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quote:Originally posted by Richard

I think Brazil's losing effort against the USA at the 2008 Olympic final illustrates exactly what can happen when team chemistry breaks down. Getting along with your teammates is unquestionably important to winning. At the risk of sounding sexist, probably more so with women than with men.

There is absolutely nothing sexist about that comment. It is a fact. Anyone who has coached a girls team knows this, and I doubt it is any different, the world over, at any level.

Its not better, its not worse, its just different.

A cohesive team can be greater than the sum of its parts. Hope Solo did an amazing job in that game at the Olympics, but she was not the only one...the point is they were all working together, the team chemistry was on. I don't think Sundhage promotes a star system, her philosophy is based on good communication, its OK to be an individual but respect your team.

"I think we have to encourage the players to be different, to be individuals on the field while also being part of the team. I have two key words: Awareness, my feedback will make aware how they act on and off the field and be responsible for what they’re doing and need to pay attention to what’s going on on the field and bring out the best perform of teammates. The other is respect, for your teammates and own ability. They have to know that they can be individuals in a team sport." (Sundhage in interview)

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Hope Solo ripped her teammate(s) and coach apart at the WC. In doing so, she was completely ostracized.

If she had been playing for Canada, she would still be out of international soccer as the sorority sisters had made their final decision. Fortunately for the US, the slumber party set doesn't run the show; their coach had winning in mind.

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quote:Originally posted by Ed

Hope Solo ripped her teammate(s) and coach apart at the WC. In doing so, she was completely ostracized.

If she had been playing for Canada, she would still be out of international soccer as the sorority sisters had made their final decision. Fortunately for the US, the slumber party set doesn't run the show; their coach had winning in mind.

A bit of an unfair comment as in this case, one of the egos was out of the picture, the coach. Pia Sundhage was brought in to restore team chemistry, that was her job. She was initially given a contract through the Olympics, that's it. I wouldn't be surprised if her mandate expressly required her to do everything possible to get Solo back on the team.

I'm not sure if Sundhage would have reinvited Solo if she had been publicly slagged. My opinion is it probably wouldn't have gotten to that point because Sundhage is a good communicator and I can't see her doing or saying something to make a player feel so humiliated or angry. She understands women's teams dynamics and is proactive in her approach. She works with the players on the bench as much as with the players on the field.

"We will work with the players on the bench in every game, so that those players feel that when they enter the field, that they can change the game and make a difference," Sundhage said.

I think this woman epitomizes what coaching women is all about. She gets it.

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