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What's Happening with the U-20's?
by Purplegeezer on Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:31 am
US Soccer announced today that Jillian Ellis is no longer the U-20 coach, but is moving on as an assistant to the full National Team.
In her place, Tony DiCicco has been named as the new U-20 coach.
I'm still trying to sort out what is going on-
has Ellis been fired from her head coaching position? Does Pia really need the help?
Is this a welfare program for a ex-WNT coach to tide DiCicco over until the women's league restarts in 2009?
I wonder if this is good or bad for our players on the U-20 team. I thought the US team was going to move away from the old coaching regimes and move on to some more creative soccer.
I see Bill Irwin is untouched by the moves. I wonder if the other shoe is about to drop...
announcement
In her place, Tony DiCicco has been named as the new U-20 coach.
I'm still trying to sort out what is going on-
has Ellis been fired from her head coaching position? Does Pia really need the help?
Is this a welfare program for a ex-WNT coach to tide DiCicco over until the women's league restarts in 2009?
I wonder if this is good or bad for our players on the U-20 team. I thought the US team was going to move away from the old coaching regimes and move on to some more creative soccer.
I see Bill Irwin is untouched by the moves. I wonder if the other shoe is about to drop...
announcement
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Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by UPSoccerFanatic on Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:31 pm
Interesting questions. If Pia really wanted Ellis, then she presumably wanted her right away. The U-20s are due to play in two weeks, so they may have needed someone on very short notice and perhaps DeCicco was the best that was available. Or, maybe Ellis was concerned about being gone for the U-20 world championships during the NCAA tournament in November-December 2008 and wanted out. Who knows?
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Speaking of U20 national team ...
by UPWomenSoccerRookie on Sat Jan 26, 2008 6:57 pm
These posts piqued my interest on who is in the player pool for the U20s. There are 3 current Pilots (Elli, Keelin, and Michelle) and one in-coming, Danielle Foxhoven.
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Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by Harry Redknapp on Sun Jan 27, 2008 2:47 pm
Strangely the US Soccer announcement lists Elli Reed under her club team and describes her as a high school player! The U20 World Cup is on Chile from November 20th until December 7th. That is totally absurd timing because it places it right in the NCAA playoffs. Why don't they play in the spring or summer?
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Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by PilotNut on Sun Jan 27, 2008 3:23 pm
Well, being that it is the World Cup.... the US doesnt have the say as to when its played... and Nov. & Dec. is Spring/Summer weather in Chile...
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Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by Purplegeezer on Sun Jan 27, 2008 3:35 pm
Yeah, it's the natural time to have it in Chile. It will be right at he end of the closing (Clausura) soccer season. Then there is the extended holiday season right after, and then It gets pretty hot in the summer months of January, February, and March. The other time to have it would be April/May During the opening soccer season (Aperatura).
Not everyone works on the NCAA fall schedule..
Not everyone works on the NCAA fall schedule..
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Go Pilots! ...
"I get up every morning determined both to change the world and
to have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning
the day difficult." ~ E.B. White
Purplegeezer- Draft Pick
- Number of posts: 4171
Location: "We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell them stories that don't go anywhere. Like the time I took the ferry to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe so I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on them. Give me five bees for a quarter you'd say. Now where were we, oh ya. The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions because if the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...."
Registration date: 2007-04-29 -
Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by UPSoccerFanatic on Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:05 am
According to an article in SoccerAmerica, Ellis' moving to the Women's National Team and DeCicco's taking over the U-20s will allow her to avoid conflicts with her coaching duties at UCLA. I assume what this means is that Ellis did not want to be committed to the U-20 World Cup during the NCAA tournament.
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Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by Purplegeezer on Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:26 am
Her duties on the WTN will require that she be gone for nearly all of August. I hope she has faith in her assistants to organize the team for the season, or there won't be a championship run...
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Go Pilots! ...
"I get up every morning determined both to change the world and
to have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning
the day difficult." ~ E.B. White
Purplegeezer- Draft Pick
- Number of posts: 4171
Location: "We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell them stories that don't go anywhere. Like the time I took the ferry to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe so I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on them. Give me five bees for a quarter you'd say. Now where were we, oh ya. The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions because if the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...."
Registration date: 2007-04-29 -
Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by FANatic on Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:49 am
Sounds like Ellis was kind of boxed in. I think she made the right move, though. I would rather take my chances missing August training than be unavailable during a probable deep NCAA playoff run. I wonder if they have an arrangement where she gets her U-20 job back the following year. Sounds like Ellis arranged this, rather than being approached by Pia for the WNT position. Don't know that for sure, though.
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Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by UPSoccerFanatic on Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:49 pm
Well, UCLA presumably have Shannon Mac, among others, coaching them in August.
I guess there are a lot of teams, other than North Carolina, waiting to see what college players, if any, get selected for the Women's National Team; and what college players get selected for the U-20 championship. I see Cheney, Rodriguez, and Heath (NC) going to the WNT, based on the Four Nations tournament. But, they'll be back in September. The real questions will be the U-20 team, for which those three players (maybe excluding Heath) and a bunch of others could be gone, including as many as four Pilots (counting Foxhoven).
I've concluded, after reading comments here, that players going for the U-? team experience is good for them and, over the long run, for the school. So, it makes me wonder about North Carolina holding all its players off the U-20 team. To some extent, I'm guessing it's damage control related to NC's no longer dominating college soccer and to Dorrance's recent public embarrassment in court. But, are future potential recruits going to think that NC is a bad bet because they might lose U-? national team opportunities both to show what they can do and gain experience at a high level? I'm also wondering, somewhere in the back of my mind, whether Dorrance's recent problems, or other things, have put him in the position of deciding to retire after this year. I have heard (unverified) that although the public statement is that the NC players made this decision themselves, there is some inside information that no one is talking about.
I guess there are a lot of teams, other than North Carolina, waiting to see what college players, if any, get selected for the Women's National Team; and what college players get selected for the U-20 championship. I see Cheney, Rodriguez, and Heath (NC) going to the WNT, based on the Four Nations tournament. But, they'll be back in September. The real questions will be the U-20 team, for which those three players (maybe excluding Heath) and a bunch of others could be gone, including as many as four Pilots (counting Foxhoven).
I've concluded, after reading comments here, that players going for the U-? team experience is good for them and, over the long run, for the school. So, it makes me wonder about North Carolina holding all its players off the U-20 team. To some extent, I'm guessing it's damage control related to NC's no longer dominating college soccer and to Dorrance's recent public embarrassment in court. But, are future potential recruits going to think that NC is a bad bet because they might lose U-? national team opportunities both to show what they can do and gain experience at a high level? I'm also wondering, somewhere in the back of my mind, whether Dorrance's recent problems, or other things, have put him in the position of deciding to retire after this year. I have heard (unverified) that although the public statement is that the NC players made this decision themselves, there is some inside information that no one is talking about.
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Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by Purplegeezer on Thu Jan 31, 2008 1:15 pm
I see several reasons UNC player won't play for National teams. It's actually fun contemplating them.
1) The players all have a deep love for Anson and are willing to set back their international careers for his sake. Life is just a warm fuzzy.
2) UNC players think there is nothing more important than winning the NCAA's and have decided they'll do anything to do it to set themselves up for pro careers in the new women's league. a National championship is key for the resume's.
3) Dorrance is calling his players in because he sees an opportunity. Since the scandals began, UNC hasn't had the success it once had. he wants to show that he's past all that.
4) Dorrance is calling his players in because he's nervous about UNC internal politics. The University is in the midst of a search for a new Chancellor. This new person, presumably not named in the lawsuits and personally untainted by them, will want to clean house and rid UNC from the taint of the scandal. Dorrance sees another Championship as his only hope of riding things out. It would be pretty hard to fire a sitting champion coach, and after a year things might blow over.
5) UNC, having stuck it's neck out for him, has given Dorrance an ultimatum. Win again or retire gracefully.
Any others?
1) The players all have a deep love for Anson and are willing to set back their international careers for his sake. Life is just a warm fuzzy.
2) UNC players think there is nothing more important than winning the NCAA's and have decided they'll do anything to do it to set themselves up for pro careers in the new women's league. a National championship is key for the resume's.
3) Dorrance is calling his players in because he sees an opportunity. Since the scandals began, UNC hasn't had the success it once had. he wants to show that he's past all that.
4) Dorrance is calling his players in because he's nervous about UNC internal politics. The University is in the midst of a search for a new Chancellor. This new person, presumably not named in the lawsuits and personally untainted by them, will want to clean house and rid UNC from the taint of the scandal. Dorrance sees another Championship as his only hope of riding things out. It would be pretty hard to fire a sitting champion coach, and after a year things might blow over.
5) UNC, having stuck it's neck out for him, has given Dorrance an ultimatum. Win again or retire gracefully.
Any others?
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Go Pilots! ...
"I get up every morning determined both to change the world and
to have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning
the day difficult." ~ E.B. White
Purplegeezer- Draft Pick
- Number of posts: 4171
Location: "We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell them stories that don't go anywhere. Like the time I took the ferry to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe so I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on them. Give me five bees for a quarter you'd say. Now where were we, oh ya. The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions because if the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...."
Registration date: 2007-04-29 -
Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by Purplegeezer on Thu Jan 31, 2008 1:27 pm
one more thanks to UPSF:
6) UNC has indeed told Dorrance he's gone regardless and he figures it's his last chance for a championship. as part of the brokered agreement, UNC holds the firing off a year to separate UNC and Dorrance from the scandal.
the last hurrah.
6) UNC has indeed told Dorrance he's gone regardless and he figures it's his last chance for a championship. as part of the brokered agreement, UNC holds the firing off a year to separate UNC and Dorrance from the scandal.
the last hurrah.
_________________
Go Pilots! ...
"I get up every morning determined both to change the world and
to have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning
the day difficult." ~ E.B. White
Purplegeezer- Draft Pick
- Number of posts: 4171
Location: "We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell them stories that don't go anywhere. Like the time I took the ferry to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe so I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on them. Give me five bees for a quarter you'd say. Now where were we, oh ya. The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions because if the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...."
Registration date: 2007-04-29 -
Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by Purplegeezer on Thu Jan 31, 2008 5:41 pm
One more, this one a bit more Machiavellian:
7) This isn't about Anson's Job. A guy who win's 19 (or whatever) National Championships is untouchable.
This is about Pia Sundhage and Dorrance's control of the National team. Ever since Anson "retired" from the WNT coaching job amid rumors of revolt from some of his former players, he has had iron clad control concerning his replacements... until Sundhage.
It was a great recruiting tool, among other things. "I can get you a couple of Championship iPods, and I can get you a spot on the WNT".
In return, the coaches packed the teams with UNC players to complete the cycle.
The fact that the Ellis shuffle miraculously developed into Tony Diccico (Anson's personal lapdog) being named coach of the very team Anson decided to show his muscle about indicates one of two things:
a) Anson has shown his muscle, he now controls the main pipeline to the WNT through Diccico, and he'll release the hounds to play on the team, couching it in terms of a great patriotic sacrifice. Diccico will show a lot of public gratitude.
b) He'll keep his players out of the WNT equation until he gets Sundhage out and he gets another one of his cronies in. He may even take the reigns again himself to "save" women's soccer.
You see, Pia doesn't really care where you went to college. She just wants the best and most creative players.
See? I told you this was going to be fun...
7) This isn't about Anson's Job. A guy who win's 19 (or whatever) National Championships is untouchable.
This is about Pia Sundhage and Dorrance's control of the National team. Ever since Anson "retired" from the WNT coaching job amid rumors of revolt from some of his former players, he has had iron clad control concerning his replacements... until Sundhage.
It was a great recruiting tool, among other things. "I can get you a couple of Championship iPods, and I can get you a spot on the WNT".
In return, the coaches packed the teams with UNC players to complete the cycle.
The fact that the Ellis shuffle miraculously developed into Tony Diccico (Anson's personal lapdog) being named coach of the very team Anson decided to show his muscle about indicates one of two things:
a) Anson has shown his muscle, he now controls the main pipeline to the WNT through Diccico, and he'll release the hounds to play on the team, couching it in terms of a great patriotic sacrifice. Diccico will show a lot of public gratitude.
b) He'll keep his players out of the WNT equation until he gets Sundhage out and he gets another one of his cronies in. He may even take the reigns again himself to "save" women's soccer.
You see, Pia doesn't really care where you went to college. She just wants the best and most creative players.
See? I told you this was going to be fun...
Last edited by on Thu Jan 31, 2008 8:00 pm; edited 1 time in total
_________________
Go Pilots! ...
"I get up every morning determined both to change the world and
to have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning
the day difficult." ~ E.B. White
Purplegeezer- Draft Pick
- Number of posts: 4171
Location: "We can't bust heads like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to tell them stories that don't go anywhere. Like the time I took the ferry to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe so I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on them. Give me five bees for a quarter you'd say. Now where were we, oh ya. The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions because if the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...."
Registration date: 2007-04-29 -
Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by UPSoccerFanatic on Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:05 pm
8. UNC figured out that with only Tobin Heath being invited to the WNT mega-camp, they have no other players likely ever to make the WNT. So, why bother playing in the U-20s? Stay home, try to win the NCAA tournament when you have your best players but the other top teams don't. And, try to convince Tobin Heath that even though she has a shot at the WNT, she should forego the chance to improve her own play and her value to the WNT by treating UNC as more important than the US U-20s. 
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Re: What's Happening with the U-20's?
by UPSoccerFanatic on Fri Feb 01, 2008 5:29 pm
Elli, Michelle, and Keelin all selected to the 18-member U-20 national squad to play in the upcoming tournament February 7-17 in Chile. Games against England, Norway, and Chile, all of which already have qualified for the U-20 World Cup.
Great for them, but wow, it makes me nervous. Plus Sophie is captain of the Canadian U-20 team.
Great for them, but wow, it makes me nervous. Plus Sophie is captain of the Canadian U-20 team.
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