I am sorry Ms. Foudy was seriously injured. That really should have been a card. I am all for Heather O'Reilly starting and putting Mia back in the midfield and going with 1 defensive midfielder, Boxx. I am already married and have no interest in Ms. Foudy.
Tom, contrition doesn't look good on you. Keep blasting away. Here's an idea! Move Tarpley to the middle and put MacMillan on the right flank. Oh, wait a minute. I guess we can't do that, April coaches this team. Never mind.
you know, even when parlow's game had clearly slipped, i was still a strong supporter, as she continued to score at a remarkable pace. but esp. now w/ much less playing time and even a step slower, i really am dumfounded that she's in athens and macmillan watches at home. just think what the wombat would be doing w/ some of those driven corners.
If you have read other defensewins posts, she had been pretty sharp and consistent with this stuff. I couldn't tell what her intent was on the internet. I don't like to see anyone injured.
I doubt if this writer knows any more than the posters on BS. http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer04/soccer/news/story?id=1866589
Aug 25, 8:46 AM EDT Foudy Improves, Remains Game-Time Decision ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- U.S. soccer captain Julie Foudy's sprained right ankle showed signs of improvement Wednesday, although she remains a game-time decision for Thursday's gold-medal game against Brazil. "Julie's doing better," coach April Heinrichs said. "We're real excited to see her walking." Heinrichs said Foudy no longer needed the crutches she had been using since she was injured in the second half of Monday night's overtime win over Germany in the semifinals. Asked about Foudy's chances of playing, Heinrichs sighed heavily and paused before answering. "I don't know. It's a very physical game," Heinrichs said. "It's just hard to tell right now. She's walking. She's encouraged. She's optimistic, as she is as a person and should be as an athlete who wants to play in this game. We'll make the call tomorrow, much closer to the game." © 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
If you play her, you essentially insure that a substitution will be needed, leaving 2 remaining for tactical purposes. BAD decision, especially since Foudy was one of the players most frequently carved up in the first game with Brazil. If she didn't bring much value when she was healthy, she sure won't being injured. Unless she can pass a legitimate fitness test, she shouldn't even be on the substitutes list. This will be an interesting litmus test for Heinrichs. If Foudy finds her way into the starting line-up in this game and isn't fit to go, it can be safely concluded that Heinrichs is actually not in responsible charge of the team, IMO, and a negative result should precipitate a coaching change. Do simple things well. Don't do things to beat yourself.
this is going to be a fascinating decision, because if loudy is borderline, it represents a microcosm of the whole debate whether to either bench many of the 91ers who've clearly seen better days, or for the players to take themselves out for the better of the team.
And more to the point, it's about whether the coach is really in charge or not, and if not, who is. Heinrich's has dodged a lot of bullets about her decision making over the years, but if this one goes south on her, it's safe to assume that she'll be completly exposed as not having the coaching influence she's thought to have had. At that point, the federation will be pretty much shamed into making a change, IMO.
That statement assumes that Heinrich wants to sit her and/or wanted to sit other older players in favor of developing talent but wasn't "allowed" to do so. I'm not so sure that is the case. I just don't think April really develops players well.
It has been rumored that the only reason Chastain is playing is because all of the 91er's called a closed meeting with April and demanded she play. If that is true, I am sure Reddick became the odd man out and the FAB FIVE strikes again. Who is in charge of the asylum indeed?
Because, you know, Brandi played so badly. Cat is a great player and I'm a fan but she hasn't really played up to her usual standards this tourny. I have no problem seeing her on the field, though.
There is no doubt in my mind who is running things. Remember the press report about how Boxx got on the team right before the WWC? Ms. Chastain went to Ms. Foudy and suggested she be on the team. Why didn't she go to April? Another question. You folks have watched a lot of soccer games. How often do you see a substitution used for a defensive midfielder who is not injured? Hardly ever, except when Ms. Foudy is playing. She seems to have dibs on one of the 3 substitutions. Just my opinions.
could be, but i'm guessing "demanded" is too strong a word. i don't doubt that they assert pressure. in her defense, april straddles a very sensitive fence here, but in the end will have to live w/ her decisions (or non-decisions).
I'm still agast at April's management (or lack of) of substitutions. I'm also amazed that she hasn't taken more heat for it. In a game (vs Australia) that meant very little in terms of group standings, she only makes two changes, one (CP for AW) that was forced. As another poster stated, we might have a better idea about the play of the bench if more had gotten time in that game.
no question about it, she's been remarkably adverse to change. we lose tomorrow, that will be her legacy.
I think the reason for that is, if you make changes and lose, you are blamed as you made too many changes. She would be attacked for changing a winning thing. If you stick with thee tried and true and lose, I think there is less of a stigma attached.