After incredible success at FC Kansas City and Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League, Vlatko Andonovski has not been able to translate that to the international stage with the USWNT in the most important of tournaments.
3 wins. That is how many Vlatko Andonovski managed to amass in the USWNT's last World Cup and Olympics combined not counting the Olympic third-place match. For a team that has never finished worse than third at a World Cup, that is not going to get the job done. Success has been documented outside of the two most prestigious tournaments in women's football, but that is not the aim of a team like this.
Following a ninth-place finish at the World Cup this summer, the USWNT will more than likely let go of a coach that has been at the helm since October 2019. Similar to a college coach heading into the NBA, Andonovski, while no doubt intelligent has not pushed the right buttons at the highest of stages. U.S. Soccer explained after the elimination it was going to take its time to decide what kind of change are going to be made to improve the future of the program.
Many critics want to blame the players for a disappointing end to the 2023 World Cup campaign, but it was clear in the Sweden game, these talented individuals were not put in the right position to succeed. Here are three potential coaching hires the USWNT could make with the departure of Andonovski almost a guarantee.
Vlatko Andonovski replacements for the USWNT: 3. Randy Waldrum
Current role: Nigeria WNT/University of Pittsburgh head coach
The last time the USWNT had an American-born head coach was shockingly in 2007 when Greg Ryan held the job. From his experience in the NWSL, on the international stage with two different nations, and his work in the colligate game in the United States, Randy Waldrum certainly has the resume to earn the top spot with the United States. Though he has expressed interest in staying with Nigeria following its historic run to the Round of 16, it would be tough to say no to a job with the U.S.
Waldrum currently coaches both the Nigeria WNT and the Pittsburgh Panthers, leading the ACC outfit to the last 16 of the NCAA Division I tournament. He led the Super Falcons into the knockouts for the third time in their history, taking down co-hosts Australia in addition to providing the defending European champions with a scare through 120 minutes of knockout football. Due to his familiarity with players in the NWSL, the college system in the United States, and a record of recent success internationally, Waldrum seems like an individual that could work.
He is known as an intelligent man when it comes to his creativity, and tactical set-up who proved what he can do with a side far less talented than the United States. Sure, the Emma Hayes-type coach is nice to dream about. On the other hand, with a team that receives an immense amount of investment, Waldrum could very well rally this team following extreme disappointment this summer.
Vlatko Andonovski replacements for the USWNT: 2. Bev Priestman
Current role: Canada WNT head coach
Reports are that Canada's Soccer Federation has "full support" of Bev Priestman despite a group stage exit down under. Only time will tell if that is correct or not. Even with that, back in February, it was discussed that the Canadian manager was considering her future given the pay disputes that were going on within the team and the federation itself. This may be an out of box suggestion, but Priestman without question knows the USWNT having been a part of the Canadian soccer program for years.
She was the first to break through the glass ceiling with the senior team, leading Canada's WNT to its first-ever major tournament triumph in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Football is a business, and if the U.S. can offer Priestman more financial security, there is little doubt she will turn that down. Her experience inside CONCACAF, as a Gold Medalist, and her youth make her an intriguing option.
Realistically, she will more than likely stay with Canada through the Olympics. In 2021, she was voted the IFFHS World's Best Woman National Coach, ahead of both Sarina Wiegman and Sweden's Peter Gerhardsson. Priestman may not be on the radar of a lot of people when looking for Andonovski replacements, but her track record speaks for itself.
Vlatko Andonovski replacements for the USWNT: 1. Lorne Donaldson
Current role: Jamacia WNT head coach
With considerably less investment by the football federation, Lorne Donaldson managed to lead an inspiring run this summer with the Reggae Girlz. In just his second year at the helm, he turned a side that conceded 12 goals in the group stage in 2019 to one that let in just a single goal through four World Cup contests. The current Jamaican headman has played and coached professional soccer in the United States in the past.
Most recently, Donaldson was one of the assistants for Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids. He played collegiately in Denver, Colorado, a state that produced both Sophia Smith and Lindsey Horan among others within the USWNT.
Similar to Priestman, and Waldrum, this is going to depend a whole lot on if Jamaica wants to keep him around following this historic run on the world stage. He has helped build Mallory Swanson, and Smith into the players they are today at Real Colorado, something few other candidates for this job can say did. That defensive game plan this summer combined with that experience in the United States makes Donaldson a quality individual to lead this nation back to international.
