August 5th Interview with Lorrie Fair and Tony DiCicco

Lorrie Fair

Never underestimate the power of the internet. While I was on vacation in San Diego on Monday, I got a call to inquire if I was interested in interviewing Lorrie Fair and Tony DiCicco for my blog after the match between the U-20 National Women’s team and the Chelsea Ladies Football Club. Normally I don’t conduct business on a rare family vacation, but for this opportunity I was willing to make an exception. It was only last year that I first met Lorrie when she agreed to be a guest coach for my daughter’s U-13 soccer team and she did a fantastic job with our girls. As for Tony, he is one of the leaders in women’s soccer in the US and current head coach of the Boston Breakers. Here is the interview, minutes after the US won a tight match 2-1.

Q: Describe the match.

L: It was a close match. The US squad was more fit and that showed up in the second half with our team giving away too many balls. In the end it could have gone either way and I am proud of how well our team played.

T: The game could have gone either way, but I believe the right outcome occurred. The speed was good for Chelsea and I felt that we really played well in the second half. After games against Arsenal and Everton, it was good to see us finish up strong, especially since we were using three players that haven’t yet entered college.

Q: What does this match signify?

T: This game will really help the US team player development. I am trying to expose our players through these matches to women who have grown up watching soccer as part of their culture and have a sense about the game that we have yet to capture in the U.S.

L: I think these matches are great for building the global female soccer market. I would like to see more matches between the US and England female soccer clubs. There is a lot of talented youth here in England and these matches can inspire them and demonstrate how important women’s soccer is to the country.

Q: Provide an overview of US women’s chances in the Olympics?

L: They have a great chance to win, but as usual, it is a tough competition.

T: We have an excellent Olympic team that should do well in China. I am excited about some of the players I am working with now that will challenge for positions on the national team in the upcoming years and make our national team even stronger.

Q: Talk about the Women’s Professional Soccer League? Lorrie – will you be on a team next year?

L: I am fully in support of the WPS and am excited about its start. As for playing, I don’t have any plans to do so with the league and right now I have a torn ACL and really couldn’t play anywhere until next October or November. I enjoy what I am doing here now with the Chelsea Football Club, which has been great to me. Besides, I am getting a bit old (laughs) relative to other players.

T: I think the league will be incredibly important for women’s soccer in the US. It will be an exciting league with some of the best players in the world. The competition will be wonderful for development of US players and should promote the game world-wide. I can’t wait for the season to begin.

Tony DiCicco

Q: Speaking of the league, Tony – how do you balance your various duties?

T: Well they work together. Even though I am spending a lot of time right now with the U-20 National team, the role allows me to spend time scouting potential players for the Boston Breakers and also focus on player development, which will be very important in the WPS.

Q: Lorrie – tell us a bit more about your role with the Chelsea Ladies.

L: I am raising the profile of women’s soccer in England. We are fighting a culture that doesn’t think that women should play football, but there are many talented female players that just need more support. For example, many teams only train twice a week right now and we would like to get it to the point where the teams can practice as much as is necessary. I have been down this road before in France and there has been a significant change in the last few years. Also, I want to make sure that our team can compete for the championship so it isn’t Arsenal winning each year.

Q: Finally, how do you think the WPS will affect women’s soccer in Europe?

L: I think it will drive the best players to go to the US and that will build interest in women’s soccer in the local countries. Over time, I hope that England will open it borders to foreign players so that the worldwide game improves and the play in England improves.

T: I don’t think it will have a great affect on the quality of play in the European leagues. We are only talking about 35 players coming from a dozen or so countries to the US so the impact will be felt more in the US, which will get to see some fantastic players on a weekly basis.