O’Reilly’s move receives rave reviews
Friday, February 22, 2008
By: Karyn Lush | Special to womensprosoccer.com
(Feb. 22, 2008) – During a U.S. Women’s National Team practice in January, Pia Sundhage pulled Heather O’Reilly aside.
“Have you ever played midfield?” the U.S. head coach asked.
A lifelong forward, O’Reilly replied that some coaches had experimented with her at outside midfielder. After a moment’s pause, she indicated she was willing to switch positions.
“I was definitely up for the challenge and I think she thought it would be a good fit, so we went ahead and made that change,” said O’Reilly. “In a 4-4-2, I think that might fit my qualities as a player better than as a forward.”
What in her game makeup caused both Sundhage and O’Reilly to consider the move?
(Matt A. Brown/isiphotos.com)
Heather O'Reilly had lots to celebrate at the Four Nations Tournament in January as she led the U.S. to the title while winning the MVP award.
For starters, O’Reilly possesses blazing speed. Operating on the flank provides plenty of open space to exploit her wheels and also allows her to take advantage of her one-v-one skills. After she’s left one defender in her wake, O’Reilly draws another opening up real estate in the box for her teammates to make threatening runs. With her underrated crossing ability, O’Reilly pinpoints a teammate and delivers the ball setting up a prime scoring opportunity.
All of these strengths come naturally. Knowing when to rein in her attacking instincts to retreat on defense is taking an adjustment.
“I like to be as far up against their defense on offense as possible, against their restraining line,” said O’Reilly. “Now I’m back a little bit from that, so that’s something I’m going to have to get used to. It’s more space for me to cover. Fitness is definitely going to be a priority this year, no different than it ever is, but I’m definitely going to have more responsibilities to get up and down the flank.”
O’Reilly’s test flight as a right outside midfielder came at January’s Four Nations Tournament in China and received rave reviews. In the tournament’s opening match versus Canada, she tallied three assists, a one-game total that exceeded her assist output during any single year of her National Team career. Against Finland she won a number of corner kicks, and she continued her dangerous play in the Four Nations Tournament finale against China. Despite not finding the back of the net, O’Reilly was named the competition’s Most Valuable Player.
“The fact that I didn’t score a goal, I would not think that I would win the Most Valuable Player award, but I was excited that I did,” she said. “My whole career has been so focused on scoring that it was really neat to be recognized for other contributions.”
She is, however, intent on recording her first score of the year when the U.S. travels to Portugal for the Algarve Cup from March 5-12.
“This is still part of my goalscorer’s mentality, but I always feel that if I don’t score, I didn’t necessarily do my job,” O’Reilly said.
Following the Four Nations Tournament, Sundhage and O’Reilly huddled once again. They discussed O’Reilly’s performance in China and concluded that her trial at right flank midfield should continue.
“She’s excited about my potential there,” O’Reilly said of her coach. “She knows that it’s going to be a couple of months of growth. It’s just getting a little more versatility in my game. I definitely want to get in with her and watch a lot of video and get her insights about what she thinks and about what the midfielder’s jobs are.”
This time O’Reilly will be the one asking the questions.
Karyn Lush is a freelance writer and can be reached at karyn.wps@gmail.com. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of Women’s Professional Soccer or womensprosoccer.com.