November 22, 2024

Brighton Journal

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Vlatko Andonovsky resigned from the USWNT; The coach has drawn interest from multiple teams globally. Source:

Vlatko Andonovsky resigned from the USWNT;  The coach has drawn interest from multiple teams globally. Source:

Vlatko Andonovski has resigned as coach of the U.S. women’s national team, a source familiar with Andonovski’s situation confirmed to the athlete Wednesday. The source was granted anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly before the move was officially announced. Football outlet 90 minutes first reported news.

Andonovski has already attracted interest from multiple teams at international and club level, the source said. Multiple sources familiar with the plans said the NFL is finalizing an agreement to make assistant coach Twyla Kilgore interim coach. The US women have two friendlies against South Africa on September 21 and 24.

The 46-year-old Andonovski oversaw a disappointing World Cup campaign as the team were knocked out in the last 16 by Sweden with a 5-4 defeat on penalties. It was the first time the USWNT had been eliminated from the World Cup, and Andonovsky’s decisions were questioned throughout the tournament.


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Andonovsky was succeeded by Jill Ellis in October 2019. The United States has not won any of its major tournaments under Andonovsky, taking home the bronze medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The team has won 4 out of 10 matches with Andonovsky at the helm at both the Olympics and the World Cup. The coach went 51-5-9 overall with the USA National Team.

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Andonovsky, a former NWSL Coach of the Year, was criticized over team selection, substitutions (or lack thereof) and the team’s tactical approach to matches during the World Cup. Asked about his career situation after losing to Sweden, he said: “I think it’s selfish to think about me and my future and what I’m going to do when we have 20-year-olds going through this.”

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Kilgore was eye Assistant coach under Andonovsky in February 2022. Formerly an assistant with the Houston Dash, she has coached at numerous training camps with the U.S. Youth National Teams and spent 15 years coaching college soccer teams—including leading the UC Davis women from From 2014 to 2019 Kilgore played collegiate soccer at the University of Arizona.

Andonovski’s exit comes amid a year of change within US Soccer. Athletic director Ernie Stewart, as well as general manager of the US men’s national team Brian McBride, left the association at the beginning of the year. NFL hired former Southampton Director of Football Operations Matt Crocker to replace Stewart in April, and he oversaw the search for the next USMNT head coach that eventually brought Greg Berhalter back into the team.

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Analysis of USWNT coaching decisions during the early exit from the World Cup

(Photo: Jan Kruger – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)