US women national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski resigns

The United States women’s football team head coach, Vlatko Andonovski, has resigned following the team’s early exit from the ongoing Women’s World Cup competition.

In a statement released Thursday, the U.S. Soccer team said Andonovski’s resignation came after the side’s disappointing World Cup campaign, AFP reports.

Twila Kilgore, who has worked as an assistant coach for the past 18 months, has been named interim head coach while the search for a replacement takes place.

While commenting on his action, Andonovski said, “It’s been the honour of my life to coach the talented, hard-working players of the USWNT for the past four years.”

“I’m very optimistic for the future of this program, especially considering all the young players that got opportunities over the past few years who will no doubt be leaders and impact players moving forward.

“While we are all disappointed by the outcome at this year’s World Cup, I am immensely proud of the progress this team has made,” he added.

The USA team was eliminated in the last 16 by Sweden after a penalty shootout which is the earliest they ever departed from a World Cup.

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The Americans had won the previous two World Cups, in 2015 and 2019 with Jill Ellis in charge of the team.

Andonovski, an American citizen who was born in North Macedonia, took over the team in October 2019 having made his name in the National Women’s Soccer League.

Under Andonovski, the USA won a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics after losing to eventual champions Canada in the semi-finals.

The U.S. Soccer sporting director, Matt Crocker, said, “All of us at the U.S. Soccer thank Vlatko for his dedication to our Women’s National Team over the past four years.

“Vlatko worked tirelessly for this team and has been a strong and positive leader for our women’s programme. We’re grateful for everything he has contributed to the U.S. Soccer and know he has a bright future in the sport.”

The federation said that Crocker had been conducting a review of the women’s programme and he would now head the search for a new head coach.