This week on The IX Sports Podcast Soccer Edition, host Kathleen Gier talks listeners through Gotham FC’s newest big signing, as the club picked up Denise O’Sullivan this week.
The Irish midfielder is technically joining the team on a one-year loan from Liverpool, but there is a quote obligation for a permanent transfer, similar to another recent Gotham pickup, Sam Kerr.
O’Sullivan previously played in the National Women’s Soccer League, winning two NWSL titles with the North Carolina Courage. She also won three shields and two Challenge Cups with the Courage.
“And I’m not a contract or cap space expert, but I just don’t understand how Gotham is doing this all within that three and a half million dollar cap, and even with the HIP rule, I feel like at least five of their players are probably HIP eligible,” Gier said, referring to the High Impact Player rule, which allows teams to exceed the league’s established salary cap by up to $1,000,000 for high impact players.
“If they figure out the right lineup and keep everybody healthy, this team has a chance to be terrifying and create a real dynasty,” Gier said.
U.S. Women’s National Team
Then Gier jumps in to talking about the U.S. Women’s National Team, which announced this week that it will play two friendlies against the Spanish National Team on Oct. 10 and Oct. 13, with one game in Chester, Penn., and one in Washington, D.C.
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“This series is going to be huge,” Gier said. “It’s the world’s number one team in Spain and the world’s number two-ranked team in the U.S. meeting twice on U.S. soil.”
The USWNT and the Spanish National Team first played in 2019. The U.S. won the first three matches, but Spain won the most recent in 2022, and then went on to win the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
In a press release, USWNT Coach Emma Hayes said the team has “desperately wanted to get Spain on our schedule, but the difficulties of scheduling the top teams during the women’s international calendar are well known.”
With several players on the USWNT coming back from injuries and returning from maternity leave, these matches present an important opportunity.
”This should be another really good chance to kind of get a temperature check on this team before they enter their [World Cup] qualifying later this fall,” Gier said.
Be sure to tune in to the podcast to hear an update on NWSL standings and get a sneak peak on the upcoming Women’s Premier Soccer League Championship.
Make sure to subscribe to The IX Sports Podcast for in-depth coverage of women’s soccer, hockey and basketball; and tune in each weekday morning for a quick overview of the biggest headlines on Women’s Sports Daily, like WNBA news and PWHL expansion updates.
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