When someone close is going through hard times, it’s only natural to empathize.

Marci Miller-Jobson, NIU women’s soccer head coach, is hurting this week for Greg Ryan, the U.S. Women’s National Team head coach.

U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati announced on Monday that Ryan’s contract would not be renewed when it expires at the end of 2007. The decision was made after a review of the team’s third-place finish in the 2007 FIFA World Cup in China.

Ryan coached the Women’s National Team for nearly three years, compiling a 45-1-9 record, with the only loss coming Sept. 27 when the U.S. fell 4-1 to Brazil in the World Cup Semifinals. Miller-Jobson, who played for the U.S. in the recent World Cup, reflected on her coach’s misfortune.

“I’m saddened for Greg because I think he’s a very good coach and he did a very good job with our team,” she said. “Unfortunately, at the highest level, when your team doesn’t win the World Cup Championship, your job can be in jeopardy, but that’s the name of the job.”

Miller-Jobson has ties with Ryan that go back to when she was a teenager. He recruited her to play at Wisconsin. When he left the Badgers to coach at Southern Methodist, Miller-Jobson followed.

“Since I was young, I really believed in him a lot as a coach and knew he would be able to improve me a lot as a player,” Miller-Jobson said. “Obviously, being under him helped me get to that next level, playing in the WUSA and going back and playing for him in the National Team.”

Ryan’s term ended with a little drama. He was highly criticized for his decision to lift U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo from the net and replace her with Brianna Scurry, who allowed four goals in the loss to Brazil.

“I don’t know all the thoughts behind why U.S. Soccer makes decisions, but that’s probably one of the things they used to make their decision,” Miller-Jobson said.

NIU’s head coach has high hopes for Ryan in the future. She believes that with his experience, he’ll go on to other coaching endeavors.

“I think he’ll go on to coach somewhere else, whether at a university, with another country or professionally,” Miller-Jobson said.