Vlatko Andonovski Resigns as Coach of U.S. Women’s National Team
In a surprising turn of events, Vlatko Andonovski has stepped down as the coach of the U.S. women’s national team, according to a source familiar with the matter. Although the move has not been officially announced, a source with knowledge of the situation revealed the news to The Athletic. The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated that Andonovski’s departure has already sparked interest from multiple teams at both the international and club levels.
The report was initially made by soccer outlet 90min. It is understood that U.S. Soccer is currently working to finalize an agreement that would appoint assistant coach Twila Kilgore as the interim head coach. Multiple sources with information on the plans have corroborated this information. The U.S. women’s team is scheduled to play friendly matches against South Africa on September 21 and 24.
Andonovski, 46, took charge of the national team after succeeding Jill Ellis in October 2019. However, the team experienced disappointment under his leadership during the World Cup, where they were eliminated in the last-16 stage by Sweden in a penalty shootout. This marked the earliest exit the USWNT has ever faced in a World Cup, and Andonovski’s decision-making throughout the tournament was heavily scrutinized.
The American women’s team also failed to win either of their major tournaments under Andonovski, settling for bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. During his tenure, the team won four out of ten matches at the Olympics and World Cup combined. Andonovski had an overall record of 51 wins, 5 draws, and 9 losses with the U.S. women’s team.
Andonovski, a former NWSL Coach of the Year, faced criticism for his squad selections, lack of substitutions, and the team’s tactical approach to games during the World Cup. However, when asked about his future after the defeat to Sweden, he displayed a selfless attitude, stating, “I think it’s selfish to think about me, my future, and what I’m going to do when we have 20-year-old players going through this.”
Twila Kilgore, who was appointed as an assistant coach under Andonovski in February 2022, is expected to take over in the interim. Before joining the national team staff, Kilgore served as an assistant coach for the Houston Dash. She also has experience coaching U.S. youth women’s national teams and spent 15 years coaching college teams, including an impressive stint coaching the UC Davis women from 2014 to 2019. Kilgore played collegiate soccer at the University of Arizona.
Andonovski’s resignation comes at a time of significant changes within U.S. Soccer. Earlier this year, sporting director Earnie Stewart and U.S. men’s national team general manager Brian McBride departed from the federation. In April, former Southampton director of football operations Matt Crocker was hired to replace Stewart and oversaw the search for the new USMNT coach, eventually leading to the appointment of Gregg Berhalter.
As U.S. Soccer moves forward, the search for a new head coach for the U.S. women’s national team will be a priority. The direction the federation takes in appointing the next coach will be closely scrutinized, as fans and pundits analyze the team’s recent performances and the desired future path for the USWNT.
(Photo: Jan Kruger – FIFA / FIFA via Getty Images)