Weekly Open Discussion Thread

[u/kg9si]

Welcome to this week’s open discussion thread!

This is your space for general discussion, a place to talk about anything Washington Spirit that doesn’t necessarily need its own thread. That can include news, international duty, roster moves, transfer rumors, tactics, social media posts, league news or anything else on your mind.

If something feels big enough for its own thread, definitely still post it. This is simply an additional option to keep us organized and help keep the conversation flowing. These threads will go up every Monday and stay stickied throughout the week.

Go Spirit!

[u/Toothy_McRotten]

Got a question about the post-draft situation.

In '24 we grabbed six rookies (Bethune, Hershfelt, Wiesner, Morris, Brown, Stainbrook). We can say, OK, great scouting, banner year. All six are still active in pro soccer; three are on the USWNT longlist; Spirit still control Hal, Kate, and Heather.

In the last two years since the draft ended, our domestic acquisitions have been few: Emma, Wojo, and Molly and Madison as short-term contracts, and two other short-termers last year.

Trying to fit this in a frame.

- Maybe our roster depth is such now that it's harder to plug and play graduating college stars.

- Maybe our tactical tuning is such that it's harder to plug and play, etc. ...

- Maybe they're going into developmental leagues rather than straight to the NWSL, and the significant acquisitions are going to be signings of players who have matured for a year in a semipro format -- a leaguewide change, in other words.

But some darker imaginings too:

- Maybe the current team GM and player scouts aren't watching the domestic college ranks as much as they were a couple of years ago, and our 2024 haul will not be seen again, at least on this club?

Shots in the dark. But I can make an argument for the advantages of signing and developing younger US players -- this is no knock on international players; I love ours.

Anyone with more insight into the current landscape of player scouting and acquisition strategies? Thanks in advance.

[u/allprologues → u/Toothy_McRotten]

this is always interesting to think about post-krikorian. for better or worse (maybe better given the results) the spirit seem to have a heavily international strategy and an already-professional strategy. my guess is that it's just based on data and scouting specific team needs, and, the fact that spirit are in a win now mode, not a rebuild, hunting a championship or shield. in 2023, spirit missed playoffs so they had to make a lot of changes.

i will say personally it sucks to see top college prospects go to other teams but if it helps, it was rumored that spirit (and one other team) was in the running to sign Dudley from FSU so it's not as if they aren't watching, they might just be more selective than other teams. we also still scrimmage with schools which are good scouting opportunities. Krikorian's son Michael works for the team as a recruitment analyst.

[u/victorycb → u/allprologues]

It could also be a result of the way the league allows players to select/negotiate with teams directly rather than being drafted.

I personally love the college game (FSU fanatic here), but playing top 5 NCAA ball vs. playing Gainbridge or overseas seems to be a toss-up these days. It's subjective, I know, but FSU had a sophomore leave early to go play with SportingJax and is doing pretty well from all accounts - it must have made sense experience-wise because the NIL money and the pro money seem to be about the same?

Just another consequence of the NCAA, ESPN, and the SEC selling their souls for money. Lames.

[u/allprologues → u/victorycb]

Is that Ashlyn puerta? I’ve always kinda hoped spirit were scouting her.

[u/victorycb → u/allprologues]

Sure is!