Twila Kilgore tapped as interim coach for U.S. women’s national soccer team

Football

Published 17.08.2023

Twila Kilgore tapped as interim coach for U.S. women’s national soccer team

Twila Kilgore will function interim coach of the united stateswomen’s nationwide soccer staff following the resignation of coach Vlatko Andonovski.

U.S. Soccer formally introduced Andonovski’s resignation on Thursday. Kilgore, the primary American-born lady to earn U.S. Soccer’s top-level Pro License, was an assistant underneath Andonovski and can lead the staff whereas a seek for a everlasting coach is carried out.

Andonovski’s resignation comes lower than two weeks after the United States was knocked out of the Women’s World Cup sooner than ever earlier than.

“While we’re all upset by the end result at this yr’s World Cup, I’m immensely happy with the progress this staff has made, the assist they’ve proven for one another, and the inspiration they’ve offered for gamers around the globe. I can be ceaselessly grateful to the U.S. Soccer Federation for giving me the possibility to teach this exceptional staff,” Andonovski stated in a press release.

Kilgore will lead the staff in a pair of exhibition matches towards South Africa on Sept. 21 in Cincinnati and on Sept. 24 in Chicago.

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The four-time event champions struggled all through the World Cup. A victory over Vietnam to kick off the group stage was adopted by a pair of attracts towards the Netherlands and Portugal — barely sufficient to get the staff into the knockout stage.

The Americans performed effectively within the Round of 16 towards Sweden, however finally fell on penalties after a scoreless tie. The U.S. scored simply 4 targets over the course of the event. The United States had by no means completed worse than third on the World Cup.

U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker, appointed to the job in April, will lead the seek for a brand new coach. Crocker has launched an in-depth evaluation of the ladies’s program aimed toward making certain the staff stays aggressive.

“It’s imperative that we continue to evolve and innovate, and we are excited about the path that lies ahead,” Crocker stated in a press release. “We perceive the challenges and have engaged with stakeholders from varied corners of our sport — gamers, coaches, and different people throughout the soccer panorama. The insights and views gathered throughout these discussions have been instrumental in shaping our forward-looking plan.”

The 46-year-old Andonovski was named coach of the United States in October 2019, taking on for Jill Ellis, who led the United States to back-to-back World Cup titles. He completed 51-5-9 throughout his time with the staff and was 3-2-5 in main tournaments.

The United States additionally completed with a disappointing bronze medal on the Tokyo Olympics. Afterward, Andonovski turned his consideration on growing younger gamers forward of the World Cup. Some of the gamers who emerged have been Sophia Smith, final yr’s U.S. Soccer Player of the Year, and Trinity Rodman.

Fourteen gamers on the U.S. roster have been showing of their first World Cup, and 12 of them had by no means performed in a serious event.

The United States was additionally bitten by accidents within the run-up to the event, shedding a pair of key gamers. Mallory Swanson injured her knee throughout a pleasant in April, and captain Becky Sauerbrunn couldn’t get well from a foot damage in time.

Promising younger ahead Catarina Macario tore her ACL enjoying for her membership staff Lyon final yr and in addition wasn’t able to play within the World Cup.

Andonovski’s predecessor on the U.S. staff, Ellis, was named coach of the staff in 2014 and led the U.S. to eight general event titles, together with victories on the World Cup in 2015 and 2019. Over the course of her tenure, the United States misplaced simply seven matches.

Ellis was requested concerning the job Thursday whereas on the World Cup in Sydney. She heads the FIFA Technical Study Group.

“What I would hope in this (hiring) process (is) that it’s robust, it’s diverse. It has to be,” Ellis stated. “This is a critical hire. And I think it has to be the right person.”