Heinrichs returns to USSF as women's tech director

By foxsports
Published

April Heinrichs was blunt. Gone are the days when the U.S. women's team could count on easily beating most of the world.

The former U.S. women's coach returned to the U.S. Soccer Federation on Thursday as technical director of women's national teams, just two months after the Americans' shocking loss to Mexico forced them to win a pair of playoffs to reach this year's World Cup.

''All of our women's sports teams had a 50-yard head start in a 100-yard dash,'' Heinrichs said during a conference call. ''Over the last 10, maybe 15 years, the other countries have spent time, energy and now new resources across all of our sports, soccer as well. These countries have caught up. And it's a matter of us now saying, 'OK, where do we need to go now?' ''

Heinrichs played for the U.S. team that won the first Women's World Cup in 1991 and coached the team to the 2004 Olympic gold medal after the Americans failed to win the 2003 World Cup. Four years ago, the Americans lost 4-0 to Brazil in the World Cup semifinals, then rebounded to win the 2008 Olympic gold after Pia Sundhage replaced Greg Ryan as coach.

At the youth level, the Americans were knocked out by Nigeria in the quarterfinals of last year's Under-20 World Cup and didn't even qualify for last year's Under-17 World Cup.

Heinrichs said her new job entailed figuring out, ''What do we need to do to develop players to be prepared to play at the international level? Because we're putting them on the international field at even younger and younger ages.''

In addition, Jill Ellis was hired as development director of U.S. women's national teams. She had spent 12 years as head women's coach at UCLA and coached the American Under-21 team in 2000 and 2005.

Heinrichs will provide direction for the national team and oversee the Under-20 and Under-18 teams. Ellis will oversee the Under-17, Under-15 and Under-14 teams.

USSF President Sunil Gulati said Heinrichs and Ellis may coach a youth team. He also didn't expect much help soon in developing youth players from Women's Professional Soccer. Two WPS teams folded last year, including the league champion FC Gold Pride, and Chicago's franchise is seeking investors and hopes to join the league for 2011.

''In the short term, the women's league is very much focused on the six teams, on the first-team play,'' he said. ''Over time, hopefully they become more involved in some of the developmental programs.''