USMNT - Greg Berhalter Takes Over

[Toga]

Figured I'd post this here.

 

[DeGrozz]

I was expecting a post about Jill Ellis wanting to coach men. Instead got low-level testicle jokes and someone mocking an Indian accent.

Life is surprising like that sometime.

 

[cusefan88]

Not much to discuss at the moment. Big question is the next Nations League Roster and of course Dest's meeting with the Dutch federation.

Honestly it may not be popular but I'd like to see Richie Ledesma and Alex Mendez called in to the senior team. The games are pretty unimportant. We know what all the MLS midfielders can do. Might as well give these guys a run-out.

 

[Alsacs]

Not much to discuss at the moment. Big question is the next Nations League Roster and of course Dest's meeting with the Dutch federation.

Honestly it may not be popular but I'd like to see Richie Ledesma and Alex Mendez called in to the senior team. The games are pretty unimportant. We know what all the MLS midfielders can do. Might as well give these guys a run-out.

There really is nothing the USA/Berthalter can accomplish as manager unless this team plays Mexico in this Nations Cup.

I just hope our kids develop. I am sick of these MLS veterans on the national team.

 

[cusefan88]

There really is nothing the USA/Berthalter can accomplish as manager unless this team plays Mexico in this Nations Cup.

I just hope our kids develop. I am sick of these MLS veterans on the national team.

Exactly. At this point we know every decent MLS player can offer. Might as well see others who are considering promising prospects and have significant money invested in them (Ajax and PSV).

 

[orangenauburn]

Pulisic is going to wilt away at Chelsea

Lampard won't play him, and Mount has started off so brilliant, Christian is already buried. I actually think Lampard is not a fan of Pulisic.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

Only a matter of time before he’s cap-tied to the Dutch. Another disaster for US Soccer.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Pulisic is going to wilt away at Chelsea

Lampard won't play him, and Mount has started off so brilliant, Christian is already buried. I actually think Lampard is not a fan of Pulisic.

Personally, I think Willian goes after this season, and Pedro the season after that. Then he has Hudson-Odoi, Mount and Pulisic as his wingers, or Mount at the number 10 and Pulisic and H-O as the wingers.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Only a matter of time before he’s cap-tied to the Dutch. Another disaster for US Soccer.

He was born and raised in the Netherlands and really has no affiliation to the US other than the fact his father happens to be American. He is Dutch, not American, regardless of the fact he has a second passport,

I would expect him to want to play for the Netherlands and not the US.

 

[Alsacs]

He was born and raised in the Netherlands and really has no affiliation to the US other than the fact his father happens to be American. He is Dutch, not American, regardless of the fact he has a second passport,

I would expect him to want to play for the Netherlands and not the US.

Then why did he represent the USA at the u-20 WC last year and play in the Mexico match last month.

The kid is American by representing the Stars and Stripes. The job of the national team manager is to strengthen the player pool. Has Berhaulter gone to an Ajax match in person? That stuff matters.
We should be doing everything we can to get this kid on the senior team.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Then why did he represent the USA at the u-20 WC last year and play in the Mexico match last month.

The kid is American by representing the Stars and Stripes. The job of the national team manager is to strengthen the player pool. Has Berhaulter gone to an Ajax match in person? That stuff matters.
We should be doing everything we can to get this kid on the senior team.

Perhaps because he hadn't heard from the Netherlands and he heard from us first and he knew he could test the waters/represent us without jeopardizing his ability to still play for the Dutch team?

I honestly don't know

I just said that it doesn't surprise me.

This kid may have represented us but that doesn't mean he is American at heart.

If I were in the situation he is in and the US team had not yet come calling but the country of one of my parents came calling, I would want to keep my option to join the US team open as long as possible because I am an American and I would want to play for the US team (despite what my handle is)...

In fact, I wouldn't want to commit to playing for any other country until I knew the door to the US team was irrevocably shut.

Having said that, I agree with you that we should continue to pursue him hard.

 

[cusefan88]

Just seems like everything with the senior team is mediocre. Probably the first time since 2010 I have zero interest in a USMNT game. I respect MLS but I don't want to see a majority MLS roster because I've seen what those guys can do. Wil Trapp sucks at the international level USA should aspire to be at.

The U-23 team has my interest. And that's without my fav young MLS player Keaton Parks.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I respect MLS

I chaperoned my son's high school soccer program to the Red Bulls-Union game last weekend. It was really hard on the eyes. Just not very good soccer, unfortunately.

 

[cusefan88]

I chaperoned my son's high school soccer program to the Red Bulls-Union game last weekend. It was really hard on the eyes. Just not very good soccer, unfortunately.

I respect MLS because it's always going to be the primary development vehicle for young USMNT players so i gotta pray it improves.

 

[orangenauburn]

I respect MLS because it's always going to be the primary development vehicle for young USMNT players so i gotta pray it improves.

I mean, look at the quality now vs when it started ... Maybe in another 25 years it can aspire to EFL league 1

 

[DeGrozz]

Then why did he represent the USA at the u-20 WC last year and play in the Mexico match last month.

The kid is American by representing the Stars and Stripes. The job of the national team manager is to strengthen the player pool. Has Berhaulter gone to an Ajax match in person? That stuff matters.
We should be doing everything we can to get this kid on the senior team.

We've put him in the U-20 World Cup and started him in the USMNT's biggest game since he kinda blew up. Those are the two biggest honors the USMNT could have reasonably given him in the last few months. This is a pro soccer player who's lining up in UCL, not some 4-star choosing between Cuse and UCONN.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I respect MLS because it's always going to be the primary development vehicle for young USMNT players so i gotta pray it improves.

Yes. Quality much, much higher than when it started...no doubt...to put it in baseball terms, however, still probably about Double A - which is not easy if you are using to watching Yankees, Red Sox etc...

 

[Forza Azzurri]

We've put him in the U-20 World Cup and started him in the USMNT's biggest game since he kinda blew up. Those are the two biggest honors the USMNT could have reasonably given him in the last few months. This is a pro soccer player who's lining up in UCL, not some 4-star choosing between Cuse and UCONN.

I just think it is tough to expect a guy who grew up in the Netherlands to pick us, unless it becomes clear that he won't make the Dutch team.

Dutch team is certainly at a higher level and more prestigious.

It is one thing if guys are picking us over lesser soccer powers but it is a lot to ask guys growing up in countries that are soccer powers to choose us over their own national team.

 

[Alsacs]

I respect MLS because it's always going to be the primary development vehicle for young USMNT players so i gotta pray it improves.

I think the MLS is better than English Championship division which is like AAA baseball.

MLS is the proverbial AAAA. Players that aren’t major leaguers but better than AAA.

A team of all MLS players could compete in a European top flight for
mid table. It’s just the depth of MLS isn’t close to the European leagues. Plus the travel is something that hurts MLS.
The country of England is the size of Alabama.
Imagine having 20 pro teams in the state of that size.
The travel is minor. They travel for UCL/Europa matches but the games are all close.
If MLS were smart they would fix their scheduling.

 

[cusefan88]

I think the MLS is better than English Championship division which is like AAA baseball.

MLS is the proverbial AAAA. Players that aren’t major leaguers but better than AAA.

A team of all MLS players could compete in a European top flight for
mid table. It’s just the depth of MLS isn’t close to the European leagues. Plus the travel is something that hurts MLS.
The country of England is the size of Alabama.
Imagine having 20 pro teams in the state of that size.
The travel is minor. They travel for UCL/Europa matches but the games are all close.
If MLS were smart they would fix their scheduling.

MLS and MLSPA are going to strike IMO. They are far apart on a lot of big issues. And MLS/USSF are probably unwilling to show the actual finances of what's going on behind the scenes

 

[Forza Azzurri]

A team of all MLS players could compete in a European top flight for
mid table.

All-stars or an actual team like Red Bulls?

 

[Alsacs]

All-stars or an actual team like Red Bulls?

All-Stars. If you took the 18 best players from MLS they would be a mid/low team in a top flight European division.
No chance they compete at the top of the table but they would be like a Southampton or Bologna type team.

The best MLS team though could probably compete in the Championship division.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

All-Stars. If you took the 18 best players from MLS they would be a mid/low team in a top flight European division.
No chance they compete at the top of the table but they would be like a Southampton or Bologna type team.

The best MLS team though could probably compete in the Championship division.

Yes. Agreed on all of it.

 

[DeGrozz]

All-stars or an actual team like Red Bulls?

Neither.

I think the argument can be made that there is not one defender in MLS right now that is good enough to consistently start in a top-flight league in Europe and less than a handful are good enough to get spot playing time. I am not sure there is a current MLS defender good enough to anchor a defense in the Championship.

There are goal keepers who are good enough shot stoppers to play at the top level.

2 attacking midfielders could probably find a starting role in any of the big 5 leagues. There's probably not a two-way or defensive midfielder that would get consistent starts -- though there are two or three really solid ones who are 2. Bundes or lower level European league level.

Forwards are hard to judge. Vela was pretty good in La Liga. Josef Martinez failed in Serie A. Zlatan is forever an enigma. They are all producing at about the same clip. After that your best striker is probably Heber who is scoring at about the same rate as he did in Croatia.

An average attack and a pathetic defense is never gonna survive the top flight - I'm not sure they'd survive the championship, tbh.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Neither.

I think the argument can be made that there is not one defender in MLS right now that is good enough to consistently start in a top-flight league in Europe and less than a handful are good enough to get spot playing time. I am not sure there is a current MLS defender good enough to anchor a defense in the Championship.

There are goal keepers who are good enough shot stoppers to play at the top level.

2 attacking midfielders could probably find a starting role in any of the big 5 leagues. There's probably not a two-way or defensive midfielder that would get consistent starts -- though there are two or three really solid ones who are 2. Bundes or lower level European league level.

Forwards are hard to judge. Vela was pretty good in La Liga. Josef Martinez failed in Serie A. Zlatan is forever an enigma. They are all producing at about the same clip. After that your best striker is probably Heber who is scoring at about the same rate as he did in Croatia.

An average attack and a pathetic defense is never gonna survive the top flight - I'm not sure they'd survive the championship, tbh.

Interesting take. You watch a lot more MLS than I do.

However, I do think an MLS All-Star team could certainly compete in Serie A. They are not beating Juve or Inter but when you start to get down into relegation territory (SPAL, Lecce, Brescia - teams that traditionally have a talent level that bounces back and forth between Serie A and Serie B), I think an MLS All-star team could consistently beat those teams. I don't think an MLS All-Star team that plays a full season in Serie A ends up being relegated to Serie B,