01Bear said:
Goobear said:
01Bear said:
BearGoggles said:
calbear80 said:
westcoast101 said:
Heck of a player for Cal, club, and country. Congrats on a great career and baby #2!
+1
The USWNT coach should have included Alex Morgan in the Olympic roster to allow her to leave the game the way she deserves to.
Which more deserving player should she have replaced?
That's a good argument. But at the same time, just about any bench player could've been replaced and no one would've blinked an eye. Alex Morgan is (still!) one of the big names/draws in US women's soccer. Allowing her one last hurrah would've been to everyone's benefit.
The US team needed a new identity. The older players were too old and not good enough but still would have changed the team spirit given their history. You could see this team was tight. Since the US team won one cannot argue with the approach taken. I thought Morgan lost a step and accuracy last time on the national team. She has had a remarkable career but too old to do anything. Father Time caught up with her as it does with everyone at one point.
Sure, all true. But again, would anyone have considered anything amiss if she took the final spot on the bench?
Let's say she takes the final bench spot. You now have an undeserving US legend on the bench. And what happens when that occurs? Either (1) the legend pouts and whines about not getting playing time, which distracts the team from the goal or (2) the fans and media whine about the legend not getting playing time and create a circus around the team that distracts them from the goal, or (3) both of the above, or (4) she quietly sits on the bench, taking a spot from someone else - someone who perhaps it was their only shot at being on an Olympic or World Cup team.
The simple fact is she is no longer good enough and showed that at the last World Cup. She had a great career and she should be proud of it.
Meanwhile, the young guard took over, free from distraction, and began setting its own legacy.