Thursday, February 17, 2005
What a Mess....
On Tuesday, April Heinrichs resigned as manager of the United States Women's National Team, ending a five-year run where the US finished second in the 2000 Olympics, third in the 2003 Women's World Cup, and first at the 2004 Olympics. Moreover, her attempt to pacify the veterans while bleeding new talent harmed the program and her standing both within Soccer House and in the media. The search is on for a replacement and all I can say is GOOD LUCK!
Despite having what is considered the best national team program on the planet in terms of player talent and success rate, there is not a pool of talented persons available to lead it. I never did like April and thought the Fed could have made a better choice in 1999 when Tony DiCicco "retired". The best candidate then, and the one who would be the best candidate now had he not been taken from us by cancer in the interim, was Clive Charles. He had solid credentials in the women's game, had been an assistant for BOTH National Teams, had coached at least two present members of the WNT pool (Tiffeny Milbrett and Shannon MacMillan), and was not part of the UNC establishment that held (and still holds) a lion's share of spots in the player pool. With the best candidate (in my opinion) no longer with us, we are left with few options, none of which are pretty. They break down (with one exception) into the following categories: retreads, WUSA, aisle-crossers, imports, and projects.
Retreads: Anson Dorrance and Tony DiCicco. Both former managers of the WNT, this pair of experienced coaches have to be considered on the short list for the vacancy. Dorrance's recent legal troubles at UNC make him a questionable candidate and I'm not sure he wants to get back into the NT game. The latter is also probably true for DiCicco, I would believe. If either man came forth and said he was interested, I am quite sure he would have serious backing for the post.
WUSA: The pool of former WUSA coaches, unlike that of MLS managers, is not teeming with possible options for this post. The top coaches in the league all have baggage. Be it Jim Gabarra or Tom Stone with little or no international experience, Pia Sundhage and her import status (she managed the Swedish YNTs prior to coming to WUSA), or Ian Sawyers and the perception of riding his wife's coattails (he's married to Julie Foudy), the nascent professional league did not spring up any one person who could be considered fully qualified for the opening the way MLS did with Bruce Arena.
Aisle-Crossers: This piece of the pool includes those whose primary coaching experience comes from the men's game but who MIGHT be interested in the position. At the top of this list would be Glenn "Mooch" Myernick. A former player in the NASL and coach in MLS, he is currently the top assistant on the Men's National Team and was the architect of the shocking win over Portugal in the 2002 World Cup. He has international experience, managing the U-23 National Team in Olympic qualifying, and would bring a sense of professionalism to the WNT program. The issue here, for Mooch or any other coach from outside the WNT pipeline, would be the ensuing firestorm from those who resent the notion that there is not a qualified candidate in the women's game (akin to the argument that there isn't a qualified American option for the men's team after Bruce hangs up the clipboard).
Imports: As the title implies, those in this category have coached or currently coach other national teams. The three names that come to mind are Evan Pellerud (current Canada and former Norway mgr.), Sundhage, and Rene Simoes (current Brazil manager and former head of the Jamaican Men's National Team, leading them to the 1998 World Cup). As with the aisle-crossers, the idea of going outside the borders for a new coach opens a can of worms for a lot of people involved with soccer in this country.
Projects: Heinrichs came from this part of the pool herself on taking the NT job. Her main accomplishment was captaining the WNT to the 1991 World Cup title and her coaching experience consisted of a handful of seasons at the University of Virginia. The fact that she was a she ultimately secured her hiring (IMO) and my gut tells me the Fed wants to stay the course on promoting women in high-profile coaching positions in this country (nevermind that the gender gap hasn't been closed yet as is the case in other sports). Any candidate in this part of the pool, no matter how knowledgeable of the international game, the player pool, and the politics of Soccer House, will have to learn on-the-job to an extent. Former players that are now coaches at the college level include Shannon Higgins-Cirovski (Maryland) and Carin Gabarra (Navy). Top college coaches such as Jillian Ellis (UCLA) and Becky Burleigh (Florida) come to mind as well. Recently-retired players such as Michelle Akers, Joy Fawcett, Carla Overbeck, and the like might be considered in order to keep the publicity machine rolling and preclude a rebuilding process that will not be pretty.
With all of that said, one candidate DOES exist in this country to lead the Women's National Team. He has been a college coach for a number of years, led the U-21 National Team in the DiCicco administration, and has enormous credibility in the women's game. That candidate is Jerry Smith from Santa Clara. No one I believe questions his commitment to women's soccer or his success rate at any stop to date. The only possible drawback is that he is married to Brandi Chastain and some (those less-educated in women's soccer and its history) might see this as a patronage move and thus no better than that for an aisle-crosser, an import, or a project. Unlike Sawyers, Smith's success/promotion in the game has never been because of Brandi, but on his own merit. In my opinion, unless Dorrance or DiCicco come out of international retirement, Smith needs to be the one hired.
Despite having what is considered the best national team program on the planet in terms of player talent and success rate, there is not a pool of talented persons available to lead it. I never did like April and thought the Fed could have made a better choice in 1999 when Tony DiCicco "retired". The best candidate then, and the one who would be the best candidate now had he not been taken from us by cancer in the interim, was Clive Charles. He had solid credentials in the women's game, had been an assistant for BOTH National Teams, had coached at least two present members of the WNT pool (Tiffeny Milbrett and Shannon MacMillan), and was not part of the UNC establishment that held (and still holds) a lion's share of spots in the player pool. With the best candidate (in my opinion) no longer with us, we are left with few options, none of which are pretty. They break down (with one exception) into the following categories: retreads, WUSA, aisle-crossers, imports, and projects.
Retreads: Anson Dorrance and Tony DiCicco. Both former managers of the WNT, this pair of experienced coaches have to be considered on the short list for the vacancy. Dorrance's recent legal troubles at UNC make him a questionable candidate and I'm not sure he wants to get back into the NT game. The latter is also probably true for DiCicco, I would believe. If either man came forth and said he was interested, I am quite sure he would have serious backing for the post.
WUSA: The pool of former WUSA coaches, unlike that of MLS managers, is not teeming with possible options for this post. The top coaches in the league all have baggage. Be it Jim Gabarra or Tom Stone with little or no international experience, Pia Sundhage and her import status (she managed the Swedish YNTs prior to coming to WUSA), or Ian Sawyers and the perception of riding his wife's coattails (he's married to Julie Foudy), the nascent professional league did not spring up any one person who could be considered fully qualified for the opening the way MLS did with Bruce Arena.
Aisle-Crossers: This piece of the pool includes those whose primary coaching experience comes from the men's game but who MIGHT be interested in the position. At the top of this list would be Glenn "Mooch" Myernick. A former player in the NASL and coach in MLS, he is currently the top assistant on the Men's National Team and was the architect of the shocking win over Portugal in the 2002 World Cup. He has international experience, managing the U-23 National Team in Olympic qualifying, and would bring a sense of professionalism to the WNT program. The issue here, for Mooch or any other coach from outside the WNT pipeline, would be the ensuing firestorm from those who resent the notion that there is not a qualified candidate in the women's game (akin to the argument that there isn't a qualified American option for the men's team after Bruce hangs up the clipboard).
Imports: As the title implies, those in this category have coached or currently coach other national teams. The three names that come to mind are Evan Pellerud (current Canada and former Norway mgr.), Sundhage, and Rene Simoes (current Brazil manager and former head of the Jamaican Men's National Team, leading them to the 1998 World Cup). As with the aisle-crossers, the idea of going outside the borders for a new coach opens a can of worms for a lot of people involved with soccer in this country.
Projects: Heinrichs came from this part of the pool herself on taking the NT job. Her main accomplishment was captaining the WNT to the 1991 World Cup title and her coaching experience consisted of a handful of seasons at the University of Virginia. The fact that she was a she ultimately secured her hiring (IMO) and my gut tells me the Fed wants to stay the course on promoting women in high-profile coaching positions in this country (nevermind that the gender gap hasn't been closed yet as is the case in other sports). Any candidate in this part of the pool, no matter how knowledgeable of the international game, the player pool, and the politics of Soccer House, will have to learn on-the-job to an extent. Former players that are now coaches at the college level include Shannon Higgins-Cirovski (Maryland) and Carin Gabarra (Navy). Top college coaches such as Jillian Ellis (UCLA) and Becky Burleigh (Florida) come to mind as well. Recently-retired players such as Michelle Akers, Joy Fawcett, Carla Overbeck, and the like might be considered in order to keep the publicity machine rolling and preclude a rebuilding process that will not be pretty.
With all of that said, one candidate DOES exist in this country to lead the Women's National Team. He has been a college coach for a number of years, led the U-21 National Team in the DiCicco administration, and has enormous credibility in the women's game. That candidate is Jerry Smith from Santa Clara. No one I believe questions his commitment to women's soccer or his success rate at any stop to date. The only possible drawback is that he is married to Brandi Chastain and some (those less-educated in women's soccer and its history) might see this as a patronage move and thus no better than that for an aisle-crosser, an import, or a project. Unlike Sawyers, Smith's success/promotion in the game has never been because of Brandi, but on his own merit. In my opinion, unless Dorrance or DiCicco come out of international retirement, Smith needs to be the one hired.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Matchday One: Get Off The Mark
The United States National Team kicks off the final round of World Cup Qualifying on Wednesday in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad against the Soca Warriors. The roster is attached at the bottom, but before that, keys to the Hex and this opening match:
Hexagonal points:
* IT'S A MARATHON, not a sprint! For all the high-pressure ties in the Hex (US/Mexico and US/Costa Rica to name a couple) which seem to project a life-or-death nature, the amount of error available to a team is much more in this round than it was in the semifinal round. A team that hit a hot stretch over Matches 1-3 might fall back to the pack by the time matches 7-10 are played in September/October (e.g. the US in 2001), whereas a team can struggle out of the gate and still find its way to Germany by the time all is said and done (e.g. Mexico in 2001 and the US in 1997).
* A team MUST take advantage of road points when and where they make themselves available (any trip to T&T or a midweek tilt at either CR or Mexico to state a couple of examples), because getting a draw from the host is in effect stealing two points from them.
* The home team MUST dictate play or else fall victim to being steamrolled on their home soil. Anyone who was at the US/Honduras match in DC in 2001 can attest to the fact that the opponent took it to us from the get-go. If the host lets its visitor bring the pace, they are likely to be trying to stave off a stealing of all the points rather than a splitting of the spoils.
* As in the semifinal round, group play can be broken down into a series of home-and-away battles, so that if you win more of those battles than you lose, you will advance. The United States went 2-0-3 in the series in the 2001 Hex (split with Mexico, Honduras, and Costa Rica while beating Jamaica and Trinidad/Tobago). We should win the series over T&T and Panama, thus making the Costa Rica/Mexico/Guatemala series a battle to avoid the playoff spot against the team from Asia.
US/T&T points:
* A tie is a good result considering the labor impasse which stole valuable training time from the team, but three points can be gotten. Port-of-Spain is the tamest road venue in the Hex and its occupant is perceived once again as the weak sister in the group. Every team in the Hex will be looking for points at T&T and we can set the standard by getting three on Matchday One.
* The US will be aggressive but not reckless. The goal of this game is to get points in whatever variety they come. The US has been known to get out early on the Soca Warriors and a quick pair of strikes will lock up the result (akin to their visit to Foxboro in 2001, where we scored twice in the first 22 minutes).
* The tactic will be to flood the box with crosses against a weak backline. Expect Beasley and Lewis to start on the flanks supported by Cherundolo and Bocanegra and Donovan to work as almost a third forward behind McBride and either Wolff or Johnson.
* This is the first match of the round and as such a less-than-stellar result will not doom the US. The roster combining players from Major League Soccer who are just starting spring training and in-season European-based players could make for a performance that is played at the level of our opponent.
Unofficial roster: Joe Cannon, Marcus Hahnemann, Kasey Keller; Chris Albright, Gregg Berhalter, Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundolo, Jimmy Conrad, Cory Gibbs, Frankie Hejduk, Eddie Pope; DaMarcus Beasley, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Eddie Lewis, Pablo Mastroeni, Clint Mathis, Ben Olsen; Brian Ching, Eddie Johnson, Brian McBride, Taylor Twellman, Josh Wolff.
Prediction: United States 2, Trinidad/Tobago 0
Hexagonal points:
* IT'S A MARATHON, not a sprint! For all the high-pressure ties in the Hex (US/Mexico and US/Costa Rica to name a couple) which seem to project a life-or-death nature, the amount of error available to a team is much more in this round than it was in the semifinal round. A team that hit a hot stretch over Matches 1-3 might fall back to the pack by the time matches 7-10 are played in September/October (e.g. the US in 2001), whereas a team can struggle out of the gate and still find its way to Germany by the time all is said and done (e.g. Mexico in 2001 and the US in 1997).
* A team MUST take advantage of road points when and where they make themselves available (any trip to T&T or a midweek tilt at either CR or Mexico to state a couple of examples), because getting a draw from the host is in effect stealing two points from them.
* The home team MUST dictate play or else fall victim to being steamrolled on their home soil. Anyone who was at the US/Honduras match in DC in 2001 can attest to the fact that the opponent took it to us from the get-go. If the host lets its visitor bring the pace, they are likely to be trying to stave off a stealing of all the points rather than a splitting of the spoils.
* As in the semifinal round, group play can be broken down into a series of home-and-away battles, so that if you win more of those battles than you lose, you will advance. The United States went 2-0-3 in the series in the 2001 Hex (split with Mexico, Honduras, and Costa Rica while beating Jamaica and Trinidad/Tobago). We should win the series over T&T and Panama, thus making the Costa Rica/Mexico/Guatemala series a battle to avoid the playoff spot against the team from Asia.
US/T&T points:
* A tie is a good result considering the labor impasse which stole valuable training time from the team, but three points can be gotten. Port-of-Spain is the tamest road venue in the Hex and its occupant is perceived once again as the weak sister in the group. Every team in the Hex will be looking for points at T&T and we can set the standard by getting three on Matchday One.
* The US will be aggressive but not reckless. The goal of this game is to get points in whatever variety they come. The US has been known to get out early on the Soca Warriors and a quick pair of strikes will lock up the result (akin to their visit to Foxboro in 2001, where we scored twice in the first 22 minutes).
* The tactic will be to flood the box with crosses against a weak backline. Expect Beasley and Lewis to start on the flanks supported by Cherundolo and Bocanegra and Donovan to work as almost a third forward behind McBride and either Wolff or Johnson.
* This is the first match of the round and as such a less-than-stellar result will not doom the US. The roster combining players from Major League Soccer who are just starting spring training and in-season European-based players could make for a performance that is played at the level of our opponent.
Unofficial roster: Joe Cannon, Marcus Hahnemann, Kasey Keller; Chris Albright, Gregg Berhalter, Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundolo, Jimmy Conrad, Cory Gibbs, Frankie Hejduk, Eddie Pope; DaMarcus Beasley, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Eddie Lewis, Pablo Mastroeni, Clint Mathis, Ben Olsen; Brian Ching, Eddie Johnson, Brian McBride, Taylor Twellman, Josh Wolff.
Prediction: United States 2, Trinidad/Tobago 0
