Also in today’s roundup, Jim Gabarra talks Spirit roster, U-23 camp roster announced, and new Pride Stadium dedicates rainbow seats to Pulse victims
England manager Mark Sampson is not shy about saying he wants to win this summer’s European Championship (photo: England FA)
England manager Mark Sampson called in 28 players ahead of the Three Lionesses friendly matches against Norway and Sweden later this month. Among the call-ups is Rachel Daly who is preparing for her second NWSL season with the Houston Dash. Former NWSL striker Jodie Taylor is also in the side.
England will surely be tipped among the favorites for the European Championship this summer and are opening the season with two competitive matches. They will play Norway on January 22 and Sweden two days later. Both matches will take place in Spain. In March, the English team will in the United States for the SheBelieves Cup.
Sampson is not backing away from expectation less than two years after guiding the team to a third-place finish at the World Cup.
“Our aim this year is to hit the highest levels we ever have and ultimately to win the Euros, and this camp will give us a strong platform to build our preparation for the summer,” he said.
The full England roster is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Karen Bardsley (Manchester City), Siobhan Chamberlain (Liverpool), Mary Earps (Reading), Carly Telford (Notts County).
Defenders: Laura Bassett (Notts County), Gemma Bonner (Liverpool), Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Manchester City), Gilly Flaherty (Chelsea), Steph Houghton (Manchester City), Jo Potter (Notts County), Claire Rafferty (Chelsea), Alex Scott (Arsenal), Demi Stokes (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Isobel Christiansen (Manchester City), Jade Moore (Notts County), Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal), Jill Scott (Manchester City), Fara Williams (Arsenal).
Forwards: Karen Carney (Chelsea), Danielle Carter (Arsenal), Rachel Daly (Houston Dash), Gemma Davison (Chelsea), Toni Duggan (Manchester City), Nikita Parris (Manchester City), Jodie Taylor (Arsenal), Rachel Williams (Notts County), Ellen White (Notts County).
Jim Gabarra discusses Spirit roster moves, possible Dunn return
In an extensive Q&A with soccerwire.com Washington Spirit head coach Jim Gabarra touched on a wide range of topics pertaining to the club. On the recent departure of Crystal Dunn to Chelsea Ladies, Gabarra told Charles Boehm: “She expressed to me that she’s committed to growing the league and she’s doing it with the Spirit. And she bought a home here, so most likely – hopefully – we’ll see her back in a Spirit uniform in a short time.”
Jim Gabarra says the notion that players wanted trades out of Washington is not true. (photo copyright EriMacPhoto for The Equalizer)
The coach and general manager sounded less reassuring when discussing the top allocation priorty ranking the Spirit attained through separate trades with the Pride and Breakers: “It’s more to get in position for something. There’s always possibility and there’s always a player or two you would like. It’s still a little early for that, but it’s really just to get into that top position because that maybe could make the difference in a player deciding to make the next step or not.”
Gabarra also said he will know “in the next couple of weeks” whether or not the team’s Canadian players–Diana Matheson, Shelina Zadorsky, and Stephanie Labbe–will be back, and he attempted to squelch the wide-held notion that the flurry of trades since the season ended has been the result of players demanding to get out of Washington.
Read the full story here.
30 players named to U-23 training camp
The U.S. U-23 side will open its annual camp on Friday with 30 players in tow. Four current NWSL players are included as well as several who will be eligible for selection in the NWSL draft next week. Senior national team coach Jill Ellis is expected to observe several of the training sessions. In past years some players from the U-23 camp have been held to participate with the full team whose camp opens January 13.
Rutgers keeper Casey Murphy is among 30 players called into U-23 camp.
Also on the roster is Ashley Hatch who was capped by the full national team last fall. She is projected to be a high selection in the NWSL draft.
The full U-23 camp roster is as follows:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Laurel Ivory (West Florida Flames; Surfside, Fla.), Casey Murphy (Rutgers; Bridgewater, N.J.), Madalyn Schiffel (Seattle Reign FC; Citrus Heights, Calif.), Hannah Seabert (Pepperdine; Riverside, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (8): Maddie Bauer (Stanford; Newport Beach, Calif.), Mandy Freeman (USC; Royal Palm Beach, Fla.), Tavia Leachman (Utah; Long Beach, Calif.), Kayla Mills (USC; West Covina, Calif.), Sydney Miramontez (Nebraska; Lenexa, Kan.), Gabrielle Seiler (Florida; Peachtree City, Ga.), Erica Skroski (Sky Blue FC; New Brunswick, N.J.), Samantha Witteman (Orlando Pride; Redondo Beach, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (11): Morgan Andrews (USC; Milford, N.H.), Tierna Davidson (Stanford; Menlo Park, Calif.), Jordan DiBiasi (Stanford; Littleton, Colo.), Megan Dougherty Howard (Florida; Largo, Fla.), Tyler Lussi (Princeton; Lutherville, Md.), Ifeoma Onumino (California; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), Toni Payne (Duke; Birmingham, Ala.), Brianna Pinto (CASL; Durham, N.C.), Margaret Purce (Harvard; Silver Spring, Md.), Morgan Proffitt (Marquette; Columbus, Ind.), Ashley Sanchez (So Cal Blues; Monrovia, Calif.)
FORWARDS (7): Makenzy Doniak (Western New York Flash; Chino Hills, Calif.), Danica Evans (Colorado; Lakewood, Colo.), Ashley Hatch (BYU; Gilbert, Ariz.), Sarah Luebbert (Missouri; Jefferson City, Mo.), Savannah McCaskill (South Carolina; Chapin, S.C.), Hailey Skolmoski (Utah; Riverton, Utah), Crystal Thomas (Georgetown; Elgin, Ill.)
Orlando clubs dedicate seats to Pulse victims
Orlando City SC/Orlando Pride on Wednesday hosted a dedication of the 49 seats in their new stadium that are rainbow colored in tribute to the 49 people killed in a mass shooting at Pulse nightclub last summer. In the first Orlando City SC match after the shooting, 49 seats were decorated with balloons to honor the victims. The Pride also paid tribute as did the Washington Spirit when they hosted the Pride.
The rainbow-colored seats honoring the 49 victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting were unveiled in Orlando Pride’s new stadium today. (photo by Orlando City SC)
The stadium is scheduled to host its first MLS game on Sunday, March 5. The Pride will also play in what is currently being called Orlando City Stadium. The NWSL has not announced any part of its 2017 schedule.
