A trio of stars won’t be attending the USWNT January training camp
Three notable USWNT stars have been left off the latest camp roster.
It’s 2021 and the USWNT finally has the summer Olympics in their sight again. They’re kicking off the year with a January camp that will feature two games against Colombia. A mixture of seasoned veterans and talented young blood will make up the roster, however you might notice three notable names are missing.
The list of forwards heading to camp is lacking in depth and numbers due to the absence of Alex Morgan, Christen Press, and Tobin Heath, a trio of stars who could easily round out the USWNT’s starting line up when the Olympics roll around.
With a handful of games under her belt, a couple of goals on the score sheet, and her game fitness returning, Alex Morgan decided last month that her days at Tottenham had come to an end. Upon heading home to rejoin the NWSL for the upcoming season, she made a pit stop to visit family for the holidays and contracted COVID-19. As a result, she has unsurprisingly been left off the USWNT roster as she recovers.
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Unlike Morgan, Christen Press and Tobin Heath have chosen to continue their WSL journey with Manchester United. The two USWNT strikers have contributed immensely to United’s success as they sit at the top of the league table. With January games against Everton and Chelsea, who also find themselves in the top half of the league table, Press and Heath have opted to remain with their club rather than join the USWNT in Orlando.
Through years of league games, USWNT camps, World Cups, and Olympics, Press and Heath have proven themselves to be indispensable members of the national team, and therefore their decision to remain with their club for the month of January should have no impact as to whether they are named to the eventual Olympic roster. Alex Morgan should also be a shoo-in for the Olympic team if she can return to her 2019 form, although her current run-in with COVID-19 will do her no favors.
Next. Alex Morgan nets her first goal for Tottenham. dark
Meanwhile, this January camp will be a great opportunity for head coach Vlatko Andonovski to continue evaluating the younger players on the roster as well as veterans whose playing time tends to suffer when the big names of the team are around.