Wilmer Cabrera has compared the Hope Solo situation to that of the Colombian national team in the 1998 World Cup.
I'm curious that Cabrera, a defender, didn't comment how unusual and potentially upsetting to the defense it is to sub out a starting goalkeeper, as opposed to sending home a streaky striker. Other huge differences in the comparison include the fact that Colombia wasn't favored to win the World Cup, wasn't ranked number one in the world, didn't have that particular player working on a winning streak of around fifty games, and who was unbeaten in World Cup play up through the quarterfinals.
Yet certain similarities do exist. Faustino Asprilla accused his coach of having "untouchable" players after he was subbed out of his team's opening-round match.
Gomez received such criticism for his decision to expell Asprilla (the President of Colombia called and asked him to reconsider) , and the subsequent one to refuse to reinstate him after Asprilla apologized, that he resigned before the World Cup ended. Colombia's tepid offense scored one goal after Asprilla left, dropping out of the tournament in the group stage.
Of course, the Colombians still did better than the U.S. that year, which was having its own coaching conflicts with Steve Sampson.
4 comments:
One might respctfully disagree with Mr. Cabrera's brief analysis on several grounds:
1)Asprilla hadn't just been called too slow to play by his coach while riding a goal scoring streak or, in Hope's case as a keeper, a shutout streak;
2)he had not just watched his replacement play worse than ordinary and his team play awful, likely as a result;
3)Faustino wasn't, so far as I know, still grieving his father and using the WC field as a place of refuge from the empty ache inside as was Hope Solo...and yes, I'm suggesting that she was/is due some slack on that account, that Hope wasn't just being selfish, she was hurt and there's a difference;
4)Lastly, Hope wasn't just sent home, she was forced to stick around and let everybody treat her like a pariah, refuse to eat with her, sleep in the same team arrangement with her, withdraw all form of support from her, muzzle her (a condition that I understand persists), and eventually even refuse to allow her on the same airplane to come home. Had she merely been sent home right away, maybe she'd at least have been able to get someplace where somebody offered her some respect and understanding. It's hard to imagine somebody doing anything more hurtful to somebody in active grieving mode than isolate them like that.
AC says the Columbian coach had to quit in part over that incident, one can only wish the same were true here....
Colombia has never recovered from that event. I think the fall out for the women will be minimal. That is one huge difference I see. I don't think this situation will impact the next world cup at all, for example...
Andrea, please!!! We've all had enough of your tantrum over this issue. Move on.
Anonymous,
Speak for yourself or eat it.
The majority of WNT fans is behind Solo and laugh at your attempts to move past this issue that isn't resolved.
AC, please continue writing about the Solo issue, it's what brought me to your wensite and will continue to do so.
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