PSW Corner Kicks

The UNITED STATES Women’s National Team coach Pia Sundhage has declined an invitation to meet President Bush at the White house, according to an interview she gave with the Aftonbladet newspaper. In the interview, she states she does not share his political views.

I know it's hard to find many who do, but SO WHAT! If you are the Head Coach of a United State Team, a team that just represented our country in the Olympics, and you win a gold medal, and you have interest in supporting the sport in our country, you ACCEPT an invitation to meet our President. No questions asked, other than "what time should I be there?"

I am a fan of Sundhage’s coaching beliefs and style, but it’s time to move on. I'm thoroughly embarrassed and dismayed at such a snub. If she can't put her politics aside and honor the colors she wears, then it's time to go.

I'm sure many of the players on the team feel the way she does politically, but they are still going to the White House. What kind of message does that send to your players when you won't share an honor they've earned together. Let me repeat - it's time to go.

Sundhage is currently negotiating a contract renewal with the US Soccer Federation, and I hope they tell her no thanks. It has nothing to do with politics, it has to do with respect and honor for the country you represent as its NATIONAL TEAM coach. Let her pursue a WPS head coaching job - one without red white and blue in on their uniform - and do her good for the game from there.

Here's the link to the story: http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=2054&format=1&artikel=2278495

Here's the link to contact US Soccer and tell them what you think: http://www.ussoccer.com/contact/index.jsp.html

Labels: Pia Sundhage, U.S. Women

Ali's Franfurt team beat Marta and company Sunday 3-2 in the second leg of the women's UEFA Cup final. She is now with the US team in LA.

Meanwhile, her father (and former PWSI coach) Ken Krieger has retired after a 30-year coaching career - accumulating a record as the winningest high school coach in Virginia history. He wants to spend more time supporting Ali, as well as caring for his ailing father, who has pancreatic cancer. Read about his amazing career here.

Labels: Ali Krieger, Ken Krieger, U.S. Women

In case you were wondering why Ali Krieger hadn't been in the last three US Women's team camps after making her first appearances for the full national team earlier this year, it wasn't because she wasn't wanted.

The US team tried calling her in three times, but her pro club - FFC Frankfurt - would not release her. As one of the best women's teams in Europe, they have been busy with Bundesliga, German Cup, and UEFA Cup matches. In fact, she's showing up late to this US camp because Frankfurt faces Marta's Umea team this Saturday for the Women's UEFA Cup trophy after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

I caught up with Ali by email yesterday from Germany and incorporated some of her quotes into our story on the US camp.

Here's the rest of what she had to say:

On her first chance to get back to a US camp since January of this year
I'm really happy to finally get back to LA and train once again with the full team. The reason I am only going to half of the camp is because I am playing in the UEFA Cup Final match this Saturday with 1.FFC Frankfurt against a team from Umea, Sweden. The club has released me for the second week of this camp because we have some time off before we finish the last three games of our Bundesliga (regular season) games.

On when she'll be done with the Bundesliga season and her plans for the summer
The Bundesliga here in Germany will not be finished until June 15th which is our last game. I will then be coming home on June 16th to prepare for the upcoming camps that are left for this summer with the full WNT.

On what her first season as a pro in Europe has been like
Playing for Frankfurt has been a great experience and I am very happy to be on one of the best club teams in the world! I think no matter if I am with the US team training or playing here in Germany with my club, I think both atmospheres have prepared me for what is to come these next couple months. I feel really lucky to have both options of playing with the US Team or here in Frankfurt. I am really happy to be thrown back into the mix after missing out on a few big events, but I did miss for appropriate reasons, UEFA Cup games and German Cups games for Frankfurt. I think playing here in Europe this year, has honestly been the best experience I think I could get.

On chances of making the US Olympic squad
I feel fit and really motivated for the next month coming up. I'm happy to have the opportunity to make the Olympic roster and I will be extremely excited if it comes true. It will be truly rewarding and I would feel very honored to be a part of such a great team. I have been working really hard this past year to make this dream come true, so I can only hope the outcome will be successful!

Got any of your own questions for Ali? Post them here as comments, and I'll email her for your answers.

Labels: Ali Krieger, U.S. Women

Thought everyong might enjoy the full quotes collected for my article on the US women's team after their 6-0 steam rolling of Canada Saturday night at RFK.

From Head Coach Pia Sundhage

On the recent performance of Natasha Kai:
I have to say she's done an absolutely fantastic job. I wasn't happy when I saw her the first time. She was not focused. She was unfit, and I don't think she acted professionally. So I gave her feedback – is the look you want people to remind you. And she started to show up in practice and do in a good way and little by little. To me it was very important to give her feedback when she did something good. And she started to play some minutes and more and more and then the starting 11. She did a great job. My job is to give her support and give her feedback, and make her accountable for what she has to do. She didn't act professional in general, and that was bad.

Has she had the opportunity to review the youth development system in the US since arriving?
No. I've been here since December. So, I'm focused on the Olympics. I know there are many things going on. And if I survive the Olympics, I should be part of women's development. Right now, honestly I don't have time. I need to spend time with the game and with the players.


Does she think there should be a single national league for girls just like the USSF created for boys?
Well, I don't know. Because I don't have the bigger picture. But I do think it's important to ask the bigger question of what should there be on the women's side. Because if you look around the world right now. You look at Germany. I know what's happening in Germany – they have a program. – a developmental program. In Sweden they have an elite program, and I know what's happening in Norway. So we need in the US to find our way. And start to look at the situation and ask is this a good environment for a little girl or is a good environment for a 19 year old girls who is just very talented she can play in this team. I don't know the answer of course, but we have to ask the question and right now there's something going on so, but I'm not a part of that right now.

Have you noticed a big difference between how this team is playing now compared to under Ryan last year in the World Cup?
Yes. The reason I am here is the word “change”. I have European style and one word is “keep possession” and find right moment to penetrate to find that timing, and it's a change. But I can't do too much of a change that I confuse them, but I can't do too little either because no one would notice, so I try to do something between, and this game I think we are half way there we are doing a great job. Sometimes we play direct to Abby, and sometimes we keep possession and slow down the game a little bit.

How is to win like this without Abby scoring goals?
Yes, but still she scores, and that's a strength. Of course, she played 90 minutes and she a part of the attack of course, and if you ask Even Pellerud [the Canadian Coach], he will talk about Abby – what problems she creates. She didn't score goals, however we have other players stepping up and scoring goals, and that's a strength.


Abby Wambach

How does it feel to be back at RFK?
It's great. It feels like I'm back home. The fans are great. There were a lot of fans here and the crowd was rocking and when you score six goals, there's a lot to cheer about so it's a great game.

Did you feel you were back home all week, or just when you arrived here tonight?
Yeah, all week. It's crazy how driving all around DC I knew exactly where I was going. I haven't been back here in a couple years. It's special being here and I have a special place in my heart for the city of DC.

Despite your offer to let other players choose first, is Washington your first choice if you have a choice for a WPS team?
It makes sense, but I don't exactly know how the cookies are going to crumble. But I'm going to do the best that I can once the league starts to hopefully make it a success.

Is it exciting to see a lot of other players scoring goals?
You have no idea how relieving it is because it makes my job easier. We're scoring a lot of goals. It's making our attack and our playing more dangerous to other teams and it's a whole heck of a lot harder for us to be the tactically broken down.


Angela Hucles

On only player from this area – what is it like to be back here.
It's great. You can hear the fans that are excited to have us here. My parents, cousins, uncles, [are here] I always love coming back to this area.

What club did you play for growing up?
Beach FC – they're still going strong!

On living in Boston and wanting to play for Boston WPS team – will it happen for sure?
I don't know for sure. Hopefully in the next couple of months we'll figure out which players are being allocated and which are being drafted. I'm looking forward to finding out where I'm going to be.

On scoring the winning goal last week against Australia in the final minute.
It was great. Everything just lined up perfectly. A great ball in from Abby perfectly flicked on. I was very fortunate to get that finish.

Labels: Abby Wambach, Angela Hucles, Pia Sundhage, U.S. Women, WPS

Can you believe the US Women's Olympic Qualifying games won't be shown on TV? Unfortunately I do believe, and it's a real shame!

The BEST women's team in the world opens Olympic Qualifying tonight at 7:30 against Jamaica in Juarez, Mexico. They are the defending Olympic gold medalists, and tonight is the first step toward their title defense. Don't we deserve the opportunity to see our team earn their way to China in these qualifying games? Last month we all got to see the Men qualify. What do we have to do to get equal coverage for women's soccer here? How about a little Title IX enforcement for networks?

US Soccer's Match Tracker will have to do. Enjoy reading about the game in 2-minute increments :-(

Labels: Olympics, U.S. Women

So did you hear the U.S. Women won again in China? With one game left, they only need a draw agains host China to take home the Four Nations Cup yet again. Our new best friend Ali Krieger went 90 minutes again, playing central defense. Things are looking great on that front - even though she expected to play right back mostly going in.

Labels: Ali Krieger, U.S. Women