Andonovski becomes US women’s coach

NEW YORK (AP) — Vlatko Andonovski is well aware of the expectations he faces as the new coach of the U.S women’s national team.

His predecessor, Jill Ellis, led the team to consecutive World Cup titles — an accomplishment her successor can only hope to equal.

“What this team has done and what Jill has done is absolutely amazing,” Andonovski said Monday at his introductory news conference. “Jill was hired to win one World Cup, and she won two. It just pushed the standards even higher. … I knew coming into it that it will be extremely important to win all the big tournaments.”

The native of Macedonia played for several teams in Europe before an indoor soccer career in the United States. He has coached in the National Women’s Soccer League for the past seven seasons, starting with FC Kansas City from the league’s inception in 2013 until the team folded in 2017 and winning two titles in that time. The 43-year-old joined Reign FC in 2017.

Hiring a new coach was the first major task for U.S. general manager Kate Markgraf since her hiring in August as the first person to hold that position.

“We identified the qualities we thought were most important for this unique position. We talked to quite a few people in the women’s soccer community domestically and around the world, and in the end, Vlatko was the best fit with his experience with elite players, how he sees the game, how he coaches the game and manages players, and his overall personality and ability to take on a job of this magnitude,” Markgraf said. “I know all the players and staff are excited to begin this new chapter in women’s national team history with him and start the important work towards qualifying for the Olympics.”