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Sermanni era begins with immediate youth injection

Jeff Kassouf February 9, 2013 18

Tom Sermanni makes his debut as US women's national team coach on Saturday vs. Scotland. (Photo: U.S. Soccer)

Tom Sermanni has never been afraid to give young players a chance to shine with the senior national team.

He made a habit of developing teenagers into young stars over the last seven years in his second stint as Australian national team coach. Kyah Simon, now 21 years old, and Sam Kerr, 19, are two of several examples of players who were thrown into senior team mix in their mid-to-late teenage years.

Sermanni is in the middle of his first training camp as US women’s national team coach after being hired in October. He is expected to continue his philosophy of developing young, talented players by giving them real game experience with their senior peers.

It didn’t take long for that to begin.

Sermanni named his 18-player roster for Saturday’s friendly vs. Scotland (5 p.m. ET in Jacksonville, Fla., streamed on ussoccer.com), which will mark his debut as U.S. coach. It includes a couple of surprise additions: 21-year-old Kristie Mewis and 20-year-old defender Julie Johnston, who just won the U-20 World Cup with the U.S. in September and earned the Bronze Ball as the tournament’s third-best player. Mewis was just drafted No. 3 overall by FC Kansas City in the 2013 NWSL college draft.

[Related: Sermanni talks NWSL, USWNT and how to better evaluate talent like Mewis in a new league]

Forward Christen Press, along with Mewis and Johnston, is in the roster and has the opportunity to earn her first cap on Saturday. Midfielder Yael Averbuch has the chance to earn her first cap for the U.S. in over two years.

Saturday could also mark the return of right back Ali Krieger just over one year after tearing her right ACL and MCL. She is in the 18.

No. 1 goalkeeper Hope Solo is out with a minor calf strain, while Megan Rapinoe and Rachel Buehler arrived to camp late (Rapinoe due to being in France with Lyon and Buehler due to a family commitment).

There is no guarantee that any of the aforementioned players will make it into the match, but with six substitutions at his disposal and an open-minded history of giving players chances, Sermanni’s time as U.S. coach is likely to begin immediately with some fresh faces getting opportunities.

Here is the full roster:

GOALKEEPERS (2): 18-Nicole Barnhart (FC Kansas City), 21-Jill Loyden (Sky Blue FC)

DEFENDERS (5): 26-Julie Johnston (Santa Clara), 11-Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), 5-Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), 3-Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC), 4-Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City)

MIDFIELDERS (7): 25-Yael Averbuch (Göteborg FC), 7-Shannon Boxx (Chicago Red Stars), 12-Lauren Cheney (FC Kansas City), 17-Tobin Heath (Paris Saint-German), 10-Carli Lloyd (Western NY Flash), 23-Kristie Mewis (FC Kansas City), 9-Heather O’Reilly (Boston Breakers)

FORWARDS (4): 14-Sydney Leroux (Boston Breakers), 13-Alex Morgan (Portland Thorns FC), 22-Christen Press (Tyresö FF), 20-Abby Wambach (Western NY Flash)

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POSTED IN » Analysis, USWNT
About the author: Jeff Kassouf View all posts by Jeff Kassouf

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  • http://www.facebook.com/eric.bauer.71619 Eric Bauer

    I believe that Ali Krieger really IS the 18!

    • Steglitz49

      In the short term, probably; in the long term, questionable.

  • vert2013

    Really disappointed there is no Harris on this roster. I was at open practice and she blew the other 4 keepers out of the water (Hope wasn’t practicing). I have a feeling we’ll see her in Nashville though.

    • Kernel Thai

      Hopefully there is some offense from Little and the Scots so the GKs get a chance to show their stuff.

      • Steglitz49

        The USA should sweep Scotland aside if they play their strongest team. Instead, let’s hope that Sermanni has taken a leaf out of Sasaki’s book and is willing to experiment and learn the qualities of his players.

        The Nadeshiko played the strangest of friendly matches with dreadful results leading up to the Olympics, but once there when they pulled on their jerseys and boots, they played like a dream — and got close to winning the tournament.

    • Steglitz49

      Ms Harris plays for Duisburg and played for them six days ago and Duisburg’s next matches are on the 17th and 24th (I do not know if they have rescheduled games owing to all the snow). The club is in financial difficulty. It has to urgently settle about $250k in immediate debts but according to the latest reports, the insolvency assessor has OKed their rescue plan. Maybe Sermanni is tipping his hat to them.

      • vert2013

        By not playing her? That makes no sense…

        • Steglitz49

          Were Ms Harris to get injured in a friendly, how would that help Duisburg?

          It is too early to be sure, but provided Dusiburg play as before they will probably avoid relegation — remember this team won the CL in 2009. Should their financial rescue fail, they are relegated 2 divisions. Should they lose their starting goalie because of an injury in a friendly, their risk of relegation goes up. Add to that the risk of a two division drop for financial reasons, the ghost of Christmas past will be a welcome guest in their dressing room.

          Let’s see how it develops. The manager is giving two young goalies their chance. More power to his elbow. The future is bright; the future is youth.

          • http://www.phasedma.com Anthony

            National teams and club teams should play with no regard to each other. The only exception in my book is if the national team is playing a critical game and a critical player needs to be protected.

            You can’t go around with the mindset “they might get injured”. Sure. They might, but the chances are slim so long as they are fit. Most players seem to get one injury while playing pro soccer and never see another injury. To live in fear of that “one” injury is very counter productive for all involved, but especially the player.

          • Steglitz49

            About 30 years ago FIFA and the other FAs put in place rules about release of players by clubs to NT duty. Briefly, the wealthy clubs had started to refuse to release key players from smaller countries for world and regional cup qualifiers because they did not want them risk injury or get tired from travel etc. There now is a set of rules when players must be released, including for practice. At the same time, qualifying and other matches are bundled together.

            A couple of days ago Sweden’s men played a friendly against Argentina. The Swedish manager, at PSG’s request only played Zlatan for the first half. Argentina repaid the compliment by substituting Messi although Barcelona had not made such a request.

            Give and take is part of life. Let’s see what how the next match develops. Judging by yesterday’s it does not matter much who is in USA’s goal. Maybe a seeing-eye-dog cold cope?

          • http://www.phasedma.com Anthony

            Maybe a empty net could cope, although I missed the game :(

      • http://twitter.com/Deegley Diane

        The history of Duisburg has nothing to do with Harris playing or not, seriously? My bet is you will see some of the other players on the roster for the second match.

        • Steglitz49

          “A true gentleman is one who is never unintentionally rude”, quipped Oscar Wilde.

          Duisburg is currently the third last team in the German ladies’ league. The last two teams are relgated (in France it is tougher because they send down the last 3). They are 4 point above the team in the second relegation spot. Being 4 points above the relegation zone is probably OK, but stranger things have happened.

          Ms Harris’ team shares this position with Bayer Leverkusen but Duisburg has a worse goal difference. On 17th Feb, that is 4 days after the Nashville game, Duisburg play Bayer (at home, fortunately) and the week after Duisburg play Potsdam away – a Potsdam strengthened by the arrival of Yuki Ogimi’s sister. If Ms Harris gets an evening flight to Europe after the match, she will alight on the 15th, that is with two days to a crucial game after a west to east flight (in economy, I assume).

          It would seem a tad uncharitable not to let Ms Harris get back to her team with adequate time to serve them should they want her.

  • Kernel Thai

    It is so nice to see things open up and Im pretty sure he plans to cap everyone over the two games if the play allows (ie score early ladies). While there is no guarantee any of this turns into regular spots it’s their national team and it’s really nice to think they each have a fair chance to earn a spot.

    • Steglitz49

      The goalies can play one half each. He does not need to play Ms Krieger, Lloyd or Rampone. Let the young guns fight it out amongst themselves.

      • StarCityFan

        I think Ali deserves a chance to get back into the mix given that she hasn’t played with this team in quite some time. But I agree about the others.

        • Steglitz49

          Fair enough. I concede.

  • Chris

    So nice to see Abby subbed off when she’s having a bad game.

    Still think she has something to contribute to the team, but when a player isn’t having a good game, get someone else out there.