If the USWNT wins the 2003 WWC....

I'm sure Ape probably has made some mistakes, but instead of thinking Ape is really bad, I feel Tony was really, really good, as far as expertise, charisma, enthusiasm, patience, etc. Tony was amazing, and I miss him, but Ape is not bad.

Thing is, the coach can only do so much. She/he needs help, both from staff, and from the players, who need to both internalize what the staff says to them and also be able to think on their own in unforseen situations.

Have faith in our team. It helps.

 

Ape hasn't been too bad lately, but she has still done some pretty stupid stuff, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if we saw more of these shenanigans.

 

yes. she would still suck donkey balls.



big ones.

 

My biggest problem with April is her seemingly unwillingness to admit when she's wrong. Look at Tony for example. He made what could have potentialy been the biggest mistake in team history, i.e., cutting Mac. But he got the chance to make up for it and he did. April on the other hand seems to be the type of coach that doesn't like to be proven wrong. I'm not saying Tony was perfect, far from it. We'll see when the roster for the gold cup comes out. If Hucles is on it, it will prove my "April is stubborn" theory.

 

Objection, counselor. The question assumes a fact not true.

Heinrichs emphatically does not "suck."

In fact, she's done a fantastic job.

Let's be real, people. She won five of six tournaments her first year ('00) and came within one disputed overtime goal of winning all six. Does that "suck"?

She did it even though for most of the year she was lacking the greatest women's soccer player ever and the team's long-serving captain and organizer of the defense. She did it even though Lilly was beset by some mysterious monkey that had her unable to convert almost any chance (including a few penalties) into goals. Is this more evidence that she "sucks"?

After the Olympics, with most of the players focused on playing in a professional American league for the first time, and with Fawcett (perhaps the greatest defender and without a doubt one of the greatest all-around players in the history of the women's game) out because of pregnancy, and with Hamm injured and with a need to expose new talent to the rigors of international play, Heinrichs experimented in a series of meaningless international games, giving players like Slaton and Reddick valuable international exposure. Does that mean Heinrichs "sucks"?

Now the team is starting to click as it gears up for the first meaningful international game in nearly two years, the Gold Cup a/k/a WWC '03 qualifying. Record in Women's Cup against three '99 WWC teams? 13 goals for, one stinking penalty kick against. All 18 on the roster get into the game. Goal-scoring, the team's achilles heel since the late stages of WWC '99, blossoms as two new forwards (Wambach and O'Reilly) get valuable international playing time. Is this the record of a coach who "sucks"?

Oh, and Scurry is working towards an opportunity to play for the USWNT again, even though "Heinrichs sucks" complainers contended her personality would never allow Heinrichs to permit Scurry to play another USWNT game. Still think Heinrichs "sucks"?

She is focused on one goal, winning WWC '03. If she wins it (and has the USWNT playing the kind of vibrant soccer that makes fans of women's soccer out of general sports fans), I dare any of you to say Heinrichs "sucks."

Better yet, try saying it to her face.

 

Even if USA DOESN'T win the Cup that doesn't mean April is a bad coach. Give some credit to our competition! April is a good developmental coach. The thing that concerns me is that she may not be tactically sophisticated enough to pull off a win in a big game. Then again, do people really want to be fair? Sometimes I think these type of threads are just to indulge in trash talking. I'd rather have seen someone else chosen as head coach too, but I don't like personal attacks on people I've never even met.

 

Some people can't get pass the fact that Ape give there fav. player a hard time aka TR, fotop, tisha ,sara ,and Greeg . If they would have won gold in Sidney what would they be saying.They have one game to bitch about.That just my spin on it.

 

I never got my panties in a bunch over player cuts. But like any coach, I blamed her for the smaller stuff. i.e., broken nail, sun not shinning, Jim Gabarra.
I never really blamed her for the Oly's. Our girls played thier hearts out. I think my disliking of April hit it's peak when we lost to Canada. That was tough to take. The "New Coach" shine wore off awfully quick with April. Now people just expect her ****************** up. IMO April just isn't as "likable" as Tony. Though I do vaguely recall people saying harsh things about him too. So I guess I don't hate her. i just think we could have gotten a better coach.

 

Who would you have chosen?

 

It's not really about who any of us as fans wanted as head coach. There was a list of prospective candidates who applied for the job, but I don't know if the full list was ever publicly released.

 

Lauren Gregg

 

We agree here; see, we don't have to be feudin and fussing all the time

Paul

 

well if it 'twere captian kirk hed probley pull a full youth movement after the olys and had a new cohesive unit ready to go for this WWC...still too much old guard especally in the back (minus slaton but i dont think even marenhoff could be blind to her atributes.)

sure you keep your mias brandies millies and lillys but you move to youth and you think talent not name...and yes this means no lorrie fair amoung others.

Also one thing that bugs me about ape is that she will get hooked on a player (especally a younger one) and play them regardless of what happens on the pitch. I think we all saw that this year with solo until solo finally got the boot after her performance against scotland. talent is not a constant, it has to be re-evulated every day.

 

You probably also keep your Fawcetts and Foudys.

Lorrie Fair doesn't qualify as a name. It's the one coaching flaw for which I've repeatedly questioned Heinrichs' judgment.

Heinrichs has been experimenting more than people give her credit for. Look at how Wambach, Wagner and Slaton have established themselves.

And look at the Women's Cup performance. This is some indication that the team is getting closer to clicking on all cylinders.

 

I see no "if's" about it.
We're winning it. All of it.
All or nothing, Ape or no Ape.
We're winning.

ROCK ON, U S OF A!