While I will admit I have not really cared much for the women’s world cup. I have turned it on in the morning, and watched as much as I could. While I might not follow the women’s team nearly as much as the men’s team, I do root for them and hope we win each game we play. And winning games can be much more difficult when the coach steals the spotlight like he did the last two days with his questionable decision.
For those of you who don’t follow women’s soccer and I know there are many of you, here is what happened. Two days ago Greg Ryan, who is the women’s national team coached announced that he would be starting Brianna Scurry in goal over Hope Solo. Hope Solo had started every game since June, including all three group games, and their quarterfinal against England in Europe. Hope Solo had two goals scored on her in the North Korean game, but since that game had a shutout streak of almost 300 minutes. Of the first two goals scored on her, she did allow one to slip through her fingers, however it was wet that day, and that did play a part.
Greg Ryan said he was starting Scurry because of the way she played against Brazil in June, and probably also because of her play in the 2004 Olympics against Brazil.
Brianna Scurry is by no means an amateur, and would be a starter on most national teams, but the timing of the decision is very debatable, and I would rank it as one of the worst coaching decisions I have ever seen, and if it wasn’t for Greg Ryan’s unbeaten streak of 51 games is his saving grace. But there are other examples of coaches who had good records who got fired, because they could take their team to the next level. Grady Little got fired from the Boston Red Sox, because he kept Pedro Martinez in the game against the Yankees in game 7 of the ALCS. In which the Yankees won in large part because of a tired Pedro on the mound. Marty Schottenheimer last year was fired by the Chargers, despite having a record of 14-2 in the regular season, but was out coached in the playoffs. And last Tony Dungy was let go by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, because they didn’t think he could get them to the next level, and he eventually went on to win last years super bowl with the Colts.
While I don’t think putting Brianna Scurry lost the game for the US national team, the red card, and Brazil just outplaying USA were the main reasons. I feel the decision distracted enough to give any edge the US might have had, and tipped in Brazil’s favor, and time will tell if Greg Ryan will learn from that mistake.
Judging by the highlights, the first two goals were preventable. That kind of own goal is usually because the keeper doesn't command the box (i.e., the ball should have been left to the keeper). The second goal was very stopable. 2-0 down puts increased pressure on the players around you (making poor fouls and getting cards) and allows the other team to dictate the play. So, I do believe that the US could have won this particular game with Solo.
Well you might be right, I didn't see the first two goals. Fact of the matter is you don't switch your keeper because of the team you are facing. This isn't baseball, it isn't like Hope Solo is a starting pitcher, and Brianna Scurry is a left handed reliever. If he felt Brianna should have started the Brazil game, then she should have started the entire World Cup. It also doesn't help a player like Hope Solo's confidence, imagine if they had won, and he put Hope in against Germany?
I can relate a little, in college one season we had a freshman keeper who was great, but was getting over ankle issues, and a sophmore keeper who was so bad.
So coach would play the freshman in conference games, and sit him out non conference so he could recover. The difference in confidence I had myself playing defense was immense, because when the freshman was in I knew he could make the tough saves, so I could push forward. When the sophmore was in, I knew I had to make sure the other team didn't get a shot off because it would probably be a goal. Not sure if this relates the US Brazil game today, I think it does a little.
I heard a comment after the game that said it probably would not make much of a difference on a men's soccer team to switch out keepers but on women's team it does because women have and form stronger relationship bonds. Taking a team that had gelled so well, that had won together, that had made it together as far as it had in the World Cup this year, and effectively putting a tear in the fabric of that relationship was just pure insanity.
Was Ryan a victim of his own press, of his own ego?
Hope Solo was courageous to speak out and say that the keeper change was stupid. It was. I agree, whatever edge we had because of the really well formed team was destroyed by Ryan's insane decision. My heart goes out to our women's team who have suffered a loss that simply should not have happened. You watch, Ryan will not have the courage to step up and admit his error and how he failed those women. ARRRRRRRRGGGGG! I'm pissed.
Last edited by PDXGT3 on September 27th at 4:26 PM.
I can't personally say from experience I know about the chemistry differences between a men's and womens team, but I see your point.
But consider this in the 2002 world cup the men had two very solid keepers in Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel. Friedel got to start, imagine if in that game vs. Germany, Bruce just goes I liked the way Keller played against Germany two years ago, I am going to put him in, that wouldn't work either. You don't just switch keepers from game to game, either they should start or shouldn't. Simple as that.
I did'nt get to watch the game but judging from the comments , i think the coach should be fired, and that is the must stupid thing i ever heard!!!
u can not change a keeper just because some past games , a team is a team they get used to each other , specially in a world cup when u get to represent your country in front of the whole world, definetly he shoud get kick out of the team.
The issue isn't the coach or his decision to change keepers. Coaches make good and bad decisions every day.(most of them recognized in hindsight).
The issue is a team member showing a total lack of class,disloyalty to coach and team,egotistical and immature character,and a condescending and self-centered attitude to her team mates.
Has anyone considered that maybe Ryan threw the game for some form of compensation? What else could possibly explain his giggling when his team was down 3-0 and for his thoughtless substitutions, let alone the travesty that has ensued with Solo. Come on, allowing an emotional team to remove a player whose tiff was solely with the coach?
therealrico
The expectations of the women's team was far too great even if they were ranked the # 1 team in the world.
They were completely outplayed by the Brazilians and Marta in particular. Who if anything has proved that she along with Birgit Prinz are best two female players in the world.
As an added note no matter how articulate Solo appears to be.
Her conceitedness if anything hasn't endeared her to the rest of her teammates.
As a teammate you remain loyal to the team and not purely for your own self interests. Not even on her best day could she have stopped the Brazilians. She may well be good but only in her own damn mind ! One can fault Ryan all they want but the team was outplayed from start to finish.
tophatal
Last edited by tophatal on September 30th at 11:46 AM.
Agree they were significantly outplayed (although the Brazilians flopping/diving antics need to be quashed hard).
But Ryan has not helped the US Womens Team in any visible way. Their play has not become more flowing, more technical, more anything good. If anything, they have become less and less consistent in the quality of their play.
How can such an assemblage of talent not dominate their opponents in each and every match? By not having training methods and game coaching at the level they deserve. The addle-minded substitutions throughout the WWC, and the last minute pulling of Solo are but symptoms of the incompetency plaguing US Womens Team coaching.
The US has size and speed advantages over ALL of their competitors, and skills advantages over most (the two you mentioned, along with Cristiane, are the only women players better than the best of the US individual players). But they have no one to help them put it all together to form the superior team they should be.
I am a huge soccer fan. Grew up in Vermont playing for my club and school. In college I redshirted for Southern New Hampshire U(New Hampshire College while I was there). And later played four years at Johnson State College, a small school in Vermont. While in Johnson State, I also played with the PDL team the Vermont voltage, which is what shirt you see me wearing in my avatar.
Who I root for, since I am a Vermonter I keep it pretty much all New England, except for the Eagles(I became a fan iin the days of Randall Cunningham) As of right now I don't really follow anything other than soccer, but if I was to follow the other sports that is who I would root for. I don't really have a favorite soccer team, I more prefer to just watch great soccer, but I guess if I was to choose, it would probably be Real Madrid, I became a fan when they got Zidane. I also enjoy watching Arsenal, and I will probably be a bigger Fulham fan, because I am a huge Dempsey fan.
And of course I have to root for Team USA.
