?? Remind me what's the reference, please. Oh, is it the late save against Germany, where she jumped?
Mal has been maybe not the only difference but a HUGE difference. I loved her performance yesterday. It seemed like one of those put-the-team-on-your-back and will-us-to-victory. Another big difference would be Emma Hayes. Plus players who stepped it up another notch, like Dunn, Rodman, and of course the absolutely impeccable Girma.
I think that Emma is getting too much credit for young players who have improved in the past two years since the WC. Swanson has been a huge difference as the teams can't just focus on shutting down Rodman and Smith. Girma has two more years and herconfidence level is even higher. I do give credit for Emma for not relying on wing backs for much of the attack. Neither Fox or Dunn showed much in the WC or run up to it. Keeping them back to focus on defense has been a very good move. Also, we just won two games in overtime. Luck has been on our side. Lastly, did anyone buy the line that the US wasn't a contender for the gold? No, they weren't a lock like prior years, but really, they have a more mature team who has played together for the past two years and a good new coach.
I honestly believe, had Mal been 100% for the world cup, Vlatko would still be the US coach. During the last few years, the USWNT largest, most glaring problem has been goal scoring. We can talk to the maturation of Rodman, but both Rodman and Smith where there for the World Cup. It took an additional third winger, Mal, as you pointed out to become the "Trident". And no. Not many felt that a new coach with only 4 games and a short tenure could turn this team around into a gold contender.
Oh NO!!! Are you nuts? And it is too late for us to cash in the retirement fund and get there to relieve you. They're going to have to do it all on their own now, and that is uncharted waters indeed!
Some time I heard an interesting comment from Becky Sauerbrunn that may relate to which coaching styles work best at the club and national team levels. I am paraphrasing, but the gist of her comments was this: At the club level, the coach has players day in and day out over a prolonged period, with plenty of time for discussions, video review, and in practice working players through the details of what the coach wants. Through the course of this, the players can become molded to what the coach wants. At the national team level, the coach has players who already are molded, for all practical purposes, and the coach has to figure out how to best put the players together. My impression of Vlatko has been that he is very particular about what he wants his players to do and where he wants them to be on the field, so they have to learn to fit his mold for them. Based on what Becky said, I think this could explain why his national team sojourn was not successful. Perhaps Hayes is a little less rigid and more adaptable herself.