Mallory Pugh has chance to reset after USWNT Olympic qualifying omission

[Unregistered]

Freddy was a very good player, but his career matches the disfunction in MLS and the USMNT. He was never going to carry those teams himself. His situation is a poor comparison for Pugh’s.

How so? he actually did star at U-20 vs much older players. Put up very good intl numbers, got serious endorsement dollars and to most people is considered a bust.

His career at a similar stage to Pugh was FAR better as an individual. The only difference is she plays a part time role on a dominant team.

Why is it a bad comparison ?

[Unregistered]

Lindsey Horan was cut from the World Cup roster in 2015. Went on to win 2018 MVP of the NWSL. And then benched in the final of the 2019 World Cup. And has responded by scoring 5 goals in the past 3 games. Dunn was cut from 2015 World Cup team and responded by winning the golden boot for the NWSL the same year. Ertz (Johnston) was the World Cup 2015 breakout star and found herself being benched and had to work her way back to the starting lineup. This is sports. These women are athletes. To write off Pugh because she’s hit a bump in the road is ridiculous.

[Unregistered]

How so? he actually did star at U-20 vs much older players. Put up very good intl numbers, got serious endorsement dollars and to most people is considered a bust.

His career at a similar stage to Pugh was FAR better as an individual. The only difference is she plays a part time role on a dominant team.

Why is it a bad comparison ?

Because USWNT and NWSL were a step forward in Pugh’s development with world-class players and coaches to learn from and, while the USSF salary isn’t much, there are more endorsement deals to be had to make it lucrative for someone like Pugh. 15 years ago in MLS and USMNT, Adu had none of that. MLS then was totally built on the model of aging foreign stars, not rising US teens. USMNT sucked; in fact as a teen Adu was better than 90% of them. So he had talent that was squandered in a developmental environment that had little to offer him. If he could have found his way to a good European side, his career would have turned out better. Again, bad comparison to Pugh.

Frankly, as I and other posters have pointed out, these silly, disparaging comments about Pugh being left off this current roster are nonsense. If you follow the USWNT, players regularly get called up or moved down depending on the situation. Players sometimes even are in/out of the qualifiers, but come back for the main tournament. It happens all the time. Rarely would a talented, young player like Pugh, who has WC and Olympics experience, be kicked out of the potential pool entirely. If she takes her development seriously and makes the right moves, she’ll be back on the roster, maybe in time for Tokyo.

[Unregistered]

Because USWNT and NWSL were a step forward in Pugh’s development with world-class players and coaches to learn from and, while the USSF salary isn’t much, there are more endorsement deals to be had to make it lucrative for someone like Pugh. 15 years ago in MLS and USMNT, Adu had none of that. MLS then was totally built on the model of aging foreign stars, not rising US teens. USMNT sucked; in fact as a teen Adu was better than 90% of them. So he had talent that was squandered in a developmental environment that had little to offer him. If he could have found his way to a good European side, his career would have turned out better. Again, bad comparison to Pugh.

Frankly, as I and other posters have pointed out, these silly, disparaging comments about Pugh being left off this current roster are nonsense. If you follow the USWNT, players regularly get called up or moved down depending on the situation. Players sometimes even are in/out of the qualifiers, but come back for the main tournament. It happens all the time. Rarely would a talented, young player like Pugh, who has WC and Olympics experience, be kicked out of the potential pool entirely. If she takes her development seriously and makes the right moves, she’ll be back on the roster, maybe in time for Tokyo.

We dont agree. its not about MLS or NWSL. You are missing the point and continue to do so. Adu was an exceptional talent period. He performed as one initially and drew serious interest from Manchester United. In the end, reasons irrelevant, he failed to live up to the initial hype/promise and is almost universally held up as the example of a bust.

Pugh is billed as an exceptional talent. Followed a similar path to Adu with endorsements and profile and in a very short space of time has failed to perform well on a consistent basis and shows similar signs to him. No one has said she cannot recover, but you bristle at the notion that she may well be a bust. To date, she has failed to live up to the billing. You continue to compare her to regular players. Thats the whole point, she is not paid, treated or marketed like a "regular" player. Just like adu wasn't.

[Unregistered]

We dont agree. its not about MLS or NWSL. You are missing the point and continue to do so. Adu was an exceptional talent period. He performed as one initially and drew serious interest from Manchester United. In the end, reasons irrelevant, he failed to live up to the initial hype/promise and is almost universally held up as the example of a bust.

Pugh is billed as an exceptional talent. Followed a similar path to Adu with endorsements and profile and in a very short space of time has failed to perform well on a consistent basis and shows similar signs to him. No one has said she cannot recover, but you bristle at the notion that she may well be a bust. To date, she has failed to live up to the billing. You continue to compare her to regular players. Thats the whole point, she is not paid, treated or marketed like a "regular" player. Just like adu wasn't.

I bristle when someone calls a player a “bust” at the first opportunity. Even more so, when they don’t back it up with facts. And then they dig down and pull out Freddy Adu as a cautionary example, but when someone points out that his situation and Pugh’s are totally different, they dismiss it because it doesn’t fit their false narrative. Players don’t live in a bubble where the leagues/teams/coaches/other players around them don’t matter and it is black and white whether they are “great” or a “bust”. Why don’t you give Pugh’s situation time to play out before declaring her a bust? Maybe you’ll turn out to be right.

[Unregistered]

Lindsey Horan was cut from the World Cup roster in 2015. Went on to win 2018 MVP of the NWSL. And then benched in the final of the 2019 World Cup. And has responded by scoring 5 goals in the past 3 games. Dunn was cut from 2015 World Cup team and responded by winning the golden boot for the NWSL the same year. Ertz (Johnston) was the World Cup 2015 breakout star and found herself being benched and had to work her way back to the starting lineup. This is sports. These women are athletes. To write off Pugh because she’s hit a bump in the road is ridiculous.

Horan is scoring vs weaker competition. She disappoints when the competition gets tougher. Costa Rica did not play a lot of starters. I still think she is a bubble player.

[Unregistered]

Lindsey Horan was cut from the World Cup roster in 2015. Went on to win 2018 MVP of the NWSL. And then benched in the final of the 2019 World Cup. And has responded by scoring 5 goals in the past 3 games. Dunn was cut from 2015 World Cup team and responded by winning the golden boot for the NWSL the same year. Ertz (Johnston) was the World Cup 2015 breakout star and found herself being benched and had to work her way back to the starting lineup. This is sports. These women are athletes. To write off Pugh because she’s hit a bump in the road is ridiculous.

No one has written her off. The point being made is that so far she has not delivered on expectations. Stop comparing her to players who did not come into the league or international scene with similar fanfare. please not that no one has mentioned Davidson. She also left school early and impressed on the NT. She has been omitted and no one cares. Why?

[Unregistered]

I bristle when someone calls a player a “bust” at the first opportunity. Even more so, when they don’t back it up with facts. And then they dig down and pull out Freddy Adu as a cautionary example, but when someone points out that his situation and Pugh’s are totally different, they dismiss it because it doesn’t fit their false narrative. Players don’t live in a bubble where the leagues/teams/coaches/other players around them don’t matter and it is black and white whether they are “great” or a “bust”. Why don’t you give Pugh’s situation time to play out before declaring her a bust? Maybe you’ll turn out to be right.

you have not indicated how they are totally different. Both IDed as superstars from an early age. Generational. Fast tracked to the very top. Freddy eventually flamed out. Pugh has not hit the heights projected yet. She may still. In the internet, insta world we live in it is perfectly reasonable to ask the question if she is going to be a bust.

No clue why you think its not allowed.

[Unregistered]

I bristle when someone calls a player a “bust” at the first opportunity. Even more so, when they don’t back it up with facts. And then they dig down and pull out Freddy Adu as a cautionary example, but when someone points out that his situation and Pugh’s are totally different, they dismiss it because it doesn’t fit their false narrative. Players don’t live in a bubble where the leagues/teams/coaches/other players around them don’t matter and it is black and white whether they are “great” or a “bust”. Why don’t you give Pugh’s situation time to play out before declaring her a bust? Maybe you’ll turn out to be right.

read it again

"but you bristle at the notion that she may well be a bust"

key word being MAY.

[Unregistered]

No one has written her off. The point being made is that so far she has not delivered on expectations. Stop comparing her to players who did not come into the league or international scene with similar fanfare. please not that no one has mentioned Davidson. She also left school early and impressed on the NT. She has been omitted and no one cares. Why?

Because Davidson is injured.

[Unregistered]

you have not indicated how they are totally different. Both IDed as superstars from an early age. Generational. Fast tracked to the very top. Freddy eventually flamed out. Pugh has not hit the heights projected yet. She may still. In the internet, insta world we live in it is perfectly reasonable to ask the question if she is going to be a bust.

No clue why you think its not allowed.

Go back and read post #94. Show us your stats that Pugh hasn’t performed and which “generational” player we should be comparing her to.

If you’ve been saying she’s a bust all along, then point us to the thread/post where you made this prediction in the past.

[Unregistered]

Go back and read post #94. Show us your stats that Pugh hasn’t performed and which “generational” player we should be comparing her to.

If you’ve been saying she’s a bust all along, then point us to the thread/post where you made this prediction in the past.

do you think stats tell the whole story? Show me the stats that suggest she has? Its a fair question. I think she has been ok, nothing special. Last paragraph irrelevant. Im not saying I called it (there are multiple posters here). Im saying she MAY be one when we look back.

[Unregistered]

Unless her mom, dad or grandmom is defending her on this, why does the poster keep defending her? It is a matter of opinion....pro and con. She and Brian are players that were both projected to be the next Mia. Didn't happen....yet. May not at all.

Good for her to go as far as she has. But she (Pugh) isn't even close to Hamm status.

[Unregistered]

Unless her mom, dad or grandmom is defending her on this, why does the poster keep defending her? It is a matter of opinion....pro and con. She and Brian are players that were both projected to be the next Mia. Didn't happen....yet. May not at all.

Good for her to go as far as she has. But she (Pugh) isn't even close to Hamm status.

Agreed.

[Unregistered]

http://www.unusualefforts.com/mallory-pugh-uswnt/

I remember these stories tenfold when she was annointed by ussf. Maybe if they just let her develop instead of using her to sell tickets, she would have.