U.S. women’s national team coach Vlatko Andonovski has expressed surprise at World Cup defender Crystal Dunn‘s comments that she is unhappy at being asked to play the left-back role.
Dunn, who was part of the U.S team which won the World Cup in France four years ago, told GQ magazine on Friday that “it hurts at times” having to switch from her favored club position in midfield.
“It’s been a massive burden on me to switch who I am given the team that I play for, and it’s something that I only go through. It’s really hard to speak about,” she said in the interview before crying.
“I think it’s hard because I’m the only one who has to do it,” she said. “I step into camp, and I feel like I lose a part of myself. I no longer get to be Crystal who scores goals, assists, is this attacking player.
“I step into an environment where I have to be world-class in a position that I don’t think is my best position. But I’ve owned it. I’ve made it my own, and I’ve tried to create it in my most authentic way. But I don’t love it.
“I love playing and I love competing, so that brings me up to the level that I need to be at, but it really is hard when I look around and I’m like, ‘Well, no one else has to do this.’ I am the only person who does not stay put in one position and always has to change given what my coach thinks of me.”
Dunn, who has made 129 appearances for the national team, is expected to be part of the squad for July’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.
Andonovski told reporters ahead of Sunday’s SheBelieves Cup match against Japan that he hadn’t read the interview but was surprised at the views.
“Crystal has not expressed it with me recently,” he said. “It’s a choice. Nobody’s forced to play on the national team. Nobody’s forced to play in any position and every time I’ve talked to Crystal, she just shares how much she enjoys being on the team and loves helping the team being successful. So obviously as a coach, I’m happy to hear that, and I’m happy to help her in the position or the task that she has to do.”
Andonovski warned that Dunn would face plenty of competition with the likes of Rose Lavelle, Catarina Macario and Lindsey Horan in central midfield, if she insisted on switching roles.
“If she doesn’t feel comfortable playing left-back or she doesn’t want to be a left-back, nobody is forced to play in any position, right? As a left-back, she’s world-class and probably one of the best left-backs in the world. As a midfielder, she has pretty steep competition in that position, so everybody has a choice, and then we make the decisions.” he added.
In the interview, Dunn said she had tried to accept the role Andonovski has given her but that it wasn’t always easy and she was particularly down in late 2021.
“I got sick of feeling like I wasn’t good enough, feeling like I’m always having to earn my right onto the field. “I step into an environment where I have to be world-class in a position that I don’t think is my best position. But I’ve owned it. I’ve made it my own, and I’ve tried to create it in my most authentic way. But I don’t love it. I love playing and I love competing, so that brings me up to the level that I need to be at, but it really is hard when I look around and I’m like, Well, no one else has to do this. I am the only person who does not stay put in one position and always has to change given what my coach thinks of me…it hurts at times,” she said.
sev/dmc
@ Agence France-Presse
I’ve never read that Alphonso Davies is butthurt he can’t play a more advanced role for Bayern. Not apples to apples, but we all gotta make lemonaid out of lemons at some point.
She isn’t talking about playing for a club team. This is the national team. She plays out of position. Does anyone else? When Ellis was coach it made more sense because Dunn became the 4th midfielder while in possession. Basically the 433 shifted to 343 which is a classic way of playing. Ellis is gone now and the current coach doesn’t see the game like Ellis does. So Dunn’s role is more fullback and less midfield now.
And this lack game, it appeared to me that the game plan required Dunn to hold back to provide speed in the back line. She appeared to be instructed to not go forward when the US was pressing for a goal. That is really a different role than Dunn has had previously. No wonder she is bored.
Get her the hell off the team. Crying about this, seriously?
You guys are apparently fans and not participants in the game. This really reflects on the coach’s performance and his view of the game. Yet you make it to be a reflection on the player who is unhappy playing out of postion. Ellis is a coaching genius. The current coach is merely adequate. Our WNT deserves the best available. They know the difference between genius and adequate.
I am not being hard on the current coach. I am not. I can’t think of anyone that would be comparable to Ellis. She is an impossible act to follow.
I don’t disagree on your Vlatko assessment, Bob. If the Nats played a more modern game our outside backs would be getting forward more, running to the end line to cross, but we don’t do that either. Probably a poor idea to answer that question from the media as it opens up a distracting can of worms. Once the Twitter harpies get a hold of this it only ends one way.
If I was Cone, Vlatko’s public comment, in essense my way or the highway, would convince me that Vlatko needed to be replaced. His comment doesn’t just affect one player. How a coach treats one player affects the entire team. My impression is that he thinks that he is the smartest person in the locker room. An authoritative style is not how you lead a group of professionals. Using an authoritative leadership style in this situation indicates stupidity and a closed mind.
Wing play is ancient going back to the 235. It isn’t modern. Even positional play is a version of combination passing which goes back to the WM. When considering innovations, look at the best teams. Even today I am sure someone is still happily playing 235 and kick and chase.
The question is who she plays in front of in a more forward position which, the coach addressed. Different coaches see different things in their players. There are two attacking players that, I would give her time over but, you are always on trial in a competitive environment. The coaches # 1 job is the performance of his team and there are a lot of moving parts and personalities. I thought Ellis’s most important decisions were, when to move on from a player and I guarantee she wasn’t adored by all her players .
I concur Kevin. It’s touchy-feely moving on from players. Always has been. Dunn, for me, hasn’t looked sharp for a couple years now. Vlat is handling the modern player, good luck with that.
WS: You do know Dunn had a baby last May? She looks pretty sharp to me considering.