Royal Roundup - Dec. 25th, 2017

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Festivus Greeting, Happy Kwanzaa, Io Saturnalia, or whatever your choice of celebration may be - Happy Holidays!

We’ll start with a look at the iconic players who retired in 2017.

RSL

• Guess who tops the list of team with most minutes played by U21 players? (MLS)

MLS

• Sacha Kljestan suspended 2 games for incident in tunnel vs Toronto. (NYRB)
• Preki reportedly joining Seattle Sounders as asst. coach. (MLS)
• MLS HQ is sending the wrong message in delaying announcement of the 2nd expansion team. (USSP)
• Five teams that killed it on the 2017 international market - RSL is on the list! (MLS)
• Present roster status of all MLS teams. (MLS)
• Best MLS 2017 in social media. (MLS)

Other US Leagues

• NWSL - Sky Blue FC striker Leah Galton heading to Germany’s Bayern Munich FC women’s team. (NWSL)

Gocomics.com - Cleats

USA

• Five things to know about USMNT’s newcomer Josh Sargent. (USSOC)
• How MLS exports (league and academy) players are faring around the globe. (MLS)
• Dates and locations for next US Soccer series A and B coaching courses announced. (USSOC)
• Epic failure of USMNT overshadows rest of 2017. (WaPo)

International

• Two South American soccer officials found guilty in FIFA corruption trial. (NYT)
• German FA investigating a dive - by a Bundesliga coach. (PST)
• Monterrey wins 2017 Apertura Copa MX. (USSP)
• Bournemouth’s Jermain Defoe out for 8-10 wks with fractured ankle. (Yahoo)
• Germany abandons U20 friendly games vs China due to protests. (FOX)
• Sevilla FC fires their coach Eduardo Berizzo. (SN)
• Southhampton forward Charlie Austin suspended 3 games for kicking GK. (Yahoo)
• Spain’s football president Angel Maria Villar fired by Spanish court. (FOX)
• FIFA president Giovanni Infantino must prove commitment to cleaning up. (Yahoo)
• Australian Soccer is in a dire situation. (Howler)

Media

• Not this team, not this way.

• Best nutmegs of 2017.