{"id":21599,"date":"2019-10-28T20:11:22","date_gmt":"2019-10-28T20:11:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/2019\/10\/28\/vlatko-andonovski-is-chosen-to-coach-u-s-womens-national-team\/"},"modified":"2019-10-28T20:11:22","modified_gmt":"2019-10-28T20:11:22","slug":"vlatko-andonovski-is-chosen-to-coach-u-s-womens-national-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/vlatko-andonovski-is-chosen-to-coach-u-s-womens-national-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Vlatko Andonovski Is Chosen To Coach U.S. Women’s National Team"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Paolo Zialcita<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n <\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n Enlarge this image<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

\n Vlatko Andonovski will replace Jill Ellis as the U.S. national women’s soccer team coach. He’s seen here coaching Reign FC of the National Women’s Soccer League earlier this month,<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Brad Smith\/ISI Photos\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

<\/b>
\n hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n <\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Brad Smith\/ISI Photos\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Vlatko Andonovski was officially unveiled Monday as the U.S. Women’s National Team’s new head coach. The Macedonian-born 43-year-old takes the job following a successful stint in charge of the National Women’s Soccer League team Reign FC, where he was named NWSL Coach of the Year<\/a> in 2019. <\/p>\n

At an official presentation in New York City, Andonovski was introduced by U.S. Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro and USWNT General Manager Kate Markgraf.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

“It’s a huge honor and I’m very excited to get started with this group of players and staff as we work towards continued success for this program. All of the talented coaches and players that have come before have built a legendary tradition of excellence and I’m committed to working very hard to continue to move this program forward,” Andonovski said in a statement <\/a>Monday. <\/p>\n

Andonovski has big shoes to fill. He replaces Jill Ellis, the most successful coach in USWNT history, who won 106 games and lost only seven. In her five-year tenure as head coach, she won two back-to-back World Cups. <\/p>\n

He’ll also be the first man since 2014 to coach the women’s team. Five other men have taken up the mantle of USWNT head coach since the team’s formation in 1985, including Tony DiCicco, whom Ellis surpassed in becoming the winningest coach. <\/p>\n

\n
\n

Live from New York\u2026Vlatko Andonovski is Introduced as new #USWNT<\/a> Head Coach https:\/\/t.co\/DIBGrkHW40<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) October 28, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

At the club level, Andonovski coached FC Kansas City to two NWSL titles between 2013 and 2017. He left Kansas City in 2018 to coach Washington-based Reign FC, where he led the team to two consecutive playoff appearances. Throughout his career, Andonovski has coached USWNT mainstays such as Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn.<\/p>\n