Beau Dure reports that Abby Wambach will spend the rest of the Women’s Professional Soccer season as player-coach for magicJack, whose rosterincludes her Women’s World Cup teammates Shannon Boxx, Megan Rapinoe and Hope Solo.
Wambach will need to soothe whatever conflicts remain in the wake of agrievance filed July 8 by the WPS Players Union after complaints surfaced from current and former magicJack players. That grievance prompted the league on July 14 to ban owner and sometimes coachDan Borislow from the sideline for the rest of the year.
Among the accusations in the grievance, Borislow allegedly sent emails to his players that “demonstrate hispractice of bullying and threatening players, and his creation of a hostile, oppressive, and intimidating work environment which adversely affects players’ ability [to] perform.”
Borislowsaid, “You can ask the players with character and heart if they think it’s true. Or you can believe a player who does not belong in the league who was only there because the league decided to haveamateurs play while the [national team] was away.”
After original coach Mike Lyons was reassigned three games into the season, magicJack rotated several people in theposition, including Christie Rampone, former Palm Beach Atlantic University player Richard Bone and Borislow. But this week, Borislow said Wambach would be in chargefor the team’s seven remaining games and playoffs.
I am sure Abby was put in a situation where she really didn’t have much of a choice. Besides I am sure it will attract more fans to the game, but really Abby as the coach you have got to be kidding. This sounds like the GA’s in college, and sounds like college players who graduate and soon after are automatically promoted to assistants in the college game. Of course with no coaching experience the majority of the time at any level. Wow! Abby as the coach! We wonder why the rest of the world has caught up and surpassed US Womens soccer.
It was already too much calling this team MagicJack. Now namimg a second player coach in WPS? With no disrespect to Abby, this is unacceptabke for a professional team.