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Cone always stepped up and performed on the field, and so far she\u2019s done the same in her nearly three years as president, guiding the federation through the COVID-19 lockdown, moving decisively to address charges of abuse and sexual harassment in the women\u2019s game, and winning approval from the national teams on a historic pay equity agreement.<\/p>\n
Now, however, she\u2019s facing a series of complex and daunting challenges that threaten to slow, if not completely derail, U.S. Soccer\u2019s progress at a time when the federation should be winding up for the World Cup\u2019s return to North America in 2026.<\/p>\n
A month into the new World Cup cycle, the men\u2019s team is without a general manager or permanent coach and the federation is without a sporting director. The first position, vacated by Brian McBride<\/b> this month, may never be filled. The other two won\u2019t be filled until late summer at the earliest, said Cone, who first must replace Earnie Stewart<\/b> as sporting director before Stewart\u2019s replacement can hire a coach.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a perfect storm at an imperfect time, one that could leave the federation stalled in a holding pattern heading into a busy year that could well be an inflection point for U.S. Soccer.<\/p>\n
The CONCACAF U-17 championship, the qualifier for November\u2019s World Cup, starts next month in Guatemala while the U-20 World Cup will kick off in May in Indonesia. The women\u2019s team will begin pursuit of an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup title this summer while the men\u2019s team will resume play in the Nations League in March and the CONCACAF Gold Cup in June under caretaker coach Anthony Hudson<\/b>, who was asked to manage the team through a week-long training camp in January and has no idea how long he\u2019ll have the job.<\/p>\n
The Olympic Games, the first since 2008 to feature both men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams from the U.S., are 18 months away.<\/p>\n
A lot of corporate CEOs would say you couldn\u2019t pay them enough to take on a situation like that, one that requires replacing all of an organization\u2019s top leadership at a decisive and competitive moment. The federation doesn\u2019t pay Cone, the only woman president in its history, anything to manage a $150-million organization with a staff of more than 250. <\/p>\n
Julie Foudy<\/b>, one of Cone\u2019s longtime teammates with the national team, can\u2019t think of anyone else she\u2019d rather trust with getting this right.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe cares deeply about the game,\u201d Foudy said. \u201cHer moral compass is fantastic. So much integrity. She\u2019s willing to admit what she doesn\u2019t know. She\u2019s really good at making decisions when she does know or asking for help when she needs it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cone, 44, one of nine women to lead one of FIFA\u2019s 211 national federations, has no choice but to see the timing as good fortune rather than misfortune.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the opportunity for us to take a holistic view and determine how we can be more effective and efficient moving forward,\u201d she said. \u201cWhile we certainly didn\u2019t plan it this way \u2026 we want to do it right. We\u2019re not going to rush it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know this moment feels a bit uncertain [but] what it actually is, is a clean canvas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile there has been good news amid the bad. Copa Am\u00e9rica, the South American confederation\u2019s championship tournament, will be played in the U.S. next year with the U.S. men likely to be among the six CONCACAF teams that will take part. That will assure the Americans of being in at least one top-tier international tournament in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great,\u201d Hudson said. \u201cOver the last four years the team has had very lofty ambitions and we\u2019ve worked toward changing our identity of how we play. And I feel we\u2019ve done that. Everything is moving in the right direction.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then to get this news about the Copa Am\u00e9rica, it\u2019s just another thing that\u2019s going to give the country a big lift and help the sport grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
But it will mean nothing if Cone doesn\u2019t first get U.S. Soccer\u2019s house in order. The Atlanta law firm hired to investigate a 31-year-old domestic violence allegation against Gregg Berhalter<\/b> is expected to release its report soon. That could provide clarity regarding the winningest men\u2019s coach in U.S. Soccer history, who remains a candidate to manage the team.<\/p>\n
Cone already has contracted with the New York-based Sportsology Group to direct the search to replace Stewart, the sporting director who accepted an offer to return to his native Netherlands with legendary Dutch club PSV Eindhoven. McBride\u2019s job as general manager may not be filled, at least not immediately.<\/p>\n
Whether Cone is steering U.S. Soccer into calmer waters or into an even bigger storm, only time will tell. <\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s not afraid to make the tough decisions \u2014 which as we know is something that happens on a daily basis in a position like that,\u201d Foudy said. \u201cThere\u2019s some people who are paralyzed by that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Can Union turn pain of defeat into ultimate victory?<\/h2>\n After Toronto lost the 2016 MLS Cup final to Seattle on penalty kicks, following a 120-minute game in which it didn\u2019t allow a shot on goal, then-coach Greg Vanney<\/b> said everyone on the team left the stadium focused on one thing: \u201cHow do we get better next year?\u201d<\/p>\n
That next year Toronto became the only team in MLS history to win a treble in capturing the league title, the Supporters\u2019 Shield and the domestic Canadian Cup, the first of five trophies the team lifted in a four-season span.<\/p>\n
The Philadelphia Union will enter the new MLS season next month in the same position Toronto was seven years ago. The Union lost the MLS Cup final to LAFC in November on penalty kicks after giving up a lead deep in extra time. And midfielder Jack McGlynn<\/b> said the team is approaching the challenge the same way Toronto did.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn our first day back, you could tell in their eyes that we\u2019re hungry,\u201d he said of his teammates. \u201cWe got the taste of the final and that\u2019s not enough for us. We need to lift the trophy. So I think we\u2019re going to come out really strong.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust getting back there is the most important thing. And I think once we get there, we can take care of business now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Union has had the top point total in MLS twice in the last three seasons, winning the Supporters\u2019 Shield in 2020, then equaling LAFC\u2019s 67 points last season, only to lose the Shield on a tiebreaker. With any luck, Philadelphia easily could have won three trophies rather than one over that span. <\/p>\n
McGlynn said the most painful memory wasn\u2019t just that the team lost last season, but rather how it lost.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo lose like that, it\u2019s devastating,\u201d he said. \u201cI think you\u2019d rather lose like 3-0 … Obviously it\u2019s tough.\u201d<\/p>\n
Window dressing for the Galaxy?<\/h2>\n\n
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Can the Galaxy pick up another player like Riqui Puig?<\/p>\n
(Raul Romero Jr. \/ Associated Press)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
Speaking of Vanney, who now coaches the Galaxy, he faces a pair of looming deadlines to plug obvious holes in his team\u2019s roster. The first is Feb. 25, when the Galaxy open the MLS season with reigning champion LAFC at the Rose Bowl. The second is April 24, when the league\u2019s primary transfer window closes, after which the team will be prohibited by MLS from signing a player who requires an international transfer certificate from outside the U.S. and Canada during the summer transfer window.<\/p>\n
The transfer window opens Tuesday.<\/p>\n
That penalty is one of several MLS levied against the team for violating salary budget and roster guidelines when it signed Cristian Pav\u00f3n<\/b> to a TAM deal in the summer of 2019. In addition, the Galaxy was fined $1 million, forfeited $1 million in future general allocation money, and club president Chris Klein<\/b> was suspended from sporting-related responsibilities through the end of the primary transfer window.<\/p>\n
What that means is Vanney won\u2019t be able to go outside the U.S. and Canada to improve his team this summer as he did last summer when he brought in Uruguayans Gast\u00f3n Brugman<\/b> and Mart\u00edn C\u00e1ceres<\/b> and Spaniard Riqui Puig<\/b>, sparking a late-season drive that carried the team to just its second playoff appearance in six years. And the team\u2019s needs are obvious: After trading Kevin Cabral<\/b> to Colorado and seeing Samuel Grandsir<\/b> return to France, the Galaxy have one reliable winger in Douglas Costa<\/b> \u2014 and he spent most of this winter trying to put together a deal that would take him back to Brazil.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a road map and things that we want to do and we\u2019re trying not to leave things,\u201d Vanney said. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to accomplish the things we want in this window. We\u2019d like to do it sooner rather than later and have whoever we\u2019re going to be adding in. But it\u2019s making good decisions and not rushing because we\u2019re against the clock.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vanney, who was given the title of sporting director in addition to his coaching duties in the wake of Klein\u2019s suspension, has a lot of resources to work with, having picked up a designated player spot with Cabral\u2019s departure, two international roster slots and more than $1.6 million in salary cap space with the Cabral and Grandsir moves alone. But the dual roles mean he\u2019ll be relying a lot on Michael Stephens<\/b>, whom Vanney brought on last April as director of scouting.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe also needs leadership and guidance from me in terms of our player profiles, what positions we need and what we\u2019re looking for and how the pieces are going to fit together. But he\u2019s got a good eye. He\u2019s extremely organized,\u201d Vanney said of Stephens. \u201cHe\u2019s got a whole team now working together.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve made real strides to build that department and we\u2019re in a much better proactive position than we\u2019ve ever been.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vanney will continue as sporting director after Klein returns from his suspension in the spring, but the coach said he expects the team president to rejoin the team-building conversations.<\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately we are a collaborative group,\u201d Vanney said. \u201cAt this point Chris is outside of the collaborations on the technical side and we work with [AEG president] Dan Beckerman<\/b>. He\u2019s our point guy there. But I think when Chris comes back, he\u2019ll slide into the discussions.<\/p>\n
\u201cChris has been very supportive in our plan and our project. What we\u2019re trying to do is rebuild the club and get back to competing for championships, but also building value inside of our group and building our infrastructure. He\u2019s been very supportive in the vision.\u201d<\/p>\n
Soccer\u2019s global marketplace continues to grow<\/h2>\n FIFA released its global transfer report for 2022, with the number of international transfers for men\u2019s professionals topping 20,000 for the first time and the number of transfers on the women\u2019s side growing 19% from 2021.<\/p>\n
But despite the volume of moves detailed last week, the total value of those transfers lagged behind the pre-COVID record of $7.35 billion spent in 2019. Just 2,843 of the transfers that took place on the men\u2019s side in 2022 involved fees, which totaled $6.5 billion. The top 10 player transfers \u2014 topped by Antony<\/b>\u2019s $102-million move from Ajax to Manchester United \u2014 were responsible for 12.5% of the overall spending in the transfer market. A third of the overall transfer payments \u2014 a combined $2.2 billion \u2014 were made by English clubs.<\/p>\n
Brazilian players again led the rankings in terms of players moved, at more than 2,000, and total transfer fees, which topped $843 million. France was second in both categories while three African nations \u2014 Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast \u2014 all made the top 10 in number of transfers.<\/p>\n
Of the six FIFA confederations, CONCACAF was fifth in number of transfers and their combined value, topping only Oceania. The four highest-spending CONCACAF clubs, and seven of the top 10, are in MLS, topped by Charlotte FC.<\/p>\n
On the women\u2019s side, total transfer fees globally jumped more than 60% to $3.3 million. The U.S. led the world in the number of women players transferred at 164.<\/p>\n
Men\u2019s global transfer market, 2022<\/h2>\n Club transfer spending, by country<\/b>1. England<\/b>, $2.199.3 billion2. Italy<\/b>, $673.3 million3. Spain<\/b>, $592.3 million4. France<\/b>, $545.3 million5. Germany<\/b>, $537.6 million8. USA<\/b>, $181.5 million<\/p>\n
Club transfer receipts, by country<\/b>1. France<\/b>, $740.3 million2. Germany<\/b>, $639.3 million3. Italy<\/b>, $617.8 million4. England<\/b>, $600.5 million5. Portugal<\/b>, $579.7 million12. USA<\/b>, $135.2 million<\/p>\n
Source: FIFA, Soccer America<\/i><\/p>\n
And finally there\u2019s this \u2026<\/b><\/p>\n
USWNT midfielder Sam Mewis,<\/b> a key part of the 2019 World Cup-winning team, underwent knee surgery last week. Mewis, 30, who also had knee surgery in 2021, said there is no timeline for her return, but it seems unlikely she\u2019ll be back in time for this summer\u2019s World Cup in Australia\/New Zealand. \u2026 Longtime Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl<\/b> will be honored with this year\u2019s Colin Jose Media Award, given to journalists who made long-term contributions to soccer in the United States. He will be honored at the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Frisco, Texas on May 6. Wahl, 49, collapsed and died of an aortic aneurysm while covering the Argentina-Netherlands quarterfinals at last fall\u2019s World Cup in Qatar. \u2026 When the Barcelona women beat Levante Las Palmas 7-0 last Wednesday, it was the team\u2019s 50th<\/sup> consecutive league win. No other pro team, men or women, has won more than 46 in a row, a record France\u2019s Olympique Lyon set between December 2011 and January 2014. Barcelona followed that with a 6-0 win over Granadilla Tenerife on Sunday, its 51st<\/sup> league victory in a row. Barca Femeni\u2019s streak began on June 6, 2021; it has outscored opponents 253-19 during the 51 wins.<\/p>\nPodcast<\/h2>\n Don\u2019t miss my weekly podcast on the Corner of the Galaxy site as co-host Josh Guesman<\/b> and I discuss the Galaxy each Monday. You can listen to the most recent podcast here.<\/p>\nIn case you missed it<\/h2>\n
USMNT unwraps some young gems and ends up with a tie against Colombia<\/p>\n
Brandon V\u00e1zquez has shined for U.S. soccer. Could they lose him to Mexico?<\/p>\n
U.S. Soccer loses two top leaders, jeopardizing Gregg Berhalter\u2019s future as coach<\/p>\n
Young USMNT takes first step toward to 2026 World Cup in loss to Serbia<\/p>\n
Quotebook<\/b><\/h2>\n This is every 5 a.m. road trip<\/p>\n
This is every back-to-back tournament<\/p>\n
This is every missed family vacation<\/p>\n
This is every night spent in the car eating dinner and doing homework<\/p>\n
This is missed birthdays and holidays<\/p>\n
This is every lonely road trip spent in a hotel room<\/p>\n
This is every long flight to another country<\/p>\n
This is spending your off-season training and getting stronger instead of resting<\/p>\n
This is powering through every setback and every injury so that your comeback was that much stronger<\/p>\n
This the dream that you had at 5<\/p>\n
This is the goal that you put on that little piece of paper every single year<\/p>\n
This is worth every sacrifice<\/p>\n
This, my J, is everything<\/p>\n
What single soccer mom Sarah Neal, mother of Galaxy defender Jalen Neal, posted on social media Thursday, the morning after her son made his debut for the senior national team and played 90 minutes in a 2-1 loss to Serbia.<\/i><\/p>\n