Seven decisions new USWNT coach Emma Hayes needs to make before the Olympics

As things stand, who starts in goal for the USWNT this summer is in a state of flux. Alyssa Naeher, the incumbent No.1, will miss the South Korea friendlies due to a thigh injury picked up while in Chicago Red Stars action, and it remains to be seen whether she will be back in time for the Olympics, which kick-off in late-July.

Casey Murphy, Jane Campbell and Aubrey Kingsbury are in the June camp, and of the three, Murphy is the presumed starter, giving the North Carolina Courage ‘keeper a chance to claim the No.1 shirt that Naeher has held onto for some time.

Campbell, though, is in the mix after winning NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year last season, and you can’t write off Naeher, who could certainly start at the Olympics if healthy.

The situation is very fluid, and much will depend on Naeher’s fitness and form as the U.S. heads towards Paris this summer.

One centerback spot is totally set in stone. Naomi Girma is starting – no matter what, her name is locked in. The race to start alongside her, though, is very much on, and Hayes will have some tough calls to make leading up to the Olympics.

For the June friendlies, Hayes has called in veterans Emilly Sonnett and Tierna Davidson to push for that spot. She also threw in a curveball, calling in uncapped Chicago Red Stars defender Sam Staab.

Those aren’t the only contenders, though. Abby Dahlkemper, Becky Sauerbrunn, Alana Cook and Eva Gaetino have all been around the team recently, too, and, even though they aren’t in camp this time around, you can’t write them off.

Girma is good enough to play next to just about anyone, but choosing who joins her in defense will be a big call that will have a major impact on the Olympics.

This is a debate that has raged on for years, and it’s a credit to Crystal Dunn, really. She’s so good at so many things that no one can agree on which position is her best.

For June camp, Dunn was explicitly named as a forward. That decision came after years of her playing almost exclusively at left-back for the USWNT, filling that need in defense. At club level, meanwhile, she plays in midfield, which goes to show how versatile she is.

So what does Hayes do? Dunn may still be the USWNT’s best left-back, although Jenna Nighswonger has risen to the occasion over the course of 2024. The forward group, meanwhile, is already loaded with attacking talent, and the midfield has several locked in starters, too. Spots for Dunn to step in are few and far between, despite her obvious talent.

Even if she doesn’t start, Dunn is a valuable depth option at the very least, and it’ll be interesting to see how Hayes sees her role as her tenure begins.

Publicly, the social media row that centered on Korbin Albert during the USWNT’s April camp seems to be behind everyone, but there have to be some lingering feelings within locker room.

Albert has kept out of the spotlight since she was caught liking and reposting homophobic content while also taking shots at legendary midfielder Megan Rapinoe. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder apologized, the USWNT has talked it out and, publicly, everyone has moved on.

Albert did, however, take aim at several of her teammates’ livelihoods, and there’s no way that everyone involved is just able to move past that. You don’t have to love all of your teammates, though, and the USWNT seems ready to move on from this entirely.

For Hayes, it’ll be important to keep everyone together on the same page, particularly as Albert potentially steps into a bigger on-field role both this summer and in the coming years.

Speaking of the midfield, Hayes has to figure out more than just Albert’s place in it. It remains to be seen how she assembles the whole thing – and there are plenty of options.

Does she play a six behind two No.8s? Does she have a No.10 in there with two players sitting deeper? Or could she throw in three interchangeable midfielders that all have the freedom to roam a bit?

Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan are proven superstars, while Albert and Sam Coffey are both rising stars who have gotten some experience under their belt. Newcomers Lily Yohannes and Hal Hershfelt are in this camp, too, although both will likely miss out on the Olympic roster.

And then you have the attacking midfielders, such as Dunn, Catarina Macario and Jaedyn Shaw. If Alex Morgan is in the squad, you also have to factor in her tendency to drop deeper these days as more of a creator. Speaking of…

This is probably the biggest individual player decision Hayes will have to make: Should Morgan be in the Olympic squad, or has her time as a USWNT regular effectively come to an end?

This will almost certainly be Morgan’s last major tournament if she’s even called up. Right now, it feels like she’s on the fringes, largely due to the sheer amount of attacking options that Hayes has at her disposal.

Morgan has done well enough in her USWNT performances so far in 2024, but a recent injury in NWSL play saw her lose valuable time. Can she make up for it with a few goals in these June games, and will that even be enough to get her on the plane to Paris regardless?

There are only so many spots on the U.S. team, and there are only so many attackers that play at any one time. Hayes, then, has a huge task on her hands when it comes to deciding who goes to Paris, and who stays at home.

Shaw, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman feel like locks for the roster, while. Mallory Swanson is getting there, too, as she returns to full fitness. Dunn is a Swiss Army Knife, while Macario is likely to be a Hayes favorite due to her time at Chelsea. Morgan shouldn’t be forgotten, either, and nor should Lynn Williams.

It’s one of those things where there’s no wrong answer, but there may not be a right one either. There are simply too many choices at Hayes’ disposal here.

So what does her vision look like, and which players fit that vision best? We’ll find out soon enough.