Arriving at the back post

Dean Smith has swapped English football for American soccer and is aiming to bring joy to the second-youngest team in the MLS. Photo:  Panorama of the crowd at Charlotte FC's match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC . ( HangingCurve ) Dean Smith’s predecessors at Charlotte FC had their flaws. Miguel Ángel Ramírez   had the prestige of leading Charlotte into their maiden MLS season, but after game week 17 had already been booted and replaced by Christian Lattanzio. During the Italian’s 18-month tenure, he seemed to have done well, from the outside looking in. He managed to bring the squad together to guide them through the tragedy of Anton Walkes and finish the season in the play-off spots for the first time in their history. But throughout his spell in charge, he would often put players in unfamiliar positions, and built a side that looked unable to hold onto a lead, as his side dropped 25 points from winning positions last season. Along with the questionable decisions o...

Arjan Wijngaard has collected nearly 3,000 shirts, and it all started with an Everton Kit in 1997 The year is 2018, and around 80 or 90 fans battled the chilly weather, you would normally expect on a November evening, to watch Enfield FC beat Tower Hamlets FC in the Essex Senior League. For the majority of people in attendance to this lower league fixture, this was probably a regular pastime, but for one it was part of a much larger hobby. Arjan Wijngaard is a football shirt collector from the Netherlands, and his collection often sees him travelling to different matches across the continent. The Dutchman often tries to visit London annually, and in 2018 he found himself buried deep in London, just north of the River Thames, at the Mile End Stadium. Although I am sure it was an entertaining fixture, Wijngaard didn’t just go to watch the match, he was there to collect kits and spread his story, which he did successfully over a cup of coffee after the match had finished. It was p...

There are no growing pains for St. Louis City SC, as the MLS newcomers make an impact on and off the field. Photo:  St. Louis City SC vs. FC Cincinnati at CityPark. ( Cornfield948 ) St. Louis finally have their MLS team, and the outlandish new kids on the block have wasted no time introducing themselves to the Western Conference veterans. After handing San Jose Earthquakes their first home loss of the season, last weekend, St. Louis City SC returned to the top spot of the division, and have left Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers and LAFC all having to play catch up. Those three teams have all been in City’s position, embarking on a first MLS season whilst also trying to mingle with the OGS of American soccer, but during their infancy, all learnt some harsh lessons. St. Louis haven’t. The Missouri-based side have been ripping up the rule book, and breaking records, as they skip the crawling and walking stage, to sprint towards a playoff spot in their maiden season. But foot...