“It’s fair to say I’ve been collaborating with Twila ever since November. I’ve asked to see players that weren’t in the World Cup last year. I’ve watched Korbin [Albert] play for PSG. I was hugely impressed by Sam Coffey when Chelsea played against the Thorns in a tournament in Portland. The Mexico defeat certainly gave us another opportunity to put together some of the players that I’ve really wanted to see.”
— Emma Hayes on working in the background — “I feel like I’ve been able to quietly get to know the job without being in the job,” she said Thursday at a media event in New York — with interim coach Twila Kilgore, now one of her assistants, in the months after her hiring as new USMNT head coach while still concentrating on her day job at Chelsea. In her call with ESPN’s David Hirshey and Roger Director, she said a turning point was the 2-0 loss to Mexico at the Gold Cup, after which six lineup changes were made. (ESPN)
I’d like to hear more, so I hope SA can schedule a series of interviews before and after friendlies and the Olympics to drill down on more of the specifics. If she thinks we don’t care how the USWNT play as long as they win, she is mistaken. Maybe that was OK last time she was in the US 10+ years ago, but it is not now. Also, what does she have to do with choosing the squad, characteristics screened for the Nats as well as U teams, etc.
Just WIN BABY, WIN.!!!
I don’t want to hear here talk about the players. What I want to hear is something abstract and far more fundamental: What is her vision of the senior game?
I don’t even want it in the context of the US senior game.
In my view you start with an abstract vision of the senior game. Next you determine the ideal player for the senior game. Then you plan how to develop those players for the future.
The last step, you come up with a plan for the team in the context of the current circumstances, and also a vision of how to get from here to there–current reality and the abstract ideal.
Leading a national team program should be more than just picking a formation and selecting players.
PS: If the job is just to pick a formation and select players, then no coach will be able to improve the program. Even if management by USSF committee was not just a guaranteed way to fail with peer approval, the committee needs a shared vision of the senior game. “Just WIN BABY WIN” is the short term goal, but without the long term goal of program improvement we are just wandering lost in the wilderness.
We Clearly have Enough Talent to Compete and Win Olympics and World Cups….
I don’t want the Coach to be Distracted by “Building” the Game.
JOB 1 … WIN.!!!
Bob, Your idea of Picking a System, Then Growing the Players;
Is Backwards to Reality of Coaching a National Team.
You can’t “Import” what you don’t have,,, Passports Count.!!!
National Team Coaches have to take the Players they have and try to fit THEIR Abilities intoa WINNING squad that might be Better or Worse than the Opponent, and that WILL Change from Game to Game..
We still don’t know if Emma CAN COACH A NATIONAL TEAM.???
Why would we Turn Over a Youth Development Program to her.!?!?!?
How about we wait until she Starts Winning and Showing us a Successful “System”; Before we Turn the “Car Keys” over to her.!!!!