Re: Re: no Bandi I love this vision of these superstar's kids tearing up the soccer feild and their retiered superstar parents sitting in the stands, with an alert tv director putting their mug on the jumbo tron.....
You've gotta be kidding me, right? Milbrett has some rough times so y'all count her out right away? Some of you have NO idea what Milbrett was and STILL IS to the Women's National Team, and the sport of soccer. Who do you think scored SEVEN goals that got us into the 2003 World Cup in the first place?! Who scored the most goals in the '99 World Cup? Who do you think scored the game winning goal that won us the Olympic gold medal in '96? Should I keep going??? Just because April counts her out doesn't mean she's done. Milbrett is a TRUE champion who deserves far more respect than she gets.
No, I'm not kidding. She's been having a "rough time" for the past two and a half years. It's not like this is a recent development. Remind me where those seven goals came from and when they happened. I don't remember Millie scoring that many goals last year. I'm not saying she didn't, but I'd like the info anyway. That was more than four years ago. That was eight years ago. Feel free. I'll agree she is a champion. That doesn't mean she's got the drive to play at the international level anymore. She's worn out and I haven't seen her killer instinct in over a year. She runs around out there like she doesn't know where to go or what to do. She herself said she was considering whether or not to continue on playing. Those are the reasons I stopped looking for her and don't expect to see her back with the NT. If she regains those things...well...I'd be happy to see her back with the USofA.
Very, very well said! Millie is a champion. She has done great things. But now she has fallen off, mostly probably because of burnout. It happens to the best, it happens to the worst, it even happens to you and I in our own lives. In this case, it has happened to a great soccer player who has helped the USWNT achieve more than they had ever imagined. She *can* make it back, there is no doubt... but, at this current time, it seems as though odds are stacked against her. And plus, if a player is struggling in one aspect or another and their are plenty of candidates ready and fully able to step in, then by all means, bring on the new guard.
US women's Olympic qualifying roster named - Only a few small surprises by Merrill Ring http://www.cybersoccernews.com/uswomen/040213wntroster.shtml
Two and a half years? Shows how much you know. I'll gladly remind you of those seven goals, along with the rest of her incredible career stats... read 'em and weep: http://www.ussoccer.com/bio/bio.sps?iBiographyID=1082 The sad thing here is that some fans just don't realize and appreciate the players that took the U.S. women's team to the level they are at today. They might have ONE bad year and right away people want to write them off. Did you really think you could get away with bad-mouthing Milbrett without pissing off at least one Milbrett fan???
From today's USA Today: U.S. women's squad will be providing on-the-job training By Johnnie Whitehead, USA TODAY
According to that link Millie's scored 15 goals in the last three years. She had three last year according to that article. Abby Wambach had 9, Cindy Parlow had 8, and Mia Hamm had 7 or 8 last year. I distinctly remember everyone, excluding myself and a few others, reeming Mia when she had a bad year in 2001 thanks to a knee that needed surgery. Millie was going to be the next big thing. She said so herself. She won Player of the Year two years in a row. That takes both skill and talent. She wanted attention and she got it. Then she burned herself out carrying the NY Power to the playoffs in 2001, then when the Power stunk it up two years running she ran herself into the ground. I didn't think I was trying to get away with anything, but you can say I was if it makes you feel better. I didn't say Millie wasn't a great player. She was. What I am saying is that she no longer has the fire it takes to compete at the international level. It's for that very reason I've stopped looking for her on the NT roster. The end.
Was that hattrick game the one up in Seattle? If so I was at that match. What a fun city! In 2002, Millie did have a good year with 9 goals and 6 assists. But then look at her numbers for 2003...4 goals and 1 assist. Looking at her WUSA stats for 2002...10 goals and 8 assists...good enough for 8th place in total points. 2003 she didn't even make the top 10 in total points with only 5 goals and 6 assists. But isn't Millie the person that is kinda writing herself off (ehhh maybe "writing herself off" is too strong a phrase)? It has been written that Millie said she is gonna take some time off and reevaluate what she wants to do with her soccer career. I can't find the damn article now, but I think I remember one where she said she was thinking of taking January off and then deciding after that whether or not she wants to continue her USWNT career. I think it's one thing to say you want some time off for some R-n-R and to get hitched to some baseball player with an elephant nose. I think it's another thing to say you want to take some time off to think about if you still want to continue to put on the USWNT uniform.
Re: no Bandi Joy is 5 months older than Brandi. Brandi Chastain has never quit anything in her life and I very highly doubt that this will end her WNT career. If nothing else, it will inspire her to get to 100% and stick around longer.
Now I'm confused, that bio link says she scored 3 goals in 2003, but on the 2003 USWNT stats page... http://www.ussoccer.com/teams/stats_results.sps?iType=266 ...it says she scored 4. Which one is right? I'm thinking that additional goal on the stats page is from the 3rd place WWC match?
Gold Cup MVP Milbrett won the MVP in the Gold Cup by one vote over Aly Wagner. Many felt that Wagner was the more deserving choice.
April can't afford to keep veteran players on the squad for old times sake. Lots of criticism she's done too much of that already. As the saying goes, you can't have your cake and eat it too. Adding future stars to the roster also means letting go of past heroes. Unfair as it might seem it has to be done. Hard to tell if Millie is capable of a comeback, but as it stands right now I think April's made the right choice.
To Norfolk: Norfolk, you are dead on right!! Was this a guess, intuition, or inside knowledge??? http://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562134322
Re: To Norfolk: Can't speak for how Norfolk knew, but this rumor has been floating for a long while...and Tiff's not the only one unhappy. The others I know of seem to be willing to try and wait it out, however, and see if Heinrichs gets canned post-Olympics.
Re: Re: To Norfolk: And there's others, vets, who won't leave because they feel a duty to teammates and country...and because it would be doing exactly what the ussf wants them to. Enjoy the olys, because its the last you will see of some of the greats.
How does the Millie news affect this team in the next couple of weeks? Will discussion of this be a detriment to the team or do they shrug it off and look to the future? Or does this perhaps open up Pandora's Box where some players start having serious doubts about April's coaching abilities and focus more on that than winning in Athens?
I think they'll shrug it off. Millie was known as a rebel and people may laugh it off as such. My uneducated guess is that most of the veterans will bite their tongue, get through the Olympics, retire and then MAYBE say something "looking back". The youngsters don't know any better and are so enamoured to be on the team that they don't know any better to speak their mind. I hope I'm wrong. :/
Update: A: Heinrichs doesn't know how to use THEM. B: Heinrich's system doesn't suit THEM. C: THEY have no confidence in Heinrichs and her coaching ability. D: THEY are just biding their time until Heinrichs is fired after the Olympics. Unfortunately, the sun may have set for many by then. Catch 22 - win the Olympics, coach stays lose Olympics, ...well...lose Olympics...and many of the best female soccer players end their great careers on a low. Maybe they have lost a step or two, but the veterans are still some of the best players in the world. They just need a coach.
RE: someone asked about Hucles and why she was at the WWC and didn't play. She was diagnosed with Shinsplints. But; one of my issues with April was why bring players who could not contribute. We had Hucles (shinsplints) Slaton (knee) and Mac who was back but not back enough. wasted roster spots. We should have had Tarpley and Chalupny. Two players who were healthy, and are talented. one of which is alot like LIl and a very good mid-feilder, and another who can play forward our out of the attacking mid position. instead we had three players who were not able to do anything. and then Brandi got hurt to make matters worse. where we missed Brandi was in the organization of the back line. It is not Joy's forte, that was Brandi's job and she did it very well. Brandi has lost a step no question. but; her experience back there was essencial to holding our shape. especially with a very talented but largly in-expereinced defender in Kat Redick. I love the girl, she is a wonderful defender, and she brings alot to the game. But; having that calming influence and experience at her hip would have helped tremendously.