Arguably the most high profile free agent left on the women’s soccer market is forward Abby Wambach, who elevated herself to heroic proportions during the 2011 World Cup.
Wambach, 32, struggled with nagging Achilles pain in 2011 and will need to pay close attention to her body to stay healthy for the Olympics this summer. After winning gold with Team USA in 2004, Wambach broke her leg just days before the team left for China in 2008 and missed the Olympics. The U.S. went on to win gold again.
With all eyes on gold in London, Wambach’s best bet at staying healthy is resting in between national duties. It is likely that she, along with other U.S. teammates, will not sign with WPS teams in 2012. Many believe the Rochester, N.Y., native would be a perfect fit for the Western New York Flash (for P.R., anyway), but head coach Aaran Lines said there are no discussions taking place.
On Thursday, Wambach spoke about her immediate future.
“It’s hard to say at this point,” she said. “I haven’t signed any contracts but there’s a lot of things that are in the works. My focus and the most important thing to me right now is vying for an Olympic Gold Medal.
“And my body isn’t as young as it was four years ago. I have some Achilles tendonitis issues that I’ve been dealing with for a couple of years now, so I have to be very, very particular about what I do and the things that I put my body through and the stress that I put on myself from now until come London.
“I really need to be careful, so there might be a scenario where I don’t actually play on a professional team prior to the Olympics – I just wait until after to see how my body feels then.”
Does anybody else read that and envision a short stint with the Flash following the Olympics? Assuming it worked for both parties, it would be a brilliant P.R. move for Joe Sahlen and WPS. Plus, we’re talking about Abby Wambach. It doesn’t hurt to have her on the field down the stretch.
The Flash would be an obvious great PR move for WNY. I would prefer to see a Celebration Tour following a stellar Olympics, where the USWNT plays each of the WPS teams in an exhibition game at their home stadium. Every team gets a piece of the pie and the fans in every market get a well deserved treat. Perhaps even a game or 2 in a potential expansion market. Win-win.
That’s a great idea Jane!
WNY FLASH only need abby if Marta dont come back.Even then,she’s not gonna combine well with sinclair upfront.
PR wise she may help the team,other than that who knows.She never took her teams to the wps finals,what she gon do now half-fit.?
I agree that Abby may not be the best fit with the WNY Flash personnel wise but Abby had the achilles problem through the WC and they made it to the finals past Brazil (which was one of the best women’s game ever in my opinion).
The highest profile free agent is marta,not abby.Marta could carry her team wps finals,abby so far hasn’t proved she could do that.lols.
So Wambach isn’t healthy enough to play in the WPS but has every confidence she’ll go to the Olympics? I understand that she is a special player but that didn’t help Beckham … because carrying declining players is not building a team.
While everyone agrees that Marta is the best player in the world, she isn’t a bigger ticket seller then Abby, at least not after the WWC.
Its true Abby is the better drawer than Marta in the US,but anywhere else where the fans really know something about soccer,especially Europe,Marta would draw better than abby,handsdown.
I agree with you Rick James, but this isn’t about elitist snobbery of who are better fans or who knows the game the best. It isn’t about who people think is the best player. This is about asses in seats in the WPS league in the USA.
Besides, even in English Premier League, fans go to see their heroes and their favorite players on their team. They don’t all go show up for any game that has Wayne Rooney in it. Or Messi in Spain. A bump in attendance yes.
I agree with Necron99, Abby draws a crowd. I really would have no motivation to just see Marta play especially after the World Cup and I know I am not the only one. Also, Abby scores goals. She is a leader and a clutch player achilles or not.
Yes,in the EPL people go to see their heroes if he is on their team.Players like Rooney,Gerrard,Lampard ,Terry,Cole,Ferdinand are sports heroes,but you would never see Man Utd Fans going to see a game because of Lampard,they would root for Patrice Evra or Chicharito who are not English.
Other the other hand,Chelsea fans would root for Drodgba,Essien or Ramires even if rooney scored a game-winning goal in a recent world cup.
You think spanish national team players on REAL Madrid get any love when they go to play at Camp Nou?
LAURIE,in all the 3yrs that she’s been in the WPS,Marta has scored more goals than Abby,she’s been the top scorer in all 3yrs.
But no one is saying you should love MARTA,all im saying is ,a true soccer enthusiast would love the way she plays. We all have our favourites.
I mean i love ABBY,she draws better than marta in the US,but in the 3yrs that they been together in the wps,marta has scored more goals and won more wps championships.These are the cold hard facts,lols.