Tag: Vlatko Andonovski

Sanchez recounts USWNT World Cup letdown: ‘I was told I wasn’t going to play’

Sanchez discussed the “really difficult” experience of being suddenly trapped on the bench for the USWNT

Ashley Sanchez said that it took her months to process Vlatko Andonovski’s controversial decision to bench her for the entirety of the 2023 World Cup.

Speaking on the “Friendlies with Sam Mewis” podcast, Sanchez gave her account of what she called a “really difficult” experience.

“I definitely thought I was going to play,” said Sanchez when describing pre-tournament discussions with the U.S. women’s national team coaching staff.

“Rose [Lavelle] had been injured, so I was told actually that I was going to have a big impact, and play a lot of minutes. So yeah, that was exactly what I was expecting.”

It would be hard to blame Sanchez for taking that as the truth, in part because she was playing on a regular basis. From November 2021 until the USWNT’s send-off friendly against Wales, Andonovski had given the California native minutes in 25 of a possible 28 matches. The signs seemed to point towards this World Cup being her time to shine.

However, what followed was an abrupt about-face. Savannah DeMelo got the nod in the team’s first two World Cup games, making way for Lavelle as the USWNT built the latter’s minutes up.

Lavelle returned to play a full 90 minutes in a grinding scoreless draw with Portugal that very nearly saw the USWNT crash out of the group stage. Even with the U.S. having a mathematical incentive to push for a goal, Sanchez wasn’t called upon.

A door seemed to open when Lavelle was suspended for the round of 16 clash with Sweden due to yellow card accumulation, but again Andonovski looked elsewhere. A formation change saw Lindsey Horan push up to play as a No. 10, with Emily Sonnett coming in alongside Andi Sullivan.

Per Sanchez, sometime after the team left for New Zealand and before the first match against Vietnam, she was given the bad news: The coaching staff had decided it wasn’t going to give her a chance.

“What made it a little bit more difficult was that I knew before the first game that I wasn’t going to play,” recounted Sanchez. “So, when we were struggling, I kind of wanted to [say] I could maybe help or…give a different look, but I knew that I wasn’t gonna go in.”

Sanchez: World Cup ‘hardest moment of my career’

Despite the U.S. struggling to create chances and managing just one goal in its final three games, Sanchez would be one of two field players (along with Alana Cook) to end up with zero minutes.

Asked how she knew her opportunity wasn’t coming, Sanchez said that she was told in no uncertain terms.

“I was told that I wasn’t going to play,” said the North Carolina Courage playmaker. “I was trying to make the best of a situation, but it was definitely hard.

“When I was in it, I was [thinking], you don’t want to look back and have such a negative idea of something that you dreamed of your whole life, you know? But when you’re in the moment, you’re trying so hard to think of the positives, but you’re also like, ‘yeah, but I’m here, I worked my ass off to be here, and I know I’m not going to play.'”

Sanchez called the experience “probably the hardest moment of my career,” adding that to some extent her responsibility to the team was reduced down to simply not being a burden.

“I almost didn’t feel like I was part of it. Which was really hard, because…I didn’t really contribute,” explained Sanchez, who noted that the rest of the team “had such a different experience than I did.”

“I think it was a little bit easier to talk to Kelley [O’Hara] sometimes, because a lot of my friends were playing, and I didn’t want to be pouring things onto them. They didn’t need that…

“I think that was the hard part too, is having to almost deal with it myself. Because I was like, ‘I don’t want to put this on anyone else.’ It’s hard. It’s hard for everyone, no matter if you’re playing or not playing, it’s just really hard. So I felt like I didn’t process until I got home. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that was way worse than I thought.'”

The attacking midfielder returned to the NWSL, scoring within seconds of entering her first match back with the Washington Spirit.

However, Sanchez said that her anticipated catharsis didn’t come from that goal, and that she wouldn’t work out her feelings about the entire episode until this past winter.

“I felt like I’m going to come back, I’m just gonna play really great and prove everyone wrong, and then I was just kind of like, ‘Oh, I think I actually need to deal with this,'” recalled the 24-year-old.

“It’s not just going to go away because you’re playing well, you know? And that was probably…I hadn’t gone through anything that hard, I would say.”

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Twila Kilgore named USWNT interim head coach

Kilgore will lead the USWNT through the early fall, and perhaps beyond

With Vlatko Andonovski stepping down from his role as U.S. women’s national team head coach, his former assistant Twila Kilgore has stepped in as the team’s interim head coach.

Kilgore served as Andonovski’s assistant for a year and a half, having left her role as Houston Dash assistant early in 2022 to join the USWNT staff.

Prior to her time with the Dash, Kilgore (formerly Kaufman) was a coach in the college ranks for 15 years at Pepperdine University and UC Davis.

Kilgore also served as USWNT U-23 coach for a January camp in 2022, and USWNT U-20 head coach for the La Manga Tournament in Spain in 2019.

In 2021, Kilgore became the first American-born woman and only the third woman ever to earn U.S. Soccer’s Pro Coaching License, the top qualification in the American coaching system.

While U.S. Soccer conducts a search for a permanent head coach, Kilgore is set to take charge of the USWNT’s first two post-World Cup games: a pair of friendlies against South Africa on September 21 in Cincinnati, and September 24 in Chicago.

How long Kilgore stays in charge after that will depend on the length of U.S. Soccer’s search. The Washington Post said that Kilgore’s tenure could last “deep into the fall” as the federation looks for the right candidate to lead the team into the 2024 Olympics and beyond.

Some of the top candidates figure to be England coach Sarina Wiegman, OL Reign coach Laura Harvey, and Australia coach (and longtime USWNT assistant) Tony Gustavsson.

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Andonovski steps down as USWNT head coach after World Cup failure

Andonovski’s four-year reign is over after the team’s worst World Cup showing ever

Vlatko Andonovski has stepped down as head coach of the U.S. women’s national team.

Assistant coach Twila Kilgore has been named interim head coach while U.S. Soccer conducts a search for a full-time replacement.

Andonovski’s resignation comes in the aftermath of the USWNT’s worst World Cup showing ever, with the team wining just one of four games and exiting in the round of 16 after a penalty shootout loss to Sweden.

After the defeat to Sweden, Andonovski was widely expected to depart with his contract set to expire at the end of 2023.

“It’s been the honor of my life to coach the talented, hard-working players of the USWNT for the past four years,” Andonovski said in a U.S. Soccer statement. “I’m very optimistic for the future of this program, especially considering all the young players that got opportunities over the past few years who will no doubt be leaders and impact players moving forward.

“While we are all disappointed by the outcome at this year’s World Cup, I am immensely proud of the progress this team has made, the support they’ve shown for each other, and the inspiration they’ve provided for players around the world. I will be forever thankful to the U.S. Soccer Federation for giving me the chance to coach this remarkable team.”

Andonovski was named USWNT head coach in October 2019, taking over from Jill Ellis after the team won back-to-back World Cup titles.

Things started well enough for Andonovski, who put together 16 straight wins to start his tenure, and won 22 of his first 23 games overall. But that all changed with his first major tournament in charge, the Olympics in 2021.

The USWNT was hammered by Sweden to start the Olympics, and never seemed to fully recover en route to a disappointing bronze medal showing. That put Andonovski under major pressure to deliver at the 2023 World Cup.

However, the USWNT turned in a similarly disappointing showing in Australia and New Zealand, struggling to consistently show the form that saw them enter the tournament as favorites.

Andonovski has reported interest from national teams as well as clubs in the NWSL, where he’s experienced major success coaching in Kansas City and with the franchise now known as OL Reign.

“All of us at U.S. Soccer thank Vlatko for his dedication to our women’s national team over the past four years,” said U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker. “Vlatko worked tirelessly for this team and has been a strong and positive leader for our women’s program. We’re grateful for everything he has contributed to U.S. Soccer and know he has a bright future in the sport.”

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USWNT fans were all in favor of Vlatko Andonovski’s resignation after disappointing World Cup performance

USWNT fans are ready for a fresh start after Vlatko Andonovski’s resignation.

The United States women’s national team will soon be under new leadership as coach Vlatko Andonovski resigned from his post on Wednesday.

Andonovski started his role with USWNT in 2019, taking over that October after the team had won the FIFA Women’s World Cup that July.

More: 5 potential replacements for USWNT head coach after Vlatko Andonovski resigns

However, America’s earlier-than-expected exit from this year’s World Cup put Andonovski on the hot seat as the USWNT had been expected to seriously push for a three-peat.

Now, USWNT will search for a replacement and attempt to rebound for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

While it’s not all on Andonovski that the USWNT lost in the Round of 16 this year, the team’s lackluster performance looks to have fueled his exit.

While not everyone felt that the coaching move will fix all of the team’s problems, USWNT fans reacted with optimism to news of Andonovski’s resignation.

Many fans said they’re ready for a fresh start for the soccer program after a disappointing World Cup run.

Vlatko out: USWNT coach Andonovski reportedly resigns after early World Cup exit

The USWNT is reportedly going to be under new leadership soon

Vlatko Andonovski’s time in charge of the U.S. women’s national team is reportedly over.

Barely over a week after the USWNT were eliminated from the World Cup by Sweden on penalty kicks, Andonovski is said to have stepped down as the team’s head coach.

90min was first to report the news. The Athletic confirmed Andonovski’s departure as well, adding that there are clubs and national teams interested in the 46-year-old’s services.

Per The Athletic, U.S. Soccer is in the process of appointing assistant coach Twila Kilgore as the team’s interim manager. The USWNT’s next scheduled matches are a pair of September friendlies against South Africa. The U.S. will host both games, which are set for September 21 in Cincinnati, and three days later in Chicago.

The federation will likely have to pursue an aggressive timeline in appointing Andonovski’s successor, with the Olympics less than one year away.

New direction for USWNT

Andonovski’s departure comes as no major surprise. The USWNT’s round of 16 exit marked a worst-ever performance at a World Cup for the program, and could hardly be attributed to bad luck. The team struggled for a significant portion of a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands, and was inches from elimination during the insipid 0-0 draw with Portugal that concluded their group stage schedule.

The USWNT concluded the tournament without a goal in its final two games, and only scored three times from open play in five matches. Andonovski also drew the ire of fans for suddenly pivoting away from Alana Cook and Ashley Sanchez (both of whom did not appear in any matches at the World Cup) and for returning to an oddly-structured 4-3-3 system that had been justifiably discarded in 2022.

That said, Andonovski grappled with some problems out of his control. The Covid-19 pandemic came just as the team should have been undergoing a transition between generations. Long-term absences through injury or pregnancy saw him go long spells without stars like Crystal Dunn, Julie Ertz, Sam Mewis, Christen Press, and Tobin Heath. Andonovski’s World Cup plans were further hampered by injuries to key attacking starters Catarina Macario and Mallory Swanson.

Still, with a deep player pool, the results and caliber of performance on his watch would have been reason enough to expect a change of management. Once a very similar disappointment at the Olympics in 2021 was factored in, U.S. Soccer would surely have moved on from Andonovski if he had not stepped down.

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Who’s next? The top candidates to take over as USWNT head coach

The USWNT job will be a hot topic in the months to come

A cruel summer has left the U.S. women’s national team boarding early flights home, and that means change is on the way.

Head coach Vlatko Andonovski spent most of the last two years under increasing pressure thanks to inconsistent performance levels and some iffy results, and the USWNT will in all likelihood be looking for a new coach in the near future.

U.S. Soccer has made no such pronouncement just yet, and Andonovski declined to delve into his future immediately following the his side’s World Cup exit to Sweden, citing a desire to not hijack a moment for his own needs. That’s a prudent choice from a coach who no matter his stumbles, has placed the team’s needs before his own. It might not stoke the news cycle, but holding off on that discussion is the upstanding thing to do.

However, Andonovski’s tenure has included a series of underwhelming performances at the Olympics that ended with bronze instead of gold, and a three-game losing streak that tied the longest such run in USWNT history. That made this summer make-or-break for Andonovski.

As a prominent philosopher once said, you’re only funky as your last cut, and the earliest World Cup exit in this team’s history means that change is a must. There are issues beyond Andonovski’s control, including a long list of injured stars, but the USWNT job is a “no excuses, just win” role. It’s a safe bet that U.S. Soccer will soon be thanking Andonovski for his services and wishing him well in his future endeavors.

In other words, the discussion is already here. U.S. Soccer is surely going to be working on a preliminary list of USWNT coaching candidates before winnowing it down to a shorter list for first interviews, and so on. Within a few months, they should be introducing a new boss.

Here are some of the coaches out there that have the kind of resume the federation will be interested in.

Harvey honored to be linked with (still occupied) USWNT coaching job

The OL Reign head coach will be a prime candidate to take over if Vlatko Andonovski is replaced

Vlatko Andonovski is still the coach of the U.S. women’s national team, but potential successors are already being asked about replacing him.

That’s not a huge surprise: Andonovski is widely expected to be replaced imminently, after the USWNT crashed out of the World Cup at the last 16 to seal the team’s worst finish ever at the tournament.

One of the prime candidates to take over will be Laura Harvey, whom Andonovski narrowly beat out for the job in 2019. Harvey has extensive experience with U.S. Soccer, having previously served as a USWNT assistant and as a U-23 and U-20 head coach.

Harvey is now in charge at OL Reign, a team she insisted she is singularly focused on for the time being.

“I’ve lived it before, I lived this four years ago. I’m very mindful that this is my priority – this job is my priority,” she said in a press conference. “I love it here, that’s no secret. I’ve committed to the future of this club.”

Last month, Harvey signed a contract extension with OL Reign through 2025.

“My focus right now is the Reign,” she added. “We’re in the middle of a season. We’ve put ourselves in a really good position in both competitions that we’re in. And right now my focus is solely on the Reign.

“I actually give our team and players credit if my name is anywhere near anything, because that just shows the performances that our group’s been putting in.”

Still, Harvey wouldn’t deny the appeal of the USWNT position, which she called the top job in women’s soccer worldwide.

“I enjoyed my time at U.S. Soccer. That’s no doubt,” she said. “The U.S. women’s national team is probably the top job in the world, if not a top-three job in the world. That’s just reality. And if my name is anywhere near it, then that’s an honor.

“But first and foremost, my priority is the Reign. It is going to be hard to block it out, there’s no doubt about that, but I’ve lived it before. So I’ve got a little bit of experience with it.”

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Can Carli Lloyd replace Vlatko Andonovski as USWNT head coach?

After a draw to Sweden, the U.S. Women’s National Team was eliminated in the 2023 World Cup. Will there be a coaching change for the USWNT?

After a hard-fought battle in the round of 16, the U.S. Women’s National Team was eliminated in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The tie to Sweden marks the earliest exit for the United States in the Women’s World Cup. Also, it ends the United States’ chances for the first team to win the tournament three straight times.

And it would surprise no one to see a new head coach for the United States ahead of this next cycle, including the Olympics and another World Cup in four years.

Earlier this week, ex-USWNT captain Carli Lloyd called out her former teammates for celebrating a tie to Portugal after a below-average performance. Lloyd holds her former team to a higher standard despite the current USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski deflecting Lloyd’s comments toward his team.

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Fans on social media our lashing out toward the Americans’ below-average performance in the 2023 World Cup, requesting Lloyd to take over Andonovski’s role as USWNT head coach. Does Lloyd have the credentials to take over as head coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team?

Lloyd’s Qualifications

Lloyd is a Fox Sports analyst and might be considered for the USWNT head coaching spot if Andonovski gets let go after an early tournament exit. The former Rutgers Women’s Soccer standout knows what it takes to win (she has won two World Cups and has three Olympic medals), and USWNT needs an experienced leader to get them over the hump.

The New Jersey native from Delran, New Jersey, has 134 career goals and 64 assists while appearing in 316 games for the USWNT. Lloyd is known for performances in high-pressure moments, scoring game-winners at Rutgers, in the SheBelieves Cup, the 2008 and 2012 Olympics gold medal games, and the 2015 World Cup final.

During her four years at Rutgers, Lloyd is the only Scarlet Knight to earn First-Team All-Big East Honors four times in her career (2001-2004). Also, she got named the 2001 Big East Rookie of the Year. The Rutgers all-time points (117) and goals (50) leader can be a strong candidate for the possible USWNT head coach position.

Lloyd traveled the world with the National Team and played in two U.S. Women’s professional leagues. She played for the Chicago Red Stars, Sky Blue, and Atlanta Beat in the Women’s Premier Soccer League. After playing in the WPS, she joined the National Women’s Soccer League and played for the Western New York Flash, Houston Dash, and Sky Blue FC. Her last season came in Manchester City, where she joined the Champions League in 2017.

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USWNT player ratings: Defensive spine shines in gut-punch penalty kick defeat

The USWNT finally played like themselves, but soccer can be cruel

Soccer has always been a cruel sport, and today it came calling for the U.S. women’s national team.

After three underwhelming performances in the group stage, the USWNT finally looked like themselves against Sweden, bossing one of the best teams in this World Cup.

Unfortunately, they found goalkeeper Zećira Mušović having one of the games of her life, and when she wasn’t making a big save, the errant finishing that has plagued this team appeared again, and the result was a penalty kick elimination after a scoreless 120 minutes.

It was a heartbreaker for the U.S., who missed a shot in the shootout that would have seen them advance, and then had to watch Sweden’s winning kick require a VAR check to reveal that the ball had crossed the line by a nearly imperceptible margin.

Still, when it comes to ratings, this was by some margin the best performance from the USWNT at this World Cup as a team, and for many players as individuals.

As a reminder, here’s the Pro Soccer Wire player rating scale:

Our scale:

  • 1: Abysmal. Literally any member of our staff would have been been able to play at this level.
  • 6: Adequate. This is our base score.
  • 10: Transcendent, era-defining performance. This is Carli Lloyd vs. Japan in the 2015 final.

USWNT lineup vs. Sweden: Rodman returns, Sonnett a surprise starter for round of 16 match

Sonnett’s inclusion signals a change in the USWNT’s formation

The U.S. women’s national team will take on Sweden in a round of 16 battle, the most familiar pairing in the history of the women’s World Cup.

However, the USWNT lineup on the night will be distinctly unfamiliar. Vlatko Andonovski made two changes to the team that finished up the group stage looking vulnerable in a 0-0 draw with Portugal. One was straightforward: Trinity Rodman returned to the lineup in place of Lynn Williams.

The other is less conventional. With Rose Lavelle suspended due to yellow card accumulation, it was expected that the USWNT would call on Savannah DeMelo or Ashley Sanchez in her place. Instead, Andonovski has turned to Emily Sonnett, a utility defender/midfielder.

While Andonovski’s unconventional choice left multiple options open due to Sonnett’s versatility, the final choice was the least surprising of the bunch. Sonnett lined up alongside Andi Sullivan in a defensive midfield role, with captain Lindsey Horan pushing further forward in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

A win for the U.S. would guarantee another immense challenge in the form of a quarterfinal against Japan, arguably the most impressive team in this World Cup thus far. That match would take place at Eden Park in Auckland, the site for two prior USWNT matches in the group stage. Kickoff would be set for 3:30 am ET.

A loss? Angst around the program would reach a fever pitch as the pre-tournament favorite would stumble out early, having won once in four games. We’d be in for months of analysis, criticism, “what could have been” scenarios, and almost certainly a new coach coming in. Suffice it to say, this one’s a big one.

Save for Lavelle, the rest of the U.S. squad is available off the bench.

USWNT lineup vs. Sweden

(4-2-3-1): Naeher; Fox, Ertz, Girma, Dunn; Sullivan, Sonnett; Rodman, Horan, Smith; Morgan

Sweden lineup (4-3-3): Zećira Mušović; Nathalie Björn, Amanda Ilestedt, Magdalena Eriksson, Jonna Andersson; Filippa Angeldal, Kosovare Asllani, Elin Rubensson; Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Stina Blackstenius, Fridolina Rolfö

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