Phil West
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philwest.bsky.social
Phil West
@philwest.bsky.social
2.9K followers 2.5K following 990 posts
Soccer writer covering Austin FC at Verde All Day (verdeallday.com), wrote for The Striker and MLS, bylines in many places. Husky, Longhorn, Roadrunner affiliated. Suffers with Arsenal & Atleti. (Not the Sunderland or the motorcycle Phil West.) 🇨🇦
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Reposted by Phil West
lincolnrose.com
Midway through #AustinFC preseason, can confirm the following members of the press corps appear healthy & put in a full 90 Sunday:

@eric-oaktreetimes.bsky.social
@colbygordon.bsky.social
@waatvofficial.bsky.social
@alexwaatv.bsky.social
@philwest.bsky.social
@moiseschiu.bsky.social
Laura Gallo
February 2, 2026 at 10:28 PM
philwest.bsky.social
Welcome to the mascot family
hudsonriverblue.com Hudson River Blue @hudsonriverblue.com · 5d
No new DP yet but NYCFC officially has a new pigeon mascot that looks like this (wearing mascot version of Timbs as well) and is named Sky Scraper
Still of what NYCFC’s new mascot looks like from their unveiling video
February 2, 2026 at 5:10 PM
philwest.bsky.social
Interesting tidbit from Nico Estévez’s press conference: Rosales has been playing as a winger the whole preseason and inky got deployed as a fullback today because of Djordevic being a late scratch for illness
February 1, 2026 at 10:40 PM
philwest.bsky.social
Soccer was played. Perhaps things were learned? In the press conference room about to find out:

verdeallday.com/match-recap-...
At the Whistle: Austin FC 0, NYCFC 2; Preseason means nothing
If you like watching Austin FC take shots and score goals, this was not the game for you. But it's still preseason, and key offensive players are still missing.
verdeallday.com
February 1, 2026 at 10:09 PM
philwest.bsky.social
2-0, NYCFC over Austin FC, at halftime. Goals by Nicolás Fernández Mercau and Agustín Ojeda making it a little more somber in the stadium ... not the best half of defense I've seen this team play.
February 1, 2026 at 8:56 PM
philwest.bsky.social
Gate with a sponsor? Get to work, Ethan Finlay!

It’s preseason for everyone at Austin FC
February 1, 2026 at 7:44 PM
philwest.bsky.social
Facundo Torres is Verde, and said all the right things on Thursday (the only negative was that he wore sunglasses indoors, but I fear that's his thing):

verdeallday.com/facundo-torr...
Saying all the right things: Facundo Torres meets the Austin media
Facundo Torres says he's joined a good team he wants to make better and will play whenever his coach tells him to. Yes, that ticks a lot of Boy Scout boxes.
verdeallday.com
January 30, 2026 at 2:18 AM
philwest.bsky.social
Jáder Obrian is no longer Verde

More on Austin FC's contract buyout:

verdeallday.com/austin-fc-co...
Austin FC exercises contract buyout on Jader Obrian
2024's co-leader in goals had a much less productive 2025. But rather than move him to a new team, Austin FC had to use a roster mechanism allowing the club to release him.
verdeallday.com
January 27, 2026 at 4:45 PM
philwest.bsky.social
Diego Luna is an emergent wishcasting pick among Austin FC fans. Diego Fagúndez could be a prodigal son narrative. We compared the two for a thought exercise on chance creation:

verdeallday.com/diego-luna-d...
A tale of two Diegos: A thought exercise regarding chance creation
Some Austin FC fans have been clamoring for a true heliocentric chance creator. There's an argument to be made that the club already has one.
verdeallday.com
January 25, 2026 at 7:11 PM
philwest.bsky.social
So, maybe a 0-0 draw against a USL side isn't something to get excited about ...

... but a Facundo Torres signing sure is.

More on Austin FC's eventful Friday:

verdeallday.com/austin-fc-0-...
0-0, followed by 'Oh! Oh!': Austin FC draws San Antonio FC in preseason opener, then announces Facundo Torres signing
Austin FC started the 2026 preseason with a scoreless draw against San Antonio. But then it announced one of its most consequential player signings ever.
verdeallday.com
January 24, 2026 at 3:15 AM
philwest.bsky.social
Six days ago, we asked if Facundo Torres is coming to Austin FC

Dear Reader, he is

✅ 5+1 deal
✅ Still has his green card
✅ Quality quote crafted for him in the press release

verdeallday.com/austin-fc-fa...
Is Facundo Torres bound for Austin FC? And do the charts think that's a good idea?
Is Facundo Torres coming to Austin FC? And does that make sense given who got brought in during the offseason so far?
verdeallday.com
January 23, 2026 at 8:14 PM
philwest.bsky.social
Joseph Rosales as a winger? At yesterday's Austin FC press conference, Nico Estévez praised the recent arrival's positional flexibility ...

... which is needed, given everyone currently out of preseason training:

verdeallday.com/i-want-more-...
'I want more goals also': Preparing a more positionally flexible and attacking Austin FC
On Thursday, Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez touted new arrival Joseph Rosales as being positionally flexible. Which is good, given the current injury-riddled Verde attack.
verdeallday.com
January 23, 2026 at 1:41 PM
philwest.bsky.social
Furkan Korkmaz sounds like something I'd yell at a driver who cut me off
btoporek.bsky.social Bryan Toporek @btoporek.bsky.social · 15d
In September, Furkan Korkmaz said Alperen Sengun—not Joel Embiid—was the best big man whom he had ever played with.

Joel Embiid made it clear against the Rockets that he took notice of those comments.
www.si.com/nba/76ers/on...
How a Former Sixer Motivated Joel Embiid to Destroy the Rockets
Furkan Korkmaz said Alperen Şengün was the best center he's ever played with. Joel Embiid took notice.
www.si.com
January 23, 2026 at 6:05 AM
philwest.bsky.social
Austin FC is dead last in GAM at this point in the preseason. What does it mean for Rodolfo Borrell’s roster building ambitions?

verdeallday.com/austin-fc-la...
'We have no GAM,' revisited: Austin FC ranks last in 2026 General Allocation Money
Last year, Austin FC sporting director Rodolfo Borrell famously said, "We have no GAM." MLS just revealed that, compared to the rest of the league, Verde's situation hasn't improved much.
verdeallday.com
January 23, 2026 at 4:14 AM
philwest.bsky.social
Ugh
xowngoals.com Expected Own Goals @xowngoals.com · 18d
Utterly disastrous news for public access to soccer data and statistics.

www.sports-reference.com/blog/2026/01...
At Sports Reference we have taken great pride in the role FBref has played over the last seven years as an expansive source for soccer fans all over the world. Unfortunately, last week the provider of our advanced soccer data sent us a letter terminating our access to their data feeds and requiring the deletion of their data from the site immediately. As a result, we have removed the provider's data from FBref and Stathead in compliance with their demand. The data provider has asserted that our use of the data violated our agreement. Their demand came unexpectedly despite our long-standing and good-faith operation of FBref and Stathead. We have operated the sites in a consistent manner from their creation (well before the signing of this agreement) through today, and we have always welcomed open and frank discussions about how the sites operate. Any effort to retain access to this advanced data would have been costly and uncertain. Under the circumstances, we have decided to comply with the termination notice. This creates a significant gap in the stats offered on FBref and Stathead. We are heartbroken both for our users who have come to rely upon this product and for our team that has spent thousands of hours bringing these stats to life and supporting our users. We are especially upset by the massive step back this creates in access for women's advanced soccer data. Data Democratization is a core Sports Reference value and the removal of this data is a sad day for all of us. We will take time to assess possible paths forward. FBref will continue to present the deep historic basic data we have for over one hundred competitions, but if we present advanced data in the future it will certainly have a dramatically smaller scale.
January 20, 2026 at 10:20 PM
philwest.bsky.social
CLANG
January 20, 2026 at 2:12 AM
philwest.bsky.social
While we wait for more substantive Austin FC news, here’s a primer on what a sports hernia is (the thing Owen Wolff is recovering from:

verdeallday.com/what-is-a-sp...
What is a sports hernia? (And why is it suddenly important to Austin FC fans?)
A sports hernia is not the same thing as a hernia, and that's good. But it's still sidelining Owen Wolff for what's optimistically estimated at four to six weeks.
verdeallday.com
January 20, 2026 at 12:03 AM
philwest.bsky.social
Is Facundo Torres coming to Austin FC?

We prepared like he is:

verdeallday.com/austin-fc-fa...
Is Facundo Torres bound for Austin FC? And do the charts think that's a good idea?
Is Facundo Torres coming to Austin FC? And does that make sense given who got brought in during the offseason so far?
verdeallday.com
January 19, 2026 at 12:30 AM
philwest.bsky.social
I can't be the only one who has thought of this, right?
NBA trade machine showing Giannis traded to the Spurs for Vassell, Barnes, and Sochan
January 16, 2026 at 4:33 AM
philwest.bsky.social
Is James coming to Austin FC?

Here's what it might look like (and is he just half an Evander?)

verdeallday.com/austin-fc-ja...
Sure, we'll entertain this: How would signing James impact Austin FC?
In his prime, James was a star with few parallels in world soccer. We're quite a bit past that prime, though.
verdeallday.com
January 14, 2026 at 8:25 PM
philwest.bsky.social
Nico Estévez's unfailing optimism is BACK

(also, learn who missed Austin FC's first practice session of 2026 and why)

verdeallday.com/nico-estevez...
'We push ourselves on being ambitious': Nico Estévez brings his unfailing optimism back to Austin FC
Brandon Vázquez was a participant in Monday's practice. Three players key to Verde's 2026 success were not.
verdeallday.com
January 13, 2026 at 5:53 PM
philwest.bsky.social
Oregon fan going surrender cobra before halftime; is that bad
January 10, 2026 at 2:00 AM
philwest.bsky.social
Unsurprisingly, Austin FC announces the Owen Wolff deal following Friday's report. Big surprise is it goes through June 2030; it's quite possible Wolff is playing in Europe well before that.

Our (preemptive) coverage from this past weekend:

verdeallday.com/owen-wolff-n...
The single pivot: What the reported Owen Wolff U22 deal means for Austin FC's roster build
Owen Wolff is reportedly renewing his commitment to Austin FC with an arrangement rewarding both player and club. Here's what it means for the remaining weeks leading up to the season opener.
verdeallday.com
January 5, 2026 at 8:07 PM
philwest.bsky.social
As @tombogert.bsky.social reported, the expected (by some of us following Austin FC extensively) Owen Wolff U22 deal is nigh:

Now, Rodolfo Borrell finds himself at the place Robert Frost famously described (so of course this comes with some lit prof analysis):

verdeallday.com/owen-wolff-n...
The single pivot: What the reported Owen Wolff U22 deal means for Austin FC's roster build
Owen Wolff is reportedly renewing his commitment to Austin FC with an arrangement rewarding both player and club. Here's what it means for the remaining weeks leading up to the season opener.
verdeallday.com
January 3, 2026 at 3:48 PM
philwest.bsky.social
December 28, 2025 at 2:22 AM