NEEDHAM, Mass. (Aug. 29, 2002) - Boston Breakers President and General Manager Joe Cummings has named Pia Sundhage as the team's new head coach. Sundhage has been the assistant coach for the Philadelphia Charge since the inaugural season. "Pia (Sundhage) has played and coached at the highest levels. She will bring experience and intensity to Boston," said Cummings. "This is just the first step in helping the Breakers reach the playoffs." Sundhage, 43, is considered one of the world's all-time great female soccer players. She was sixth in the voting for the FIFA Woman Player of the Century. Sundhage, who played her first international match at age 15, retired from competition in 1996 and earned 146 caps playing for the Swedish National Team. In her 21-year career, Sundhage had 71 goals. In the 1991 Women's World Cup, Sundhage helped Sweden to a third place finish with her impressive four goal, two assist tournament totals. She was a key in Sweden's quest to reach the quarterfinal of the 1995 WWC and qualifying for the 1996 Summer Olympics. In 1984, Sundhage's penalty kick helped Sweden capture the European Championships. While still playing, Sundhage began coaching. Her first team was the Swedish Under-16 Girls National Team and she led them to two Nordic Cup titles in her six-year reign. In 1996 after her retirement she was named the head coach of the Under-20 and Under-18 National Team. She led the team to a gold medal in the 1999 European Championships and the bronze in the 1998 and 2000 competition.
She has great technical awareness and will get the best out of your players, and your players will play their hearts out for her. Also her awareness of the upcoming Euro talent is exceptional.
I cannot imagine Joe Cummings hiring anyone other than what he sees as the best fit for the team. And I agree fully with Adam on her characteristics/knowledge, etc.
Congratulations folks! Wish she would have wanted to make the move to the West Coast. Good luck with your new coach and the new season!
You've already improved, Breakers.... Pia will be a good coach for youse guys. Congratulations... Paul
Congratulations to Boston. Pia will take Boston to the playoffs. Boston's gain is a loss for the Charge, SD, and NY.
Well done, Breakers. Pia has been to the Boston area before, as a guest clinician at one of the Mass Youth Soccer winter coach symposiums. Very good English (better than most of us ). Good training methods. She knows the international talent from her years as coach for the Swedish youth teams. This should help the season ticket renewals.
... and the good news gets even better (from the Philly forum) ... "Charge defenders gave Sundhage much credit for Philadelphia's defensive performance this season. It surrendered 22 goals in 21 games, the least allowed in the WUSA." There's speculation about her tapping into some of the Philly defense (or trying to). I can't imagine that they'd mess with a good thing, however. That speculation got me a little worried about possible trades, however. Are there key players who might be vulnerable? Has anyone heard anything about Maren's plans? ... inquiring minds ...
The one thing you'll notice, Charge defenders will use ball skills to work the ball out of the back, not just aimlessly whack the ball out of touch or up field. If you look at Mitts Iverson Tietjen Benson, none really came into WUSA with any huge reputation, but each has become a solid borderline national team camp player. A lot has to do with the teaching skills of Pia and the organization of all the players, communicating well. Boston can expect the mental edge on the defensive side to improve, all the pleyers will know what's expected of them and in training be shown what to do. And the other edge Pia brings is chemistry, all the players will love her, and that certain harmony is an intangible good teams can benefit from.
Oh no! Let's hope their talk leads to at least one more year. Bettina ought to be with the team when they go to the play-off's (not to mention the fact that we sure could use her help getting there)!