USWNT: Vlatko Andonovski’s New Team Roster Faces Criticism

With the final round of CONCACAF qualifiers just around the corner, head coach of the USWNT,  Vlatko Andonovski, has come under fire for his choice of roster, with many saying he’s opted for youth over experience. 

With only 10 of the 23 chosen players having ever competed in World Cup or Olympic qualifiers. This means that over half of the team are lacking what could be the necessary experience to take the USWNT through to the semi-finals.

Furthermore, even the 13 players who have played on the world stage aren’t exactly veterans, with many having 9 caps or less to their names. Alana Cook currently holds the most, with 9 appearances, closely followed by Ashley Sanchez, with 7. But after that, things take a nosedive into obscurity with players like Naomi Girma and Aubrey Kingsbury holding just 1 cap each.

What does this mean for the USWNT?

So what’s behind Andonovski’s decision to opt for such a young squad? Many believe that with the upcoming friendlies against Colombia on June 25 and June 28, Andonovski is using this chance to prep his young and energetic team for the big time. However, critics are saying that this isn’t the time to be ‘training’, and there’s a risk that the inexperienced squad will crack under the pressure of performing in such a major tournament. Plus, coming hot on the heels of the Colombia friendlies at the end of June, there’s the final round of qualifiers, where the US take on Haiti for a place in the semis on July 5.

So, will Andonovski’s faith in his young squad pay off? Or is he leading his team of sprightly youthful players naively into a crushing defeat? Only time will tell, but we’re sure of one thing: it’s going to be a blast finding out!