Why has Welsh fell-off the WNT radar screen? As I recall, when the veterans were off a few years ago starting the WUSA, Welsh lead the team in scoring (and assists, probably) then abruptly fell into NT oblivion. You folks have probably forgot more about this than I know, but me thinks that we should capitalize on our available size advantage. Considering what Akers provided, having both CP and Welsh on the roster would be a good thing.
As the resident (but increasingly silent) of Christie Welsh knowledge, I feel as though I should answer. Well, after her sudden assent into the fames of the NT there also emerged another great player Abby Wambach. As these two competed for the coveted spot along side CP as the token tall ones, Christie lost a step during her sophomore year of college. She had a foot injury which kept her out of rotation until March of the next year when they brought a B team to Algarve. All throughout the summer she played on the U21 team and could have impressed April in that arena but when on a crucial tournament she fell sick and a new young bunch of forwards took her place. However, opportunity arose again for Christie when she was invited to the Finland game. Unfortunately, it was only to replace Hamm who was injured. So she became the 5th forward behind Hamm, Parlow, Millie, and Wambach. While that could have earned her a camp spot, soon a group of youngster shined at the U19 WC and OReilly and Tarpley took any chance of her regaining a spot especially as she struggled this season with a little publicized heel injury that slowed her sprinting ability considerably. Basically in short, she had some injuries (and I believe some underdeveloped talent), some new kids did really well, the spot for forward is incredibly deep right now, and she needs to prove herself in WUSA to gain any notice from April again.
I also think her technically ability is a bit deficient at the national team level. I honestly think the Penn State style of play (very direct) did not help her development as a player. She is a bit heavy on her feet in tight spaces. Abby is more technical. Christy is faster. But speed is not exactly lacking on the US front line.
Well,Lets' just hope that your superwoman never get injured and get droped from the National Team. I don't think that Abby, Parlow, ect. are better than Christie Welsh! There's a lot of forwards that needs to be on the US roster and Welsh is one of them and She don't need to prove noting! the other one is Danielle Fotop a player that already proved to be a world class forward better than Wambach. But yet she is not on April's list! I think since April comes from UNC and learned the UNC type of play so she prefers to bring as much players from that school to make it easy for her.
What can I say? I'll never stop being a Christie Welsh fan! I think she is very talented but in the position of forward for the US you have to prove yourself to get a spot and beyond a resonable doubt and even that doesn't give you a spot. Look at MacMillan's roller coaster ride of a NT career. Its all so crazy. I am looking forward to Christie's rise to teh NT again. I think in WUSA she will really step up in the areas PSU couldn't help her. (I love PSU to death but I wonder how Christie's play would be at UNC, Santa Clara, or Portland)
The way I see it is...when it's all said and done and the starting 11 go out on the pitch for the World Cup, the two forwards are going to be Mia and Tiffeny (unless we get lucky and they play a 4-3-3, then the other one will be Cindy) No way Welsh could beat those 3 out for a spot. Then you have Heather O'Reilly and Abby Wambach who both show more promise than Welsh. Don't get me wrong, she was great, but I don't think she could make the current team.
Good points and I can't argue with a PSU fan! But I still think she deserves a spot in the future and the future is ??????? 2004??????????? I'm not sure I'm buying the "talk" that PSU is some sort of second tier team. Two college cup appearances in the last 4 (?) years - lots of teams can't say that. But, I guess you just can't get any respect being the 3rd or 4th loser. And, yeah, the eventual champs made them (especially Welsh???) look bad, but they didn't kill them either. There's some other talent at PSU that took some heat off of Welsh in the last few years. Will they get any respect? So, before I get booted to the PSU thread, ......
Watch for Schott coming off injuries last year, but is in good shape coming into camp w/ DC Freedom! WUSA has some what changed the face of the national team giving ladies that would not have made USNT had it not been for WUSA. I think this trend will keep going in the right direction! GO US!