USWNT COACH 2.0 DISCUSSION

Discussion in 'USA Women: News and Analysis' started by sisterluke, Apr 8, 2014.

  1. sisterluke

    sisterluke Member

    Sep 27, 2008
    Los Angeles,CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Sol
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Now that we've mourned over Sermanni, I guess it's time to be thinking about another coach. What does USSF have in mind as our new coach? Who exactly is on the short list? Who would be a surprise? Who would be someone you would expect?
     
  2. shlj

    shlj Member+

    Apr 16, 2007
    London
    Club:
    FC Nantes
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    Patrice Lair has a good cv but his English is pretty non existent. Another French coach is also free Bruno Bini, his English is better but his methods are unusual to say the least. Not sure the USSF would like those lol.
     
  3. WPS_Movement

    WPS_Movement Member+

    Apr 9, 2008
    At this point, let's get a motivator, even if they don't have any soccer coaching experience.
    Fuzzit, let's go after the Oklahoma State football coach. He would get the team to PERFORM.

     
  4. holden

    holden Member+

    Dundee FC, Yeovil Town LFC, Girondins de Bordeaux
    Oct 20, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Dundee FC
    That joke's already been done...
     
  5. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Do you think IF it's Lair, Rapinoe will start to weep?? :)
     
  6. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Listening to the players, it sounds like it will be someone familiar with the system and the players. I'm ruling out NWSL coaches now. My best bet is that it'll be Namazi, Gustavsson or Tony G.
     
  7. JanBalk

    JanBalk Member+

    Jun 9, 2004
    If Tony Gustavsson is able to win the WCL he is probably a good choice if not a bit less so, but he will not be able to take or even talk about taking that job until after the the WCL is over for him .
     
  8. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Does it look like he may not be returning to Tyreso?? I know some of the big name players are leaving but it will be a big blow if the coach left as well.
     
  9. JanBalk

    JanBalk Member+

    Jun 9, 2004
    He will not comment on anything regarding that until after the WCL so hard to tell, my guess (not qualified at all) is that he is ready to move as soon as his contract is up and possibly before that (but not before the end of the WCL story) .
     
  10. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Thanks. He is a possibility than because USSF said they wanted something in days or weeks and at worst by the summer.
     
  11. AlexJ17

    AlexJ17 Member

    Dec 12, 2013
    Club:
    Paris Saint Germain FC
    Gustavsson would undoubtedly be the best option for the WNT. This is because not only is he familiar with a few of the players, he is also familiar with the foes such as Marta and Europe's best. More importantly, he has a strong relationship with Press; who is essential to the success of the team. I feel as though there could be pressure from the Federation and senior players to pimp Press out of her starting position, but she (along with Morgan) are really the star forwards of the team. Lereux of course is right up there but she is too similar to Lereux while Press brings the raw talent that Gustavsson is used to and will be able to make fine use of.
     
  12. shlj

    shlj Member+

    Apr 16, 2007
    London
    Club:
    FC Nantes
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    From a conversation I had with Megan, I don't think there was any problem there.
     
  13. skybolt

    skybolt Member

    Dec 16, 2011
    Club:
    Barcelona Guayaquil
    I'm sure most people will disagree with this, but here are my thoughts with respect to the USWNT moving forward. With only 15 months to go until the 2015 WC, the main focus should be to win the tournament. What the US Federation needs to do now is to hire a coach that will bring harmony to the team and forget about changing the style of play to be more possession orientated (at least for now).

    Let's be honest, the way the system is currently set-up with the contract situation, it's very difficult to give some of the younger players adequate playing time (let alone teach everyone a new system) to make a difference next year. For instance, when we talk about possession oriented players we think Tymrak, Heath, etc., but how much time have these players had with the team over the past year to change the entire style of play? Let's face it no coach will be able to teach an old dog new tricks with 15 months to go till the next WC.

    Do I think that possession style of football is the key to success for the future progression of this team (similar to the men's game), absolutely. On the other hand, do I believe that possession style is the only chance we have at winning the 2015 WC, absolutely not. In fact I believe that this will be the last opportunity to win the title using long ball tactics, since all the best teams (including Germany, USA, Japan, Sweden, etc.) are still susceptible to it. The women's game is still at a stage where long balls into the penalty area create havoc for the defense and goalkeeper. How many times have we seen defenders and goalkeepers give up easy chances in front of goal when pressured? If you can get the ball into the opposing box generally good things happen due to bad clear outs and mistakes. Right now we have two speedsters on our team in Morgan and Leroux that can run behind defenses all day. Wambach is still very dangerous in the air at set plays, and Press could wreak havoc coming off the bench late in matches. The team also has a couple of youngsters in Brian and Dunn that can compete against the best teams and bring new blood to the team.

    Right now it's time to stop experimenting and attempt to gel the team together using tactics they are familiar and comfortable with. If the new coach tries to experiment more and force a change in style this late in the game, I could potentially see us bowing out in the WC quarterfinals. Once the WC is over (win or lose), a new coach with a new style can be introduced to the team. Hopefully by then a lot more contracts will be available for young players when Wambach, Lloyd, RVH, A-Rod, Rampone, HAO, etc. are gone.
     
  14. ForeverLOST108

    ForeverLOST108 Member+

    Jan 23, 2010
    Orlando
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just out of curiosity, would you think that Ellis is the best hire then if the US were to follow that strategy? Or is there someone else you had in mind? I'm not disagreeing, I'd just like to know your opinion of who they should hire then to go about that strategy.
     
  15. lunatica

    lunatica Member+

    Nov 20, 2013
    I will be one of those disagreeing people. I think so-called "long balls" not only are not enough to win next WC, I'm not sure if they are enough to be in QF. I think the best option for USWNT would be to combine the great physicality of US players with more possession. The best teams are pressuring and defending all over the pitch so it is much harder for the opposing team to play the long ball.
    Stopping now with the changes started by Sermanni would be a big step back and I'm not sure how some of the players would feel about it because many of them expressed the need to change into more possession-oriented team. There is still so much time to do it. The best next coach in my opinion would be some kind of improved version of Sermanni but I'm not sure federation thinks the same. Maybe it's gonna be like you presented it but in all honesty I don't want to see it.
     
  16. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    It is a fallacy that the US is all long ball. While we may not be to the levels or Japan or France possession wise, we are not completely incompetent either.
     
  17. lunatica

    lunatica Member+

    Nov 20, 2013
    Did I say that? I don't think so.
     
  18. skybolt

    skybolt Member

    Dec 16, 2011
    Club:
    Barcelona Guayaquil
    My honest answer is I don't know. I just feel like the US Federation tried to implement a new strategy with Sermanni and it failed for whatever reason. Perhaps implementing a new system with the old guard still present is not possible until after 2015.
     
  19. skybolt

    skybolt Member

    Dec 16, 2011
    Club:
    Barcelona Guayaquil
    I agree. When I said long ball I meant using the system Pia laid out for this group of players. It's not like we never passed the ball and we do have some technical players. However, unless I see major improvements in the possession game, which we haven't really seen under Sermanni unless it was against weaker teams, we have to resort to what works with the current team. For instance, when we played Russia and China the possession game seemed to work great. However, against teams like Sweden or Denmark it did squat for us. Heck, even a possession type player like Tymrak got dispossessed several times against Russia. I don't want us to fool ourselves into becoming an all possession oriented team and still manage to win the WC next year. We need more time with more turnover with the existing players. I don't like it, but it is what it is.
     
  20. taosjohn

    taosjohn Member+

    Dec 23, 2004
    taos,nm
    This seems exactly backwards to me.

    In the women's game, with slower players on the same fields, "pressuring all over the field" seems to draw back lines inevitably higher and higher, exposing them, eventually, to long balls...
     
  21. skybolt

    skybolt Member

    Dec 16, 2011
    Club:
    Barcelona Guayaquil
    Let me ask a question. If the new coach comes in and gives Dunn, Engen, Brian and Press permanent spots on the team, would that be adequate for the WC roster? I mean we can sit here and argue about bringing in other new young players, but the fact of the matter is that even Sermanni was bent on playing some of the old guard (HAO, Lloyd and Solo) every match. Even in his system did someone like Tymrak really stand a chance to make the team unless it was to replace Brian? Unless of course we're saying that Holiday, Rapinoe or Heath should be left off the team. With Morgan and O'Hara getting healthy that pretty much solidifies our roster for the WC. I realize that Wambach was always going to be the wild card, but there was less than 1% chance that Sermanni would've kept her off the WC roster. Who knows, maybe with Sermanni gone someone new may get A-Rod's and HAO's minutes.
     
  22. lunatica

    lunatica Member+

    Nov 20, 2013
    I think it is really too soon to predict who and who will not make WC roster. So many things can happen. If it's gonna be like last year I predict some injuries during NWSL season. I don't want anyone to be injured, but there is possibility. I predict also that some players will lose their contracts and others will gain. There is still place for Tymrak or Brooks or someone completely new. There will be 23 player roster.
    Calling up new players is not only about next years WC. It's about development for the years after 2015 WC too.
     
  23. skybolt

    skybolt Member

    Dec 16, 2011
    Club:
    Barcelona Guayaquil
    I agree with your comments, but unless someone has a legitimate chance of making the team, should that development occur at the U-23 stage or within the NWSL instead? I don't mind players being called up into camp to train with the rest of the group (a la Killion or Stengel), but to actually take away playing minutes and disrupt the starting line-up this close to the WC is a slippery slope. Again, I'm not including Tymrak or a few others with a legitimate shot of making this team in my statement, but calling up another 5 or 10 more new players between now and next year will not benefit the team's progression as they begin to gel as a unit. Let's concentrate on giving the 6 or 7 young players that have a legitimate chance of making the WC roster as many minutes as possible and at least develop that group further for next year. We still have time when the old guard hopefully retires after the WC (or Olympics) to continue development of other young players for the future.
     
  24. fire123

    fire123 Member+

    Jul 31, 2009
    I don't know if going back to the old way is enough to win the whole thing.
    Let's assume it is, why do you think the feds are in favor of changing to a whole new system if this one works ?
     
  25. MRAD12

    MRAD12 Member+

    Jun 10, 2004
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    No matter who the coach is nothing will change as long as the Fed does not allow the new coach to have his/her own philosophy and bring in players that THEY (the coach) wants.

    So when do we have enough time to bring in new people and develop them and experiment with new line-ups? If not now, when? After the WC?
    Because after the WC comes preparation for the Olympics and we'll be at this crossroads again, do we develop new kids or do we keep the same-ole-same-ole players because of the excuse "We need to focus on winning the Olympics, we don't have time to develop new kids and experiment"

    It will be the same BS, the same ole tired story and the group that is in now, except for Rampone, will be in for another 2-4 years and for years after that....meanwhile we miss out on another crop of talented youngsters.
     
    Namdynamo repped this.

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