1. CAF must prove the new AFCON schedule actually benefits the continent
Just before the 2025 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) got underway Sunday, Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe unexpectedly announced a complete restructuring of the tournament’s schedule. Traditionally hosted every two years, it will take place every four years starting in 2028. Motsepe obviously framed the decision as a positive development. The reality is more complex.
There is no denying the problems with the current schedule. It takes place in the winter while domestic leagues are playing. Teams don’t want to release their players until they absolutely have to and must factor their absences into their plan for the season. Those realities must be weighed against the other side of the equation, which is the money lost by having the tournament twice as often and the logistical challenges of having it in the summer to align with the FIFA calendar. FIFA and the clubs are clear winners. CAF has to make sure its players and national teams are too.
2. Thomas Frank needs time
As angry as Spurs fans may be with Thomas Frank, the club is still four spots higher than it finished last season. His three most important attacking players – Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke – have been on the field for a total of 53 minutes. Does that excuse some of their woeful attacking displays? No. It does, however, make it much more difficult for Frank to carry out his vision.
Tottenham won the expected goals battle playing 9-on-11 against Liverpool on Saturday and nearly came away with a point. Even though they lost, that kind of performance builds belief and helps get fans back on board. In other words, it was precisely what Spurs needed. Frank’s biggest issue was that it was hard to see how the results were going to improve. It is easier to see after Saturday, and he should be given a genuine opportunity to prove he is the man to make it happen.
3. There is a lot working against Wilfried Nancy at Celtic
Wilfried Nancy’s first game in charge of Celtic was against Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts. His second was against Roma in the Europa League. Game three was a defeat at the hands of St. Mirren in the Scottish League Cup final. The three matches took place over eight days, and he lost all of them. Nancy finally got his first victory on his fifth try, beating Aberdeen on Sunday. Anything other than a win might have marked the end of his time at the club.
Nancy inherited one of the most demanding jobs on the planet from a beloved interim manager. The fans are disgusted with the club’s leadership. Many of them knew very little about Nancy, whose specialty is helping players thrive in a complex tactical system. That takes time. Celtic afford very little of it. Nancy is a very good manager. He just might not be the right person for Celtic at this particular moment.
4. The New York Red Bulls have a brand new look
The New York Red Bulls’ two biggest stars are 34 and 36. They just missed the playoffs for the first time in 16 years. A complete teardown 12 months after reaching MLS Cup didn't make sense, but something needed to be done. Head of Sport Jonathan de Guzman was the one tasked with determining what that change should be. He decided the solution was to discard the Red Bull system and install a completely new organizational philosophy.
That is how Michael Bradley – whose only head coaching experience is in MLS Next Pro and whose dad passed along a soccer belief system that goes against what Red Bull stand for – ends up as the team's coach. Bradley was chosen specifically because he is not going to do all the things people typically associate with Red Bull teams. While there is certainly risk involved, everyone from de Guzman on down is aligned on what they're trying to do. That was true of a certain Red Bulls rival that won the Supporters’ Shield this season too (see #5).
5. The Philadelphia Union have done this before
Last season, the Philadelphia Union traded two key players within Major League Soccer. It led to questions about the club's direction and level of ambition. The Union went on to win the Supporters’ Shield and didn't miss Daniel Gazdag or Jack McGlynn much at all. Philadelphia has once again sent two key players – Tai Baribo and Jakob Glesnes – to other MLS teams. Once again, fans are frustrated that the club is selling off some of its top performers.
Just like last offseason, the moves are calculated, logical and risky all at the same time. Baribo is not really the type of striker Bradley Carnell wants. Glesnes’ best years are likely behind him, and Nathan Harriel is a more than capable replacement. It's not addition by subtraction, but everyone could end up benefitting from these deals. D.C. United can get the most out of Baribo’s skill set. Glesnes will help stabilize the L.A. Galaxy's back line. Whether the moves were good or bad will be determined by what the Union do the rest of the offseason.