My word of the day for last night’s NWSL Expansion Draft for Racing Louisville is “unexpected.” Unexpected, as in I didn’t in any way expect Racing to take two massive name players in the draft in Christen Press and Tobin Heath. Unexpected, as in I didn’t expect Racing to take as many international players as they did. Unexpected, as in I thought Holly would surely just take players that were likely to sign with the club and keep the $150,000 in allocation money for not taking USWNT players and banking that on wunderkind Catarina Macario in the spring’s college draft.
But that’s exactly what happened! First, let’s at least pretend that Press and Heath are coming to Louisville. HOLY SHIT THAT IS AMAZING! Heath is the single best attacking player in the women’s game right now, no doubt. She’s amazing. Christen Press is almost as good, though she plays a different role as more of a winger or forward depending on the setup. It also helps that Heath and Press are friends off the field, too, and both have expressed the desire to play together in the past. That’s what they’re doing right now, too, just for Manchester United in England.
Hands down, these were the two best players available in the expansion draft. I was certain Racing wouldn’t take either one because I was that certain that neither one would actually play for us.
And the truth is, I’m probably right. Heath may never play in the US again, as she didn’t get on with management in Portland before heading across the pond. Press had made it pretty clear she wasn’t ever going to play for Utah again. There’s also Olympics and World Cup qualifying stuff going on next summer that will take both players away from any NWSL duties for months at a time next season.
Yes, Racing could be a new start for both of them in the US. A clean slate, of sorts. But let’s also remember that Angel City FC in LA is coming into the league next season, and they’ll likely be going after the biggest stars they can get their hands on. If Press and Heath never set foot in Louisville, Racing will still hold their rights, and will be able to get quite a lot in return from Angel City in next fall’s expansion draft assuming those two are on their target list. While the league tried to dissuade Racing from taking any allocated players at all by dangling a $150,000 carrot in front of them, I’d bet the rights to Heath and Press together are worth a lot more than that.
So, while it’s possible that Heath and Press will play in Louisville, it may only be for a season, if at all. We don’t even know if the NWSL will play in 2021 thanks to COVID19. This iss probably a savvy long play by Holly and the front office to make Racing even stronger in 2022. Or this is all crap and they love Louisville and play here until they retire. Who knows!
The other thing that taking those two signifies to me is that Macario probably isn’t coming to Louisville. That’s a bummer, but I guess a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. I do wonder if Racing is now interested in trading one of its draft picks if Macario isn’t willing to come to Louisville, if she enters the draft at all.
Another interesting fallout from the draft is the two Australians that Racing drafted from Orlando Pride, Caitlin Foord and Alanna Kennedy. NWSL teams get five international slots, and Racing picked up another in the deal with the Chicago Red Stars. Racing already had two international players in Yuki Nagasato and Cheyna Williams. Jennifer Cudjoe is probably going to come to Louisville, and she’s a Ghanaian international, so that’s three. The two Pride players make five. I’ve been reading a bit on the inter webs that both are pretty happy playing in England, especially Foord, who has been lighting it up at Arsenal.
What that could spell is a trade for their rights back to Orlando in exchange for something else. What I want that something else to be is Alex Morgan, but that might be a bridge too far. Or not! I don’t know. But these two are another example of picks being used as assets to be leveraged elsewhere, rather than players that will be in Louisville. Again, they might end up here, and that would be great! But I have a feeling they won’t.
Which, finally, gets us to players that I’m more reasonably certain will be playing at Lynn in the spring:
- Jennifer Cudjoe, easily the best non-allocated player in the draft
- Addisyn Merrick and Lauren Milliet from NCC, whom I was equally ecstatic to get
- Julia Ashley, OL Reign defender
- Cece Kizer, forward from Houston Dash, another great pick who had a great Challenge Cup last summer
- Katie Lund, Washington Spirit goalkeeper
- Kaleigh Riehl, Sky Blue defender
- Katie McClure, Washington Spirit forward
- Erin Simon, Houston Dash defender
- Michelle Betos, OL Reign goalkeeper
I don’t know much at all about the bottom half of that list, but am eager to learn more. One sizable hole in those names is the lack of midfielders. If Kennedy and Heath come to Louisville, well I’ll feel better about that. But if they don’t, that’s a concern. I feel very good about the other positions based on the existing roster, however.
OH, and another fun wrinkle to all of this: NWSL’s trade window opens TODAY, so LOTS of things could happen very soon that will drastically change what this list of players looks like in the coming weeks.
Who knew crazy drafts and rules and stuff could be so fun/exhausting? Either way, I can’t wait for more. Have a great weekend!
