Latest news with #Fishel
Fox Sports
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
USWNT Footnotes: A step for Mia Fishel; Trinity Rodman's return still unclear
Editor's Note: USWNT Footnotes takes you inside the major talking points around the U.S. women's national team, the NWSL, European leagues, and all across American women's soccer. Jaedyn Shaw, Korbin Albert and Mia Fishel are among 20 players to make up the U-23 women's national team for two upcoming road matches against Germany. The squad will face the Germans outside Stuttgart on May 30 and again on June 2. The camp in Europe is part of USWNT coach Emma Hayes' emphasis on this age group and its importance when it comes to the player pathway to the full senior team. Hayes announced a 24-player senior roster on Tuesday for stateside matches against China (May 31) and Jamaica (June 3), and during her press conference, referenced Shaw, Albert and Fishel and explained why she thought it was important for them to take part in the U-23 camp instead. "This is what I've felt has really been missing for a lot of players," Hayes said. "That they made that jump from Under 20 to seniors and they don't have a body of games. Yes, [Fishel] could come in, sit on the bench for us, but it's much better for her to go up and play in Germany and get the experiences so that these players are tracking to compete in the place that we want them to come [the 2027 World Cup]." Fishel, 24, tore her ACL ahead of the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup and recently returned to play for her club Chelsea. Hayes called her in as a training player for the April matches against Brazil, but she hasn't played with the full team in more than a year. Shaw, 20, and Albert, 21, are both USWNT veterans at this point given how young the squad is, and won gold medals with the team at the Paris Olympics last summer. But Hayes believes all three will benefit more from playing with the U-23 team right now. "I think the trip to Germany for [Fishel], plus Jaedyn plus Korbin, will be another step in their development," Hayes said. "And one where, just for context, both teams are able to play five overage players. So this is a great opportunity for us to be able to play players with less experience." Trinity Rodman update Trinity Rodman made her valiant return to the USWNT in April where she scored a brilliant goal in the team's first match vs. Brazil. She didn't see the field in the second game, but played for the Washington Spirit a few days later. Since then, Rodman has taken a leave of absence from soccer to address ongoing back issues. There is no timetable for her return to club or country. Hayes said this week that she speaks with Rodman regularly and the 'Triple Espresso' star is "doing really well." "It has certainly been a multidisciplinary approach to supporting Trin – [that includes] club, country and the NWSL – so there's good communication and support provided to her," Hayes said. "I think with regard to the issue in her back, she wants to get to a place where it doesn't keep coming back. So I think these are the right steps for her, and I've definitely seen a lot of progress. "But unfortunately, like anything, you can't put a timeframe on it because we want to ensure that she's not carrying that pain any further. And I think we're definitely heading in the right direction. I don't know when she will be back, but I know that Trin is being given all the support and we very much hope for a speedy recovery." One full year on the job It's been almost one year since Hayes officially took over the USWNT (her first match was June 1, 2024 which resulted in a 4-0 win over Korea Republic). Hayes spent more than a decade at Chelsea where she transformed the club and won 16 trophies. In her first few months with the U.S., she led the squad to an Olympic gold medal and gave 21 different players their senior team debut. Now, she's developing and expanding the player pool ahead of the next World Cup, which is not until 2027. "The truth is, I'm in love with my job every day," Hayes told reporters this week. "I didn't realize how stuck I'd become until I got out of that. And the self-development that's gone on for me on a personal level was not just what I needed, but the push I needed as well. I'm on so many different leadership programs – not just formal but sometimes informal gatherings with other head coaches. I never really got as much time as I wanted to do that before. "Also, I'm loving learning again – a new culture, a new playing pool and everything that comes with that. Right now I'm working on the plan to qualify for 2027, but also within that, why those missing gaps are there. Not just in our program, but in our sport, because I'm all about not just closing the gap, but how can we help support all areas of the sport? So I'm in my perfect job and absolutely loving it." Catarina Macario scores in FA Cup Final After being eliminated from Champions League competition, Chelsea responded by going onto win the FA Cup Final with a 3-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday. The undefeated Blues completed the domestic treble, winning the Women's Super League, WSL Cup and FA Cup. Macario, who was subbed onto the pitch in the 62nd minute, scored Chelsea's second goal on a header in the 84th minute. Not only was it Macario's 11th goal of the season, but she became the third American woman to score in an FA Cup Final, joining Sam Mewis and Carli Lloyd. Savy King update In very uplifting news, Angel City FC defender Savy King has been discharged from the hospital. She posted the update on social media earlier this week. King, 20, required medical attention during the Angel City-Utah Royals match on May 9 when she collapsed on the field. The game was stopped for about 10 minutes and King was carted off the field and immediately taken to a local hospital. The club later announced that King was in stable condition and that she underwent successful surgery for a heart abnormality. The incident sparked outrage among players, coaches and the soccer community because the game continued after King left the field. A week later, after reviewing league protocols, the NWSL admitted the match should have ended. In an Instagram post, King thanked her family, friends, teammates and fans for their love and support as well as the medical team "who saved my life and cared for me every step of the way." King also said she is "looking forward to recovering and getting back out on the field." Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman . 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Fox Sports
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
USWNT Footnotes: Chelsea's Champions League letdown and NWSL expansion
Editor's Note: USWNT Footnotes takes you inside the major talking points around the U.S. women's national team, the NWSL, European leagues, and all across American women's soccer. The Women's Champions League final is set: two-time defending champs Barcelona will take on Arsenal at Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon on May 24. Barcelona flat-out embarrassed Chelsea, advancing to the final after an 8-2 aggregate win. Later, Arsenal shocked Lyon by coming back to beat the French superpower 5-3 on aggregate to clinch a spot in its first UWCL final in 19 years. The Blues had hoped to make it to the final after getting ousted in back-to-back semifinals. Under new head coach Sonia Bompastor — the former Lyon manager who took over for Emma Hayes after she left for the U.S. women's national team — had enough weapons. Chelsea didn't have star forwards Sam Kerr or Lauren James, but won the 2025 transfer window by adding defender Naomi Girma and midfielder Keira Walsh (who came from Barcelona). Even so, Bompastor's formidable roster wasn't enough to overtake the inevitable Barça. Now the Spanish side will prepare to face Arsenal in the final. The Gunners also made some quality additions during the January window, including USWNT defender Jenna Nighswonger and England forward Chloe Kelly. U.S. defensive stalwart Emily Fox joined the club last year and has become a regular starter on the backline. Lyon entered the match with a 2-1 advantage after winning the first leg, but Arsenal leveled the score in the fifth minute. The goals kept coming after that, with the Gunners ultimately beating Lyon 4-1. Lyon manager Joe Montemurro, who previously coached Arsenal, described the final result as "unexplainable." Now Arsenal, the only English team that's ever won a Women's Champions League title back in 2007, has a chance to hoist the trophy next month. Mia Fishel is back and scoring goals Staying overseas, USWNT forward Mia Fishel scored her first goal for Chelsea since tearing her ACL in February 2024. Fishel, who had been earning regular national team call-ups at the time of her injury, was angling to contend for a 2024 Olympics roster spot. She's been building back minutes and was invited to the last USWNT camp as a training player. Fishel came on as a substitute in Chelsea's April 23 match vs. Crystal Palace and scored the fourth goal in Chelsea's 4-0 rout. U.S. forward Catarina Macario, who had also previously been on the mend following an injury, bagged a brace for the Blues in the win. Chelsea is on track to win its sixth consecutive WSL title, sitting six points ahead of Arsenal at the top of the table with three games left. NWSL expansion The NWSL submitted an application to U.S. Soccer for a second division with the focus on enhancing player development. The news was first reported by CBS Sports . The report detailed that NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman sent a letter to U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson on April 1, proposing a Division II league that was "imperative" to the league's growth. The formal proposal describes the league as a "pipeline" for college and young players to experience the "technical, tactical and mental demands" of professional soccer. According to the report, the NWSL would initially have eight Division I teams affiliated with a Division II team: North Carolina Courage, Kansas City Current, Racing Louisville, NJ/NY Gotham, Orlando Pride, Bay FC, Seattle Reign and the Washington Spirit. The proposal states that ideally, all Division I teams would have a Division II team within the first four years. Meanwhile, this news comes at the same time as the new WPSL Pro announced plans to launch a Division II women's pro league after the 2026 men's World Cup. Similar to the NWSL's Division II proposal, WPSL Pro also aims to be a transitional space for rising talent. What does this all mean? In layman's terms: more opportunities for women's soccer players in the United States. There is currently no second-division professional league for women's soccer in the U.S. The USL Super League, which debuted in 2024, was initially going to be a second division until it changed course and has the same Division I designation as the NWSL. These new proposed leagues can only help continue growing the game. USWNT in the NWSL The last-place North Carolina Courage trailed the undefeated Kansas City Current 2-1 entering stoppage time. And just when the game appeared to be over, Kaleigh Kurtz equalized in the 90th minute and Ashley Sanchez nailed the game-winner in the 92nd to pull off a dramatic 3-2 victory. It was the Courage's first win of the 2025 season. Elsewhere, 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year and Olympic gold medalist Croix Bethune returned to the Washington Spirit after recovering from a torn meniscus, while Houston Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell recorded her 40th clean sheet in 1-0 win over the Utah Royals. Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman . Get more from United States Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Express Tribune
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Maitland Ward speaks out on podcast fallout with Danielle Fishel and Will Friedle
Actress Maitland Ward has addressed the fallout from her recent dispute with former Boy Meets World co-star Danielle Fishel, stating she was caught off guard by the confrontation during her appearance on the Pod Meets World podcast. In an exclusive interview with The New York Post, Ward, 48, suggested that the discussion was orchestrated by Fishel, 43, along with podcast hosts Will Friedle and Rider Strong. Ward expressed particular disappointment with Friedle, 48, who had invited her on the show and whom she previously considered a friend. She explained that Friedle had reassured her the podcast would focus on nostalgia and positive reflections, leaving her unprepared for the confrontation. 'They have dragged this out for a long time,' Ward told The Post, adding that Friedle had frequently mentioned getting her on the show. However, she now questions their friendship, saying, 'If he knew this was going to happen and didn't warn me, that really sucks.' The dispute on the podcast stemmed from Ward's allegations that Fishel ignored her on the set of the spinoff series Girl Meets World and removed her as a Facebook friend—claims that Fishel denied. Ward further alleged that Fishel waited until the end of the recording to bring up their issues, leaving her feeling ambushed. Friedle remained silent during much of the discussion but later publicly defended former co-star Ben Savage, whom Ward suggested they disliked. He referred to Savage as 'one of the most important figures in his life.' Since the podcast aired, Ward has not communicated with Friedle, Fishel, or Strong.
USA Today
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Danielle Fishel 'grills' costar on 'Boy Meets World' podcast: 'Do you hate us?'
Danielle Fishel 'grills' costar on 'Boy Meets World' podcast: 'Do you hate us?' Reunions don't always have happy endings, and some can get downright heated, as was the case with "Boy Meets World" costars Danielle Fishel and Maitland Ward. Ward caught up with Fishel and fellow "Boy Meets World" alums Will Friedle and Rider Strong on a recent episode of "The Pod Meets World" podcast, where fans can "relive your (their) first crush, first kiss, favorite moments and all the life lessons with Topanga, Eric and Shawn." The episode, released Sunday, featured Ward, best known for playing Rachel McGuire, the "beloved" roommate seen in seasons six and seven of "Boy Meets World" and a brief stint on the spin-off show "Girl Meets World." Ward also opened up on the podcast about her "spicy" career as an adult film star. But the tone of the conversation shifted about an hour in when Fishel asked, "Do you hate us?" "No, I do not hate you," Ward replied. "I think that you hate me because you wouldn't speak to me on 'Girl Meets World,' and that was hurtful." The two went back and forth about their relationship through the years for a while, in an attempt to piece together how, when and why they lost touch. "I said to Will, 'Will you please ask Maitland if I could have her phone number so that I could apologize to her,'" Fishel said. "And you wrote back to Will, 'No, let's just save it for the podcast. It'll be great for the ratings,'" adding that Ward said it would "rock the stats." At the time in 2022, Ward thought she would be asked to appear on the podcast soon, not years later. Ward said she felt Fishel asking to talk was "disingenuous," especially after she was ignored on set when she thought they were friends. Representatives for Fishel did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. Maitland Ward felt 'awful' after podcast appearance Ward felt "awful" and "sad" after the podcast, telling USA TODAY in a Tuesday interview that she "didn't want us to do that." "When I say I wanted to 'rock the stats' and stuff, I meant start a conversation. I wasn't going to attack her and have a huge argument on set. I mean, just like talk things out," Ward said, "And again, being so long later, I just did not expect it. ...I was like in shock that she was doing this right then and that they were agreeing." Ward felt especially betrayed by Friedle, who she says was her friend and had been supportive of her throughout the years. "The fact that he presented her this text, knew she was going to do this and presented me the show the time saying, 'Oh, it's going to be great. We want to have you on, we're so excited,'" Ward said. "I felt like it was going to be a friendly situation. There was no talk about drama or starting anything, so I feel like that was a betrayal in many ways." Despite her experience on the show, Ward told USA TODAY she would consider making another appearance in the future to hash things out. "I am open to it, especially if it can be a thing where we do come together and talk real ... "I think it could be a real opportunity for everyone to talk it out, not a combative way, but to come together in a more positive way," Ward said. "I wish that's how it would have turned out." 'Girl Meets World' was a 'very, very difficult set,' Fishel says Ward said she was "very, genuinely confused" by Fishel's cold shoulder, especially because she remembered Friedle and Strong greeting her warmly after years of no contact. "You had an attitude about it. There was some beef between us, and I didn't get it," Ward said of her time on the spinoff. "Maybe, I picked up on the wrong signals, but there definitely was some sort of weirdness there...I didn't know if you thought that I was trying to steal attention or something." Fishel said she didn't remember an issue between them, but that the "Girl Meets World" set was a "very, very difficult set." "Let's just put it this way, the memories we have of 'Boy Meets World' were not the memories or fun set of 'Girl Meets World,'" Fishel said. "It was a rather tumultuous place. It was a place I felt very ostracized. I felt very criticized. I felt a lot of different things being on that set." Ward thought, at that moment in time, that Fishel was jealous of her. "Listen, I mean you didn't like the fact that I was getting a lot of attention at that time and going off in my own space and taking away like that attention," she said. It seemed as though the argument had ended until Fishel brought up the fact that Ward had made some negative statements about them and about the show to the press, specifically to TMZ. Ward told her photographers seek her out when Fishel asked how the interviews happened. "Are you trying to accuse me of using you or are you trying to accuse me of something?... It's an awfully big concern for you right now," Ward said. "I think there's a divide too because you guys hate Ben (Savage), and you guys hate Michael (Jacobs)." Savage is best known for portraying Cory Matthews in "Boy Meets World," and Jacobs is the creator of the show. "Ben is one of the most important people I've ever met in my life, and I can't stand the fact that he won't speak to us," Friedle said. Friedle and Strong revealed in a 2023 interview with Variety that Savage no longer speaks to them. Ward said while she doesn't listen to the podcast regularly, she does think there was "a lot of negative stuff" that came out of the podcast. "Be honest about this. You're trying to go at me now to get the ratings because you know people will be interested," Ward says. Fishel responds by saying she was "not the one who wanted to go for ratings." "I'm the one who texted Will to ask for your phone number so that like adults, we could have a conversation off the air. When you said, 'rock that stats,' I realized got it," Fishel said. "This isn't someone who is seeing an opportunity to again, use this opportunity to get into the is what you asked for." 'Pod Meets World' will 'gladly have' Maitland Ward back The conversation eventually simmered down and the episode concluded with everyone, including Ward, cracking jokes about her career and teasing the possibility of having her back on the podcast in the future. Fishel said they will "gladly have her back" on the podcast to talk about the Prank Wars episode when they get around to it, or any other episode they feel we "have to talk to Maitland about this." "Does that mean that Maitland and I need to have each other's numbers and send each other texts? Absolutely not. We don't need that and that's okay," Fishel said. Fishel harbors no hate, or resentment towards Ward, in fact she hopes she has the "best, most greatest, most fantastical, wonderful life."
Fox News
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
‘Boy Meets Word' star Maitland Ward claims Danielle Fishel created ‘toxic' environment during podcast exchange
After reflecting on her recent heated exchange with former "Boy Meets World" co-star Danielle Fishel, Maitland Ward has some thoughts. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Ward - who portrayed Rachel McQuire in the later seasons of the beloved '90s TV show - opened up about the "very toxic" situation she found herself in while appearing on the "Pod Meets World" podcast on Monday. "I never expected the turn it was going to take, ever," said Ward, who was bluntly asked by Fishel if she hated her former co-stars during the episode. "And I was not going to come in there and start going at Danielle or start rehashing things like she said that I was plotting to do because you can see I was just sitting there, and all of a sudden she just flips." 'BOY MEETS WORLD' ACTRESS MAITLAND WARD SLAMS CO-STAR AS 'DISINGENUOUS' DURING FIERY EXCHANGE During the episode, Ward joined hosts and former co-stars Fishel, Ryder Strong and Will Friedle to discuss their shared experience on the show. However, when Fishel asked Ward if she hated them, things took a turn for the worse. "No, I do not hate you," said Ward, who has since found success as an adult film star. "I think that you hate me because you wouldn't speak to me on 'Girl Meets World' (the Disney Channel spin-off of 'Boy Meets World'), and that was hurtful." "You had an attitude about it. There was some beef between us, and I didn't get it," she later added. "I didn't know if you thought I was trying to steal attention… I was genuinely confused why we wouldn't be good." Ward told Fox News Digital that she felt "bullied" by her former friends and co-stars, and claims it was a "very toxic" situation. "I felt [bullied] because it was three against one, really four because [Fishel's] husband is the producer," she continued. "So it was like I was surrounded by — I really felt surrounded, and it's weird because they were my friends in the past, and just imagine stepping back into a high school situation or college or whatever, and you see old friends, and then all of a sudden every single grievance you ever had with them is fresh on their minds, and they want to just come at you. So it felt like a very toxic situation." Later in the episode, Fishel asked Ward why she had spoken negatively about the cast in the past, to which Ward responded, "Are you trying to accuse me of using you, or are you trying to accuse me of something?" "I think there's a divide, too, because you hate Ben (Savage) and you guys hate (creator) Michael (Jacobs)," she added. "Ben is one of the most important people I've ever met in my life, and I can't stand the fact that he won't speak to us," Friedle responded. "And that's what it is: He won't speak to us," he said. "I can show you the last three years, literally, of messages, and in the middle of a conversation with Ben, he just bailed on me. Ben absolutely one day woke up and said, 'I don't want Will in my life' and never told me why." When Fishel asked Ward if she listens to their podcast on a regular basis, she said, "No," but claimed it focuses on a lot of "negative stuff." "The same way you wrote your book about your experiences doesn't mean that they're negative," said Fishel, who referenced Ward's 2022 memoir. "They're just experiences. So you don't listen to the podcast regularly, but your overall opinion of it is that we are negative about Michael and Ben and the show." "Let's be honest about this. You're trying to go at me now to get the ratings because you know that people will be interested. I just wanted to remember the good times," Ward said. "I'm not the one who wanted to go for ratings… This is what you asked for," Fishel responded. After saying their goodbyes, Fishel said Ward's decision to come on the podcast seemed like "an opportunity for her to get press by having conflict." "Similarly to the way she decided when 'Girl Meets World' and all that stuff was in the press, that that was an opportunity for her to make a name for herself in cosplay play and in role-playing, she felt like this was an opportunity for her to get press by having conflict, which I am just not your girl to do that," Fishel said of the heated exchange. "And she thought it was disingenuous for me to reach out to her. I think wanting to do it for stats is disingenuous." Ward had a different point of view. "I did not create the conflict on that show," she told Fox News Digital. "I was not trying to create conflict. And I think it's funny that she says I tried to create the conflict from it, to get press when she tried to create the conflict for this show to get press and views and listens and everything for the podcast." "I wasn't going to benefit financially from that show," she added. "So I think she's very two-faced in that situation. I think she doesn't enjoy that I have had success from 'Boy Meets World' like that. And I think she should be reminded that I get attention for other things that I do too." Fox News Digital has reached out to reps for Fishel, Strong and Friedle for comment. Despite the heated back-and-forth, Ward said she wouldn't be opposed to returning to the podcast to discuss everything in a productive manner. "I'm not a coward to that," she said. "I will come back and do it, but it needs to be done in a more positive way I guess." "I just wish we would've been able to talk it out in a way that was, in a way that the audience could have been brought in and have it be a positive situation where we could have learned from each other and the audience could have grown with us in that situation," she added. "It should have been that."
