USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski resigns

Vlatko Andonovski has resigned as head coach of the US women’s national team, a source briefed on Andonovski’s status confirmed to the athletic On Wednesday. The source was granted anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly before the move was officially announced. Soccer outing 90min first reported News.

Andonovski has already attracted interest from several teams at the international and club level, the source said. US Soccer is finalizing a deal to make assistant coach Twila Kilgore the interim head coach, multiple sources briefed on the plans said. The American women have two friendlies against South Africa scheduled for September 21 and 24.

Andonovski, 46, oversaw a disappointing World Cup campaign as the team were knocked out in the round of 16 by Sweden with a 5-4 loss on penalties. It was the first time the USWNT had been knocked out of a World Cup, and Andonovski’s decisions throughout the tournament were called into question.

Andonovski succeeded Jill Ellis in October 2019. The USA did not win any of its major tournaments under Andonovski and took bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The team won four of 10 matches with Andonovski leading in the Tokyo Olympics. Olympic Games and World Cup combined. The coach went 51-5-9 overall with Team USA.

Andonovski, former NWSL Coach of the Year, drew criticism regarding squad selection, substitutions (or lack thereof), and the team’s tactical approach to matches during the World Cup. When asked about his employment situation after the loss to Sweden, he said: “I think it’s selfish to think about myself, my future and what I’ll do when we have 20-year-olds going through this.”

kilgore was fixed assistant coach to Andonovski in February 2022. Previously an assistant with the Houston Dash, she coached at various training camps with the US youth women’s national teams and spent 15 years coaching college soccer teams, including coaching the women’s UC Davis from 2014 to 2019. Kilgore played college soccer at the University of Arizona.

Andonovski’s departure comes amid a year of change within US Soccer. Athletic Director Earnie Stewart, as well as US Men’s National Team General Manager Brian McBride, left the federation at the beginning of the year. US Soccer hired former Southampton director of soccer operations Matt Crocker to replace Stewart in April, and he oversaw the search for the next USMNT coach who finally brought Gregg Berhalter back to the team

(Photo: Jan Kruger – fifa /FIFA via Getty Images)