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SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCastAuthor: The Mane Land
News and analysis about the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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SkoPurp No. 112: Sams Traded and a New Pride GM
Episode 112
Tuesday, 13 January, 2026
We're back with our first show of the 2026 calendar year and there's a lot to talk about. We start things off with the bad news: Emily Sams has played her last game with the Orlando Pride (barring some wacky future return). The Pride traded Sams — at her request — to Angel City, and even though the club got a pile of intraleague transfer funds in return, it just doesn't feel like enough. We discuss the disarray now prevalent in the center back position group with the Sams departure and Kylie Nadaner's pregnancy. We also discussed two new arrivals who can play center back even though they should probably stick to fullback. The Pride brought in Hailie Mace and Hannah Anderson to help on the back line. Both are versatile, but neither is Sams at center back.Our mailbagbox is a short one this time out, as we're asked if more Pride players will depart or arrive between now and the start of the season. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We'd also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we'll find them easily and read them on the show.After our mailbagbox, we spend slightly less time discussing Grace Chanda's departure than Chanda spent on the pitch for the Pride. That's a little bit of an exaggeration, but not as much of one as you'd think.Finally, we discussed the big news: Orlando has found a new vice president of soccer operations and general manager to replace Haley Carter. Stepping into the role is former Kansas City Current GM Caitlin Carducci, who brings a wealth of experience in various disciplines to Orlando in much the same way Carter did. If it also makes the Current weaker, it's twice as good of a hire as it appears to be on the surface.We're in our off-season schedule now, so we'll be back at least monthly, and as often as news requires.If you'd like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we'd love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site.Here’s how Episode 112 went down:0:15 – Sams is gone, as we start the show on a down note for the second consecutive episode.19:41 - Our mailbagbox seems nervous about players leaving.28:05 - Grace Chanda departs but the Pride have a new GM, so perhaps a replacement on the roster won't be far away.
