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May 30, 2001
Matildas defender Dianne Alagich rushed
off to the US at short notice this morning to join the WUSA Bay
Area CyberRays
The 22-year-old is the second Australian player to join the WUSA
ranks, and reunites with Matildas teammate Julie Murray. South Australian
Alagich received the phone call at two o'clock this morning with
the thrilling news, and had just two hours to get organised and
packed before rushing to the airport for a 9am flight.
The CyberRays
started moves a week ago, five matches into this the inaugural season,
to solidify their defence and called upon Danish captain Lene Terp.
In order to accommodate a new overseas signing, the club had first
released Canadian Amy Walsh to stay within the four foreign player
limit. But a continuing delay in securing Terp's visa means she
could not arrive at the club until after the European Championships
in July.
Alagich
was consequently called upon at the expense of the Dane. After being
placed on standby for just a few days, Alagich is shocked that it
has all come through in her favour.
"I'm just
stoked, and can't believe it's all happening," she said briefly
whilst en route at Sydney airport.
The Aussie
contingent has grown to three at the CyberRays. Assistant Coach
Tom Sermanni a former National Coach of the Matildas, and the one
who first selected Alagich for the National Team at age sixteen
in mid-1995, is also there.
After a
knee reconstruction the following year, Alagich fought her way back
into the team in 1999 and went on to earn selection for both the
World Cup and Olympic Games, playing every minute of Australia's
six matches.
The number
of the Austaralian Olympic squad members now playing overseas has
grown over the last few weeks to a total of nine Lisa Casagrande,
Kelly Golebiowski, Sunni Hughes, Danielle Small, Amy Taylor are
all in the United States. Alison Forman and Sharon Black are in
Denmark, and Sarah Cooper is also heading to America in a coaching
role.
See
related feature
Some
thoughts from Tom Sermanni, Head Coach of the Australian Women's
Team
By Roger Rogers
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