This week on The IX Sports Podcast Soccer Edition, host Kathleen Gier is joined by the author of The IX Sports’ Soccer Insider, Annie Peterson, to discuss big coaching changes across the NWSL.
Orlando Pride FC parted with coach Seb Hines, Vlatko Andonovski was fired by the Kansas City Current and the Houston Dash dropped coach Fabrice Gautrat.
For Orlando, Peterson said the team suffered during Barbara Banda’s absence as she competed in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which is part of a bigger discussion of how players who go to play in international competitions can impact their professional teams.
“But it was a weird firing,” Peterson said of Hines’ departure. “Like, just let him play out the season.”
Gier, who is based in Kansas City, often covers the Current, and said she was surprised when Andonovski was ousted. She said there were several levels of criticism of the decision.
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“There was confusion about the decision. There was confusion about the press release being so short and not really including any accomplishments, and the abruptness of it, the timing, everything. And I mean, he’s been here, as you know, since the FC Kansas City days. I mean, he kind of built women’s soccer in Kansas City,” Gier said, referencing the former NWSL team that moved to Utah after the 2017 season.
Peterson said she hopes the way coaches have been bouncing between teams changes.
“I feel like we’re stuck in this loop where a lot of the coaches are coaches that are just being recycled from one place to another, and I’d like to see that new blood come in and and be able to to you know you know where is that next generation,” Peterson said.
The pair wrapped up the show by discussing the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup. The U.S. women’s national team will next play Brazil — but it has not been a totally smooth ride to get there. Tune in to the episode to hear Gier and Peterson’s analysis of the team through the tournament thus far.
Make sure to subscribe to The IX Sports Podcast for in-depth coverage of women’s soccer, hockey and basketball; and tune in each weekday morning for a quick overview of the biggest headlines on Women’s Sports Daily, like WNBA news and PWHL expansion updates.
