World Cup

[csirl]

We're all part of Jackies army,
We're all off to Italy,
We're going to shake it up,
When we win the World Cup,
'Cause Ireland is the greatest football team,
Ole ole ole.....ole ole ole etc.

Best ever WC song. Still makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Not to be a party pooper but it usually takes a cycle and a half to 2 cycles for the U20s success to translate.

England has good play on attack but seems soft at GK and FB. Kane, Vardy up front could really score. Sterling as a winger...

I hope RLC gets a lot of time as I think he's a really good young 2 way player with huge things on the horizon.

Weird to see England with so much offense and a lack of defenders and GK.

Its pretty hopeless in regard to US soccer any time soon. We went many many cycles with no young talent pushing the older guys. This notion that the MLS can create a pipeline of young talent is a fantasy. We need many young american kids at soccer academies in Europe or nothing will change.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Its pretty hopeless in regard to US soccer any time soon. We went many many cycles with no young talent pushing the older guys. This notion that the MLS can create a pipeline of young talent is a fantasy. We need many young american kids at soccer academies in Europe or nothing will change.

Exactly! If the US ever wants to become a powerhouse, then the US MUST change EVERYTHING that it does currently, in regards to football. No more treating football like it's just aother American sport. It's not. It's a global sport, and needs to be played and run as such. It was completely thick-headed of the US to sack Klinnsman when he was trying to bring a German-style of football to the US. What more did they expect from him with the talent that he had? He did a brilliant job with the players that he had, and he was the mastermind that created the German machine that won the World Cup and looks poised to do it again.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

The US Men's National Team ownership MUST get another European-style HC (assuming one will bother to come over after what happened to Klinsmann) and let him run the ENTIRE ORGANIZATION as he sees fit. Otherwise, we'll be stuck with Jason Garretts on the USMNT, if you will.

 

[jterrell]

Its pretty hopeless in regard to US soccer any time soon. We went many many cycles with no young talent pushing the older guys. This notion that the MLS can create a pipeline of young talent is a fantasy. We need many young american kids at soccer academies in Europe or nothing will change.

Actually Jurgen did do that.
And he begged guys not to come back to MLS, even leaving off Donovan 4 years ago to prove that point.
We have a lot of young talent playing overseas.
They are just 18--20 and outside Pulisic not ascendant talent.

I really like the look of a lot of these young guys. Weah, McKinnie, Miazga, Adams.
But they couldn't beat anyone right now so must develop.

And yes keeping that pipeline to Europe going strong is key.
We need more players heading that way and to stop relying on semi-retired MLS guys.
The pace of the game is just different and it takes a greater toll when we play internationally and our best players must carry the team for 90 minutes.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Exactly! If the US ever wants to become a powerhouse, then the US MUST change EVERYTHING that it does currently, in regards to football. No more treating football like it's just aother American sport. It's not. It's a global sport, and needs to be played and run as such. It was completely thick-headed of the US to sack Klinnsman when he was trying to bring a German-style of football to the US. What more did they expect from him with the talent that he had? He did a brilliant job with the players that he had, and he was the mastermind that created the German machine that won the World Cup and looks poised to do it again.

He never should have taken the job b/c the task is hopeless without better players. He kind of lost of the team toward the end. Since the 2014 world cup, the team has been passionless and without a clear direction..

 

[atlantacowboy]

Actually Jurgen did do that.
And he begged guys not to come back to MLS, even leaving off Donovan 4 years ago to prove that point.
We have a lot of young talent playing overseas.
They are just 18--20 and outside Pulisic not ascendant talent.

I really like the look of a lot of these young guys. Weah, McKinnie, Miazga, Adams.
But they couldn't beat anyone right now so must develop.

And yes keeping that pipeline to Europe going strong is key.
We need more players heading that way and to stop relying on semi-retired MLS guys.
The pace of the game is just different and it takes a greater toll when we play internationally and our best players must carry the team for 90 minutes.

Well, you can thank Arena who prefers MLS guys and loaded up on them. I like the MLS, but it is what it is...........it is not on par with any of the major European leagues. Its like we are trying to scrape together the best CFL football players to compete against NFL teams.

But, in my opinion, we should at least be able to get through CONCAF even with a lot of MLS players. There is no excuse for failure on this scale. T&T is not exactly loaded with world class players either.

 

[jterrell]

Well, you can thank Arena who prefers MLS guys and loaded up on them. I like the MLS, but it is what it is...........it is not on par with any of the major European leagues. Its like we are trying to scrape together the best CFL football players to compete against NFL teams.

But, in my opinion, we should at least be able to get through CONCAF even with a lot of MLS players. There is no excuse for failure on this scale. T&T is not exactly loaded with world class players either.

No disagreement here.
I live in Dallas area very close to FC Dallas facility and have been out there many times.
I also watch Chelsea every game via either stream or TV and the speed and technical ability of the games is not even comparable. Like High school versus College.

Arena was brought in solely to make the World Cup. It was a save face type move that failed badly when the MLS re-treads showed up in poor shape and form.
Pulisic was all the fire that we had in those qualifying games.

Klinnsman had the bigger picture in mind always and really pushed kids to Europe. Hopefully we continue to do so despite that short Arena stint.
The US has a good group of 17-21 year olds. I just hope we also have a great group of 13-17 year olds. I know we don't have much in way of 22-27 year olds we can hang our hat on.

 

[csirl]

The current continental federation system works against the USA. Most of CONCACAF is smaller countries. USA should be lobbying for a merger with the South American federation into a Pan-American Federation. This will give USA stronger opposition in International competitions.

South American WC qualification suffers a lot from fixture fatigue, but unfortunately International politics giving them way more WC finals representation than is merited makes them reluctant to change.

The lure of potential US TV network money for an expanded Champions League club competition - including US and Mexican clubs alongside the South Americans could help ease the deal.

 

[atlantacowboy]

The current continental federation system works against the USA. Most of CONCACAF is smaller countries. USA should be lobbying for a merger with the South American federation into a Pan-American Federation. This will give USA stronger opposition in International competitions.

South American WC qualification suffers a lot from fixture fatigue, but unfortunately International politics giving them way more WC finals representation than is merited makes them reluctant to change.

The lure of potential US TV network money for an expanded Champions League club competition - including US and Mexican clubs alongside the South Americans could help ease the deal.

No way dude. We would NEVER qualify for a world cup if we had to play Argentina, Brazil, Columbia....... We would struggle against peru and Bolivia.

 

[jterrell]

The current continental federation system works against the USA. Most of CONCACAF is smaller countries. USA should be lobbying for a merger with the South American federation into a Pan-American Federation. This will give USA stronger opposition in International competitions.

South American WC qualification suffers a lot from fixture fatigue, but unfortunately International politics giving them way more WC finals representation than is merited makes them reluctant to change.

The lure of potential US TV network money for an expanded Champions League club competition - including US and Mexican clubs alongside the South Americans could help ease the deal.

No offense but that's completely wrong IMO.
CONCACAF is pretty much top heavy to be sure but in the last World Cup the round of 16 included THREE Concacaf clubs.
That actually ties Europe if you remove African sides.
CONCACAF is good to the US as the Americans drive it financially for the most part. --tho often with other teams fans packed in US stadiums.

 

[jterrell]

No way dude. We would NEVER qualify for a world cup if we had to play Argentina, Brazil, Columbia....... We would struggle against peru and Bolivia.

Unless they do like Europe and let 30 teams in, lol.

Europe has the best football but they also have more bad teams than any other region.
Moldova, Gilbraltor, Cyprus, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia....

South America may well be the toughest place to qualify. 90% of the teams are quality.

 

[csirl]

No way dude. We would NEVER qualify for a world cup if we had to play Argentina, Brazil, Columbia....... We would struggle against peru and Bolivia.

I disagree. Argentina and Brazil are consistently good, but every other South American country is hot and cold - SA WC qualifiers arent as difficult as Europeans. A pan American federation would likely have c.8 or 9 places in the WC. USA should be able to aim for this especially if playing at this level regularly.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

He never should have taken the job b/c the task is hopeless without better players. He kind of lost of the team toward the end. Since the 2014 world cup, the team has been passionless and without a clear direction..

I agree to an extent. I agree that he should not have taken the job knowing that the talent wasn't what he needed it to be. On the other hand, the USMNT management would have been well served to let Klinsmann rebuild the US football system the way he saw fit. Allow the MLS teams to remain, but completely scrap the current MLS system. Instead, build a pyramid system in the US like in Europe. Build a series of football academies in the US to get the tools the US needs. Scrap the MLS SuperDraft. You don't build talent in football through drafts. You build it through development and transfers. Football is not American Football, basketball, hockey, or baseball. Football is its own entity entirely in that regard. The idea of playoffs in the MLS is good. I will give the MLS credit there. Outside of that, the MLS is ENTIRELY wrong, as Klinsmann pointed out. Instead, the US is run by a bunch of Jerry Joneses, if you catch my drift, and refused to allow him to do what he needed to do.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Well, you can thank Arena who prefers MLS guys and loaded up on them. I like the MLS, but it is what it is...........it is not on par with any of the major European leagues. Its like we are trying to scrape together the best CFL football players to compete against NFL teams.

But, in my opinion, we should at least be able to get through CONCAF even with a lot of MLS players. There is no excuse for failure on this scale. T&T is not exactly loaded with world class players either.

Exactly, the MLS is fun, but it's not even CLOSE to Europe. The US is in one of the WEAKEST conferences in international football. Outside of Mexico, there is not a SINGLE powerhouse that the US should be losing to. Not ONE! Losing to Trinidad was a NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT! The US HAS the talent, but the USMNT management don't utilize the talent properly. If they did, we'd be talking about how far the US will go in Russia. Instead, the US won't be in Russia. Luckily for me, I have strong ties to England, so the country getting my support is an easy choice.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

No offense but that's completely wrong IMO.
CONCACAF is pretty much top heavy to be sure but in the last World Cup the round of 16 included THREE Concacaf clubs.
That actually ties Europe if you remove African sides.
CONCACAF is good to the US as the Americans drive it financially for the most part. --tho often with other teams fans packed in US stadiums.

I disagree to an extent with this. Outside of Mexico, I don't see one country in that league that the US shouldn't be better than. The problem is that the US doesn't develop its talent properly. What the US lacks is finesse in its game, and you need finesse in football.

 

[jterrell]

I disagree to an extent with this. Outside of Mexico, I don't see one country in that league that the US shouldn't be better than. The problem is that the US doesn't develop its talent properly. What the US lacks is finesse in its game, and you need finesse in football.

No disagreement there. US should ALWAYS qualify.
But CONCACAF is very underrated, especially Costa Rica.
Road wins versus even fairly blah team are tougher than people think.
The Climate in Honduras/Costa Rica and altitude of Mexico City is a more unique challenge than those not familiar with CONCACAF understand.

But US playing in Brazil or Argentina regularly would be inhumane. lol

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

No disagreement there. US should ALWAYS qualify.
But CONCACAF is very underrated, especially Costa Rica.
Road wins versus even fairly blah team are tougher than people think.
The Climate in Honduras/Costa Rica and altitude of Mexico City is a more unique challenge than those not familiar with CONCACAF understand.

But US playing in Brazil or Argentina regularly would be inhumane. lol

Yes, but playing the likes of T&T should NOT result in loses. I could see the climate of Honduras and Costa Rica playing a factor (not discounting the difficulty of Mexico). Still, the US should be able to get out of CONCANAF with relative ease.

 

[Sarek]

Less than two weeks to go. Might be nice to get this pinned to the top of the sports zone till the World Cup ends.

 

[joseephuss]

No offense but that's completely wrong IMO.
CONCACAF is pretty much top heavy to be sure but in the last World Cup the round of 16 included THREE Concacaf clubs.
That actually ties Europe if you remove African sides.
CONCACAF is good to the US as the Americans drive it financially for the most part. --tho often with other teams fans packed in US stadiums.

I don't understand your math. What do you mean by remove African sides? As opponents facing UEFA team in the round of 16? Or African sides in the group stage?

There were 6 teams from Europe who advanced out of the group stage(5 as group winners). UEFA countries(Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland and Gree) faced 4 opponents from countries outside of CAF in the round of 16. Two of those teams beat countries from CONCAF in that round.