I'm waiting to hear from the complainers who say Ellis didn't bring any new faces onto the roster. Bledsoe, Cook, and Dorsey, but apart from them everyone has been in camp before. I myself have no complaint about the roster. I'm just waiting to see if the complainers about Ellis are consistent -- or if they'll excuse him because there will be an ID camp in December.
Got to give Vlatko a pass on this one, as he's so new on the job, and of course there will be an ID camp in December.
It would be hard to make any complaints about the roster at this point (although I wouldn't put it past some posters) because its only logical for a new coach to want to meet the contracted players in person before making any decisions either way. And there are a lot of injuries that cleared room for a few new call-ups. Then the December camp is specifically an ID camp, which will specifically omit the veterans, so we won't be able to tell much about Vlatko's preferences on both veteran and new players until January.
What I think is challenging -- for the coach, the current and potential players, and fans, everyone -- is that the coach has to be thinking not "how does this player play now" but rather "how will this player play in 3 1/2 years when I've been the coach during that time."
Oh, don't worry, there are posters who are already complaining, namely me. But you're right, it's better for Vlatko to meet the contracted players, and see a few practices before making a decision to not include them on future rosters.
Part of the challenge is that many here (including you, apparently) discount the importance of the Olympics. I don't - not so much on my own account, but because so many eyes will be watching. Think about sponsors. Think about all the girls playing soccer, and dreaming. I agree that the World Cup is always first and foremost, but I feel your 3 1/2 year WC analysis can safely wait. My advice: 1) Qualify for the Olympics with a sprinkling of new players, for seasoning, as needed. 2) Win the Gold Medal with your top 20, Morgan included (perhaps as a super sub). "Careers do not end with motherhood." 3) Have a farewell game or two (not a full 'tour,' regardless of Olympic results). Don't overdo it. 4) View the pool afresh, with the old guard safely tucked into a well-deserved retirement. Note: I don't expect all of the 30+ crowd to go quietly - enter Markgraf. "Ageism is the new sexism." 5) Build up a pool of at least 30 strong, experienced players, and allow for two or three late arrivals. 6) Win the 2023 World Cup.
You're right about my view of the importance of the Olympics. And, I know there are different points of view on that, there's no view that is "provably" correct. However, you've got me thinking, "How much of a loss were there to the development of women's soccer support in the US from the early exit from the 2016 Olympics?" and "How does that compare to the boost in support from this year's World Cup win?" I don't think much, if anything long term, was lost in 2016, and I think there's a big gain, long term, from this years WC win. I think the real question is, do you need 3 1/2 years to produce a team capable of winning a World Cup or can you do it in 2 1/2 years. And, with that I remember that no team -- at least women's, I don't know for sure about men's -- every has won three WCs in a row. So, I'm in the school that thinks it takes 3 1/2 years of full focus on the upcoming World Cup if you want to win it. I know others don't agree.
no, No, NO d*mn it……OVERDO IT, ridiculously OVERDO IT!!!!!!! Multi-year, possibly international 50 Match Farewell Tour that would make a Grateful Dead Tour look like Wednesday Night Karaoke at your neighborhood pub. Open Practices, banners, autograph sessions, Glorious Matches, fireworks, Ticker Tape Parades, meet and greets at local supermarkets - - I’ll plan the whole shootin match. Most individuals I know technically were not done celebrating the 2015 Women’s World Cup Championship - - and here they’ve gone and won the Women’s World Cup Championship in 2019. That leaves you with the choice of celebrating 1) twice as much, 2) twice as intensely or my preference……….both.
Exactly... the slowness of naming him as coach has put him at a disadvantage for these two games for sure. I hope he moves slowly but in a steady fashion towards implementing his system. Weed out the older players a little at a time so that they cannot cause trouble like they did for Tom. It must be done for those that think they can go on forever.. Some have the good sense to retire. Others have to be told its over. Wambach didnt want to go. Neither did Lilly but its a fast game and when the wheels are gone, we must look to youth. I think the big changes won't come until the December camp but it has to happen
In addition to the retention of Dawn Scott and Graeme Abel, we have a new addition to the USWNT coaching staff: Vlatko's long-time assistant Milan Ivanovic has been hired to the USWNT coaching staff. https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2019/11/us-soccer-names-milan-ivanovic-to-uswnt-coaching-staff
Re: Japan Olympics Part of the challenge,for the folks in the USA, will be the time zone issue for watching live games. Depending on match schedules you could be up at 4 am to watch live. West coasters like McSkills might be sitting pretty if the games are scheduled to KO before 3 pm JDT... the rest of us.. not so much. Plan your trip to Hawaii now.
A great article on Equalizer that talks a little about Andonovski's philosophy of playing with warriors and artists: https://equalizersoccer.com/2019/11/12/vlatko-andonovski-uswnt-warriors-and-artists-ertz-lavelle/ If that one is behind a paywall, it also refers to an older article when Andonovski discussed the same idea when he was coaching FCKC (and how he built the team around "the artist" Lauren Holiday): https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/vlatko-andonovski-interview-one-on-one-profile-q-and-a-nwsl
WOW what a difference/Vlatko brings in ten new players to next camp, another seven who previously made it bu were never officially capped(who said JE's hands were tied? lol) Ten players earn first USWNT call-up for December identification camp – Equalizer Soccer quite a few college players but notable missing are Macario(still not an American citizen?) & my personal fav, Taylor Kornieck of Colorado U. She's stands 6 ft 1 & as a mid, dominated the game vs Florida St as well brought jer LA Galaxy squad to the UWL championship. Guess it remains to be seen if someome that tall is agile enough to run the midfield at the highest level
Just came across your post and I too am a fan of Kornieck from Colorado. She and Macario killed it together at that UWL championship match. Unstoppable. You would think that the US would be training a kid like that to get her ready for the next level. She is definitely someone that would be a great next generation player to offset the height that other Countries are bringing in. She actually plays all through the middle. Ive seen her grow up as a center back and she could probably start at the next level at CB right now. She has played forward as well. We have already seen France with their big 6'1 CB at the world cup scoring those header goals. Kornieck wins those 100% of the time so not quite sure why US is sleeping on her right now. Get her in training at any level. She is young still.
Vlatko is a voter in the Guardian's top 100 female footballers - https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...100-best-female-footballers-in-the-world-2019
She's been in age group National Team camps. And, at least previously, she's indicated she doesn't want to play center back.
I think she will play wherever...at the next level a CB is very much involved in the play and that is just what she likes to be apart of. I bet if a national team coach pulls her aside and said lets give it a go at CB or the #6, today she would run out there. She actually played the 6 on that championship UWS team and killed it. Commentators thought she was the player of weekend over Catarina.
checking these highlights of Taylor ~~~ she does have the moves!, especially the first goal. got to wonder if she's got the dribbling speed or the gegen pressing/ tackling that at least Jill Ellis sooo wanted out of her players?
Kornieck reminds me of Cindy Parlow, a 6 foot tall striker with nose for goal who is a surprisingly deft dribbler. A little quicker than Parlow too, who often looked like she was moving through molasses.
I think Kornieck is faster than we all think. I saw this video in her freshman year of her with her long legs out-racing two very speedy outside backs to put the ball in the net. Mind you one was in the 89th minute in the rain to win the game. She is very cool under pressure. She is even faster now. A couple other goals in this link were over time headers in the last few seconds. She is very dynamic with all aspects of the game.
So much for my earlier post about retaining Scott and Abel on the coaching staff. Graeme Abel (goalkeeper coach) is stepping down to become women's soccer head coach at Oregon. https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...d-womens-soccer-coach-at-university-of-oregon