USWNT head coach options: Next hire depends on U.S. Soccer’s chosen path

The semifinals for the Women’s World Cup have begun, and for the first time in tournament history, the United States isn’t there. There are big decisions to make, and perhaps none looms larger than that of who will lead the USWNT as head coach in the next World Cup cycle. After a tournament in which the team performed well below expectations, Vlatko Andonovski is not expected to stay in his role.

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Still, the “who’s next” question isn’t an easy one to answer, or even speculate about. This partly has to do with the team’s dismal performance in the tournament (by its own standards) and the clear progression of the rest of the world. It also has to do with the fact that the future of USWNT general manager Kate Markgraf is also up in the air under new U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker. Markgraf, or whoever takes her place should she depart, would be the one responsible for hiring the next USWNT head coach…if U.S. Soccer maintains its current structure, which it might not.

Regardless of who makes the next hire, though, U.S. Soccer’s decision will depend on which direction it wants to take the team over the next four years. Is a total technical style overhaul needed? How important is it to get a big name that will resonate with the game’s biggest stars? Or should the U.S. just keep on keeping on, betting on 2023 being just a blip on the radar?

Here, our staff outlines some possible directions for the USWNT and a couple of coach options that might fit that plan. This is not a definitive list of candidates. Some options may seem ridiculous, and that’s partly the point. It’s a thought exercise, so take it as such.

For one thing, he’d be the most fashionable coach the U.S. has ever had. But in addition to that,