The Daily Dirt, January 17: Better to have loved and lost

As Atlanta United enter their inaugural season, fans of the club have some lessons to learn about the inevitable heartache to come. No team can offer the example of this better than their first ever opponents, the New York Red Bulls.

Their supporters have been put through the ringer over the years. While their team has been really good for the majority of the past decade, they’ve had to endure some devastating losses recently. From their beloved head coach Mike Petke getting fired in 2015 after two seasons of playoffs to yesterday’s news that their captain Dax McCarty had been traded.

At the end of the day, MLS is just like every other professional sports league, it’s a business. Players come and go and the team will always do what’s best for the team. While it’s important for supporters to get behind the players, it’s a fine line to walk not getting too attached as it will inevitably come to an end in one way or another.

The Red Bulls are a great reminder that these relationships don’t always come to an end gracefully. Having the rug swept from under you can be startling and no matter how much you prepare for it, losing a player or another member of the team you love so unexpectedly can be truly heartbreaking.

Domestic

New York Red Bulls trade Dax McCarty to the Chicago Fire for $400,000 in General Allocation Money (Once a Metro)

FC Dallas spends $2 million to get Paraguayan forward Cristian Colmán (Goal)

Abu Danladi’s path to the top pick in the SuperDraft (FourFourTwo)

Shamit Shome says that his slide in the draft will motivate him with the Montreal Impact (The 11)

Gregg Berhalter credits the Columbus Crew’s scouting for a successful SuperDraft (MLS)

International

The recovery of Egypt’s national team after the Arab Spring (SB Nation)

Puerto Rico FC battling to be included in the CFU 2017 Club Championship (official)

Chinese Super League making big changes (ESPN)