Insider Notes: U.S. Soccer GM Duties Unattractive for Targets; PSG Concern Over Neymar
The newly created U.S. Soccer men’s general manager position has yet to be filled, and multiple sources says the job is being seen as unattractive by many of the people who were originally intended to be targets for it. Those sources say the GM job as it’s designed isn’t nearly powerful enough and doesn’t have any control over youth development.
There is also concern that with the GM reporting to CEO Dan Flynn and Flynn not planning to stay on for the long term that it could be a bad fit when a new CEO comes in to replace Flynn and oversee the GM. Two sources went so far as to say they think U.S. Soccer created the position to show an angry fanbase it was doing something different when in fact they don’t think the federation really wants to make wholesale changes despite missing the 2018 World Cup.
In other news around the soccer world:
PSG chairman visits Neymar amid Real Madrid concern
In the wake of PSG’s Champions League exit and Neymar’s surgery, PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi is visiting a recovering Neymar this week in Brazil. PSG has billed the trip as a chance to talk about looking forward to next season, but a source close to the club says there is real concern that Neymar will want to leave PSG this summer for Real Madrid, which actively wants him. Player power is such that if Neymar wants to go to Madrid, a deal will get done, which is part of the reason why Al-Khelaifi flew so far to go on a charm offensive in Brazil this week.
There has been tension between Neymar and the club lately over the response to his injury, which has seen Neymar follow the instructions of his Brazil national team doctors over those from PSG.
