USWNT: What changes does Vlatko Andonovski have to make going forward?

Change #3: Mentality has been far too causal, alter the attitude shown in public

If someone in the United States had just flipped on the television right when the final whistle blew, they most likely would have thought the Stars and Stripes won convincingly. That was far from the reality. Players were smiling, some were even dancing.

On FOX Sports’ post-game show, former player Carli Lloyd took exception to this, calling for action. That came from a veteran defender in a team huddle after the match.

This team needs more O’Hara’s both on and off the pitch, honest leaders that are not afraid to share their opinion even though they may not be the most popular ones. Criticism is going to come in football, and it is quite evident that it is not going to come from head coach Vlatko Andonovski. Look at Hervé Renard on the French sideline. He is a vocal leader. That is what this group of players needs.

It is great to be confident and optimistic, but at some point, that sort of ruthlessness has to be shown. Publicly, especially in post-game press conferences, Andonovski seems to be avoiding the honest truth.

To say that his midfield was not disjointed throughout the entirety of the 90 minutes in the post-game is a straight-up lie. We can only go off what we have seen with our own eyes, and from what has been visible, this team does not have that “edge” or a head coach with that type of personality. Winning is no longer going to be as straightforward as it has been in the past. The manager leading this team must change his ways, or elimination could be on the horizon.

The United States’ next match will be broadcast on FOX Sports on Sunday, August 6 at 5:00 a.m. EST in Melbourne, Australia.