Brotherly Game Daily Links 11/14/17

Philadelphia Union News

Bethlehem Steel FC’s 2017 Success Tied to Brendan Burke’s Growth as a Coach
Competing in the United Soccer League, one of the most prominent Division II professional soccer leagues in the world, affords the opportunity for clubs to learn and compete at a high level.

MLS News

2017 MLS Western Conference Championship is set: Seattle vs Houston
The Seattle Sounders face the Houston Dynamo for the second time in the postseason, with this year's winner advancing to MLS Cup.

2017 MLS Eastern Conference Championship is set: Toronto vs Columbus
The first postseason meeting between Toronto FC and Columbus Crew SC will present the team left standing with a chance to host MLS Cup on their home field as both East clubs finished the 2017 regular season with better records than their West counterparts.

Not-so-free agents: This MLS rule places even more limits on league's highest-paid stars MLS' fledgling free agency system is supposed to offer freedom of movement for veteran players. But that arcane rulebook is in the way again.

Tyler Adams Is the Present, and the Future
American Soccer Now chats with the teenage New York Red Bulls star as he prepares for his first senior national team game while looking ahead to his bright future.

Major League Soccer May Be Growing Too Rapidly For Its Own Good
This sort of manic manifest destiny hasn’t been seen in soccer since the old North American Soccer League expanded from 18 to 24 teams in a single year, 1978.

US Soccer News

USMNT to begin 2018 against Bosnia
January Camp will culminate with a friendly in Carson against the Bosnians.

Rumor: USMNT interested in Northern Ireland coach Michael O’Neill
Silly season continues.

Christian Pulisic hits the mark with criticism of MLS not playing young players
Christian Pulisic raised a very real and understandable concern about why more young players aren't finding opportunities to play regularly in MLS.

Rest of the World News

Italy to miss World Cup for first time since 1958 as Sweden qualify
Italy have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958, as Sweden secured their spot in Russia after the teams' 0-0 draw on Monday in Milan.