Five years ago, we wrote about some of the problems that the New York/New Jersey pro soccer team, Sky Blue FC of the NWSL, were having in terms of management and the treatment of players.
Since then, Sky Blue entered a new era, moving from the cozy confines of Yurcak Field at Rutgers University to the cavernous Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. It also changed its name, to Gotham FC. And a bit more than a year ago, Gotham won the NWSL title match in a dominating win over the Kansas City Current.
In the last few weeks, Gotham has seen a number of its players leave the club. In early December, workhorse midfielder Delanie Sheehan joined the Houston Dash on a two-year deal. Matiana Lopez left for Chicago, and Sam Hiatt left for Portland.
Shortly before Christmas, U.S. national teamer Lynn Williams and goalie Cassie Miller were traded to the Seattle Reign. A few days later, Yazmeen Ryan was sold to the Houston Dash for cash and an international roster spot.
Last week, Gotham announced that midfielder McCall Zerboni would be leaving the club as well. Zerboni served as the team’s captain for many games during her five years with the side.
I guess, given the change in the way the NWSL operates — true free agency with no draft — you’re going to see a lot of mass exoduses and mass entrees onto teams in the offseason. But I’ve never seen this number of quality players leaving one side in less than one month. This didn’t happen even when a number of players fled clubs with abusive coaches as delineated in the Yates Report.
And all this, as I saw an item on social media, pointing out that only one of the current cohort of NWSL coaches currently has the background check and anti-abuse training that was supposed to protect the players in the league.
Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?