Chicago Red Stars Notebook: Lorne Donaldson, Alyssa Naeher, Cari Roccaro, and More

The Chicago Red Stars will finally begin their 2024 NWSL season in Utah on Saturday, looking to turn things around after a forgettable 2023 campaign.

The squad looks different and Lorne Donaldson is now the head coach in Chicago after a successful run with the Jamaican Women’s National Team. He'll get his first taste of NWSL regular season action in Utah. The Red Stars’ coach sees the transition from international competition to domestic league play as minimal from a coaching perspective.

“Coaching is coaching,” Donaldson said over Zoom during the club’s weekly media availability. “The toughest thing is to just get a group, especially with a lot of new players, and get everybody on the same page. Just trying to get a culture that people believe in and we can move on from there. It’s a group effort. We’re all in this together and if we’re all thinking the same way, trying to get out and get results will fall in line. The toughest thing is getting everyone thinking the same way, moving in the same direction and we just have one goal.”

Donaldson and his staff will face a relatively unknown challenge in Utah since this is the Royals’ first match, giving Chicago very little film to scout ahead of time. The Red Stars have had to focus on scouting opposing players' habits rather than the previous matches.

“You look at this game and focus on the individual players that they have and their tendencies. The focus has to lean toward us. How can we go in there and leave a print, so we turn the script and they have to watch what we do. That’s what we want to do, we make a print right away and we make it about us. But we also take a look at their players to know what they do best.”

Donaldson described the Red Stars' season opener as a “real-teller” in terms of how the club has progressed through the preseason and didn’t discount the effect altitude might have on the contest. The preseason friendlies against college sides were helpful but not a 1-1 comparison to NWSL play.

Alyssa Naeher on Quick Turnaround Post-W Gold Cup

For those who may be unaware, it’s been a busy few weeks for United States Women’s National Team and Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. She was with her national team winning the inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup in spectacular fashion while her Red Stars teammates prepared for the upcoming NWSL season. Naeher said the time she put in before departing Chicago's preseason camp was enough to ensure she’ll be ready on Saturday in Utah.

“I think to kick off the year with the tournament you get played on pretty quick,” said Naeher. “Definitely put the time in before leaving to get as accustomed and acclimated to a new group as I could in the two weeks before leaving. I tried to stay relatively connected while being focused as well, on off days and what not just checking back in and keeping up to date on what was going on. Excited for the season to kick off this weekend, a quick turnaround for sure, but good to get back in with the group and see the progress that’s been made in the last month. I think we’re all kind of excited to get ready and play some games.”

Cari Roccaro

Roccaro was a consistent part of Chicago’s midfield throughout her first season in a Red Stars kit. After playing with three different clubs from 2021 to 2023, Roccaro is thrilled to be back in Chicago for a second season.

“It’s really nice to have some stability for the first time in a couple of years,” said Roccaro. “I think it was really great for me to get an offseason here under my belt, be around the girls, be around some coaches, use the facilities. It’s been wonderful, I'm excited to be here, I chose to be here, super pumped about that and really excited for the future of this club and excited to do what I can to help out in any way.”

When asked, Roccaro said she was among the first to text Naeher after the goalkeeper’s outstanding performance in the W Gold Cup Final and expects the USWNT star to take a PK at some point in Chicago.

“She heard from me maybe 30 seconds after the game ended. I was very pumped for her. She has ice in her veins, but I'm not surprised, I've trained with her in the offseason, I've seen how she trains, I've learned how she’s focused and I'm not surprised at all and I hope she kicks a penalty for the Red Stars this year.”

Chicago Red Stars Roster

Chicago’s regular-season roster was announced earlier this week and features five rookies alongside Nádia Gomes as the players who have yet to compete in an NWSL regular-season contest. It’s a different look from 2023 and this squad has the potential to make the NWSL playoffs, which shouldn’t be an irrational expectation.

W Gold Cup Cuts

Samantha Fisher and Jill Aguilera didn't make the Red Stars final roster after missing a portion of the preseason to compete in the W Gold Cup with El Salvador and Puerto Rico, respectively. Lorne Donaldson didn’t deny that the two’s chances of making Chicago’s final roster were diminished by their participation in the cross-continental tournament when asked about it.

“They had a wonderful Gold Cup and I was happy for them to go play for their country, but when we select players we have to go with players that are going to bring the best out of this club. They’re good players, I'm sure they’ll go somewhere else and play, but it has nothing to do with them not being good players. They’re very very good players, but we have to get a group of players that we think can collectively function and get some results.”

What’s On Tap Next?

The Red Stars travel to Utah to start their season on Saturday. Chicago kicks off against the NWSL newcomers at 6:30 PM CT and the match will air on ION.