Goalkeeper Hope Solo was benched for the U.S. women's national team's loss to Brazil in the World Cup semifinals, but she hasn't been benched for the third-place game. That's because "benched" would suggest that she's actually going to be there, sitting on the bench.In reality, she won't even be in the stadium. Coach Greg Ryan announced that Briana Scurry will start again, and Solo will not be there.
"We have moved forward with 20 players who have stood by each other, who have battled for each other," Ryan said on Saturday. "And when the hard times came -- and the Brazil game was a hard time -- they stood strong. Now it's the 20 who have stuck together who will be ready to go out and compete against Norway."
Given Solo's comments after the loss to Brazil, Ryan may have made the right decision. But he's only in the position to make this right decision because he made the horribly wrong decision to bench Solo in the first place. I hope he enjoys the third-place game, because it will undoubtedly be his last as the national team coach.














Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-29-2007 @ 9:24AM
Rod said...
My thoughts are that coach Ryan is trying to say all the right things to get the heat off what has become the BIGGEST mistake in Sports History. Prior to going to the World Cup he stated that Hope was the USA number 1 goal keeper and there by stating she was our best chance in goal to win Gold. Then for NO GOOD reason after what was one of the best games by the USA vs England he makes a decision that would destroy the team chemistry and ruin the USA chance at Gold. I love how the media has jumped all over a few words and twisted them to create a news story. I believe what Hope meant and said was that she beleived that she currently was the best choice and still is. Not that Bri isn't a great goal keeper but in sports you don't base decisions on past acculades but on current performances. Coach Ryan is and will be the primary reason for everyone of the USA players dreams and hard work falling short. What myself and many other USA Soccer fans see and believe is that she still is the best choice. I also believe that as a keeper that had seen all of the previous minutes of play in the world cup as well as 90% of the play minutes prior to the world cup shewould have had a lot better chance of stooping those goals. She was in the zone so to speak. Special thanks to coach Ryan for not only ruining the dreams of his players but the dreams and hopes of many young girls that aspire to see the USA women's win gold. Now we must wait another 4 years because one man wanted to get some attention for himself and do something that no one in there right mind would do. You created this mess coach Ryan and many think that if you spend all of your time doing your job then get on the job and fix this mess. Also, taking pot shots at Hope in your media interviews. What you said about how deep the goal keeper position is and basically leading everyone to believe that Hope is not needed is in my book exactly doing what you everyone is accussing her of doing. As a USA soccer Fan and supporter Ryan save some face and when you get home and please resign. You have done way more to hurt women's soccer than anybody in our brief history of the sport in the USA.
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9-29-2007 @ 10:08AM
peter Kochaphum said...
Coach Ryan must have his personal agenda. He has the right to play any body in the team to win but not to lost the game. He has many options to tactfully substitute the players durling the game. Changed the goalie did not cause the Brazil to win but the moral of the U.S. team lost the game.
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9-29-2007 @ 10:52AM
travy said...
ugh, this ryan character is a piece of work. the whole keeper switch was a lame attempt at making himself look like some coaching genius when he should have just left it alone. and now he's grandstanding over solo's comments to take the heat off of himself. narcissistic jerk, who'd be fearing for his life had this been the men's cup in a more soccer crazed nation...
solo's absolutely correct in her statements. the near post goals that scurry allowed were weak and would've been saved by a keeper more used to gamespeed. i probably wouldn't have said what she said just to avoid the heat, but it was refreshing to hear someone tell it like it is...
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9-29-2007 @ 11:46AM
LB said...
She turned her back on the team. Everyone understands she may have gotten a raw deal. But she was also warned by a soccer official not to cause any problems before she was interviewed and she didn't listen. She should have publicly said she was sorry. Ryan isn't that bad this is his only loss in the last 50 games. Could you imagine a benched QB telling the press he would have played better and won the game?
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9-29-2007 @ 8:44PM
william sanz said...
Ryan is a hypocritical even as he makes the announcement about Hope Solo. Instead of just making it plain that he will not tolerate emotional outbursts from his players about his decision to bench Solo, he piles on by saying that there are a lot of good young keepers coming up and slams Solo below the belt. Way to stick with your team and the big difference is that he had a couple of days to think about what he was going to say instead of being interviewed immediately after a big disappointing loss like Solo. Anyone wonder why this coach isn't fired the minute his plane lands in the USA? His decision was unprecedented to bench a starting keeper before your big game because of a feeling he had. I am sorry to see this at this high level competition and US Soccer needs to step it up and send him home first class in a limo, train, whatever. I wish we could vote to fire him on an 800 number or something. I understand that Solo just lost her father and got jerked out of the starting lineup in the biggest game of her young career. I really don't like to hear that loser Ryan slamming this kid like he did in this conference. Please US Soccer, do the right thing!
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9-29-2007 @ 9:58PM
Soccer Player said...
Greg Ryan is a disengenuous piece of crap, and his continuing cowardly effort to spin the press away from discussion about the idiocy of his substitution and the fact that he single handedly derailed the US Women's world cup bid is pathetic.
Greg Ryan needs to be fired. Now.
If you'd like to write to the folks governing US Womens Soccer, here are their email addresses:
jak@ussoccerfoundation.org
maa@ussoccerfoundation.org
nde@ussoccerfoundation.org
cef@ussoccerfoundation.org
bsh@ussoccerfoundation.org
dah@ussoccerfoundation.org
djh@ussoccerfoundation.org
rgk@ussoccerfoundation.org
slp@ussoccerfoundation.org
per@ussoccerfoundation.org
wcs@ussoccerfoundation.org
mts@ussoccerfoundation.org
dmt@ussoccerfoundation.org
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9-30-2007 @ 2:21AM
Richard said...
Ryans' comments on Hope Solo are very unprofessional and is doing more to destroy the team and the team moral than her comments did. She apologized, he is not sorry for his comments.
His decision to not have her play on Sunday is pure retaliation.
His decision to not even let her be at the stadium is him on a pure egotistical power trip.
Ryan needs to go. Bad decision making, unprofessional, vindictive, untrustworthy, backstabbing. Not the qualities I would want in a coach.
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9-30-2007 @ 3:37AM
Richard said...
We need to start a drive to have Ryan FIRED!!!!!!!
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9-30-2007 @ 3:19AM
chad kujawa said...
Coach ( and i use the term loosely) ryan is not only an idiot for benching Solo, he is also the biggest jerk in sports. Solo's comments sounded bad, but doesn't being correct make up for that on some level. I think she was very upset and I think she would have made those saves. Why in the hell would you bench a fantasic goalie who is playing great. I geuss we won't find out 'cus this jerk is going to shift the focus off his crappy coaching onto the comments of an emotional young athlete who knows the coach lost the game by benching her. Why would these soccer officials even let Solo speak to the press after, perhaps they were looking to shift the focus as well.
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9-30-2007 @ 3:47AM
Richard said...
Way to go Ryan!!!!! You opened up a hughe wound when you benched Solo for the Brazil game. Now go and pour some rubbing alcohol and rub some salt in that wound by taking her out of the rest of the WWC. And not even letting her be in the stadium, that is a low vindictive blow.
The world sees you for what you are. A self-centered, vindictive, arrogant, backstabbing prick. Thank your lucky stars that you don't live in Columbia or Argentina or Brazil. Fans in those countries would be doing more than calling for your resignation. You would be hiding for your life. They seem to take futbol a bit more seriously than U.S. fans do.
As for me, if I were the head of the WNT, I would have already fired you and sent you home. Also, I would not give you any reccomendation to coach soccer even at the lowest levels.
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9-30-2007 @ 12:58PM
Leslie L Boykin said...
To all of the people who are upset with a coach who made a decision( a bad one). He has to live with his decisions. Say good bye to his job. As for Ms. Hope if she had nothing but shutouts and I do remember a couple of mistakes by Ms. Hope,Then she has every right to be up set. This is a team sport. Their is no I in team and for her to say she did not Throw her teammate under the goal is a bunch of crap. I do hope we don't see hope anymore we have up and coming young goal keepers that I am sure the would love to be part of a team while they are losing or winning and not try to make a name for themselves. Mia Hamm, A Team Leader and Teammate.
You are truly missed.
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9-30-2007 @ 11:10PM
Jeff said...
all coaches and players make mistakes, however, the one ryan made was pure insanity, he had a goalie who was at the top of her game, and one who hasn't played for awhile sitting on the bench. all of a sudden hey lets mix it up abit she had some great games against brasil before she like the brasil stopper. anyone who knows soccer at all knows that it not how the position works. Hope was in the zone, the team was in the zone against britain and then the switch. i am not sure if there is drug testing for coaches as well as players but there should be. This was a realativly important game, what was that idiot thinking. As for Hope, She worked hard, played well, and than got screwed, maybe she should of said less to the media but she watered it down as far as the truth is concerned.
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10-02-2007 @ 8:23PM
jmat said...
Well the Team and the coach both screwed up. To define "Team" take a look at the New England Pats. If you make a error in judgement or you say something you should have kept to yourself you get spoken to or benched. To, as a "team" bann a player from a medal game after as a team, that player played a major part in you getting there makes me sick. What type of leaders are you? Too much of a distraction? Commom team capt's. you all screwed up as well. Look back in your life as a soccer player and count the times your coach and team told a player not to come to the "BIG GAME"! As for Hope, She learned a couple of lessons. Keep your comments to yourself, and no matter how well you perform the Team and it's coach have the final say. I have a feeling the US team will be playing without Hope even if they want her.
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10-02-2007 @ 2:27PM
Donovan said...
Call me conspiracy theorist but did anyone seriously investigated Ryan's decision to replace this goalkeeper who was in the Zone? Whats the possibility that Ryan had a big bet in against the favored US team. Brazil were underdogs odds favored the US, what a money making opportunity! OK this bonehead is cluless at team motivation. Solo was destined for a super human performance in that game because she was feeding off her emotions having lost her suppotive Dad. Nothing was going to stop her getting to those shots on goal. When atheletes genuinely feel they have to win at all cost for a lost loved one it is a powerful drive. Tyson's first loss and a deverstating performance by Buster Douglas, who dediceted himself totally in this fight to the loss of his mother and many other such events in history shows this. Look at the picture of Hope sitting on the bench during that Brazil game loss. See the black arm band in honor of her deceased father and look on her face? She was battling the meteoric rise in adrenalin, how to bring the levels back down. Thanks Ryan for preventing what would have been an historic performance by by a goalkeeper, male or female. Thanks Buster for allowing me that once in a lifetime experience. The odds were against me to witness two such events in my life.
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