“He’s Being Charged Money per Subbed” – USWNT Coach Vlatko Slammed for Not Using Substitutes As Sweden Knock Out Defending Champions

The FIFA Women’s World Cup is currently in the high-stakes stage of the competition, the Round of 16. As the tournament progresses, the pressure intensifies and the excitement reaches its peak. However, for the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT), things have taken an unexpected turn, leading to questions being raised about their coach, Vlatko Andonovski.

Once considered the favorites to win the championship, the team has struggled to maintain its anticipated dominance. The team barely made it out of the group stage, finishing second with just a one-point gap ahead of third-place Portugal. Also, the defending champions got eliminated by Sweden in the Round of 16. After ending full-time in a goalless draw, USWNT lost on penalties, 5-4. Unsurprisingly, this has set off a wave of criticism towards their coach.

USWNT Coach slammed for lack of substitutions

A key factor contributing to USWNT’s disappointing performance has been the recurring absence of substitutions made by Coach Andonovski. In their first match against Vietnam, which they won, the coach made five substitutions. This willingness to shuffle players suggested a proactive approach and also a willingness to adapt to the game’s dynamics.

However, in subsequent matches against Netherlands and Portugal, both of which ended in draws, Andonovski refrained from making substitutions. The same pattern emerged during their elimination game against Sweden, with only one substitution being made until extra time.

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The lack of substitutions made by Coach Andonovski has drawn significant criticism from fans, and pundits. Among the most vocal critics is Hercules Gomez, a Spanish host for ESPN. Gomez expressed his astonishment at the coach’s unwillingness to make changes. He stated, “I’ve never seen a coach refuse to substitute players in a major tournament like Vlatko”. Gomez further added, “It’s as if he’s being charged money per substitution”.

As the USWNT reflect on their unexpected exit from the FIFA Women’s World Cup, questions continue to linger about Coach Vlatko Andonovski’s management decisions, particularly his reluctance to make substitutions. The failure to utilize this crucial tool effectively may have contributed to the team’s downfall and an early exit from the tournament.

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What are your thoughts on this huge loss? Let us know in the comments.