U.S. ladies’s nationwide crew coach Vlatko Andonovski has resigned, an individual accustomed to the choice informed The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The transfer comes lower than two weeks after the Americans have been knocked out of the Women’s World Cup sooner than ever earlier than.
The individual spoke to the AP on situation of anonymity as a result of the transfer had not been formally introduced. An announcement was anticipated Thursday.
The four-time champion struggled by means of the World Cup. A victory over Vietnam to kick off the group stage was adopted by attracts in opposition to Netherlands and Portugal – barely sufficient to get the crew into the knockout stage.
The Americans performed effectively within the spherical of 16 in opposition to Sweden however in the end fell on penalties after a scoreless tie. The U.S. scored simply 4 objectives over the course of the event.
The United States had by no means completed worse than third at earlier World Cups.
The 46-year-old Andonovski was named coach of the United States in October 2019, taking on for Jill Ellis, who led the United States to back-to-back World Cup titles. He completed 51-5-9 throughout his time with the crew, and was 3-2-5 in main tournaments.
Following the match in opposition to Sweden, Andonovski stated he wasn’t fascinated about his future with the crew – solely his younger gamers. Fourteen gamers on the roster have been showing of their first World Cup, and 12 of them had by no means performed in a serious event.
‘We spent 4 years collectively. They obtained their first caps with me, they obtained their first nationwide crew call-ups with me,’ Andonovski stated. ‘We spent robust instances, good instances. I do not wish to see them like that. That’s all I take into consideration.’
The United States additionally completed with a disappointing bronze medal on the Tokyo Olympics. Afterward, Andonovski turned his consideration on creating younger gamers forward of the World Cup. Some of the gamers who emerged have been Sophia Smith, final 12 months’s U.S. Soccer participant of the 12 months, and Trinity Rodman.
The United States was bitten by accidents within the run-up to the event, dropping key gamers. Mallory Swanson injured her knee throughout a pleasant in April, and captain Becky Sauerbrunn could not get well from a foot harm in time.
Promising younger ahead Catarina Macario tore her ACL enjoying for her membership crew Lyon final 12 months and in addition wasn’t able to play within the World Cup.
The World Cup was difficult for a lot of elite groups due to the ever-growing parity within the ladies’s recreation. Germany, Brazil and Canada, the winners in Tokyo, additionally obtained knocked out early. Sunday’s remaining between England and Spain in Sydney will give the event a first-time winner.
Andonovski was head coach of Seattle’s OL Reign within the National Women’s Soccer League when he was employed. During his seven years within the NWSL, he led the now-defunct FC Kansas City from the league’s inception in 2013 till the membership folded in 2017, successful two league titles.
Andonovski, a local of Skopje, Macedonia, performed for a number of groups in Europe earlier than embarking on an expert indoor soccer profession within the United States.
His predecessor on the U.S. crew, Ellis, led the Americans to World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019. Over the course of her five-year tenure, they misplaced simply seven matches.
‘What I might hope on this (hiring) course of (is) that it is sturdy, it is numerous. It needs to be,’ Ellis stated Thursday in Sydney. ‘This is a important rent. And I feel it has be the proper individual.’
The timeline to discover a substitute is comparatively brief. The United States has already certified for the 2024 Olympics in France. Before that, the crew has a pair of exhibition matches in opposition to South Africa on Sept. 21 in Cincinnati and Sept. 24 in Chicago.