When I first started writing the newsletter there was very little to discuss.
Fast forward to today and some earth shattering Pids news has shocked the Colorado soccer space. The news did shake up my content schedule here a bit which is why the newsletter is coming a bit late than usual. I had written about 4K words on the Rapids outlook for the rest of the season with plenty of criticism, hopeful spots, and whether the playoffs are within reach. The news, which we will get into, has put quite the kibosh on my article. Buns. Nonetheless, happy August. Let’s get into it.
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Topics:
- 💼 Djordje Mihailovic Traded
- ⛰️ Summit FC First Player
- ⭐ Non-League Starts
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Mihailovic News
If you missed it yesterday, the Rapids reportedly traded Djordje Mihailovic away to Toronto FC for $8m in GAM and an additional $1m in addons. It was a move that was reportedly pushed heavily by the player himself.
The move was quite the shock and warranted an emergency Burgundy Banter pod:
You can hear the raw initial takes in it’s entirety up above but I just wanted to hash some stuff out here via the newsletter.
For as much of the deserved criticism that Padraig Smith gets for contract over-pays, mismanaged spending, and for the history of busts at the club this one is a tough position for him to be in. The powers that be declined two offers for him so this isn’t a case of Smith looking to moneyball his way into next season. The player forced the moved with a little less than three weeks in the Summer transfer window which closes August 21.
The only question that remains is WHY?
Why would Mihailoivic want to leave at such a crucial standpoint of the season? Colorado has a lot going against them when you look at the table. Could the player have seen the writing on the wall? Did frustrations over the Kevin Cabral situation boil over into the locker room? Was it the lack of training facilities? Did Mihailoivic feel the Rapids lacked ambition? Was the club not doing enough for him to reach a USMNT call up?
Afterall, the biggest developments before this one was the signing of Rob Holding who replaced Chido Awaziem. Cabral was waived but without a club still occupies a DP spot which has stalled the Alexis Manyoma deal. Besides that, was anyone really looking at this window here and feeling better about the season as whole?
And now, Mihailovic is gone. Not only were the Rapids one of the worst defensive teams in the league but they now lose their best Designated Player in club history. From his production, his advanced stats, his embed into the culture: Djorjde Mihailovic was an instant success; and now he’s gone. Any wind this team had heading in to the last act of the 2025 season sure does seem to be gone.
As I mentioned earlier, the news derailed my article. I’m planning on posting it with some changes towards the end to address the news but this trade has put an ultimate bummer stamp on the fan base.
Denver Summit FC’s First Player
The Rapids weren’t the only ones to have some movement in the transfer window here. Jeff Kassouf broke the news of Ally Watt being acquired via trade making her the first Denver Summit FC player.
Watt has represented the U-20 and U-23 Women’s National Teams but has yet to appear for the Senior National Team. Watt is from Colorado Springs, Colorado making her the first native to join the team. Could more be on the way in?
Watt has primarily played as a right midfielder this season. She’s on an Orlando Pride team with absolute stars including Barbra Banda, Angelina, and Marta. I think this is a strong first signing from Summit FC. Watt has been loaned back to Orlando where she will finish the season before returning home to the Box State.
Non-League Starts
The Colorado Premier League and Mountain Premier League return this month.
Colorado Premier League features teams like Azteca FC 5280, Harpos FC, Colorado Rovers, and Colorado FC to name a few. Their season is set to begin August 24 with games likely to be held at Broomfield Commons.
Mountain Premier League features teams like Switchbacks II, Aurora FC, Peak XI, and Timbers SC to name a few. I couldn’t find a tentative date for when their league begins but their season tends to ramp up this time around.
If you’re feeling a bit disenfranchised by the Rapids and the MLS model, it may be worth it to look into supporting a team at this level. We’ve seen what lower league soccer can do elsewhere around the United States. All that is missing here in Colorado is interest.
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Thanks for reading! We’ll be back next Tuesday. A lot less topics here as I wanted this to be a heavy Mihailovic newsletter piece and allow myself some more time to redline the massive end of season preview.
A condensed version of the newsletter is up on Instagram and Tiktok as well.
Head over to boxstatefooty.com and click on the appropriate link. Again, thanks for reading 🙂
Box State Footy - Colorado Soccer Content is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
