Fútnotes, Volume 15

How does an abusive coach keep getting hired?

It’s a question that’s been asked a lot since Meg Linehan’s article in The Athletic blew the whistle on sexual abuse in the NWSL came out in 2021. Sometimes it’s not widely known that a coach is abusive, and the club that hires them truly doesn’t know what it’s getting into.

More often than not though, there’s a lot less innocence on the part of the hiring party. Clubs might not do their due diligence in researching a coach. Or if they do, the former club may be reticent to give the whole story. They may fail to mention abuses, or sugar coat them as to be palatable. Or they could provide a list of sins that the hiring club is willing to ignore.

Sometimes though, it’s good old fashioned cronyism.

Craig Harrington was fired as head coach of the Utah Royals after it came to light he was verbally abusive and really just bad at his job. He was then hired by Club América, suspended for a verbal altercation with a Rayadas player during a game, and then fired after the season. Then he was named in the Yates Report and the NWSL/NWSLPA’s Joint Investigation for various abuses that he admitted to, and banned from coaching in the NWSL for at least two years.

This week, Linehan revealed that Harrington was working in Illinois for Chicago Empire FC, a youth club with close ties to the now former General Manager of the Chicago Red Stars (The Athletic). Linehan also detailed how the patchwork network of safeguards in soccer in the United States just simply does not work (The Athletic). Always read Meg’s work in full, but to summarize: former Red Stars GM Michelle Lomnicki’s husband Wes is Empire FC’s Sporting Director and hired Harrington.

I wrote about Harrington and the danger he potentially posed after it was announced he was hired by Club América (FMF State of Mind). His trajectory there was sadly predictable, but I had hoped his end there and the two reports that brought to light his awful behavior would have been enough to keep him away from soccer forever. Unfortunately it was not.

I don’t know where we go from here. I’m certain those traumatized by his awful behavior are tired of re-living it every time he surfaces somewhere. On a personal note, I’m tired of writing about this guy and his awful behavior. Maybe this time he’ll get the hint and go be an accountant somewhere, simultaneously taking ownership of the damage he’s done while making a conscious effort to make amends and be a better person.

México

Rich Laverty wrote a good article for his Women's Football Chronicles Substack about Liga MX Femenil. He got some good quotes from Mariana Gutiérrez as well as Christina Burkenroad and Andrea Rodebaugh.

After their loss to Necaxa, Mazatlán FC fired head coach Jesús “Chucho” Padrón. (Mazatlán FC Femenil Twitter)

FC Juárez announced that Miriam García would be out indefinitely with a ruptured ACL and that Miah Zuazua would miss time with a grade 1 sprained shoulder. (FC Juárez)

Chivas organized a Sub15 tournament, and América and Xolos will play in the Final on May 8 at 5:00 PM in Guadalajara. You can watch the match on Chivas’ YouTube page.

Tigres’ Fernanda Elizondo graduated with a law degree (Tigres Femenil Twitter). ¡Felicidades Fer!

Thank you for reading Golazo del Gringo! If you enjoyed reading this post, please share it with anyone who enjoys women’s soccer.

Rest of the World

Khadija “Bunny” Shaw of Jamaica was named Concacaf Women’s Player of the Year for 2022. (Concacaf)

Concacaf also named this stunner by Katherine Alvarado of Costa Rica the 2022 Goal of the Year. (Concacaf)

Canada Soccer is a mess. Bruce Arthur wrote about a tense exchange before their election of a new president between Stephanie Labbé and candidate Charmaine Crooks that ended with Labbé in tears calling Crooks a liar. (Toronto Star)

Crooks won anyway. (Canada Soccer)

Marianne Ugalde has retired after a ten year career with Saprissa, winning the league three times, in 2014, 2015, and 2018. ¡Felicidades en tu carrera, Marianne!

The Colney Heath Ladies are a fifth division women’s team in England. They had to move their match against Bowers and Pitsea LFC to a park today when their regular pitch had a bounce castle set up on it as part of the men’s team’s community day. (Colney Heath Ladies Twitter) 

Gianni Infantino has threatened to black out the 2023 World Cup matches from five of Europe’s top nations if television rights bids weren’t dramatically increased. (ESPN)

A British record 63,063 people were in attendance as Wolfsburg beat Arsenal 5-4 at the Emirates to advance to the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final against Barcelona. (Forbes)

Don’t ever let them tell you no one pays attention to women’s soccer.

If you have something that should be included in this segment, please reach out to me via twitter or email me at [email protected].