The season only gets darker for Sky Blue FC as they have announced on Twitter the firing of head coach Denise Reddy. The team will begin an external search for a replacement.
Reddy joined Sky Blue in 2017 and has been at the helm for two of the worst professional seasons in recent American soccer history. Last year Sky Blue grabbed just one win, coming on the last day of the season, and finished with a record of 1-17-6. This year they have started equally bad with no wins through the first nine games.
All of this has happened despite bringing in US Women’s National team legend Carli Lloyd. While her contributions have certainly diminished when compared to her earlier work, she was meant to be a mentor to younger players such as Julie James and Raquel Rodriguez. Instead frustration has boiled over with ownership and off-the-field issues such as poor training conditions taking over most of the discussion.
Reddy herself had quite a resume before joining the team. She coached in the W-League with Jersey Sky Blue and the Chicago Red Stars before jumping to Europe with Vittsjo GIK and Linkopings FC in Sweden. She returned to the newer NWSL in 2016 as an assistant coach with the Washington Spirit and then as the head coach with Sky Blue in 2017.
What may have appeared to be a chance to get in on the ground floor with a young team quickly turned sour with little hope of getting better. Reddy coached through the diminishing fan base, awful press and lack of resources. In the end, the results weren’t just bad but some of the worst possible. Now she steps aside with little news on who will be the replacement.
Interest in the job is more than likely at an all-time low. The team will more than likely look within the league for an option but there is a possibility that more news is imminent that could involve far more than just changes to the coaching staff.
Tag: Denise Reddy
Song Remains the Same for Sky Blue to Start 2019
If fans of Sky Blue FC were hoping for a spark to distract from the off-season craziness they didn’t get it on Saturday when the team dropped two second half goals to the Washington Spirit in a 2-0 loss. The game was eerily similar to many of their 2019 games where the midfield was erratic and chances at goal were few.
Not too much blame can be put on head coach Denise Reddy. Her team had difficulty signing draft picks in the and the constant state of flux around the team may be making it impossible to stay focused on soccer. However, the tactics could have been altered against a Washington team that had their own problems in 2018. Instead it was much the same as Sky Blue suffered from mental lapses at key moments of the game.
“There are so many things that are different,” said Washington Spirit captain Andi Sullivan when describing the week one winners. “So many new faces, coaching staff is different, everything is different. So on the field, it feels like a totally different team and it’s a fresh start.”
That quote may sting both fans and players on Sky Blue who see many of the same issues from 2018. Washington made significant stride to avoid their horrid campaign, yet Sky Blue seems to be on the trajectory towards another disappointing run.
It is just week one. However it is difficult to separate the issues of last year from what plagued the team on the field against the Spirit on Saturday. In fact, it could be stated that Sky Blue has adopted many of DC’s issues quite literally. Three out of the five players brought in this off-season where from the Spirit last year.
Going into this week’s game against Houston, Sky Blue’s home opener, the search for progress will be paramount. A result of some kind would be optimal but a sense of growth and optimism is what is sorely needed.
Backline Soccer Archive 