Soccer-Ellis extends U.S. women's soccer head coach contract

Aug 5 (Reuters) - Jill Ellis, who coached the United States
to a Women's World Cup title last month, agreed to a multi-year
contract extension to remain in charge of the national team,
U.S. Soccer said on
Wednesday.
"When we hired Jill, we all knew the great challenge that
was ahead of her and the team," said U.S. Soccer president Sunil
Gulati in a statement.
"She met that challenge with tremendous passion and
knowledge to win what was perhaps the most difficult Women's
World Cup tournament in history.
"As we look towards the Rio Olympics and build towards the
2019 World Cup in France, we think Jill is the ideal person to
lead the next generation of the women's national team."
British-born Ellis, 48, took over as head coach in May 2014
with just over a year to get ready for the Women's World Cup in
Canada, after previous coach Tom Sermanni was dumped.
The United States topped their World Cup group and then won
three elimination games without conceding a goal to reach the
final where they crushed defending champions Japan 5-2.
Including two stints as interim head coach (in 2012 and
2014), Ellis has compiled an overall record of 29 wins, nine
draws and two defeats.
An assistant for the 2008 and 2012 Olympic gold
medal-winning squads, Ellis will now focus on preparing the team
for the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament slated to take
place early in 2016.
"We are going to have some turnover on the National Team as
we look towards the Olympics and the next Women's World Cup in
France, but that's always part of the natural evolution," said
Ellis. "It will be the job of the players and staff to keep up
the world-class level of effort and intensity to meet the high
expectations of this program.
"It's a challenge we are all looking forward to."