Not just the farewells! Seven things we need to see as the USWNT begin to move on from Women's World Cup nightmare

The Vlatko Andonovski era is over, and the (temporary) Twila Kilgore era is now beginning. Kilgore is serving as the USWNT's interim coach for now as the federation searches for Andonovski's replacement. Technical director Matt Crocker says that U.S. Soccer is hard at work with that task and that a new hire should be in relatively soon, but for now, this is Kilgore's team.

Kilgore has been with the U.S. Soccer program for some time, having started with the Under-20s before serving as both Andonovski's assistant and U.S. U23s coach. Her tenure in charge may not last long, but it certainly will be interesting.

Will Kilgore institute any changes? Will she abandon any of the concepts that, ultimately, led to failure at the World Cup? Or will she know her place as a more transitional coach and simply try to keep things together rather than reinvent things overnight?

Either way, it'll be intriguing to see someone different at the helm and to find out what that means for a USWNT that is in transition.

One of the biggest 'what ifs' from the 2023 World Cup centers around Sam Coffey. What would have happened if she wasn't overlooked? How would that midfield have performed with Coffey involved? Well, we'll get a pretty decent look during this window.

With the bulk of the World Cup squad hanging around, the introduction of Coffey will give us something of a look into what this team could have looked like with the midfielder involved. A No.6 that is capable of disrupting play and moving the ball, the fact that Coffey never got integrated to the team was one of Andonovski's biggest failures.

She'll now get a chance to prove herself, though, as she looks to make an impression early on the road to 2027.

One of two uncapped players in the squad, Jaedyn Shaw is a player that should be an intriguing one for the USWNT. She can either play out wide or centrally, making her a dangerous weapon that gives the U.S. tactical flexibility whenever she's in the XI. And she's just 18 years old, so this is all just beginning.

Shaw was U.S. Soccer's Young Player of the Year last year and already has plenty of NWSL experience under her belt for the San Diego Wave, despite her youth. Talent-wise, she's as promising as it gets, and her positional flexibility make her an even more interesting talent for a USWNT that remains loaded with young attackers.

With players like Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Alyssa Thompson all just getting started, how does Shaw fit in, especially in a fully-fit squad? Hopefully this camp offers an early idea.

To begin her career, Mia Fishel took the road less travelled, and that road has led her right to the USWNT anyway. From UCLA to Tigres and, now, a historic move to Chelsea, Fishel has forged a reputation as a goalscorer. She scored boatloads at Tigres, and it's her ability to put the ball in the back of the net that has her in the USWNT picture.

However, the U.S. has several other goalscorers around the team. Smith, Alex Morgan and Mallory Swanson (when healthy), all score plenty. So how does Fishel fit? Can she unseat one of the team's regular stars?

We'll learn the answer to that in the coming years, not the coming days, but Fishel will no doubt be looking to make a good first impression.

One of the most awkward parts of a new World Cup cycle is the process of reintegrating those that just missed out on the tournament itself. Players that missed out on a lifelong dream are asked to come back in and stare down those that beat them to it.

This group has a few of those. Ashley Hatch, the striker that couldn't quite score enough to get into Andonovski's side, is back in the fold. Tierna Davidson, a 2019 World Cup winner, is back again as well. And then there's veteran Casey Kruger, a 2021 Olympian who is also back in the mix.

How will those three fare in this camp and can Hatch, in particular, make a statement in this crowded forward pool? Even with the 2023 cycle now over, it'll be hard to put that disappointment in the rearview mirror, but the hope of 2027 should give those returnees something to get excited about.

In the end, the USWNT's 2023 World Cup run was doomed by their attack. Despite all of the talent in the final third of the field, the U.S. attack just never really clicked, scoring only one goal over their final three games before crashing out.

The talent is there, for sure, but there has to be some reason that things just didn't work out. Maybe a different voice and some slightly different ideas is what this team needs. Maybe Kilgore can add the little tweak needed to get things going.

There are plenty of pieces, both from this summer's tournament and newcomers, for Kilgore to play with. South Africa, meanwhile, are a good team who qualified for the last-16 at the World Cup and should provide challenges for a forward line that could use a confidence-boosting window.

While all of the above is going on, the main focus will be on something totally different. Because, for all the discussions about the future, this camp is very much about honoring the past. Ertz and Rapinoe are both USWNT legends, legitimate superstars that played an incredible role in not just winning trophies, but growing the game on and off the field. The USWNT will miss both of them, and neither can be replaced.

And, unfortunately for them, neither got the send-off they wanted. These games could have been part of a victory tour, one last hurrah for two titans with one last World Cup trophy in hand. Instead, it's a more muted goodbye under an interim coach as the team treads water a bit while waiting for a new boss.

Still, Rapinoe and Ertz deserve their flowers, and they'll get them this week. Two icons will say goodbye and, as they leave, the USWNT can begin to look forward toward whatever comes next.