Courage set to make playoff push with one month left in regular season
CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Nearly two months after one of the most shocking mid-season moves in club history, the North Carolina Courage have put themselves in position to make a push into the NWSL playoffs.
On Aug. 6, the club fired longtime head coach Sean Nahas, citing "confounding performance issues, culture issues, and a perceived lack of fit." Nahas' longtime assistant Nathan Thackeray has since taken over as interim head coach -- leading the Courage to a 2-4-3 record and just one point out of the postseason picture.
"I want the players to want to win," said Thackeray. "It's a big part of being a professional athlete."
There's a multitude of reasons why the Courage are in the position they're in. Defender Dani Weatherholt has been one player who has seen her minutes increase tremendously under Thackeray.
"I think our mentality is that we deeply believe in one another," she said. "We're focused one game at a time."
With one month (four games) left on the calendar, Saturday presents one of -- if not the most crucial game of the season, when eighth-place Racing Louisville comes to town. The Courage trail Louisville in the standings by one point, and a win would go a long way towards their playoff goal.
"This Louisville game is the most important game, and then once we cross that bridge, we'll focus on the next three," Weatherholt said.
