest thing is I want to try and get a really positive mindset. I want everyone at this club, from the owner Mr. Edwards, the kit man, to the people medical room, all pulling in one direction, helping each other out. There’s so many people willing to offer at this club that I’m really excited about working together.”

As for what changes supporters might expect to see Saturday when the Rowdies lineup against the Riverhounds?

“That would be telling. I might be young, but I’m not that wet behind the ears.”

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8ke860/rowdies_announce_new_head_coach_neill_collins_day/

Rowdies announce new Head Coach Neill Collins day after the team and former coach part ways. (lemoncitylive.com)

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.lemoncitylive.com/news/neill-collins-announced-as-new-tampa-bay-rowdies-head-coach/

Neill Collins Announced as new Tampa Bay Rowdies Head Coach

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8kdeoy/from_the_pitch_unsung_heroes_by_neill_collins/

From the Pitch – "Unsung Heroes" by Neill Collins (from a few days ago) (uslsoccer.com)

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/918591

From the Pitch – "Unsung Heroes"

After 18 years between the lines, Collins shines a light on the team behind the scenes

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/919231?referrer_id=2364194

Rowdies Announce Collins As Head Coach

Defender moves into new role with the club following 18-year career

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.baynews9.com//fl/tampa/news/2018/05/18/rowdies-announce-ex-player-neill-collins-as-new-coach.html

Rowdies announce ex-player Neill Collins as new coach

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https://www.yourobserver.com/article/lakewood-ranch-neill-collins-tampa-bay-rowdies-coach

Lakewood Ranch man named head coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies

He also owns and operates NC3 Soccer, a youth soccer academy.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies, the United Soccer League team based in St. Petersburg, have named former Rowdies player Neill Collins as its head coach.

Collins, 34, also owns and operates NC3 Soccer, a youth soccer academy in Lakewood Ranch. Collins also previously worked as a volunteer coach with the United States Paralympic National Team, and holds a UEFA A Coaching License.

“I am excited to announce Neill Collins as the new head coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies,” Rowdies chairman and CEO Bill Edwards said in a statement. “I’ve witnessed Neill’s intensity firsthand, and I know everyone in the locker room has immense respect for his ability and work ethic. He’s got the skills, the drive and the attitude to move the club to the top of the table. There are good coaches out there, but I think you can make a great coach by giving someone who already has a passion for the club a chance to lead it to victory. I have great faith in Neill. I know he intends to succeed in his new role with the Rowdies.”

Collins will coach his first game on May 19 when the Rowdies host the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at 7:30 p.m. at Al Lang Stadium.

His playing career lasted 18 years across 10 clubs, including 81 appearances with the Wolverhampton Wanderers, now of the Premier League, and 179 appearances with Sheffield United, a second-tier (Champions) club in England. Collins was playing with the Rowdies before being named coach, but will now stop playing.

"Curtailing my playing career is not an easy decision, but when an opportunity is as good as this one, it’s impossible to turn down,” Collins said in a release. “It’s a fantastic club with many fantastic people behind the scenes and an excellent playing squad. I’m excited about the challenge of taking this club to where I think it should be."

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8kghly/rowdies_launch_new_radio_partner_to_broadcast/

Rowdies launch new Radio partner to broadcast matches – 1250 AM WHNZ (twitter.com)

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https://twitter.com/whnz/status/997559987248549890

1250 WHNZ
‏
@whnz

1250 AM @whnz -- new radio home of @tampabayrowdies soccer! Hear  #Rowdies v Pittsburgh Sat at 7:30! http://ihe.art/Gxe8Q0e  @ralphsmob

12:30 PM - 18 May 2018

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http://www.tampabay.com/news/Top-5-at-noon-Fatalities-reported-as-suspected-shooter-at-Texas-high-school-in-custody-think-you-know-what-s-next-for-Pam-Bondi-you-have-no-idea-and-more_168357241

Top 5 at noon: Fatalities reported as suspected shooter at Texas high school in custody; think you know what’s next for Pam Bondi? you have no idea; and more

WHO IS MOSAIC? A PRIMER ON THE FORTUNE 500 COMPANY MOVING TO HILLSBOROUGH

It’s always a coup to lure a Fortune 500 company, especially for an area that needs all the corporate clout it can get. It’s reason to celebrate. And with the big news that Mosaic is moving its headquarters to Hillsborough County, it’s also a good time to brush up on what this massive company is all about. Mosaic is the world’s largest combined producer of potash and phosphates but is more behind the scenes than some of our other corporate behemoths, like Bloomin’ Brands or Publix.

ROWDIES TRANSITION DEFENDER NEILL COLLINS TO HEAD COACH

Less than 24 hours after the Tampa Bay Rowdies began the search for a new head coach, the team announced former player Neill Collins will be taking over. The Rowdies (4-5-0) mutually parted ways with former head coach Stuart Campbell on Thursday. Collins, 34, joined the Rowdies in 2016 as a defender and has been with the team since. He played for the club Wednesday against Jacksonville. The Scotland native isn’t expected to play now that he’s taken over coaching duties.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/919247?referrer_id=2349190

Eastern Conf. Notebook — FCC Aims For Rebound as NCFC Visits

Hounds' undefeated record to be tested in Florida; Fury FC finding confidence

BUSY WEEKS TO TEST PITTSBURGH:  Now with the league’s only undefeated record, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC travel to Florida to take on a Tampa Bay Rowdies team desperate to get back in form on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). Despite the Rowdies poor run of late, with three straight league losses, Tampa Bay is a different team at home, having won every match at Al Lang Stadium, meaning that Riverhounds SC Head Coach Bob Lilley is determined to not take things lightly.

“They control possession a lot of times, so I think that's one of the challenges. We're not going to have as much of the ball as we have had,” said Lilley. We're going to have to be able to find outlets and get players into the attack.”

With a US Open Cup win on Wednesday, The Hounds will face a busier schedule, having to now take on FC Cincinnati on Wednesday and that has created different preparation for Saturday’s match.

"We have now definitively five games - potentially six if we get through the Open Cup game next Wednesday against Cincinnati - so we'll have those five games or six on short rest, short preparation,” said Lilley. “We are doing different things with massages, with cryotherapy, anything we can do to regenerate quickly. We're going to be rotating a lot of players."

Pittsburgh has proved it has a strong team, you have to in order to be undefeated at this stage of the season, with that strong squad sure to have its team spirit tested in this run.

"It's our job, the guys that are healthy, to go out, put in solid performances, work hard together, and we're going to have to be very collective. There's no easy way to go through a stretch like this,” said Lilley.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/breese-stevens-field-will-be-home-to-madison-pro-soccer/article_44c871e1-5297-5451-9f07-578609aab8f9.html

Breese Stevens Field will be home to Madison pro soccer team in 2019

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.businessinsider.com/us-soccer-diversity-2018-5

The financial demands of soccer in the United States are harming the diversity of the sport and holding the national team back

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2018/05/18/detroit-city-soccer-club-denied-uspto/35054433/

‘Detroit City Soccer Club’ again denied by USPTO

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http://www.goal.com/en-in/lists/giovinco-vela-schweinsteiger-the-highest-paid-players-in-mls/myvwivtkarv51vknuagkzznpg

Giovinco, Vela, Schweinsteiger & the highest paid players in MLS

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5746009/Wayne-Rooney-handed-open-ended-return-Everton-coach.html

Everton hand Wayne Rooney open-ended return as a coach with striker still weighing up MLS offer

    Wayne Rooney has an open-ended invitation to return to Everton in the future
    He is still deciding whether to accept an offer from DC United in MLS
    Rooney has already been told he would be welcomed back to the club as a coach
    Michel Platini has admitted to fixing the draw for the 1998 World Cup in France

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/05/18/lets-go-retro-mls-clubs-embracing-old-school-gear

Let's Go Retro: MLS clubs embracing the old school gear

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https://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/food-drink/worldwhiskyday-5-whiskies-to-celebrate-15038459

#WorldWhiskyDay- 5 whiskies to Celebrate

Haig Club Clubman

With one of the most controversial serves in the industry at the moment, Whisky and Cola, Haig Club Clubman has hit the local market by storm.

With David Beckham being the face of the brand and being in JHB for the launch, the Clubman exploded onto the local market with already many saying that because of its light a delicate character it makes for a perfect whisky for mixing. This is a Single Grain whisky that challenges the conventional way whisky should be drank letting consumers enjoy the whisky the way they like best.

Rowdies Part Ways with Head Coach Stuart Campbell (rowdiessoccer.com)

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8k7xv6/rowdies_part_ways_with_head_coach_stuart_campbell/

Rowdies Part Ways with Head Coach Stuart Campbell (rowdiessoccer.com)

I wish him well in life, and am grateful for his part as player and coach. However, this was needed a long time ago. The team with this much talent cannot be such a joke on the road.

Just had to happen, don't think there was a choice. Absolute good guy, wish him the absolute best.

Great guy and Grateful for his time but after last year and this year it was beyond time to go. The team underperformed with the talent we have accumulated.

With that being said, my short list in no particular order: MDS, Nesta, Schmid.

Any other options??

Nesta could be interesting...

I think Nesta is going to a Serie B team that is being promoted...

I a livorno fan for Italian soccer, I know a few teams get promoted but livorno just made it through is that who you meant?

MDS would be amazing.

Tough luck MDS is a assistant at LAFC :(

I think that’s a good thing. I’d rather be a head coach in D2 than a assistant in D1.

Turn us around. Win another trophy and then MLS will come calling for a head coaching position.

Idk he may be looking into long term to serving with LAFC in the future; things right now looking good for the their team. That’s why I doubt it.

Good decision. Stu has been a great servant of the club but he just ran out of ideas in the end.

Who do we want as his replacement? I hear Sam Allardyce is out of a job...

I just dealt with a year of Sam at Everton, no more please.

[Devil's Advocate]

USL is a very different situation from the Premier League, so whatever happened with Everton this past year isn't really relevant.

Plus, Sam does have some history with the Rowdies, way back in 1983.

So it would be an interesting/amusing pick.

[/Devil's Advocate]

#BigSam2Rowdies

    BigSam2Rowdies

It would be amusing, but, no thanks.

Big Sam would be looking at this more as a good excuse to vacation/take early retirement in Florida, rather than to prove himself and make his mark.

We need someone with a proven track record, preferably in MLS/USL/NASL, who isn't at the very end of his coaching career.

Of course if Big Sam made it very clear that he was coming on board to whip things into shape for TBR and win some silverware for a change (something he hasn't been able to do in England as a "relegation rescue" manager), that's an entirely different matter.

But there's no way of knowing how well he would make the transition from England to USL soccer. It would be a huge gamble.

To play Devil's Advocate further...

Apart from being a link back to the Rowdies past (circa 1983), hiring Big Sam would make a splash internationally, and thus potentially help recruit international players (at least in the UK) and give some publicity to Bill Edwards search for a buyer/investor in #MLS2StPete #MLS2TampaBay #Rowdies2MLS ....

So there are some potential off-the-field reasons why Big Sam shouldn't be dismissed outright.

I mean, just sayin'...

Sam might not be such a good idea as coach, but then again he might be; it depends how well he can "manage the locker room" and how well he can handle making tactical changes to suit the various situations the Rowdies will find themselves in, in USL.

If he can handle that, no reason why he couldn't do well as Rowdies manager.

But I have no clue about such matters, so I dunno.

No fam, what are you on? Sam? No lol.

What next for Sam Allardyce?

http://www.thesackrace.com/news/16th-may-2018/what-next-for-sam-allardyce

Miami MLS Franchise

This is definitely one to ponder.

The MLS’s newest franchise, Miami, are owned by a certain David Beckham.

They aren’t set to enter the expanded league until the 2020 season, but if Allardyce is willing to kick back and relax for a bit - maybe even have a stint on I'm A Celeb - he could well find himself in the running to become Beckham’s first manager.

At the time of writing Big Sam is a 16/1 shot with Bet Victor, while he’s the same price to take charge of the United States national team.

Thank you Stu, time for new!

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/919037?referrer_id=2824806

Rowdies Part Ways with Head Coach Stuart Campbell

ST.  PETERSBURG, Fla. (May 17, 2018) — Tampa Bay Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards and Head Coach Stuart Campbell announced today that they have mutually decided to part ways, with Campbell stepping down immediately.

“It has been wonderful working with Stuart these last few years, and we will miss him,” said Edwards.  “He has been a great example for our players and coaching staff.  We part ways with the utmost respect for one another and I look forward to seeing him at future matches.”

“First and foremost I’d like to thank Bill for the opportunities he has given me and the loyalty he has shown toward me,” said Campbell.  “This opportunity has been life changing for my family and I, and for that we will be forever grateful to the Rowdies.”

At this time, the club has no further coaching announcement.

The Rowdies take the pitch at Al Lang Stadium this Saturday against Pittsburgh Riverhounds.  Kickoff is at 7:30 pm.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/8k8cbd/rowdies_fire_head_coach_stuart_campbell/

Rowdies Fire Head Coach Stuart Campbell (theunsubs.com)

Onward and upward!

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2018/05/17/rowdies-fire-head-coach-stuart-campbell/3714

Rowdies Fire Head Coach Stuart Campbell

Stuart Campbell’s tenure as head coach for the Tampa Bay Rowdies has come to end.

The Rowdies fired Campbell Thursday morning, a day removed from the club’s first round exit in the U.S. Open Cup to Jacksonville Armada. Campbell has been in the position since taking over from Thomas Rongen in the back half of the 2015 season. In that time, the Rowdies have a record of 31W-19D-28L in league play.

The club did not announce a replacement for Campbell or name an interim coach.

“It has been wonderful working with Stuart these last few years, and we will miss him,” Rowdies Owner Bill Edwards said. “He has been a great example for our players and coaching staff. We part ways with the utmost respect for one another and I look forward to seeing him at future matches.”

Despite posting four wins in four outings at Al Lang Stadium this year, the Rowdies have struggled to establish themselves as serious contenders in Eastern Conference through the first quarter of the United Soccer League season. After notching a victory at North Carolina FC in the season opener, the club has recorded four straight road losses in the USL and has been outscored 11-0 in those matches.

The Rowdies remain in a postseason position heading into Saturday’s home match against the undefeated Pittsburgh Riverhounds, though they’re close to falling out of that as five teams are within three points or fewer of catching them in the standings.

Campbell joined the Rowdies as a player and assistant coach ahead of the 2012 North American Soccer League season, playing a key role as a midfielder as the club went on to claim its first league title of the modern era that ear. He retired after the 2013 season to become a full-time assistant under then head coach Ricky Hill.

At only 37 years old, Campbell was thrust into the head coaching role unexpectedly after the abrupt exit of Rongen two and half years ago. Campbell failed to rally the Rowdies to a postseason berth in the final months of that season and in his first full season in charge the following year. In 2017, Campbell managed to right the ship enough to get the Rowdies back into the postseason for the first time since 2012 as they finished third in the conference in their USL debut. Ultimately, they fell to New York Red Bulls II in a bitter extra-time loss in the second round of the postseason.

“First and foremost I’d like to thank Bill for the opportunities he has given me and the loyalty he has shown toward me,” Campbell said. “This opportunity has been life changing for my family and I, and for that we will be forever grateful to the Rowdies.”

Campbell has always had the respect of Rowdies supporters for his time as a player in the Green and Gold, though many have questioned if he was the right person to be the permanent head coach. Fan frustrations over the lack of progress the club has made under Campbell over the last few years despite significant investment from ownership reached a tipping point during this recent stretch of losses.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.news4jax.com/sports/armada-advance-in-us-open-cup-1-0-over-tampa-bay

Armada advance in US Open Cup, 1-0 over Tampa Bay

J.C. Banks' goal sets up match with Miami United FC

(Follow link for full article.)

https://en.as.com/resultados/futbol/copa_usa/2018/directo/cuarta_ronda_a_1_240185/?omnaut=1

Jacksonville Armada FC 1 END 0 Tampa Bay Rowdies

Jacksonville Armada FC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies live: Copa USA 2018 - AS.com

Updating to 05:25h CEST - Thursday, 17/05/2018

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.abcactionnews.com/lifestyle/taste-and-see/what-s-happening-in-tampa-bay-this-weekend-may-18-20

What's happening in Tampa Bay this weekend? | May 18-20

Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Al Lang Stadium at 150 2nd Avenue North, St. Petersburg

Cost: $25.85

Info: Come watch the Tampa Bay Rowdies take on the  Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Al Lang Stadium!

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.wfla.com/sports/tampa-bay-rowdies-part-ways-with-head-coach-stuart-campbell/1185652773

Tampa Bay Rowdies part ways with head coach Stuart Campbell

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) - Tampa Bay Rowdies Chairman and CEO Bill Edwards and Head Coach Stuart Campbell announced Thursday that they mutually decided to part ways.

Campbell will be stepping down immediately.

“It has been wonderful working with Stuart these last few years, and we will miss him,” said Edwards. 

“He has been a great example for our players and coaching staff.  We part ways with the utmost respect for one another and I look forward to seeing him at future matches.”

“First and foremost I’d like to thank Bill for the opportunities he has given me and the loyalty he has shown toward me,” said Campbell.

The Rowdies did not announce who will be taking Campbell's job as head coach.

The Rowdies take on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at home this Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/919061?referrer_id=2349190

Rowdies Part Ways with Campbell

Head Coach's departure ends seven-year tenure with club as player and coach

ST.  PETERSBURG, Fla.  – Tampa Bay Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards and Head Coach Stuart Campbell announced today that they have mutually decided to part ways, with Campbell stepping down immediately.

“It has been wonderful working with Stuart these last few years, and we will miss him,” said Edwards. “He has been a great example for our players and coaching staff.  We part ways with the utmost respect for one another and I look forward to seeing him at future matches.”

“First and foremost I’d like to thank Bill for the opportunities he has given me and the loyalty he has shown toward me,” said Campbell. “This opportunity has been life changing for my family and I, and for that we will be forever grateful to the Rowdies.”

Campbell made 41 appearances for the Rowdies after joining the club in its 2012 championship season, and made the transition to the club's coaching staff as an assistant prior to the start of the 2013 season. He was named as Tampa Bay's Head Coach midway through the 2015 season, and last year led the club to a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference in the Rowdies' first season in the USL, and the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs.

At this time, the club has no further coaching announcement.

The Rowdies take the pitch at Al Lang Stadium this Saturday against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET. 

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.thesackrace.com/news/16th-may-2018/what-next-for-sam-allardyce

What next for Sam Allardyce?

On the day he could have been naming his England squad for the 2018 World Cup, Sam Allardyce instead suffered the sack at Everton.

Big Sam will no doubt feel hard done by given that he’d come in and done exactly what was asked of him.

Click here for the Next Everton Manager Market

Upon his arrival the confidence-crushed Toffees were struggling in the bottom-half of the table. He came in, steadied the ship and steered the club to 8th, 16 points clear of safety.

However, he now finds himself back in the Job Centre for the fourth time in two years.

So, what next for Big Sam...?

Wait for a Premier League job

Allardyce is unlikely to make an instant return to the Premier League dugout.

There’s absolutely no chance that he’ll get the Arsenal or Chelsea jobs, while he’s already managed West Ham and Newcastle, and will not be returning to either club.

The veteran gaffer is a 66/1 outsider to replace the under-fire Claude Puel at Leicester City, but we can’t see that one happening either.

In all likeliness Allardyce will jet off on a few holidays, drink some fine wine, play a bit of golf, then come Autumn he’ll find himself in the mix for a top-flight job when a troubled club sacks their manager. Easy.

West Brom

If Allardyce is looking to make a swift return to management then West Brom could well be an option, however he’ll have to dip back down to the Championship.

The Baggies, who went through three managers last season, are currently deciding whether to appoint their popular caretaker boss Darren Moore or Brentford’s Dean Smith.

However, the sudden availability of Allardyce, 20/1, could throw a spanner in the works.

Leeds

Staying in the Championship, there’s a long shot in a switch to Leeds United.

The Whites are currently deciding what to do with boss Paul Heckingbottom, who has endured a difficult time at the helm since replacing Thomas Christiansen in February.

Heckingbottom may be under-fire but we believe he deserves a full season to prove himself.

However, if the Yorkshire club do live up to their trigger-happy reputation, then expect Allardyce’s odds of 100/1 to be slashed.

Miami MLS Franchise

This is definitely one to ponder.

The MLS’s newest franchise, Miami, are owned by a certain David Beckham.

They aren’t set to enter the expanded league until the 2020 season, but if Allardyce is willing to kick back and relax for a bit - maybe even have a stint on I'm A Celeb - he could well find himself in the running to become Beckham’s first manager.

At the time of writing Big Sam is a 16/1 shot with Bet Victor, while he’s the same price to take charge of the United States national team.

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https://socceramerica.com/publications/article/77958/usl-stuart-campbell-departs-a-day-after-rowdies.html

USL: Stuart Campbell departs a day after Rowdies' Open Cup loss

Who says the U.S. Open Cup doesn't count for anything?

A day after the Tampa Bay Rowdies lost to the Jacksonville Armada, their former NASL rival, they parted ways with head coach Stuart Campbell.

“It has been wonderful working with Stuart these last few years, and we will miss him,” said Tampa Bay chairman & CEO Bill Edwards.  “He has been a great example for our players and coaching staff.  We part ways with the utmost respect for one another and I look forward to seeing him at future matches.”

Campbell, who played in England for Leicester City, Birmingham City, Grimsby Town and Bristol Rovers, finished out his playing career with the Rowdies, then joined the coaching staff.

He took over as head coach in August 2015 when Thomas Rongen was fired. He coached the Rowdies in the NASL in 2016 and in the USL 2017.

On Wednesday, the Rowdies were one of seven USL teams to lose to Open Division teams in the Open Cup's second round. They are 4-5-0 and seventh in the USL's Eastern Conference after nine games. All five USL losses have come on shutout defeats on the road.

“This opportunity has been life changing for my family and I," said Campbell, "and for that we will be forever grateful to the Rowdies.”

No successor has yet been named.

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https://twitter.com/USL/status/996866525305999362

USL

‏Verified account

@USL

Not every teammate wears a jersey. Not every hero wears a cape.

If you ask @neillycollins3, the real stars are those behind the scenes.

This is, From the Pitch.

2:34 PM - 16 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/997109446475223040

Tampa Bay Rowdies

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@TampaBayRowdies

Tampa Bay Rowdies Retweeted Tampa Bay Rowdies

The application period for our Jr. Reporter contest closes this Sunday! If you've got a kid aged 8-12 that would be interested, see below! 👇👇

Tampa Bay Rowdies added,

Tampa Bay Rowdies

Verified account

@TampaBayRowdies

🚨CONTEST ALERT🚨

We’re searching for local kids ages 8-12 to become our first ever Rowdies Jr. Reporters!

…

6:39 AM - 17 May 2018

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https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/997224650492006400

Tampa Bay Rowdies

‏Verified account @TampaBayRowdies

NEWS: Tampa Bay Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards and Head Coach Stuart Campbell announced today that they have mutually decided to part ways, with Campbell stepping down immediately.

Read more: http://bit.ly/2L9Vj3B

2:17 PM - 17 May 2018

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https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3850449&pagenumber=2

Rowdies lose to Jacksonville 1-0 in Jacksonville, in the US Open Cup, ending (hopefully) a very long streak of road losses and ending Coach Stu Campbell's job with the Rowdies.

So, speaking of coaches, the Rowdies are looking for a new head coach/manager.

Hopefully Bill Edwards opens his checkbook and hires someone good this time, and doesn't just promote another already hired assistant coach in the hopes that he will work out okay somehow.

Rowdies have spent entirely too much money on quality players, it makes no sense to cheap out when hiring coaches. We should be getting much better results given the quality of players that we have, and this has been the consistent problem now for four years running.

When Stu was first promoted, I vainly hoped it was a temporary thing while we searched for a coach. I didn't mind giving him some experience, but it was clear pretty early on that he couldn't get the most out of our players.

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https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3855616

Rowdies lose to Jacksonville 1-0 in Jacksonville, in the US Open Cup, ending (hopefully) a very long streak of road losses and ending Coach Stu Campbell's job with the Rowdies. 

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http://www.tampabay.com/sports/rowdies/2018/05/17/rowdies-coach-stuart-campbell-steps-down/

Rowdies coach Stuart Campbell steps down

ST. PETERSBURG — Tampa Bay Rowdies chairman/CEO Bill Edwards and coach Stuart Campbell announced Thursday that Campbell will step down immediately.

"It has been wonderful working with Stuart these last few years, and we will miss him," Edwards said in a statement. "He has been a great example for our players and coaching staff. We part ways with the utmost respect for one another and I look forward to seeing him at future matches."

Both said the decision was mutual.

"First and foremost I'd like to thank Bill for the opportunities he has given me and the loyalty he has shown toward me," said Campbell, who was promoted to head coach in August 2015 after Thomas Rongen was fired. "This opportunity has been life changing for my family and I, and for that we will be forever grateful to the Rowdies."

Campbell finished 26-22-27 at Tampa Bay.

The Rowdies said in a release that the team will have no further comment on the move.

The Rowdies, who are 4-5-0 this season after three straight losses on the road, are back home on Saturday night at 7:30 against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

Tampa Bay is seventh in the Eastern Conference standings and was eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup Wednesday after a 1-0 loss in the second round at host Jacksonville of the National Premier Soccer League.

Beckham stadium delayed? Miami still awaits proposal to build it on public golf course

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http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article211192009.html

Beckham stadium delayed? Miami still awaits proposal to build it on public golf course

For two months, David Beckham's group has talked about switching from land the group bought in Overtown for a Miami soccer stadium to building it on the city-owned Melreese golf course — a plan that would have to move quickly because the administration wants voter approval for such a deal.

But Beckham's group has taken so long to produce the plans it promised that hopes of putting the lease on the August ballot have dried up, and it now appears the measure couldn't be voted on before November.

The delay could nudge the ballot question into tricky political territory as the November ballot — already jammed with 13 state constitutional amendments — might also include a loaded menu of city ballot questions involving leases of public land and the power structure of Miami's government.

It's unclear if Melreese has become the front-runner for a Major League Soccer stadium — Beckham and partner Jorge Mas have not publicly indicated so — but city officials have said the soccer group has promised renderings and economic impact figures for a Melreese stadium.

till, there are longstanding plans to build on nine acres in Overtown that were approved by MLS and have never been ruled out, and Beckham's group has met with Doral officials to discuss interest in privately owned land in the suburban west Miami-Dade city.

Miami City Manager Emilio Gonzalez told the Miami Herald he had not received a proposal from the Beckham team as of Tuesday, more than two months after Beckham and partner Jorge Mas met with him and Mayor Francis Suarez to discuss redeveloping part of Melreese golf course into a large soccer complex with a youth academy, retail, office space and park land.

Gonzalez said he does not want to rush any proposal through an administrative review and put it before the City Commission, which would have to approve the proposal at its May 24 meeting — the last meeting before the county's June 8 deadline for cities to submit questions for the August ballot.

"At this point, I don't see that happening," Gonzalez said. "It would have to be in November."

November's ballot could be crowded with other questions on large-scale redevelopments of public land in Miami, including two high-profile waterfront projects : A residential, hotel and riverside park plan being pursued by Hyatt Hotels for the site of the Downtown Hyatt Regency and Knight Center near the mouth of the Miami River, and a deal with the Adler Group to build a similar two-tower project where the city's waterfront administration building stands in exchange for a new government building elsewhere.

Another looming referendum: An overhaul of Miami's government that would make Suarez a "strong mayor," the city's most powerful elected official who, as the top administrator, would control the bureaucracy's day-to-day operations. Suarez is pursuing the referendum via ballot petition, an initiative that already faces opposition from Commissioner Joe Carollo, who is threatening to push several competing government-makeover questions onto the ballot.

Suarez said he doesn't worry about the viability of strong mayor and stadium questions together on a November ballot.

"I have a lot of faith in the democratic process and in the city of Miami's voters to decide what's best for themselves," he said.

Melreese Country Club near Miami International Airport could be the next site for David Beckham's soccer stadium.

Ballot congestion aside, a Melreese proposal is destined to become a flashpoint for green-space advocates and golfers who favor the course. A chorus of voices from the golfing community has spoken out against a stadium, according to publications such as Golfworld and an online petition to keep Melreese the way it is that has garnered about 1,400 signatures.

On the other hand, proponents could point to a recent audit that cast a poor light on the financial management of Melreese, which is operated by the family-run DeLucca Enterprises. In August, Miami's independent auditor general issued a report calling out Melreese's standards for awarding vendor contracts and general financial mismanagement.

The audit, first reported on by WPLG Local 10 in in March, found the DeLuccas gave a family-owned vendor a contract worth $52,642, failed to submit a budget to the city and missed deadlines for remitting credit card revenue to the city. The audit recommended stronger financial controls in the parks department.

The DeLucca family could not be reached for comment for this story before it was published online early Wednesday. Later Wednesday, an attorney representing the DeLuccas sent the Herald a copy of the company's response to the city audit.

In his response, Charles Delucca III rebuffed all of the auditor general's recommendations, saying he has saved the city money by forgoing the typical open bid process to find vendors. He argued that if the "best practices" were followed for the golf course, it would cost the city more money. Delucca never disputes hiring an affiliated company for work at Melreese, but he insisted he doesn't personally benefit from those contracts because the vendors make little to no profit, which keeps costs to the city low.

"In summary, Delucca does not receive any significant benefit from the transactions with Delucca affiliates, and all transactions with affiliates have substantially benefited the city by reducing the overall operating costs at Melreese," Delucca wrote.

Delucca also pushed back on the budgeting and credit card revenue issues, saying the city failed to include him in discussions about Melreese's budget over the years, forcing him to contend with insufficient funding to run the course, and criticizing the city's internal accounting for bookkeeping discrepancies.

Gonzalez said he wants a review of Melreese this summer to see if the operation has changed.

"I've been made aware of of the audit, and my plan is to conduct another audit at the one-year mark to see if they have tightened up their financial operations," he said.

The DeLuccas are well-regarded for their youth programs at Melreese, which city officials have said would continue to exist even if other parts of the park were redeveloped into a stadium.

Rafael Becker, 26, practices putting at the Melreese golf course in March 2018. The professional golfer believes “it would be a shame” for the city to allow a soccer stadium to be built in the park.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.bisnow.com/south-florida/news/construction-development/miami-worldcenter-downtown-transformation-88404

Never Mind South Beach. Miami's Downtown Is Undergoing A Multibillion-Dollar Transformation

In 2010, when LeBron James announced during a televised ESPN special that he would be “taking his talents to South Beach” and joining the Miami Heat, Floridians chuckled, because while South Beach is the main tourist drag on a barrier island, the Heat’s stadium is actually located across a causeway, on the mainland in downtown Miami.

Today, the script has flipped. Parts of South Beach are struggling with vacancies, and the action is downtown. The biggest project of all is Miami Worldcenter, a $2.7B mixed-use concept spearheaded by developers Art Falcone and Nitin Motwani on 27 acres right at the crossroads of Biscayne Boulevard and major highways. With four residential towers, a 1,700-room Marriott Marquis hotel and conference center, a 45-story office tower and 450K SF of high-street retail, is the biggest project currently going vertical in the U.S. after New York City's 28-acre Hudson Yards. (Both will soon be eclipsed by Water Street Tampa -- Jeff Vinik's $3B megadevelopment on 50 acres, which broke ground in April.) A media tour last week, which included a visit to the 43rd floor of the Paramount Miami Worldcenter condo tower, offered an incredible vantage point to witness the city's transformation.

Downtown Miami was for decades a blighted area with crumbling parking lots and homeless people blanketing the streets. The area was dead except for a 9-to-5 influx of downtown office workers. But developers saw opportunity. Falcone said he had a vision for a master plan when he bought the first big parcel for what would become Miami Worldcenter back in 2003, at an auction of city-owned land. Motwani joined him in 2005. Potential partners thought, "These guys are crazy," Falcone said. It took them 10 years and 40 contracts to assemble their site. They held on through the Great Recession, when land was essentially on sale, and foreign buyers had huge appetites for luxury condos. Towers by other developers went up, and between 2010 and 2016, the downtown population rose 30%. More recently, city officials and planners have begun to focus on transit-oriented development, coworking and a burgeoning tech scene. Despite some voices predicting another real estate bubble and the drumbeat of warnings about climate change, developers have been bullish.

In 2013, the Perez Art Museum Miami, founded by developer Jorge Perez of Related Group, moved into a prominent new building designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Herzog & de Meuron on the main drag, Biscayne Boulevard. Next door, the Frost Science Museum opened last year. Cranes are everywhere, including at the site of One Thousand Museum, designed by late, famed architect Zaha Hadid. There are also efforts underway to activate the waterfront promenade, the Baywalk, and David Beckham is spearheading plans for a soccer team and stadium.

There are also hopes that mass transit will improve. A new train station, Miami Central, opened last week just steps from Miami Worldcenter. Service on a new luxury railway, Brightline, starts there next weekend and will eventually go to Orlando. Another train service, Tri-Rail, is also slated to come into downtown, and a downtown elevated rail service, Metromover, also operates locally. Motwani marveled at how Miami is transforming from car-centric to pedestrian-first thinking. "Ten years ago, the county code for pedestrians was 'non-automotive units,'" he said. In total, the Downtown Development Authority says that there are currently 32,221 condos, 16,290 apartments, 20,000-plus hotel rooms, 6.1M SF of office space and 6.1M SF of retail in the development pipeline. (See an interactive map here.)

Of course, the focus is on luxury living — units at one of Miami Worldcenter's residential towers, Paramount, start at $700K. Miami will have to contend with the same challenges facing many major cities. The Miami Herald reported this week that teachers can’t afford 91% of area homes and the city is experimenting with building staff housing on campuses. The homeless population is losing protections, and the middle class is, as always, getting squeezed. Here is a 360-degree virtual reality rendering of what Miami Worldcenter will look like when complete. See Also: Fever Pitch: 9 New U.S. Soccer Stadiums Rise With Sport’s Popularity Related Topics: Miami, Miami Worldcenter Associates, WorldCenter Miami, Nitin Motwani, Art Falcone, Port of Miami, Downtown Miami, Paramount Miami Worldcenter, Caoba

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https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2018/05/17/Facilities/Beckham-Stadium.aspx

Vote On Miami MLS Stadium Could Be Pushed To November

David Beckham's MLS ownership group has "taken so long to produce the plans" for a Miami soccer stadium that hopes of putting the lease on the August ballot "have dried up, and it now appears the measure couldn't be voted on before November," according to Joey Flechas of the MIAMI HERALD. The delay...

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https://www.brotherlygame.com/2018/5/17/17363248/brotherly-game-daily-links-who-steps-up-for-sapong-and-burke-atletico-madrid-mls-miami

Brotherly Game Daily Links: Who steps up for Sapong and Burke?

Jim Curtin presser, another delay in the Miami MLS stadium, and Atletico Madrid win the Europa Cup

Miami vote on Beckham soccer stadium could be delayed

David Beckham and the Mas brothers have not submitted a proposal to redevelop the city-owned Melreese golf course into a sprawling soccer complex that would include a stadium for Miami's Major League Soccer team.

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https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2018/05/17/nisa-seeks-new-leadership-as-wilt-leaves-to-start-madison-club/

NISA seeks new leadership as Wilt leaves to start USL D3 club

Peter Wilt is leaving his gig as founding hero of upstart pro/rel league NISA to bring a USL D3 side to Wisconsin.

Big Top Events announced the hiring of Wilt on Thursday, and the executive is leading a drive to name the club for Madison Pro Soccer.

NISA, the North American Soccer League who widely advocated promotion and relegation but has hit some bumps along the way, now seeks a new leader. The organization announced a committee of club owners will lead a search.

“I wish the NISA teams and new leadership well,” Wilt said. “I am proud of the strong vision we developed and now others will need to carry it forward. I am hopeful that my stepping away will allow the disparate open system groups to unify around a shared vision.”

Wilt, who has launched five professional soccer teams in the closed system is returning to his roots the United Soccer Leagues. He will lead Madison Pro Soccer as Managing Director of Big Top Events’ soccer division. Previously, Wilt served as President, General Manager and part owner of the USISL (now USL) Minnesota Thunder. He has also launched USL’s Indy Eleven, NWSL’s Chicago Red Stars and MLS’ Chicago Fire.

NISA announced eight markets in August but has yet to announce a start date. It’s an intriguing idea, but — for better or worse — could undertake some monumental changes without Wilt in the driver’s seat.

As for Madison, Wilt knows what he’s doing when it comes to starting a club, so this is a solid get for the city.

Tags: Madison, National Independent Soccer Association, NISA, Peter Wilt, Promotion and relegation, United Soccer League, United Soccer Leagues, USL

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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/article-montreal-impact-set-to-celebrate-25th-anniversary-of-first-home-game/

Montreal Impact set to celebrate 25th anniversary of first home game

On Monday, when the Los Angeles Galaxy visit Saputo Stadium, the club will celebrate the 25th anniversary of its first home game – a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies at the Claude Robillard Centre on May 21, 1993.

In only their second season, with Valerio Gazzola as coach, the Impact won the APSL title. Striker Jean Harbour, a member of the Rowdies in 1993, scored the championship-winning goal for Montreal.

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/05/17/stejskal-real-darlington-nagbe-rises-atlanta

Stejskal: The real Darlington Nagbe rises in Atlanta

MARIETTA, Ga. – This is a story less about reality than perception; about how our hopes for what someone can be can blind us to the actuality of what they are; about how expectations, regardless of their validity, shape how we think and talk about everything around us.

This is a story about Darlington Nagbe.

As an American soccer public, we’ve always wanted the Atlanta United midfielder to be more. From the moment he scored his first professional goal with the Portland Timbers in 2011 – taking a headed clearance out of the air on the edge of the box, juggling once, juggling twice, then sweetly striking the purest of volleys into the top corner – we’ve dreamed of what he might be.

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http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/highlanders-say-they-can-co-exist-with-new-victoria-pro-team-1.23306714

Highlanders say they can co-exist with new Victoria pro team

Pro and amateur soccer are two different levels, two different things, say the Victoria Highlanders.

The amateur Highlanders say they can see themselves co-existing with a franchise in the professional Canadian Premier League, if one comes to Victoria next year in the inaugural CPL season.

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https://www.thegamblingtimes.com/2018/05/18/wayne-rooney-yet-finalise-mls-deal/

Wayne Rooney yet to finalise MLS deal

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https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/wayne-rooneys-potential-new-home-12555934

Wayne Rooney's potential new home in Washington revealed amid DC United talks

The property is worth an estimated $5.7m and boasts seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms