17-year-old talent Mallory Pugh, allocate to NWSL’s Portland Thorns

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) forum
Fran
Site Admin
Posts: 1204
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2003 2:49 am
Location: Southampton, PA
Contact:

17-year-old talent Mallory Pugh, allocate to NWSL’s Portland Thorns

Post by Fran » Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:22 pm

http://www.soccerwire.com/news/college/ ... nd-thorns/

The National Women’s Soccer League and the U.S. Soccer Federation have entered unprecedented territory in the run-up to the league’s 2016 draft on Thursday, sources tell SoccerWire.com, agreeing to sign 17-year-old wunderkind Mallory Pugh to a full-time professional contract as a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team pool and allocate her into the league.

In a move which has stunned observers and even some NWSL insiders, it seems Pugh will be allocated to Portland Thorns FC under the league’s brand-new “Unattached Subsidized Individuals” system. While one source said the move was “not 100 percent” completed, another described it as a done deal, agreed to at NWSL executive meetings on Wednesday.

nksports
Site Admin
Posts: 3669
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 7:53 am
Location: Newton, KS (the land of Oz)

Post by nksports » Sat Jan 23, 2016 1:53 am

If this were a 17-year old male player, especially European, this would be no big deal. He'd be shipped off to the reserve side for Sunday morning games, or placed on loan to a third or fourth division team until he's ready to debut on the senior side in a year or two.
As far as I can tell, the Thorns have no reserve side if she proves not to be ready, and sitting on the bench at that age is not an ideal solution. I suppose they could loan her to a WPSL side or send her off to Europe if she needs a little seasoning.
At 6-9-5 last season, Portland sees this as low risk. If they win because of her, it's an upside. If they don't win because of her, but it draws in curious fans, it's an upside.
Let's just hope she's not the distaff Freddy Adu.
There is more a downside for the NCAA (and UCLA in this case) than for the Thorns, NWSL and US Soccer (which needs to start pushing some younger players to the forefront).
NCAA women's teams don't draw too much until the late rounds of the tournament as it is, and this is a marquee player taken off the board.
If I get a chance to get to KC when the Thorns play there, I might have to just to see what the hubub is all about.

Fran
Site Admin
Posts: 1204
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2003 2:49 am
Location: Southampton, PA
Contact:

Post by Fran » Sat Jan 23, 2016 7:50 pm

She has decided to go to college instead.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland-thor ... colle.html
Mallory Pugh is going to college, not turning pro with Portland Thorns: Report
Seventeen year old forward Mallory Pugh has reportedly made the decision to attend UCLA this fall, rather than turn pro and compete for the Portland Thorns.

The Thorns acquired the first spot in the NWSL's allocation order through a trade with the Boston Breakers last week and reports indicated that Portland was planning to use that No. 1 to sign Pugh.

But Pugh's father, Horace Pugh, confirmed to the Denver Post Wednesday that, after much consideration, his daughter had made the decision to go to college.

Pugh, the nation's top soccer recruit and an up-and-coming prospect with the U.S. Women's National Team, would have been the first American woman to forgo college to play in the National Women's Soccer League.

It is unclear who the Thorns would pursue with the first spot in the allocation order assuming she goes to UCLA.

User avatar
Pounder
Site Admin
Posts: 2736
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:01 pm
Location: Portland freaking Oregon!

Post by Pounder » Sun Jan 24, 2016 7:22 pm

After that announcement, Pugh goes out and gets her first national team goal yesterday. SENIOR national team, that is. Only Ireland, of course...

I'm going to argue that she's better off learning on the Thorns bench for a while than playing against- MAYBE- one potential pro player per college team for the next few years (was about to say four years, but that's not set in stone, either). Also better off getting seasoning in Europe or Japan. I can only imagine the pressure from both sides while the decision-making process was going on- there were LOTS of upset people on social media when the Thorns rumor first came out. Also, while reports of the reversal started leaking mid-week, Merritt Paulson didn't really concede defeat until yesterday (and only grudgingly then).
Mean Spirited Blogger #107

nksports
Site Admin
Posts: 3669
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 7:53 am
Location: Newton, KS (the land of Oz)

Post by nksports » Tue Jan 26, 2016 8:32 am

Maybe someone whispered "Freddy Adu" in her ear and that set her scampering to Westwood.
This will be a pretty good test of how good she really is. UCLA was 8-10-1 last season and didn't even qualify for the Pac 12 tourney. If she's that good, they should be much improved.
I wonder what advice, if any, the USWNT coaches are offering her.

Post Reply

Return to “NWSL”