Tag: Sinead Farrelly

Shim signs with Gotham FC, reuniting with fellow whistleblower Farrelly

Shim returns after a five-year absence from the NWSL

NJ/NY Gotham FC has announced the signing of Mana Shim on a short-term injury replacement contract.

The 31-year-old midfielder returns five years after her most recent game in the NWSL, and was immediately named to the bench for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Red Stars.

“I am excited to return to the NWSL as part of Gotham FC. It’s a demanding and professional environment that’s focused on players first, and they have put together an incredibly talented group that I’m honored to share the field with,” Shim said in a club release.

Along with her former teammate Sinead Farrelly, Shim came forward in September 2021 to detail horrific allegations of abuse against Paul Riley, her former coach in Portland.

Farrelly and Shim have now been reunited with Gotham, as Farrelly signed with the club prior to the season after nearly seven years away from the game.

Farrelly and Shim, along with other whistleblowers, have helped usher in significant changes in the NWSL. Allegations against several coaches across the league led to investigations from former attorney general Sally Yates and one conducted jointly by the NWSL Players’ Association and the league itself.

In addition to a number of systemic reforms, several former coaches and executives were suspended, and four — including Riley — were banned for life.

In 2022, Shim was named the chair of U.S. Soccer’s new Participant Safety Taskforce — a full-time position that she will maintain even after signing for Gotham.

“Sally Yates’s report made it clear that, for far too long, leaders across the soccer ecosystem – including at U.S. Soccer – have not taken responsibility for protecting players,” Shim said upon being named to the role. “But I believe in the capacity for change. As leader of the Taskforce, I am committed to ensuring not only that Yates’s recommendations are implemented, but that we push beyond them.”

[lawrence-related id=16188,11688,7938]

NWSL Weekend Take-Off: Sinead Farrelly returns, Thorns and Wave flex

A big moment, two teams in top form, and lots of wind in the NWSL weekend that was

It’s only week two in the NWSL, but we’re already getting mid-season levels of intensity and weirdness.

One long weather front extending from the Atlantic coast to deep into the Midwest resulted in a lightning delay in New Jersey and a goal scored by a gust of wind in Chicago. We had a two-goal comeback, a remarkable return to the field for Sinead Farrelly, and a month’s worth of league drama packed into one game between Angel City FC and the Orlando Pride.

If you’re the Portland Thorns or San Diego Wave, another thing at mid-season levels is the performance quality. These two seem, at least right now, head, shoulders, and arguably whole torsos ahead of the rest of the pack. It’ll come around for at least a few other teams, but for now, two of the preseason favorites seem to be meeting any expectation fans might have placed on them.

Let’s get into this weekend’s action:

Sinead Farrelly, a key to NWSL reform, ends retirement to sign with Gotham FC

One of the most important NWSL players ever makes an unlikely return

Nearly seven years after stepping away, Sinead Farrelly is back in the NWSL.

The 33-year-old retired in December 2016, but after over six years away from the sport — and playing an enormous part in massive changes around the league — Farrelly has signed a one-year contract with NJ/NY Gotham FC that comes with an option year for 2024.

“I’m thankful for all the support I’ve received to help me reach this point, because I could not have done this alone,” Farrelly said in a team release. “I want to be a key player for Gotham FC, while also having grace and compassion with myself as I acclimate back into the professional environment.

“There were times when this did not feel possible for me. But I have made it to this moment, and I’m going to keep building on it. As I continue, I hope to inspire others to follow their dreams, no matter how far out of reach they may seem.”

An unlikely return

Farrelly debuted as a pro in the final season of WPS, playing for the Philadelphia Independence in 2011, before joining FC Kansas City as the NWSL began play in 2013. Farrelly was traded to the Portland Thorns, playing there for two years, then moving on to the Boston Breakers for 2016. Her NWSL rights were picked up by the Seattle Reign after the season, but coming off of major off-field turmoil and a car accident that left her injured for that final season, she opted to retire instead.

No matter what Farrelly achieves with Gotham FC, she will go down as one of the most important players in NWSL history. In August and September 2021, she — along with Mana Shim and Kaiya McCullough — came forward to detail some horrific abuse against coaches Paul Riley and Richie Burke. Those reports were followed by league-wide player protests that included postponing one round of league matches and on-field shows of solidarity when play resumed.

It’s fair to say that the NWSL of 2023, taking some first true steps towards being a more healthy, safe league to play in, does not exist without that trio coming forward. Their allegations sparked investigations into league misconduct from former attorney general Sally Yates and one conducted jointly by the NWSL Players’ Association and the league itself. The league’s commissioner and legal counsel at the time both would go on to resign, while further abuses from coaches were uncovered.

The changes instituted since then have forced improvement in virtually every department related to being a professional league. Whether that means enforcing background checks on coaches, or finding new ownership groups that have the resources to create a truly professional environment, the league has grown by leaps and bounds over a very short time. It’s hard to say when, if ever, these changes would have come to pass without the bravery of players who came forward to demand a safe environment.

[lawrence-related id=13876,15947,15435]