1. I love the fact that Ali is back, that she played well and that she is very grateful and happy to be back to the team
2. I love how the article said:
Her defensive efforts were somewhat limited in a match where the U.S. largely had its way, but she and forward-turned-left back Kelley O’Hara were useful in getting up the field to support Press (two goals, one assist) and Tobin Heath (assist), who engineered most of the team’s offensive chances.
“I’ve done a lot of coaching with men’s teams, and I can tell you that coaching women is a valuable exercise because, as anyone with a wife will know, they ask questions. Not only that, they listen to the answers. So the information you give them has to be much better than it does with the guys, who kind of half listen, then go off and do their own thing.
“You can make improvements over a relatively short period of time with female players because they’re looking to try and improve. They will follow you. If they believe in what you’re doing, they will support you 100 per cent.”
Sermanni also likes their team ethic. He likes their honesty, and the way they understate their individual ability, something men will never be accused of.
“In lots of ways, they’re tougher than the men,” he says. “If you look at a women’s game, the last thing a woman will want to do is show that she’s hurt. She’ll get up and limp away and say ‘I’m OK’. Because they haven’t been exposed to professionalism in the way that men have, they are much more self-sufficient. They just get on with things.”
I loved this idea by uswntandswewnt. I just wanted to whip something up with a picture of Ali so I can share it with the u.s. soccer, Fox soccer, and uswnt twitter accounts in hopes of a retweet to further spread the word.
Let’s give Krieger the welcome back she deserves.
(I know it’s upsetting to some that I’m posting this on the uswnt tag but I really want to get the word out, so I apologize)
What if she doesn’t start???
How is everyone so sure she is going to play? (just because she is back at camp doesn’t guarantee she will play tomorrow) or have the #11 again… #justsayin
Yeah if I were Syd and wearing the #11 and everyone started chanting for Ali in the 11th minute I’d find it a bit awkward.
But it’s an amazing gesture nonetheless. If she makes the squad, even if she starts on the bench, it’d be awesome for her to hear.
