This week, we discuss a new Women's Annual Yearbook: 2016 - The Year in Women's Soccer from Prost Amerika—with a foreword by Kim Little.
In addition, we discuss the new women's national team coach for Brazil—who is in fact a woman, a huge step forward for the county—update the U.S. Women's National Team friendlies versus Romania, and finally talk to Papua New Guinea U-20 women's national team coach Lisa Cole ahead of the start of the eighth edition of the biannual tournament, that originally began in 2002 as an U-19 event.
Prost Amerika—a California-based website that covers women's football closely—has just published the first ever women's soccer annual yearbook entitled: 2016 - The Year in Women's Soccer.
In an interview with Prost Amerika editor Steve Clare, a native of the UK, he explained: “We felt women's soccer was getting more popular and that there is a dearth of market intelligence on the league [NWSL], as most press coverage is primarily on the national team." Prost Amerika is uniquely positioned for this book as they have beat writers and photographers covering every NWSL club. Clare said: “The book was a large investment for me but we strongly feel that if it sells, it will encourage others to write and publish more books about women's soccer [other than player biographies that have been prolific of late]. We're aware that if it does well, women's soccer as a whole will benefit, not just us."
Despite the use of the name “soccer" as North Americans refer to the game, the book is truly international in scope and is patterned off of the British football annual produced by Shoot, with its historically humorous touches. Clare also feels that the their annual will be a standard for women's football as the Wisden Cricketer's Almanack or News of the World Football Annual for men's football have been for years, with News of the World's annual tracing its roots back to 1887. This new women's yearbook features stories on leagues in England, Germany, Australia and a review of the Champions League and Rio Olympic Games. Clare explained: “Even our domestic coverage is international, with a chapter devoted to Olympic players of all nations who play in the NWSL. We also recognize that, just as the EPL attracts fans from many nations, the NWSL is a league attempting to attract a following from beyond American shores." In addition, Scottish international forward Kim Little, who has just left Seattle Reign for Arsenal, wrote the foreword of the Yearbook, stating: “It is selfless and ambitious projects like Prost Amerika's Yearbook, that will allow Women's Soccer to continue to prosper and I, for one, am thankful to be a part of that."
A reader will also receive advice on how to become a women's soccer journalist or photographer. Clare explained: “We want this book to encourage women to get involved in every aspect of soccer. If you've got talent, play. If you've got administration skills and you're passionate about one club, join and run a Supporters' Group. But we especially wanted to encourage women and girls who are passionate to become writers, photographers and journalists. Our New England photographer Kari Heistad wrote a chapter giving great advice to anybody who wants to join the ranks of the media, from how to get the respect of the experienced media to how to find a game to cover. Kari runs a company that specializes in diversity in the workplace and combines that knowledge with her experience covering men and women's soccer in Boston."
This landmark annual—released this week—is available online now for US$19.95 in a soft cover format HERE.
Clare added that: “Although the book will eventually be available on amazon.co.uk, the publishers are actively seeking a UK distribution partner so UK readers can get this and future editions quickly." Interested parties for UK distribution can inquire at [email protected].
Brazil names a woman as national team coach for the first time
Brazil—a country that has struggled to establish credibility for women's soccer against a long-standing machismo attitude that insists that the sport is not appropriate for girls and women—made a landmark decision last week by naming Emily Lima as their new national team head coach. Lima (36) is the first woman to ever hold the national team title and has coached in Brazil, Portugal and Italy. Lima played for the Brazil U-17 national team but at the full level was capped by Portugal from 2007-09. Lima's first game in charge will be Dec. 7 against Costa Rica in Brazil's annual December tournament, in which Russia and Italy will also participate.
U.S. Blasts Romania in Two Game Friendly Set in California
The U.S. national women's team defeated Romania 8-1 in their first friendly match between the nations in San Jose, California on November 10 in front of 16,425 at Avaya Stadium—the home of the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer. Christen Press scored a first half hat trick while Alex Morgan replaced her at the start of the second half and scored twice. Morgan had her own bid for a hat trick denied when her penalty kick was saved by Romanian goalkeeper Roxana Opera. Other U.S. goals came from Tobin Heath, Morgan Brian and an own goal. Forward Jessica McDonald, who won a NWSL title last month with the Western New York Flash, won her first national team cap. Romania's lone reply came from veteran forward Laura Rus, who now plays in South Korea after time in Spain and Cyprus, having also once trialed for Everton Ladies in 2011.
In the second game on November 13, the U.S. national team again defeated Romania 5-0 in Carson, California at the StubHub Center (home of the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer). A crowd of 20,336 saw the U.S. end their 2016 season undefeated with 22 wins, 3 tied and 0 losses. Christen Press, Crystal Dunn, Morgan Brian and Sam Mewis scored for the U.S. while Romania's Teodora Meluta put the ball into her own net in the 20th minute to start the scoring spree.
Romania, 36th in FIFA's world ranking of national teams, narrowly missed out on making the EURO 2017 Finals in the Netherlands, falling to Portugal on away goals, as we reported two weeks ago. Romania arrived with primarily a home based roster with only three players based abroad, with one each in Poland, Korea Republic and Turkey.
Romania Women's National Team Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS
12-Roxana Oprea (Olimpia Cluj), 1-Linda Kajtar (Vasas Femina Odorheiu Secuiesc)
DEFENDERS
2-Andreea Corduneanu (Olimpia Cluj), 3-Lidia Havristiuc (Olimpia Cluj), 6-Maria Ficzay (Medyk Konin, POL), 16-Ana Maria Gorea (ASA Târgu Mures), 15-Teodora Meluta (Olimpia Cluj)
MIDFIELDERS
4-Ioana Bortan (Olimpia Cluj), 5-Adina Giurgiu (Olimpia Clurj), 7-Raluca Sarghe (Konak Belediyespor, TUR), 8-Stefania Vatafu (Olimpia Cluj), 10-Andreea Voicu (Olimpia Cluj), 13-Beatrice Tarasila (Olimpia Cluj), 21-Cristina Carp (Olimpia Clurj)
FORWARDS
9-Laura Rus (Icheon Daekyo, KOR), 14-Alexandra Lunca (Olimpia Cluj), 17-Mara Batea (Olimpia Cluj), 18-Mihaela Ciolacu (Olimpia Cluj), 19-Loredana Popa (Olimpia Cluj)
U.S. Women's National Team Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS
Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride)
DEFENDERS
Abby Dahlkemper (Western New York Flash), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride), Emily Menges (Portland Thorns FC), Kelley O'Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars),
MIDFIELDERS
Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Kristen Edmonds (Orlando Pride), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Samantha Mewis (Western New York Flash), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign), Andi Sullivan (Stanford)
FORWARDS
Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Jessica McDonald (Western New York Flash), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Kealia Ohai (Houston Dash), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Lynn Williams (Western New York Flash)
Papua New Guinea Head Coach Lisa Cole Talks Exclusively to Tribalfootball.com
Papua New Guinea opened the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup at home against Brazil on Sunday, November 13. Their head coach is former Boston Breakers head coach Lisa Cole, who played collegiately at Pacific Lutheran University and was head coach at the University of Rhode Island, after a variety of assistant coaching positions in colleges on the Eastern Seaboard. She joined Papua New Guinea in late 2015 to prepare her young side for this tournament. In an exclusive interview with Tribalfootball.com just before the event started, Cole talked about her time as head coach of Papua New Guinea. She explained that training a developing country's national selection is much different than coaching in the United States at the collegiate or professional level: “It's always different for island nations in Oceania to organize international matches—particularly friendlies—because of the distances involved and costs to travel," so she focused on training camps to improve her team. She explained that at home in America: “We take things for granted, such as basic principles of defending. Even in the men's game [in Papua New Guinea] there is a huge space between the first attacker and last defender and it's all about individual play. There is no organization on set pieces." Cole said that a pleasant surprise has been how her U-20 players have developed and overcome challenges along the way: “We have played only about 10-12 games together and are playing catch-up, because outside of the national team matches, they play pickup games or poorly organized matches; some players only 3-6 games a year." Cole is quite pleased with the players' attitude in general; they want practices that are well organized and they have responded to her directions. Cole talked to Tribal Football.com when she was with her side in New Zealand late last month for some practice matches, including an 8-0 defeat to New Zealand's U-20 national team, who are also competing in the FIFA tournament. Cole discussed the match against the Oceania champions: “We gave them too much respect. We haven't played in 2 months but the trip was important ahead of the World Cup."
There has still been some lingering criticism of FIFA's selection of Papua New Guinea as a tournament choice to replace South Africa--the original host who then withdrew last year. Criticism has been especially strident in some circles in Europe, where Sweden was the preferred replacement choice by many since they have hosted many European and World Tournaments, including the 1995 Women's World Cup and a European Championships—though the November time frame would have been difficult in the Far North. Cole said that her U-20 team, direct qualifiers as hosts, have never played in a competition even within Oceania, in the U-20 age category. She argued the benefits of PNG hosting: “FIFA and the federations have to invest in teams and over half of my squad will be eligible for the 2018 U-20 Women's World Cup. However if they just return to their villages, they won't qualify next time. It's easier to host in other countries (like Europe or North America). To help football develop it needs to come to places like PNG." She indicated that past youth tournament hosts Costa Rica (U-17 Women's World Cup hosts in 2014) and Thailand (U-19 Women's World Cup in 2004) went on to qualify for a World Cup—both last summer to the expanded edition in Canada. Trinidad and Tobago (U-17 Women's World Cup hosts in 2010) nearly became a third example for this list, losing in the last second to Ecuador in a two leg tie for the final WWC spot in Canada.
Former PNG women's captain Catherine Davani who is now a Supreme Court judge in Papua New Guinea, was also very excited about her country hosting the event. She told FIFA.com: “People have heard of FIFA and it's a real achievement for us to win the right to host. In terms of what it will do for our womenfolk; it will do a lot. Our country is a small island community and we live a very traditional life in our villages. A great majority of our women have never left these shores and this will open our womenfolk's eyes to the reality of what is out there in the world. I'm hoping that it's not just football that will come; that a lot more will come in terms of good things that will happen for this country."
Cole's team is all home-based. She tried to recruit one player from the East Coast of the U.S. but couldn't get her registered within the FIFA deadline. The team has some prospects for the future with U-17 players Margaret Joseph, Belinda Giada, Loretta Yagum, Selina Unamba and Faith Kasiray. Three of the current squad featured in the senior side which won a fourth consecutive Pacific Games title in mid-2015.
When asked about what she sees coming next in her coaching career after the tournament, she said that she is open to coming back to the U.S. and a position in the NWSL could be interesting “in the right situation." Cole still regrets that she was not allowed to finish her last season in Boston, finding the situation “really disappointing."
Cole was assistant coach to Tony DiCicco, who won Olympic Gold in 1996 and a World Cup title in 1999 with the U.S., for the Breakers in WPS. She then was named head coach for the Breakers in WPSL Elite (2012) and NWSL (2013). Cole was let go with four games left in the 2013 season with a 6-5-7 (W-D-L record). Boston missed the playoffs by 6 points and finished 8-6-8 under former U.S. international defender Cat Whitehill, who then went back to playing in 2014. Cole reflected on this experience when she said: “I'm convinced that if I could have finished the season that we still could have made the playoffs….It was an awkward situation, but still it was a great experience."
She has no regrets with coming to Papua New Guinea. “The difference now is that here we are changing someone's life—players have gone to school or have jobs." She would definitely consider another job in a developing market.
Lisa Cole is an experienced coach who will have further impact on the game, whether in another developing country or back in the U.S. and is a name to watch for the future.
In opening U-20 Women's World Cup matches on Sunday, Papua New Guinea fell to Brazil 9-0 while two other games had big mismatches with Japan defeating Nigeria 6-0 and Spain defeated Canada 5-0. The other match was closer with Korea DPR overcoming Sweden 2-0.
Tim Grainey is a contributor to Tribalfootball. His latest book is Beyond Bend it Like Beckham on the global game of women's football. Get your copy today.
Follow Tim on Twitter: @TimGrainey
