USMNT soccer team thread

[Shrmdougluvr]

Sounds like we are losing Jonathon Gonzales to Mexico.. What

I dont know why he'd make any kind of decision now. I wouldnt fault him if Mexico actually calls him up for the World Cup, but otherwise, what's the point of deciding now? Pulisic, McKennie, Adams, Parks, Acosta, Roldan, Palmer-Brown, etc., there is a really strong foundation moving forward. If he makes the switch, that's it for him ever playing for the U.S.

 

[creatorsgam]

Sounds like we are losing Jonathon Gonzales to Mexico.. What

I dont know why he'd make any kind of decision now. I wouldnt fault him if Mexico actually calls him up for the World Cup, but otherwise, what's the point of deciding now? Pulisic, McKennie, Adams, Parks, Acosta, Roldan, Palmer-Brown, etc., there is a really strong foundation moving forward. If he makes the switch, that's it for him ever playing for the U.S.

Recruiting is part of the international game. Hoping he can be sold on what may be a bright future for US soccer (albeit with many question marks within the leadership/structure). Assuming, of course, he hasn’t already made up his mind on playing for El Tri.

 

[creatorsgam]

 

[CuseCPT]

Came here to post about this, I'm so happy for him. From B'ville to SU and the Final Four to MLS draft to MLS champ to this. So cool.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

The best moment of the day may have come during the post match interview, though.

Great update as Eric got himself a dog...and named it Gunner. Just an awesome story (yes I'm trying to distract myself from Gonzalez officially picking Mexico today)
Eric Lichaj on Twitter

 

[DeGrozz]

One of the richest soccer federations in the world. Yet:


Honestly, where's the money going?

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

Some good news after losing Gonzalez.

 

[DeGrozz]

Some good news after losing Gonzalez.

I think there may be a couple dual nationality Americans at Bayern. Would be nice to start a trend.

 

[Alsacs]

I hope Pulisic stays at Dortmund thru this year over Liverpool.
Man U is apparently interested in him over the summer.
I just want Pulisic to be where he can be a bona fide first team selection and can compete at the highest level.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

I think there may be a couple dual nationality Americans at Bayern. Would be nice to start a trend.

He's got a little brother who looks like a good player. The German-American I covet is DeVante Parker who plays at Mainz. Nice young wide player who could play with Pulisic. Also excited to see Shaq Moore playing consistently at RB with Levante. Wasn't great in their Cup match today but still impressive for a 21 year old to be playing in La Liga.

 

[Alsacs]

Anybody but Kathy Carter for USSF President.
She is a clone of Gulati.
The US needs someone is going to be an MLS insider.

This crap is such a joke. The vote is being rigged for MLS benefit.

Kyle Martino is the best candidate IMO but he won’t win.
Anyone but Carter.

 

[DeGrozz]

Anybody but Kathy Carter for USSF President.
She is a clone of Gulati.
The US needs someone is going to be an MLS insider.

This crap is such a joke. The vote is being rigged for MLS benefit.

Kyle Martino is the best candidate IMO but he won’t win.
Anyone but Carter.

I was gonna post something about this today.

I swear, this is going to be like the Dem primaries. You have the establishment candidate vs. the "crazy" outsider as the two frontrunners.

I was really pulling for Wynalda -- he is so passionate about change. But he really lacks details for implementing it, especially on one of his biggest stances, promotion/relegation. I'm not too passionate about pro/rel and no matter what happens, I don't ever see myself not following MLS, but Wynalda has to have a better implementation plan than 'telling the owners of MLS teams that pro/rel is the best for the sport long term in this country'. That's not gonna work when the demographics of this country are saying 'your investments have huge upsides on a long-term hold' and Goldman Sachs is dumping huge loans into the league.

You are right about Martino -- he's a very smart guy, but rumors are that he could push his votes to Wynalda.

To be honest though, I am much more concerned about youth development systems in the next couple terms. If Carter wins, which looks very realistic, I hope one of Ernie Stewart (AZ Alkmaar sporting director, now with the Philly Union -- but Philly will drop no cash for players, so that job will get old for him quick), Carlos Bocanegra (current technical director at ATL), or Claudio Reyna (Director of Operations for NYCFC) run in the next cycle -- I think its 4 year terms. All have extensive playing experience both domestically and at established European clubs. All have run academies that are either near the top of the MLS (Reyna and Boca) or that have exceeded their expectation in a Euro lead (Ernie). All will have executive experience.

We all know how unique/weird the US system is compared to the football elites, so I'd doubt many outsiders would be up to the task, especially after all the struggle Jurgen had trying to implement change.

Here's to hope, but I agree with you, expect status-quo for the next 4 years. Let's just hope we churn out a couple more hyped prospect over that time...

Edited to add: After I jumped off of the Wynalda hype train, I started pulling for Steve Gans. Check him out here, you can probably tell why I think he's best for this country's development long term...

Q and A with Steve Gans

 

[ForCuseSake]

I was gonna post something about this today.

I swear, this is going to be like the Dem primaries. You have the establishment candidate vs. the "crazy" outsider as the two frontrunners.

I was really pulling for Wynalda -- he is so passionate about change. But he really lacks details for implementing it, especially on one of his biggest stances, promotion/relegation. I'm not too passionate about pro/rel and no matter what happens, I don't ever see myself not following MLS, but Wynalda has to have a better implementation plan than 'telling the owners of MLS teams that pro/rel is the best for the sport long term in this country'. That's not gonna work when the demographics of this country are saying 'your investments have huge upsides on a long-term hold' and Goldman Sachs is dumping huge loans into the league.

You are right about Martino -- he's a very smart guy, but rumors are that he could push his votes to Wynalda.

To be honest though, I am much more concerned about youth development systems in the next couple terms. If Carter wins, which looks very realistic, I hope one of Ernie Stewart (AZ Alkmaar sporting director, now with the Philly Union -- but Philly will drop no cash for players, so that job will get old for him quick), Carlos Bocanegra (current technical director at ATL), or Claudio Reyna (Director of Operations for NYCFC) run in the next cycle -- I think its 4 year terms. All have extensive playing experience both domestically and at established European clubs. All have run academies that are either near the top of the MLS (Reyna and Boca) or that have exceeded their expectation in a Euro lead (Ernie). All will have executive experience.

We all know how unique/weird the US system is compared to the football elites, so I'd doubt many outsiders would be up to the task, especially after all the struggle Jurgen had trying to implement change.

Here's to hope, but I agree with you, expect status-quo for the next 4 years. Let's just hope we churn out a couple more hyped prospect over that time...

Edited to add: After I jumped off of the Wynalda hype train, I started pulling for Steve Gans. Check him out here, you can probably tell why I think he's best for this country's development long term...

Q and A with Steve Gans

Thanks for posting that Gans interview. He sounds like the perfect candidate with enough understanding of the game and organizational challenges to affect change.

He makes too much sense not to be given the job. Fingers crossed he gets it.

 

[Alsacs]

Here is the voting percentages broken down.

MLS = 14.6%
USL = 4.8%
NWSL = 4.8%
NASL = 1.6%
Youth Council = 25.8%
Adult Council = 25.8%
Athlete Council = 20%
USSF board members, life time members, and two fan from Uncle Sam’s Army = 6.6%

Kathy Carter it’s rigged for her.
All the other candidates need to round together and agree to support each other if they can’t win.

I don’t care if its Gans or Martino.

Just somebody who isn’t the status quo. Gulati is losing his job because we failed to qualify if we just replace him a clone nothing changes.

 

[DeGrozz]

Another reason to love what Carlos Bocanegra is doing at ATL.

https://www.idevmail.net//assets/georgiasoccer/2018_Atlanta_United_CEP.pdf

What a great addition to MLS ATL has been.

 

[DeGrozz]

 

[IthacaMatt]

I hope Pulisic stays at Dortmund thru this year over Liverpool.
Man U is apparently interested in him over the summer.
I just want Pulisic to be where he can be a bona fide first team selection and can compete at the highest level.

He would do better at Liverpool than United. Mourinho will bury the kid; he'll never play.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

He would do better at Liverpool than United. Mourinho will bury the kid; he'll never play.

The longer he stays in Germany and continues to improve, the more likely that Bayern don't let him leave the Bundesliga as Robben and Ribery get phased out. He and Coman and their pace down each wing would terrorize teams. Bayern bought Serge Gnabry last summer but Pulisic's ceiling is higher than him and Bayern have been very active in trying to court the American market. Their US based Twitter account is the one of the best Twitter follows in sports.

 

[DeGrozz]

The longer he stays in Germany and continues to improve, the more likely that Bayern don't let him leave the Bundesliga as Robben and Ribery get phased out. He and Coman and their pace down each wing would terrorize teams. Bayern bought Serge Gnabry last summer but Pulisic's ceiling is higher than him and Bayern have been very active in trying to court the American market. Their US based Twitter account is the one of the best Twitter follows in sports.

Has anyone been watching him at Dortmund? I'd be interested to hear how he's doing. At the tail end of our qualifiers, I thought that it looked like he was taking on some bad habits -- he was greedy with the ball, too often opting for 1v1s and dribbling out of tight spaces instead of trying for tight combinations or safe passes to teammates. I'm not sure if that was Arena's plan or if he was doing it on his own volition. I've only watched him briefly when he's been on TV since then, but the little that I caught made it seem like those bad habits stuck with him (granted it was a terribly small sample size).

When he's been his best for club and country he combines with his teammates to well -- I'd hate to see him get away from that.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

Has anyone been watching him at Dortmund? I'd be interested to hear how he's doing. At the tail end of our qualifiers, I thought that it looked like he was taking on some bad habits -- he was greedy with the ball, too often opting for 1v1s and dribbling out of tight spaces instead of trying for tight combinations or safe passes to teammates. I'm not sure if that was Arena's plan or if he was doing it on his own volition. I've only watched him briefly when he's been on TV since then, but the little that I caught made it seem like those bad habits stuck with him (granted it was a terribly small sample size).

When he's been his best for club and country he combines with his teammates to well -- I'd hate to see him get away from that.

I watch a lot of Bundesliga because I'm a huge Bayern fan. Watched their match against Hertha this weekend. Dortmund is struggling right now mainly due to the behavior of Aubameyang and his attempts to force a transfer. With Reus out and Gotze struggling for fitness, Pulisic is their key man up front and has been seeing a lot of pressure. He's handled it well and has played well, but the team as a whole just isn't very good right now. They've tried to replace Aubameyang with 18-20 year olds who just aren't ready. The team as a whole is miles away from the team that was in the Champions League final a few years ago not only in talent but in style of play. There's a reason they're in 6th in the league (albeit only a point out of 2nd). The race for the other CL spots in the Bundi coming down the stretch is going to be fascinating.

 

[DeGrozz]

Woof:

 

[storange]

Just got back from the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philly on Sunday. Went and saw one on one with Bruce Arena. Of note from the hour long dialogue
1. The team did not lack effort against Tand T but some of the lesser players felt the pressure (choked)
2. Only one player from the T and T game would have started for the 2002 WC team. The obvious point being something is going wrong.
3. The pay to play climate of American Youth Soccer is not a problem. ( This point I very much disagree with , based on my experience coaching in a economically depressed district)

 

[DeGrozz]

Just got back from the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philly on Sunday. Went and saw one on one with Bruce Arena. Of note from the hour long dialogue
1. The team did not lack effort against Tand T but some of the lesser players felt the pressure (choked)
2. Only one player from the T and T game would have started for the 2002 WC team. The obvious point being something is going wrong.
3. The pay to play climate of American Youth Soccer is not a problem. ( This point I very much disagree with , based on my experience coaching in a economically depressed district)

Thank you for sharing!

I have to call Arena's BS on point 2 though.

Against Portugal, we started Frankie Hejduk, Tony Sanneh, and Jeff Agoos. Greg Berhalter later filled in for Agoos and Carlos Llamosa also got some run in later games. Our defense pool is much better now than 2002. There were times in that tournament that both Claudio Reyna and Pablo Mastroeni dropped back into the defensive line and we played 6 straight across the back to cover for the lack of defensive talent. You also have to look at guys like Joe Max Moore, Eddie Lewis, and Josh Wolfe and think that Altidore, Wood, Dempsey and obviously Pulisic would have taken a bit of their time or forced a lineup change that moved them to the end of the bench.

What the 2002 team had was composition in the center of midfield, Mastroeni playing the role of destroyer perfectly, two surprise stars, organization defensively that we haven't seen since, and a little bit of luck (which I attribute to Clint Mathis' mohawk). They didn't have decisively more talent except for maybe Eddie Pope in his prime, Friedel between the pipes, and the Reyna/JOB midfield pairing.

 

[storange]

Thank you for sharing!

I have to call Arena's BS on point 2 though.

Against Portugal, we started Frankie Hejduk, Tony Sanneh, and Jeff Agoos. Greg Berhalter later filled in for Agoos and Carlos Llamosa also got some run in later games. Our defense pool is much better now than 2002. There were times in that tournament that both Claudio Reyna and Pablo Mastroeni dropped back into the defensive line and we played 6 straight across the back to cover for the lack of defensive talent. You also have to look at guys like Joe Max Moore, Eddie Lewis, and Josh Wolfe and think that Altidore, Wood, Dempsey and obviously Pulisic would have taken a bit of their time or forced a lineup change that moved them to the end of the bench.

What the 2002 team had was composition in the center of midfield, Mastroeni playing the role of destroyer perfectly, two surprise stars, organization defensively that we haven't seen since, and a little bit of luck (which I attribute to Clint Mathis' mohawk). They didn't have decisively more talent except for maybe Eddie Pope in his prime, Friedel between the pipes, and the Reyna/JOB midfield pairing.

No mention of Mcbride and Donovan in that World Cup, and love him or hate him, Donovan has been the best field player in the World cup for us, and stats bear me out. The Mexico and Germany games that team was brilliant, and a missed hand ball call may have kept that team out of the Semi finals. ( Ok brilliant might be a strong word, but pretty damn good )

 

[CUSU]

Just got back from the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philly on Sunday. Went and saw one on one with Bruce Arena. Of note from the hour long dialogue
1. The team did not lack effort against Tand T but some of the lesser players felt the pressure (choked)
2. Only one player from the T and T game would have started for the 2002 WC team. The obvious point being something is going wrong.
3. The pay to play climate of American Youth Soccer is not a problem. ( This point I very much disagree with , based on my experience coaching in a economically depressed district)

"Lesser players" who shouldn't have even been in the squad let alone the starting XI. Embarrassing.