The U.S. men’s and women’s Olympic teams have vastly different goals in Australia.
For April Heinrichs’ women, there’s no debate. They won’t be happy if they return home without the gold.
Winning two of three world championships and the first Olympic gold medal in women’s soccer has raised expectations considerably.
The 2000 Olympics will mark the end of an era for the U.S. team. Six players have been on the three championship teams. Some or all may retire after Sydney.
To come next year is the launch of women’s pro soccer.
The folks at the WUSA will wait anxiously for the results from Australia, though. Another gold medal will be essential for its 2001 launch.
And Clive Charles’ men? There isn’t much talk about the U.S. men medaling. They never have and probably won’t this time in Australia.
Charles says the goal is to have fun.
His boss, U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena, will hope he can produce a few more players for the World Cup 2002 effort.
Since FIFA introduced the under-23 tournament in 1992, the U.S. Olympic team has provided a good crop of young players to the senior national team: Claudio Reyna, Joe-Max Moore, Brad Friedel, Cobi Jones, Mike Burns and Alexi Lalas in 1992; Eddie Pope, Jovan Kirovski, Frankie Hejduk and Brian Maisonneuve in 1996.
Arena’s team needs all the help it can get. It has looked shaky throughout much of World Cup qualifying.
Assuming the Americans advance in Group E, they will face a much tougher field next year than they faced to qualify for France ’98.
If you don’t believe me, watch a tape of the spectacular goals Honduras and Trinidad & Tobago scored in their latest victories.