Under the direction of Vlatko Andonovski, the team from defending champion USA was eliminated earlier than ever at a World Cup. Now the coach has drawn the consequences. The US association appointed Twila Kilgore as interim coach.
The U.S– Women’s national team is looking for a new coach. The previous coach Vlatko Andonovski resigned about a week and a half after leaving the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The US association confirmed this on Thursday evening (08/17/2023). They separated by mutual agreement, it said in a statement.
Kilgore takes over as interim coach
Successor to Andonovski, who has been the U.S-women, his previous assistant will be Twila Kilgore. However, Kilgore only acts as an interim coach. Sports director Matt Crocker stressed that he was looking for a new head coach. Two years ago, Kilgore (formerly Kaufman) became the first native American to earn a professional coaching license in the United States. She could also look after the 2019 world champion in the upcoming friendly against South Africa at the end of September.
USA: Elimination in round of 16 drama
Defending champion and World Cup co-favorite USA surprisingly failed in the round of 16 against Sweden in the current title fights. Shortly after leaving, there was speculation about Andonovski’s future. The 46-year-old himself said at the time that he hadn’t given it any thought and that, given the sadness of his players, he found it very selfish to talk about his future.
The former defender won 51 of 65 games with the US women, losing five games and drawing nine games.
Only bronze at the 2021 Olympics
Andonovski had not only been criticized since the earliest World Cup elimination of the US women’s national team in history. At the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, the top favorite was eliminated in the semifinals and ended up only clinching a disappointing bronze medal. They won the Olympic Games and the World Cup U.S-Women under Andonovski only four out of ten tournament games.
Andonovski acted as league coach
Apparently, Andonovski doesn’t have to worry about his future. According to US media, he is with some teams in the US professional league National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in conversation, he should be a hot candidate for Kansas City. He coached the Missouri team between 2013 and 2017. Andonovski was voted coach of the year in the NWSL in 2013 and 2019.