I think that this new USWNT coach has a BIG retrofit job in front of her. When we were actually feared by the rest of the world we had a team loaded with competitive character. Almost no member of that competitive type remains. And no team out there fears us. Commentators (with the occasional exception of the only honest one among them: Ally Wagner) keep smiling their stupid moron smiles and referring to us as the number one team in the world when MAYBE we're in the top ten near the bottom. (there are probably 6 to 8 European teams generally better, plus Brazil still and Australia and Japan or China --- and NONE fear us. There was a player from some team like Spain who looked the cameras straight in the eye and said they come in here dancing and laughing and back it up with nothing on the pitch.
And then there's Julie Ertz. Probably the best player in the world, and our coaching staff and team play could not create an incentive where she wanted to continue playing. Yes, there are doubtless a great number of reasons for her not to go on, but this team's crap play, and some disrespect to her sidekick super players like Sauerbrunn and Dunn (The other two players you would have picked for a world's best eleven), and unimaginative sweeping out all the "old" just for some theoretical dream, and crap offense never getting Morgan any service --- hell, the atmosphere must have been joyless.
Ertz is irreplaceable but at least these morons have finally found Sonnett (they never re-found Krieger). My first assessment of the new boss will be if she installs Emily firmly at our 6 and benches whatever her name is. My second assessment will be what she does with Smith --- a cherry-picking non-passer who kills inferior opposition and is passively soft vs anyone good. Will she play? (vs say Rodman, the MUCH superior choice.) If so, will the coach INSIST on passing the ball? ... etc etc I have loads of questions, but will leave it here. Becky Sauerbrunn HAS to be totally welcomed back, and installed as captain. This team sucks as to leadership. Astounding that they were trying to ease Becky out too. I'd love to see Mal Pugh/Swanson back starting with Rodman or one of the really young ones, and still Morgan but with her now getting some passes. Need Lavelle ALL the time. She is unique on this team. Girma is a rare good new player. But it wouldn't hurt to have Dahlkamper back too. Fox has developed and can play either wingback --- paired with Dunn? Good. There's potential, which stupidity plus injury has clobbered. This team's coaching has really frustrated me.