Greg Ryan: Slammed and Roasted
Posted: September 27th, 2007 | Author: Catherine | Filed under: Uncategorized |As expected, U.S. soccer coach Greg Ryan is being roasted in the press. Here is an example. It is from Ann Killion’s column from The Mercury News:
“…Brazil still may have won with Solo in there, but we’ll never know. Ryan chose to disrupt his team in the middle of a World Cup. Now he is left to pick up the pieces of the mess he made, with one of the all-time coaching blunders. Ryan not only lost the game, he has also lost his team. And his one chance to grab his country’s attention. It was a devastating morning.”
link: Blame U.S. soccer coach for women’s lopsided World Cup loss to Brazil
Ouch! This is just one example. Some media articles are calling for Greg Ryan to be replaced as the national team coach. Of course, if the U.S. women had won, he would have been hailed as a ’soccer savant’ - a genius. The aftermath of his decision to play Brianna Scurry over Hope Solo is going to be blistering. Now we will find out how the team really feels about their coach.
Catherine
I disagree with your view that he would have been hailed as a soccer savant had the USA prevailed. All who follow soccer know that he inherited a team that a good recreational coach could guide to a wonderful record. And let’s face it, coaching athletes of this ability is more about managing emotions and building team confidence and cohesiveness. Greg Ryan is not going to improve any of these players’ technique. What he did do, however, is destroy the team chemistry and demonstrate his own lack of confidence in both himself and his team. If he were planning to use Scurry, as he stated, from early on versus Brazil due to her record against them, then he should have been giving her more time in games to mentally prepare her and get her back on her game. It was as unfair to Scurry as it was to the team to do what he did. And if that were not bad enough, he then makes nonsensical substitutes (putting defenders in when we are down goals and need attackers). I will be truly dismayed if the USSF doesn’t replace Ryan. This should be done at the earliest possible moment after the WWC is completed.
Jerel
I am glad that there are enough knowledgable soccer fans out there to understand what a fatal blunder Greg Ryan made with his decisions. What’s more he made the situation worse by not just admitting to it, and fixing the situation by putting Solo back in goal. He could have demonstrated real strength of character by admitting he made a mistake.
He has really harmed the career of Hope Solo, who really has been victimized by all of this mess is. She is a great goalee, leader and was becomming the posterwoman of the team. He should try to make right by her.
Ryan showed absolutely know understand of team chemistry and put Scurry in an impossible position.
Now that he is officially out, I hope they can hire Jule Foudy.