Coach Greg Ryan . . . whoops. Nothing like choking on the biggest stage, the semifinals of the World Cup, when all you had to do was throw out the same lineup that got you there.

Predictably, U.S. national team coach Greg Ryan’s attempt to remind everyone just who is in charge ended in disaster.

“Dammit, I’m gonna start whoever I want in goal, because I’m the coach, and I dictate what happens, and we’re gonna change goalies in the semis of the World Cup with some flimsy excuse about reaction-type saves.”

But Brianna Scurry can’t react to a damn thing when her teammates haven’t played a game with her in six months, and communication and positioning are out the window. And if Hope Solo had allowed herself a bit of a smile during this utter disaster, she can’t be blamed.

4-0, Brazil.

Way to go, coach. You’re pushing the buttons. For now. And when that new Women’s Soccer League starts up in the U.S. in 2009, you’ll probably have a job.

If that league starts up at that point, of course. Just as those who follow women’s soccer were desperately hoping that the U.S. women would win the 2003 title on home soil to re-ignite the remote possibility that the WUSA could be saved, advertisers were looking at a possible Women’s World Cup title this year as a springboard.

Again, whoops.