They just released the roster for the Portland game on Sunday and one notable name missing was Shannon MacMillian. I guess she didn't impress Ryan enough during the practices. It's a shame she can't play on her 'home field' with Mille. I wonder if Fotop really is that much of a better player than her? She made it again. What does everyone else think? I know I was hoping to watch Mac back in action to see if she still had it. But I guess she might not...
I think it's a great sign. Ryan is all business. No free passes. No sympathy spots. It's tough for MacMillan, but if she's not there physically, she should be on the roster just because the game is in Portland.
Shannon arrived in camp with a tweaked hip flexor; I’m betting it gave her more trouble than she anticipated.
I am impressed. He would not have taken those injured players to the Olympics either. Bravo, Mr. Ryan.
...might be what you meant to say. and i totally agree. i know there's a sizable group of fans who are sentimentally attached to certain players. that kind of stuff is totally out of place in competitive sports. if they can't play and/or if they're injured, send them home.
I think it sends a clear message to players in the pool - or hoping to be in the pool. "Show up fit and ready to play, or else." It's good to see someone actually running the WNT like a "team." Now we just have to wait and see how his on-the-field coaching does. That will, however, take some time and quite a few games to properly evaluate.
I agree with the decision that if she is not up to par she should not play, hometown or not. Although it is interesting to note that in the Canada game Abby had a strained calf muscle or something and seemed alittle outta step and yet she not only made the roster, she started. Now these players are at 2 totally different places in their careers, but it is worth noting.
if abby was unable to play and there was a better option at her position, i'm pretty sure she would not have played. ryan seems to be a no-nonsense guy. of course, as soon as he loses a game ....!!!!
Maybe she was injured during practice or having a family emergency or her cat just died ... who knows ...
Thats the x factor with regard to Ryan. We know next to nothing about his ability. US Soccer needs to book matches against Brazil, Sweden and Germany. Instead of the Ukraine. You just gotta hope that when it comes down to it, this guy doesn't turn out to be a bonehead.
i doubt they would have hired him without knowing enough about him to know that he is not a bonehead. furthermore, he did beat germany in the algarve cup, even tho both they and us were trying out new players. i do want to see how he deals with the skill and speed of brazil.
So what are you saying? Bravo for Ryan. Mac has never impressed me. She is one of those always on the fringe, recycles I talk about. Let's move forward with new kids.
i meant a replacement for her in the triple threat forward line he used against canada - welsh, abby, o'reilly.
2002 Player of the year 60 goals/53 assists/174 caps "fringe" which of these things doesn't belong with the others? Maybe she can't play anymore; maybe the knee never comes fully around and she has leg problems forever. But at 31, if she's healthy she's more than a "recycle." If you make a habit of discarding people automatically just because they get hurt, or just because they're over thirty, no one in their right mind will do this for a living... If she can't play anymore, she won't win a job. If she wins a job, the new kid isn't that good... The 2002 Player of the Year clearly has to WIN a job, not LOSE it-- its that competitive... To paraphrase Billy Martin: you got your mules and you got your racehorses, and you can promote a mule as early as you want, she won't turn into a racehorse...
Not insinuating that Ryan is a bonehead. We don't know yet. Actually, I like what I see so far. Am laughing at the thought that USSF wouldn't do anything boneheaded.
Yes, but Welsh scored on a situation created by Wambach-- Abby was "a little out of step," but hardly ineffective. Playing hurt is part of being a pro athlete; apparently Ryan's judgement was that she was healthy enough to be useful. And it would appear he was correct... The option wasn't "Abby or Welsh" anyway-- it was "Abby or Millie or Fotop." Welsh was going to play...
1. I wouldn't give the US Fed that much credit. Of the candidates floating around at the time, he was the one with the least ties to any players. He was the "safe" choice for them. 2. Algarve aside, this team and this coach have not played Olyimpic or WC caliber teams. And like you pointed out, the German side they played was not the full squad. No, we have yet too see how he works under pressure.
So aside from beating Germany, Denmark, France and Canada, this team hasn't played Olympic or WC calibre teams (I include Canada because they did finish 4'th in the WWC and also beat Denmark and France this year). Sounds like there must be some super teams Ryan's been damned lucky not to face. How about Norway - who lost to France (2 times), England and Germany (2 times) this year? Not too compelling? Ok, maybe Sweden - who lost to Norway, France and Germany and tied Finland and Denmark (2 times). Not too threatening either? How about China who lost to Germany, England, Norway, Sweden.....etc No that can't be it. It could be North Korea whose total accomplishments for 2005 are wins over heavyweights Bulgaria and Romania? No, I can't buy that either. You can't possibly mean Italy. Ah, you must mean Brazil, who hasn't played a single game in 2005.
I thought Shannon MacMillan was "just" 30--given age has become some sort of litmus test, I just wanted to point this out.