Hope Solo: Dumped by the U.S. Women’s Team

Greg Ryan, the coach of the U.S. Women’s Soccer team has spoke about reconciliation in the matter of Hope Solo. The reconciliation came in terms of retribution. Simply put, Hope Solo was dumped - exiled:

“SHANGHAI — Hope Solo, the unbeaten U.S. goalkeeper who was replaced by veteran Brianna Scurry before the team’s disasterous 4-0 semifinal loss to Brazil Thursday in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, has been effectively dismissed from the U.S. team after a private meeting of her teammates on Saturday.

Solo, 25, will not play in Sunday’s bronze-medal game with Norway and will not be allowed to attend the game here.”

link: Solo won’t play or attend final U.S. World Cup match

Apparently, this is made to seem like a team decision. If it was indeed a team decision, then the team has abandoned a team mate. That is retribution. If this is indeed Greg Ryan’s team, then he wants to put his best players on the field. Considering Norway’s style of play, the best goalkeeper for the situation is Hope Solo. Norway will be a team that puts the ball in the air far more than Brazil. That plays to Hope Solo’s strength.

Greg Ryan did not make it a team decision when he decided to switch goalkeepers for the Brazil semifinal game. He simply could have said that Hope Solo plays because she is part of the team and the best person for the situation. His group would have and could have lived with that. Instead, Greg Ryan placed the players in a position whereby they are placed in making a significant decision on a team mate. Then Coach Ryan does not take the full, unmitigated responsibility of having made the decision about Hope Solo.

It is simply poor management - it places Hope Solo’s team mates in an untenable situation. So Hope Solo will not be in uniform for the last consolation World Cup game in China. She will not be allowed to watch it in person. This is a decision from Greg Ryan that does not have my support. And, if indeed the team did not appreciate Hope Solo’s candid remarks, their collective response was to abandon her. That is disconcerting.

Catherine