The Brazil matches are now officially announced: As I expected, the USWNT is getting their pre-WWC location scouting trip in.
Not surprised about this at all. Funny it took so long to make the official announcement as it has been reported on for at least a week (I know that Heaps even said something).
Found my post from October last year in the News and Media thread in a discussion about away games: I'm assuming based on the last few cycles that this trip isn't just about matches against Brazil, while that is always a good test, but about prepping players for 2027 routines/sites/etc. as well. For the staff, I'd expect that they'll be doing some extensive scouting of hotels, stadiums, and training facilities while there and putting some finishing touches on whatever their choice for the starting training camp location will be in 2027.
https://bsky.app/profile/jtannenwald.bsky.social/post/3mlvpjdg7yc2v Manchester City say Sam Coffey "underwent minor knee surgery earlier this week, and "will now begin rehabilitation with the Club’s medical team in preparation for the 2026/27 campaign." Out of the #USWNT trip to Brazil, it seems. https://www.mancity.com/news/womens/man-city-sam-coffey-injury-update-63914452
Not many. But training does not take place in National team training. it takes place at the clubs and even in colleges. A national team's coach's only real job is to select the best players possible a devise a system to get them playing their best as a team. Really national team training is about putting together a system that maximizes the existing skill set that is already in place.
They get like 3-4 weeks in January, no? Then again a few weeks in the Summer and a shorter session in the fall, I think. Would that be like 8 weeks a year?
Around 15% of the year? That seems kind of correct but i do not know for sure. That amount of practice is inadequate for any meaningful skill work but it is plenty to get a system together that fits the players and gets the maximum out of them. That is what Hayes seems to excel at.
Here's the laywer-esque answer: it depends (reading too many lawyer blogs and social media posts) There are, I think, a couple of different ways to assess this. One is via player, and one is via national team. For the player, it depends on where they play. Looking at the US, we know that European-based players, as well as those in the Champions' Cup were not called up to the January camp. Other than that, apart form the World Cup lead in, it's generally two weeks. For national teams, those two weeks are general across the board, though for summer matches it might be longer for some European teams because of the summer break. Just like for domestic players for the US that play in NWSL, I think the January camp is generally longer (three weeks?). And without looking at the calendar, I think there are five (5) official international breaks on the FIFA calendar, and for the US a sixth (in January). So that would be 13 or 14 weeks for the US, and 10 for most other major teams, unless they do an extended summer session. For the US, not including injuries, I think we can assume most the NWSL players will get a chance to be there for all 13 or 14 weeks, minus those involved in the International Champions' Cup. For European based players, that goes down to 10, or maybe even 8 if rest is given during the summer.
OK, thanks. I did find it kind of humorous how you made an assumption about 'why' I was asking. I made no comment either way, in my original post or any post after that, regarding the development of players or what a coach can do with the players/team during their time with the NT. I assume the issue of time with the NT has been discussed before and was a trigger from some previous conversations.
Ok, thanks for this. This is exactly what I was looking for. That's a lot more time players spent on the NT annually than I was expecting.
Swanson active tonight for Chicago. Brazil may be too soon. But maybe not. FWIW, Biyendolo gave birth end of April (congratulations Lynn) and Cat is still out for SD. and now Coffey with a short term thing. Inching closer to full strength.. 1. Girma, CB 2. Fox, RB 3. Coffey, CM (minor knee surgery) 4. Wilson, CF 5. Rodman, WF 6. Swanson, WF (higher when back fully) 7. Lavelle, CAM/AM 8. Heaps, CM/CAM 9. Davidson, CB/LB 10. Macario, CF/WF/CAM (out injured) 11. Sonnett, CB/DM/FB 12. Hutton, DM/CM -------------- 13. Dickey, GK 14. A. Thompson, WF 15. G. Thompson, FB/WB/WM --------------- 16. Shaw, CAM/CF/WF 17. Tullis-Joyce, GK 18. Yohannes, CM/CAM 19. Patterson, FB/WB/WM ---------- 20. Moultrie, CM/CAM/SS/WF 21. Wesley, CB 22. Reale, LB/CB 23. McGlynn, GK ----------- 24. Sears, WF 25. Cooper, WF 26. Biyendolo, CF (just gave birth) Last out: GK: Campbell FB: Weisner CB: Bugg, McKeown, Sams CM: Shrader (should be), Jackson AM/WF/CF: Sentnor CF: Joseph
I tuned into the second half. Mal played 15 minutes plus stoppage time. She was kinda what you would expect her to be at this point. Moved around pretty well but seemed to lack her trademark burst. Didn't do anything of note. Chicago are so hapless though that I'm not sure she would make much of a difference even if she was back to full speed. They really are an embarrassment to the league right now.
Swanson actually got minutes tonight. Only about 15 or so but she did play. North Carolina was already up by 3 and the match was effectively over but it was minutes. She did not look either good or bad but a little rust did show. Just getting the minutes were a good thing and, since there was zero pressure on either team she was not exposed to any hard tackles. Given her small size and her tenacious attitude there is always a chance that a strong tackle could injure her. I do not know about her staff but I feel she is most in danger because of being out of match rhythm and not out of condition. I really hope Chicago does not get desperate and rush her too much. With the time she has been off i doubt she will be ready to start for several more matches maybe as many as six or seven. Boy Chicago is really horrible and that could be a factor in her comeback. I hope they are smarter than their record implies. BTW: Naeher was injured and Chicago's backup keeper is also injured so they played much of the match with their #3 GK and she did not look good at all. Naeher's injury did not look bad but, sometimes, the most innocuous looking injury can be a very long term thing. That is another problem that might force Swanson to try and do too much as Chicago may feel they cannot hold other teams to just a few goals and Swanson is shuch a competitor that she might try and carry the team herself.
She's been training, and finally went active yesterday. 15 minutes seems about right using Wilson as the basis, and I think has two more weeks/matches before Hayes picks her team, yes? A couple of thoughts regarding the callups for the Brasil match. Hutton, Bugg, and Yohannes might be going to the U20 World Cup. While I do expect them to get call up for Brasil, would not surprise me if they are not. Particularly Yohannes, who will be on her summer break. Also, saw that Hutton took a hard tackle from St. George (who else?) on Friday. Looked like she had mild discomfort, so wondering if there is anything more to it. And regarding Schrader, I understand why she is getting mention, but I've seen a couple of comments elsewhere how the analysts and pundits are no longer talking about her, so she seems to be completely off everybody's radar.
St. George is about as close to a female Carlos Ruiz as we have in women's soccer. i do not think she plays intentionally dirty but it is just her nature. She has most of the bad attributes of an untrained pit bull. I do not remember an important match she has played where she did not have at least one tackle that was at least borderline red cardable. She is a player that I always expect to see violent tackles from. However she is also a plyer i would want playing for me not against me. As I have said before St. George ain't no saint. I think Hutton is OK after that mugging.
I really did not expect Swanson to be sharp yet, but perhaps she makes a Summer roster for the NT for her leadership and to work her back into training with the team.
Yeah may be we'll have the non-Euro-based players in late June, early July call-up. I hope we do though could be difficult to find decent teams. If so, better to call Mal to that one. I do think Brazil will be too soon--Chicago has two more games, but one before Hayes has to decide the roster. It's just great to have completed the most important step, the first step after being away so long. Anyway, with the stockpile of wingers we have behind her on the depth-chart who are coming into form, ie Cooper, Sears, I'm content with Mal taking baby steps in comeback (pun intended).
https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...-national-team-will-face-brazil-twice-in-june Just citing this article for the Brazil friendlies because it mentions that the U23 team will also go to Brazil to play "several top professional clubs in São Paulo". That's interesting as there are a lot of good clubs from that region and some of U23s could eventually be called into the full team.
Will there be matches in July? According to the FIFA calendar there are no official release dates apart from the African Nations' Cup (women), and NWSL returns on the first weekend after the June break. I think it will depend on if Swanson starts any matches. It seems that was the determination for Smith, so I can see the same for Swanson. Man, such a long list of potential.
I am all for calling in Swanson ASAP for a USWNT camp. I would call her and bring her just to try and get her up to speed on the changes iver the last 18 months. Playing her is almost irrelevant. These are friendlies. There are not a fixed amount of spots. NWSL is taking a month off anyway, so it isn't like she is being taken out of a situation where she can regain match fitness faster.
Good catch, I see NWSL re-starts games July 3 which doesn't leave much of a window to fit in two games. I only considered it because they did it last year, but the difference was last year the League took a break from late June through July so they could actually fit in three games. May be Emma could use a break as well. By the way, who's Smith?