The past few weeks have been quite hard on Angel City FC. Already enduring their fair share of challenges in making the NWSL playoffs, the Los Angeles-based club was penalized $200,000 and given a three-point deduction for violating the league’s salary cap. While mum has been the word for club owner Alexis Ohanian, Lynn Williams has extended a shoulder to lean on for her rival team players and claims it’s ‘more of a management issue.’

“It’s just unfortunate,” began the NJ/NY Gotham FC star on ‘The Women’s Game’ podcast which she co-hosts alongside Sam Mewis. Saving players from the apparent backlash, Williams has rather taken a dig at the management. “I feel for the players. I think that when you go into contract negotiations and you’re with a club as a player like I’m trying to make all the money I can possibly make.”

“You’re not the one who is in charge of the books and so the fact that they’re getting docked points feels like it’s now falling onto the players when it is more of a management issue,” added the recent gold medal winner at the Paris Olympics, insisted that it should have been the stakeholders at the ACFC that should bear the brunt.

Notably, Angel City received this punishment for exceeding the league’s salary cap by about $50,000 over four weeks during the 2024 season. Although the NWSL’s salary cap for 2024 was set at $2.75 million, an investigation uncovered undisclosed “side letters” between Angel City and five players from 2023. These agreements, made outside of the standard contracts, offered additional benefits that were not reported to the league.

The punishment further extends to club president Julie Uhrman and general manager Angela Hucles Mangano, who are also barred from signing players until the end of 2024. What comes as surprising is the fact that Alexis Ohanian has yet to make a public statement regarding the sanctions, not having expressed his support for Becki Tweed and her team on their journey.

Sadly, nothing can be done now as Angel City has little in its hands to control this situation. Interestingly, this ain’t the first time they have been handed over such punishment.

Lynn Williams advocates for Angel City players but not the first time Alexis Ohanian and Co. were punished!

A three-point deduction had practically ended Angel City FC’s hopes of making the 2024 NWSL playoffs. Then again, Lynn Williams remained vocal over the fact that the punishment befell the whole team. “I don’t think that is fair to the players,” concluded Williams, insisting their hard work and confidence was spilled over this incident.

Interestingly, this ain’t the first time Alexis Ohanian-led side has been forced with a punishment. Back in 2021, the NWSL front office penalized Angel City for violating roster rules after determining that the team had breached the league’s tampering policy concerning midfielder Allie Long. On that occasion, the NWSL imposed a $20,000 fine in cash and an additional $20,000 in unfunded allocation money.

However, the recent punishment saw the NWSL take strong action against Angel City, something on which we would like to know your thoughts as well.