Yes. Yeah since she really hasn't improved much. But she can be kept off the roster. And for the record Siri Mullinix is my favorite keeper.
Indeed. That would be incredibly cool. If that happened and then I won lotto, I would even fly up just to see it. Otherwise 1) she's not there and 2) I'm broke anyway. Heck if I know. I wonder if Frenchie even knows what's up. Judging from what players have said in the press about not being on the NT, I think April might be a little vague about what they need to work on. Seriously, though, I think April's so blinded by pure footspeed on defense that she completely overlooks players with decent speed but much more talent on the ball. Jenny Benson, for instance, can blaze up and down the sideline, but she's got nowhere near the service accuracy or technical savvy that Frenchie does, IMHO. OK, confession, Solo over Beene is likely to always be inexcusable in my book. Right now? As a UCLA Bruin fan, I must raise my hand! Ack! UWHusky, you are my enemy, too! AGH! My boss caught me and I must work now. Damnit! *grumble*
... as has Ian Sawyers! It is beyond me why Michelle does not get more play time with the CyberRays and the WNT. I realize that we're just brimming with soccer talent (between college, WUSA, and WNT) and there are so few spots. But I think that Michelle French is the total package of skill, work ethic, maturity, and leadership. She's a smart player who sees the field and reads plays as they develop. And she's great with the kids. A real role-model for them. The only thing I can think of is that because of a nagging injury or because of her coaching background, maybe some of her ideas clash with Ian's ideas to the point that there was friction between them. But, I had an opportunity to talk to her at a post-game party, in August. She said she was not injured. She didn't dis Ian and had no hint of ill-feelings. She smiled (that infectious smile!) and said it's the coach's decision and she respects that; and that she was confident that if she continues to work hard in practice, play time will come. -- Very classy. It would be good to see her back with the WNT. Keep the faith! --Socceroo
Bringing Mia off the bench when she could start is NOT a good idea. I repeat, bad idea...(are you listening Jimbo and Ape-face?) The prime example being the Founder's Cup. Everybody just plays better when she is out there. No need to not start her.
Thank you for your honesty. I too love Beene, and as proven as she is in WUSA and on the Nats, I agree that the way things stand currently Solo shouldn't replace her in important NT games. When it comes to a meaningless friendly, though, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Oh, and even though I stand by everything I've said about Solo, I just wanted to say I realize that I may be feeling somewhat overly sensitive and that I shouldn't be taking it so personally. I hope I didn't cross any lines or was too harsh in my words. I never intended to cause any ill will. I feel none. Maybe I should have made a sign that read, "WE WANT FRENCHIE!"
AGH! BigSoccer ate my last post! I hate it when that happens (“You’ve included too many smilies in your last post...blah…blah…blah!”) Thanks, Socceroo, for your $0.02 on French. I fully agree with everything you said re: her soccer abilities. Why the apparent disrespect from Sawyers and Heinrichs? I am also clueless, but she doesn’t seem the sort who’d be likely to get in a battle of wills with a coach (I think it’s unlikely she’d have her own coaching job, have been the Freedom co-captain, a captain at Portland, and previously the U-21 captain for as long as she was, if she was a rabble-rouser), so I’d guess it’s something else the coaches are looking for (and maybe nothing that’s remotely French’s “fault”). Thanks, too, for the story about talking to her--it’s always nice to know that players who I think are probably class acts as people really are. I’ll bring the markers! Unfortunately, we all know that coaches never pay attention to what’s on fans’ signs anyway. Too bad because some of them might learn something if they did! On another note…is anyone besides me really bothered by the fact that April’s answer to the NT’s shaky defensive organization was to move Chastain to central D? Not that I think Brandi’s going to totally suck back there or something, just that both she and Fawcett are in the 30+ club. When they retire…then what? April’s all about bringing in new blood (supposedly), so why don’t we see anyone at all in the pipeline as a defensive organizer? Both Jen Grubb and Kelly Lindsey are excellent defensive coordinators and team leaders, and both excel at the WUSA level. They need some polishing at the NT level, but I think either one (as a biased CyberRays fan I favor Lindsey over Grubb) could ultimately fill that Carla Overbeck-type organizer role nicely. So why aren’t they getting more than cursory looks with the NT? Why doesn’t April have at least one of them at camps regularly to bring her up to speed? Is there anyone else either in the WUSA or graduating from college soon that we really think can fill that role any better than either of those two? (Obviously the “youngsters” currently with the NT were not getting the job done…) I know April’s high on having everyone on the team be super-fast, but remember Overbeck is neither a speed demon nor does she have amazing ball skills, frankly, just a very solid organizational mind, huge heart, and tremendous leadership ability. That combination of attributes will still work excellently in that role with the other players we have on the team now, IMHO, and I think Grubb and Lindsey fit the bill better than anyone else out there. Anyone else got an $0.02 on this? Also, I’m hoping Jena Kluegel’s omission from the last few NT rosters means that “experiment” is over…at least for the moment (like Solo, I don’t think she’s an impossible fit for the NT, but I do think she’s definitely not the best available right now)! “Jena Kluegel--defender” always scared me more than a bit…
to put a player on the bench doesn't mean degrading that player, some player will be more productive coming off the bench ( Mc Millan is the best example and Mia did Lately ), and the player don't mind either and sometime even feel more special as player who is expected to score in a relatively short time prior to the the end of the match, and this thing happen in the big leagues in the world as well like Premiere leagues or other european leagues.
Slaton as a defensive organizer? Ah, but April's hasn't been using Slaton in that organizer role, nor does she seem to be interested in doing so, which is why she put Chastain back there to begin with. Slaton was just playing a central defensive role--not a backline leader role--much like Kate Sobrero always has. Joy Fawcett was supposed to be calling the shots back there, but she wasn't comfortable as an organizer, either. I think there's a huge difference between someone who can play solidly defensively in the center and someone who can play solidly defensively in the center while also taking on the burden of acting as a field leader and play organizer. That's not to say that those other players don't need to have leadership capabilites, but any tight defensive unit has someone who keeps everyone on the same page (and players who are willing to listen to those instructions and not just do their own thing). Re: Slaton as an organizer in general...I think she can do it in a pinch, but she wouldn't be my first choice, especially given the other players who already excel at that position. Danielle had a leadership role when she played at SCU for sure, but I felt Anna Kraus was the one organizing and one holding that back line together, not Slaton. Danielle was often called on to join the offense and then was out of position to coordinate the defense, so it made sense for the more stay-at-home Kraus to take the primary organizer duties. Just my personal observations... Still and all, Slaton's probably not a bad choice, if April ever decides to start giving her that orgainzer role, though I personally still like Grubb and Lindsey (much) better. Anyone else besides those three, then?
Benson replaces Slaton Here is the press release: "Philadelphia Charge defender Jenny Benson was added to the U.S. Women's National Team roster by head coach April Heinrichs on Monday afternoon for the 2002 Gold Cup. Benson wasn't among the original 18 selected, but after an injury forced Carolina's Danielle Slaton off the roster, she was called to join Charge teammate Lorrie Fair on the team." BENSON ADDED TO U.S. GOLD CUP ROSTER
Re: Benson replaces Slaton :waits for wailing from anti-Charge fans sure to come soon!: Seriously, this is a good thing. Paul
Thank you LoTheLurker! Here is a Heather O'Reilly article from today's USA Today. Nice to see the HS kid make the front page. U.S. women combine youth with experience By Andy Gardiner USA TODAY
Re: Thank you LoTheLurker! Foudy has a great sense of humor. For O'Reilly to be Foudy's child, Foudy would have had to have had her at age 14. I suspect that would have hindered Foudy's own soccer career.
i can see the future of the GOld cup : USA the champion !! without a doubt ( even if we put one of college teams on the pitch ), the real fight will start in China.