Greg Ryan lost his job today as the U.S. women's national soccer coach, less than a month after his controversial decision to bench goalie Hope Solo and his team's subsequent meltdown against Brazil.
U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati made the announcement, and he said he will be part of a three-person committee (along with Mia Hamm and U.S. Soccer's secretary general, Dan Flynn) that will determine the next coach for Team USA, which needs to regroup for the Olympics next year.
Gulati said there was no specific incident that led to the decision not to bring Ryan back, but everyone knows the loss to Brazil was the final nail in Ryan's coffin. There was no hope that he could continue to coach Team USA after that.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-22-2007 @ 6:44PM
Rich Schumacher said...
The Coach should have been dismissed the day after he pulled Hope Solo. When does the coach pull number 1 for his second string. We will never know if we could have won it all. Talk about disloyalty to your players. He should never have a team again.
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10-22-2007 @ 6:51PM
GreatR said...
Well deserved.
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10-22-2007 @ 7:08PM
rick said...
YES!!!
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10-22-2007 @ 7:10PM
Joaquin said...
I don't know why they waited so long.
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10-22-2007 @ 7:14PM
LB said...
He was 45-1-9. So he wasn't that bad. It will be hard for any coach they pick to match that.
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10-22-2007 @ 8:21PM
Bill Ott said...
About damn time.
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10-22-2007 @ 7:59PM
Lloyd said...
Hope is still a keeper.......With Team USA!!!!!
This jerk...who thought he could jack with the players life...and team chemistry is out the door.
I don't care if his record was 41-1-9....you don't make those kinds of mistakes. In the end...for all his "I'm bigger than the game crap....he is fired."
They just tied Team Mexico....a team that is avg. at best....and again...Scurry was in goal.
Ryan Fired.....The PERFECT ENDING.
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10-22-2007 @ 8:05PM
Mike said...
The goalie bone head move was only part of the problem. The bigger problem was that US was slower than Brazil and the constant long balls in lieu of possession is a pure death strategy against teams with skill and speed.
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10-22-2007 @ 8:55PM
George said...
Brazil kicked butt,case closed. And Hamm is one ugly dyke.
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10-22-2007 @ 9:23PM
Mike said...
Hey George- Nomar has friends. Suggest you recant.
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10-22-2007 @ 9:24PM
roblcoxjr said...
SHould bring in Michelle Akers. She is mature and knows the ins nad outs. She would havbe the loyalty of the team as well.
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10-22-2007 @ 9:51PM
Rudy Guy said...
See ya! What a bonehead of a coach. Solo gets the US the Gold; Ryan gets the bird!
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10-22-2007 @ 10:26PM
George B Vieto said...
Get Joe Torre to manage this team. Good riddance in getting rid of this joker.
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10-23-2007 @ 12:55AM
coolluvr4u1976 said...
the day he pulled Hope Solo, for a second rate goalie, who hadnt played in years, is NUTS!!! Its like putting in someone who's been retired for a year, in place of your top starter in a game 7 type of situation.
And then he completely bans her from the games, is totally stupid, why should Hope Solo have to apologize for what she said. She has the right to be pissed.
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10-23-2007 @ 5:11AM
Ben said...
Yes, he's an egotistical bonehead. Yes, it was one of the worst coaching moves ever to bench his starting goalie for no good reason. But the worst thing Ryan did in the World Cup was provide the Brazilians with extra motivation by questioning their ability on the pitch and providing them with great locker-room material to post on the door. Sheesh, what kind of coach goes out of his way to fire up the opposition just before a big match. Listen to any of the Brazilian players or media: they didn't give a toss about Hope Solo or Briana Scurry. They were all focused on Ryan's disparaging remarks earlier in the week. Like I said, what a bonehead.
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10-23-2007 @ 3:31PM
Money coming out the anus said...
he be was in rong for changin of the guards in goals. them mistakes make a teem lose the cups in world cup he was never able to change solo on goals therefor we lost to the brazil 0 versus 4 goals and we lost the cups . who the next coach be we shuld relish around him and support him who he is we doesnt know but he can make better and win more cups in this future world cups.
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10-25-2007 @ 10:48PM
paul Birdsall said...
Wow! YES, how about the suggestion of michelle akers? Awesome as a forward and a super play-maker at midfield. and am sure that she would be well respected as a coach as long as she can be a strong disciplinarian.
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