Eric Wynalda’s name was conspicuous by its absence from ESPN’s MLS coverage lineup, released on Thursday. He has been replaced as analyst of “MLS Primetime Thursday” by former U.S. national team teammate John Harkes. Veteran announcer J.P. Dellacamera will join Harkes as the play-by-play man, as Dave O’Brien, Wynalda’s former partner, returns to ESPN’s coverage of Major League baseball and college basketball. Sideline reporter Allen Hopkins and on-site studio host Rob Stone were both retained for a second year.
Wynalda has been reassigned to the studio at ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, CT. His new responsibilities include Champions League coverage. Some critics feel Wynalda’s actions last season prompted the change. The former U.S. national team striker has been both lauded and criticized for freely expressing his opinions, both positive and negative, about U.S. soccer and American soccer players. The Chicago Tribune’s Luis Arroyave adds that the former MLS analyst “did himself no favors last season after derogatory comments he made to a soccer blog about a fellow ESPN personality who’s also a notorious soccer critic [Jim Rome].”
“I’m still an ESPN employee,” Wynalda said, responding to questions about his reassignment. “I’ve been covering the game as an analyst for three years, and this is a big change to do Champions League games. I’m excited when I look at the schedule.”