5 Top Coaches That Could Fill the USWNT Head Coach Position
Since the end of the Women’s World Cup, one of the questions circling the USWNT is who will replace Vlatko Andonovski? After his resignation last month, several names have been going around with the possibility of becoming the new USWNT head coach.
The need for a new coach is, of course, a necessity, but there is a lot to consider before hiring one. With the poor finish in the World Cup that the USWNT had–which many blame Andonovski for–the team and the fans want a change. The Paris Olympics are less than a year away, and the team needs stability before they can dream of achieving a new record then.
Coaching the USWNT would be a dream job for many coaches, but not all are free or are signed to a team. This will make the U.S. Soccer’s job way harder than they would hope. If they want to hire a great coach, which is everyone’s goal, then they have a tough job ahead of them to convince their dream person. Here are five coaches that could fill the position.
Tony Gustavsson, Australia
Tony Gustavsson was Jill Ellis’ assistant coach during both of her World Cup wins. Being part of a successful team during that time should play a role in making U.S. Soccer consider him to be the new head coach. He is doing a great job with Australia; everyone could see that in the last WWC. He led the Matildas to the semi-finals, and while they lost to England, it was still an amazing run. They finished fourth place, the highest for the men’s or women’s side in the World Cup.
Gustavsson could be perfect for the job, especially since he is already familiar with the USWNT. Some even thought that the U.S. Soccer would hire him in previous searches for a head coach. Now, he has the experience that qualifies him to be a head coach for the USWNT.
Lorne Donaldson, Jamaica
Lorne Donaldson’s name has been mentioned along with other candidates, but whether or not he is a strong one is still under question. Many believe it would be risky to hire him as the new head coach, especially since the USWNT, at this point, can’t afford to take any risks. However, he’s found a lot of success with Jamaica. He led them to their first-ever knockout round at the last WWC.
Jamaica was defeated by Colombia in the knockout stage, but what Donaldson achieved with the team, despite their limited resources and federation conflict, is admirable. So, you can only imagine what he could achieve with the funds of the USWNT. Not to mention that he also recognizes talent as he coached both Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson during their time at Real Colorado, so this is something in his favor.
Laura Harvey, OL Reign
Laura Harvey is also a great candidate, and this isn’t the first time she has been considered for the USWNT’s head coach position. She was competing with Andonovski for the job, but he was the one to land it. Now, things are different with Andonovski out of the picture. Harvey is also a great coach but still has a contract with OL Reign. She stated that her priority is with the club, but that doesn’t cancel the fact that she also said it would be an honor to be nominated.
When it comes to experience, Harvey has tons. She was the assistant coach to the USWNT at the senior level from 2020 to 2021. In addition, Harvey is a three-time NWSL Coach of the Year. She was also the U20’s manager, so she knows much about upcoming talent. All of these reasons make Harvey a solid option for the head coach position, but it’s unlikely that she’ll leave her OL Reign role.
Emma Hayes, Chelsea
Emma Hayes is a strong contender for the title of the best female coach; she and Sarina Wiegman are at the top of the list. The Chelsea coach has a lot of experience. She coached several clubs, including Long Island Lady Riders and Chicago Red Stars, plus she was an assistant at Arsenal. Her most well-known career step is with Chelsea. Hayes has led her team to win the last four English titles.
Since 2012, Hayes has been building an extraordinary team at Chelsea, and she is still doing so. She keeps signing great talent to the team, and they keep proving themselves with her time and time again. Hayes also has an essential role in helping Sam Kerr develop her talent, so we already know she is good with and motivating players. However, would Hayes be ready to leave Chelsea after a decade of being their coach?
Sarina Wiegman, England
Sarina Wiegman is without doubt the most famous coach in women’s soccer right now and also the highest-paid. The Dutch-born coach has a great resume that would make any team dream of hiring her. She coached the Netherlands, and they won the Euro with her, and now she coaches England, and they also won the European title with her.
Not to mention that she managed to take both teams to the last two WWC finals. Even though she lost both finals, she is still one of the best coaches out there. Wiegman even took the Lionesses to the final with all the injuries they suffered from. The fact that she did that alone would be helpful to the USWNT if she was hired since they also have injuries recurring time and time again.
The only problem in hiring Wiegman as the new coach? It would be tough to convince her. She already stated that she is happy with England. Plus, her contract as England’s coach doesn’t expire until 2025. It seems like an impossible mission, but it is one that almost every USWNT fan dreams of becoming a reality.
The road to deciding who could be the next USWNT head coach isn’t easy. There aren’t a lot of names that match the USWNT’s ambitions when they think of their perfect coach, and this makes the job harder. The few coaches who would be perfect for the job are already booked and busy. So, even if the USWNT found their dream coach, would they manage to convince them? This is what everyone is waiting to know.
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