Thoughts as Seattle’s GM reacts to NWSL allocation, losing Alex Morgan

I think generally speaking, I could speak for all the clubs when I say I’m extremely surprised they would place (Christine) Sinclair and (Alex) Morgan in the same city.

That was Seattle Reign FC general manager Amy Carnell speaking to the Seattle Times in the wake of yesterday’s NWSL dispersal. After many expected her team to get the league’s brightest star, Carnell learned Alex Morgan had been allocated to the Reign’s rival, Portland Thorns FC. There she’ll join Canadian captain Christine Sinclair and U.S. playmaker Tobin Heath in what seems destined to be the league’s most threatening attack.

It’s a fair assessment. While the rest of the league may not have been as upset with the allocation as Portland’s northern neighbors, seeing Morgan and Sinclair on the same team was jaw-dropping for even a casual women’s soccer fan, let alone people who’ll have to compete with them.

It made dispersal twice as hard to take for Carnell. Not only did her team lose out on a player they expected to be their cornerstone, but the 23-year-old ends up being paired with one of the world’s other elite forward, both playing for a team 175 miles to the south.

I think for us it’s a little bit surprising because she was here last summer with (the Sounders Women). I think U.S. Soccer made the decision there, and obviously a player like Sinclair has deep ties to Portland. … I think No. 1, everyone’s surprised those two forwards are on the same team, and then No. 2, I think we were a little surprised we didn’t get her.

You have to sympathize with Carnell, but it just doesn’t make marketing sense to put Solo and Morgan in the same city. And Solo was definitely going to Seattle.

As far as women soccer draw are concerned, Morgan and Solo are on their own level. Abby Wambach (allocated to Western New York) is a step below, with Megan Rapinoe the only other play who can move the dial (even then, she can only nudge it slightly). You just can’t take the two people who can reach beyond the fences of women’s soccer and drop them into the same market.

You could argue that Morgan in Portland creates too much competitve imbalance, but let’s not hand the league to the Thorns just yet. The 2009 Los Angeles Sol had Marta, Camille Abily, Shannon Boxx and Aya Miyama yet still managed to lose in the WPS title game (albeit without Abily, away at Euro 2009).

Even if Portland lives up to expectations — even if the allocation creates an imbalance — think about the scene: NWSL’s premier star playing in front of what’s destined to be the league’s biggest and more lively crowd. The potential for a number of television-friendly games at Jeld-Wen featuring the league’s biggest draw is an awfully appealing prospect. Perhaps it proved irresistible. That might not be fair to the other seven clubs, but it’s probably best for the league.

But Morgan’s dispersal isn’t the problem, nor is her pairing with Sinclair, who was destined to go to Portland (where she has significant ties). The problem is adding Tobin Heath, defender Rachel Buehler, and goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc to that duo. More narrowly, Portland getting somebody like Heath should be the real focus. There’s no way Thorns FC should have gotten Morgan and a player with Heath’s talents from U.S. allocation.

There’s more from Carnell in Joshua Mayers’ Q & A at the Times’ website (you should check it out), but I’ll leave you with the Seattle GM’s thoughts on the pluses and minuses of being allocated Lyon’s Megan Rapinoe:

Honestly, it’s unfortunate. We’re thrilled to have her. She is a world-class player, and personally, her style of play is so unique. We wanted her, and she’s worth the wait, but it’s tough to essentially lose a core player for two thirds of your season. It’s unfortunate, but in the long term, when you’re building a team, you have to look at it that way, as well. We’re very happy to have her and she’s a big part of our club.