FIFA 2014 World Cup all-purpose thread

[cmr27]

So I guess Jozy Altidore getting injured had NOTHING TO DO with the Ghana game. We dominated the first 20 minutes of that game and Jozy got hurt and Ghana dominated the next 60 minutes.

There's zero to apologize for in the Ghana match. That team had our number and we finally beat them (and their clever witch doctor). End of story. Both our goals were legit and the WC essentially became a success for the USMNT right there.

Interesting comments from JK the other day about MLS/playing overseas/getting our guys used to playing every four days. Everyone wants the MLS to succeed and having the top Americans play in MLS is part of that. Yet the MLS quality of play isn't great and our top guys can't max develop there. They need to go overseas to be great... but that hurts MLS and keeps it from developing. It's a circular problem.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Interesting comments from JK the other day about MLS/playing overseas/getting our guys used to playing every four days. Everyone wants the MLS to succeed and having the top Americans play in MLS is part of that. Yet the MLS quality of play isn't great and our top guys can't max develop there. They need to go overseas to be great... but that hurts MLS and keeps it from developing. It's a circular problem.

A problem shared by every domestic league not in England, Germany, Spain, or Italy. What's good for the domestic league isn't usually what's best for the national team. Portugal and Holland leagues are now at a level where players can develope at home or abroad as well but aside from that it's better for players to be in the "big" leagues.

 

[Alsacs]

There's zero to apologize for in the Ghana match. That team had our number and we finally beat them (and their clever witch doctor). End of story. Both our goals were legit and the WC essentially became a success for the USMNT right there.

Interesting comments from JK the other day about MLS/playing overseas/getting our guys used to playing every four days. Everyone wants the MLS to succeed and having the top Americans play in MLS is part of that. Yet the MLS quality of play isn't great and our top guys can't max develop there. They need to go overseas to be great... but that hurts MLS and keeps it from developing. It's a circular problem.

I wish MLS was made up just kids under 25 with a number of overage guys, but when our WC team is coming from the MLS it really scares me. Zusi, Beckerman, Gonzalez, Besler, Bradley, Deuce all play in the MLS instead of overseas. That might be good for a couple of them due to the $$$ but its bad for the USMNT. That is why I am glad Yedlin is looking at Europe and Green/Brooks/Johnson are already overseas and if Zelalem is the real deal we have our foundation overseas.

 

[Alsacs]

La Liga/Bundalesga/BPL/Serie A look at the MLS like American football fans viewed NFL Europe that was around till 2002. NFL Europe was a developmental league in Europe but wasn't full of the best athletes. MLS has a lot more potential than NFL Europe did but I never see it being a good league unless the teams spend which smartly they haven't to continue the league's development but its small potatoes in the sport of soccer and our national team shouldn't be full of players from MLS if they could play elsewhere on better Eurppean squads and start for them.

 

[ImperialOrange]

La Liga/Bundalesga/BPL/Serie A look at the MLS like American football fans viewed NFL Europe that was around till 2002. NFL Europe was a developmental league in Europe but wasn't full of the best athletes. MLS has a lot more potential than NFL Europe did but I never see it being a good league unless the teams spend which smartly they haven't to continue the league's development but its small potatoes in the sport of soccer and our national team shouldn't be full of players from MLS if they could play elsewhere on better Eurppean squads and start for them.

So you're saying an MLS career is still shaky potatoes?

 

[Quazzum69]

Interesting comments from JK the other day about MLS/playing overseas/getting our guys used to playing every four days. Everyone wants the MLS to succeed and having the top Americans play in MLS is part of that. Yet the MLS quality of play isn't great and our top guys can't max develop there. They need to go overseas to be great... but that hurts MLS and keeps it from developing. It's a circular problem.

Is it mostly a money issue? With enough money you can do anything, which includes making MLS the top league in the world.

There's no denying that soccer popularity is growing in the US - didn't MLS just get a new TV deal that tripled the last one? More teams, too? If MLS owners had the revenue of an NFL team, wouldn't they go after European stars?

I'm sure the culture and tradition of Euro leagues play a big part, but everyone has a price. When soccer becomes the second or first sport in the US (30 years perhaps), there is no reason that MLS won't compete with or surpass European leagues. A strong North American league might be preferred by Central/South American players, not to mention American products which would be formidable considering the size of the US.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Liverpool third kits unveiled

Look who is no longer being shown

 

[CanadianSU]

Liverpool third kits unveiled

Look who is no longer being shown

Those are sick

 

[Alsacs]

Liverpool third kits unveiled

Look who is no longer being shown

Suarez is going to be second or third fiddle behind Messi and Neymar at Barcelona.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Is it mostly a money issue? With enough money you can do anything, which includes making MLS the top league in the world.

There's no denying that soccer popularity is growing in the US - didn't MLS just get a new TV deal that tripled the last one? More teams, too? If MLS owners had the revenue of an NFL team, wouldn't they go after European stars?

I'm sure the culture and tradition of Euro leagues play a big part, but everyone has a price. When soccer becomes the second or first sport in the US (30 years perhaps), there is no reason that MLS won't compete with or surpass European leagues. A strong North American league might be preferred by Central/South American players, not to mention American products which would be formidable considering the size of the US.

Could be but baby steps at this point. The MLS TV deal tripling is great and is valued @ $90 mil/season which is above the $83.3 mil/season (250 mil for 3 years) for NBC to cover EPL in the US whoever the EPL now has a domestic contract of 3.018 billion pounds for 3 years of covereage in the UK. That's $5.17 billion US or $1.72 billion/year which is on par with the NFL @ $1.9 billion/year to broadcast to a much smaller population.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Suarez is going to be second or third fiddle behind Messi and Neymar at Barcelona.

I somehow doubt that. Messi + Suarez = filthy. Neymar isn't on eithers level yet and while his star is rising it'll be interesting to see how he bounces back from this injury set back. Not sure why but Brazilian players seem to take longer to get back to top form if they do at all.

 

[Noexcuse]

Those are sick

I don't know but that stripe screams 44 degree angle to me.

 

[Alsacs]

Could be but baby steps at this point. The MLS TV deal tripling is great and is valued @ $90 mil/season which is above the $83.3 mil/season (250 mil for 3 years) for NBC to cover EPL in the US whoever the EPL now has a domestic contract of 3.018 billion pounds for 3 years of covereage in the UK. That's $5.17 billion US or $1.72 billion/year which is on par with the NFL @ $1.9 billion/year to broadcast to a much smaller population.

NBC came out of nowhere to outbid ESPN/FOX for the USA BPL TB rights. The head of ESPN John Skipper is a HUGE soccer guy and Tottenham fan. He was pissed when the joint Fox/ESPN bid for the BPL was beaten by NBC next summer when the BPL rights are put back out for bid expect ESPN to team with FOX and offer are a deal to the FA that blows NBC out of the wAter. Skipper wants the BPL on ESPN and he will want to keep Ian Darke and Steve McMannon from jumping to Fox for the next WC cycle.

 

[ImperialOrange]

NBC came out of nowhere to outbid ESPN/FOX for the USA BPL TB rights. The head of ESPN John Skipper is a HUGE soccer guy and Tottenham fan. He was pissed when the joint Fox/ESPN bid for the BPL was beaten by NBC next summer when the BPL rights are put back out for bid expect ESPN to team with FOX and offer are a deal to the FA that blows NBC out of the wAter. Skipper wants the BPL on ESPN and he will want to keep Ian Darke and Steve McMannon from jumping to Fox for the next WC cycle.

All I know is that Liverpool made the most TV money of any BPL team this past season and 20th place Cardiff got paid more than 2012/2013 league champions Man United.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-earn-956m-premier-7121220

Consequently, every other league is aware of these figures as well which is why any foreign player is now costing more as well. 25 mil tranfer fee in the EPL is what 10-15 mil used to be.

 

[Alsacs]

All I know is that Liverpool made the most TV money of any BPL team this past season and 20th place Cardiff got paid more than 2012/2013 league champions Man United.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-earn-956m-premier-7121220

Consequently, every other league is aware of these figures as well which is why any foreign player is now costing more as well. 25 mil tranfer fee in the EPL is what 10-15 mil used to be.

I love what the BPL does they reward more money to where you finish in the standings while the NFL divides it's TV money equally to the 32 teams. I love what that does in the BPL every match matters.

 

[Moontan]

MLS is going to have a tough time attracting top players in their prime. Playing in Europe gives players access to a very good leagues plus a European competition. The MLS simply can't offer the latter. The close proximity of a large number of European countries makes this possible.

Tie-ing in to the South American competition + some Central American leagues could work... except for the seasonal mismatch and the large distance. Imagine a Saturday game in the US, a mid-week game in Peru followed by another MLS game the following weekend. Do that once a month for 4-5 months. One also has to wonder if some of the other clubs in that competition (say, from Costa Rica) could afford such an arrangement.

 

[bnoro]

MLS is going to have a tough time attracting top players in their prime. Playing in Europe gives players access to a very good leagues plus a European competition. The MLS simply can't offer the latter. The close proximity of a large number of European countries makes this possible.

Tie-ing in to the South American competition + some Central American leagues could work... except for the seasonal mismatch and the large distance. Imagine a Saturday game in the US, a mid-week game in Peru followed by another MLS game the following weekend. Do that once a month for 4-5 months. One also has to wonder if some of the other clubs in that competition (say, from Costa Rica) could afford such an arrangement.

The calendars for South American competition don't exactly line up.

 

[ImperialOrange]

MLS is going to have a tough time attracting top players in their prime. Playing in Europe gives players access to a very good leagues plus a European competition. The MLS simply can't offer the latter. The close proximity of a large number of European countries makes this possible.

Tie-ing in to the South American competition + some Central American leagues could work... except for the seasonal mismatch and the large distance. Imagine a Saturday game in the US, a mid-week game in Peru followed by another MLS game the following weekend. Do that once a month for 4-5 months. One also has to wonder if some of the other clubs in that competition (say, from Costa Rica) could afford such an arrangement.

I think the issue with MLS is proximity of clubs too one another. IF the league grows enough to allow it there should be multiple regional US leagues under the MLS umbrella that play in a US champions league end game or if top teams from each region make the playoffs. Think West Coast, East Coast, and a Southern/Midwest to generate regional rivalrys and a sense of regional rooting interest once playoffs roll around. Orlando is never going to be a rivalry of Vancouver BUT that Seattle, Portland, Vancouver triad does it well and the Philly, NY, Boston rivarly is always going to be there.

 

[Alsacs]

The size of Western Europe Spain to Italy is smaller than the size of the USA. MLS is never going to be in the league of the Big 4 in Europe.If MLS can become like the Euro basketball league is in comparison to the NBA I would be happy. I just want to see American soccer players starting for Man U, Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, PSG, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and not in the MLS.

 

[ImperialOrange]

The size of Western Europe Spain to Italy is smaller than the size of the USA. MLS is never going to be in the league of the Big 4 in Europe.If MLS can become like the Euro basketball league is in comparison to the NBA I would be happy. I just want to see American soccer players starting for Man U, Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, PSG, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and not in the MLS.

I always try and explain EPL fanhood to non followers by saying "Imagine all the NFL teams in the NY/NJ/PA footprint and then imagine the bottom teams can get relegated if they underperform." Yes Eagles fans hate cowboys and vice versa but can you imagine if both teams were within the same city limits?

 

[Quazzum69]

The potential of the US is fun to fantasize about. In the early and mid 1900s no one thought anything could surpass baseball as the country's sport, yet it only took football a few decades. The country's demographics are changing quickly and football/NFL has serious flaws that are unacceptable to many young people.

The US population (320 million) is equal to the five largest European countries - Germany, France, UK, Italy and Spain. When you include Mexico (120 million), that equals the combined population of Poland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Greece, Switzerland, Sweden and Austria. Naturally, the rest of central and South America's population would be in our sphere of influence.

A wide variety of sports at one time or another have thrived in the US - there's nothing different about soccer. It just hasn't been promoted but that will change.

 

[cmr27]

Is it mostly a money issue? With enough money you can do anything, which includes making MLS the top league in the world.

There's no denying that soccer popularity is growing in the US - didn't MLS just get a new TV deal that tripled the last one? More teams, too? If MLS owners had the revenue of an NFL team, wouldn't they go after European stars?

I'm sure the culture and tradition of Euro leagues play a big part, but everyone has a price. When soccer becomes the second or first sport in the US (30 years perhaps), there is no reason that MLS won't compete with or surpass European leagues. A strong North American league might be preferred by Central/South American players, not to mention American products which would be formidable considering the size of the US.

Money solves all problems in club soccer in Europe so I suspect that would be true as well in MLS.

 

[bnoro]

Money solves all problems in club soccer in Europe so I suspect that would be true as well in MLS.

Didn't solve any problems for Blackburn

 

[Alsacs]

MLS will never the $$$ to compete with Europe. Imperial nailed it locations within the USA will make it hard to develop deep rivalries outside of regional ones like Portland-Seattle-Vancouver or Red Bulls- Philly Union- NE Revolution.
The MLS needs to develop young talent for Europe to come and poach like the NBA poached Europe.

 

[ImperialOrange]

T minus 9 hours until sh** gets real. Will a ref finally allow the home team to lose?