From Revs Fan in the Boston forum: Hucles retires from soccer. As I said there, seems very out of the blue to me.
“I always wanted to involve myself in things I was passionate about and give 110 percent,” said Hucles. “I feel like I’ve come to a point where I no longer can give that much and I know that there are other players who are ready to step up to the plate in order to bring the World Cup trophy back to the U.S. and carry on the growth of professional women’s soccer in the United States as well.” http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/boston/news/general/091016-hucles-retires.aspx
Complete retirement would suggest that its not something about the Nats, as in not getting along with Pia or not liking playing with Lloyd or something... Which leaves, what? The "Hucles sucks" crowd has finally gotten under her skin after all these years? Or some sort of progressive injury that has finally reached the point where its not worth the pain anymore? Ankles sometimes do that without ever actually taking you out of a game... A significant other who is unwilling to take the leftovers anymore? Or of course there's Big Soccer's least popular option-- we could just take her at her word. Sometimes the fire just goes out, and its not fair to your teammates to just go through the motions; was it Phil Esposito who said "When I can't get excited about playing the Rangers anymore its time to quit." A successful and dignified career in the face of some adversity. She deserves our respect and appreciation.
good luck angela!! this has got to be a sudden thing tho, because she was on the team to go to germany. makes me lean toward various types of bs conspiratorial interpretations. this retirement necessitates pia having to replace her on short notice. (rapinoe is also being replaced because of meniscus surgery on her left knee). http://www.ussoccer.com/Teams/US-Women.aspx masar for hucles, white for rapinoe.
She could be pregnant. She might have decided... "that's it... time for the next phase of life" Who knows. But she was the key in 2008. Best of luck to her. Didn't know she was that old. She is right about one thing...it's time for the next group to step up.
I say take her at her word. She's always given maximum effort even though injuries often dampened her considerable skills. She had a perfect storm of an Olympics, and it will always be remembered as her shining moment. Her team needed her and she stepped up big-time.
She was a major contributor for years - especially last year! and her career is a great story arc. Perseverence plus talent plus teamwork equaled success for Angela. Congratulations, thank you, and best of luck in the future.
if she was i don't think she'd be retiring. ussoccer has a health benefit for pregnancy written into the contract. that's what lil, and rampone et al use(d). i think.
I like that Hucles specifically mentioned there is younger talent who should be developed and I think Pia should listen to Hucles. Pia does owe her that. We would have not won the gold with out Hucles strong play in China.
FWIW, it certainly let's her retire "on top" - she goes out after spending about a decade before establishing herself as a critical part of a major tournament win and playing in the inaugural WPS season. Honestly, I never thought she could contribute to the WNT, but her emergence might be Pia's biggest achievement in terms of player management. She showed a level that just wasn't evident previously, and went out as one of only a few players to play in WUSA and WPS . . . I hope she'll stay in the game in some way that works for her!
I was going to walk right by that one... But clearly, unmarried women wouldn't be doing anything that would result in pregnancy.
Ok where i can meet them in the single moms club??...lol...i'm joking by the way i'm not saying than angela hucles is a lesbian...i don't know her we have some friend in comon nothing else.