The United States Women’s National team Olympic qualifying tournament roster included only one new face.
“I’m excited that we have a new player in the mix who wasn’t in the World Cup,” United States Coach Pia Sundhage said in a statement. “That will change the environment a bit in a positive way.” This was speaking of Sydney Leroux the one loan new face on the qualifying Olympic team roster.
Is the lack of turnover on the roster a sign of stability for the Americans, or is it a worrisome signal that no new talent has developed fast enough to supplant longtime members of the team?
There are signs of some change for the official Olympic roster as U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Pia Sundhage has named 27 players for a training camp being held in Bradenton, Fla., from April 18-30 which includes four uncapped players in goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, midfielders Kristie Mewis and Keelin Winters and forward Christen Press. The camp will serve as preparation for the 2012 Olympics as Sundhage continues the evaluation process to select the official 18-player roster that will travel to London.
U.S. WNT to Face France, Colombia and Korea DPR in Group G at 2012 London Olympics.
U.S. WNT head coach PIA SUNDHAGE
“It’s exciting to start with a really tough team, the French. We played them in the (World Cup) semifinal and it’s a good team. They are getting better and better and I think it’s good for us to have a good team at the beginning. Then you have Colombia, and that will be a different game. Hopefully after a win against France, we can come into Colombia a bit more relaxed, and then you have North Korea, again. We know them fairly well. It’s great to have three different teams, three different styles to play against.”
What do you think? Is the lack of turnover on the roster a sign of stability for the Americans, or is it a worrisome signal that no new talent has developed fast enough to supplant longtime members of the team? Would you like to see some of these newly named uncapped players on the official Olympic roster?
