National Team

[MVM]

I realize that this is not the right subject for Girls soccer, but since we are in the summer doldrums I thought what the heck. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

My question is this... WHY CAN'T THE U.S. COMPETE WITH OTHER COUNTRIES ON THE WORLD STAGE with our national team?

 

I have watched each game that the US has played in the Confederations Cup and sorry soccer fans, but we "blow".

 

The MLS has been in existence long enough to develop quality players, ODP and and youth soccer have been around long enough to have develop players ...yet we still "blow"...Heck we can't even beat Costa Rica an island with less population than New York City. /blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" />

 

So you might ask, MVM who do you blame? Well, I'm glad you ask. I blame parents and coaches.

 

Parents who allow their their kids to sit around all day playing video games or parents who try to structure their kids soccer career for every waking moment. Let me ask you this, When is the last time your kids played in a pick-up soccer game with no adults around?? After all, The first thing that is ever said in an up grade coaching clinic is "The game is the best teacher". That where our kids are going to learn their OWN style and technique and not some coaches ideal of style or technique.

 

When is the last time as coaches when teaching a new skill or technique have done it through playing small sided games ...and not using cones. Just the other day I saw a "C" licensed coach using cones for a drill with a 8 to 1 work ratio. /dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

 

Our national teams have ZERO imagination, ZERO identity. Lets face it when the South Americans play we know were going to see flair and imagination. When the Germans play we are going to see precision passing and defense. When the Americans play were going to see Crap.

 

I'm sorry soccer fans, but somehow we have gotten on the wrong path when it comes to soccer.

[akula21]

And here I am trying to use as many cones as I can each practice. =)

 

Couldn't agree with you more MVM, we need someone with creativity and get out of the box so to speak, we seem to develop carbon copies of players. Very Athletic and Technically sound, but can't think of anything beyond what they are drilled. Too much like football, not enough like FUTBOL.

[BigG]

Yeah... let's get rid of all of those stinking coaches! Boooo! Down with coaching! /tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" />

 

MVM, I must agree that I think this is one of the worst teams that the US has put together. But the reason isn't lack of talent alone (I think Tim Howard, Enyewu, Altidore and even Donovan have a lot of talent) but a lack of passion... All they want to do is look ticked off and roll on the ground and get red cards. Clint Mathis played 269 minutes of uninspired poor soccer, but ended up scoring the goal that put them through (which is ironic).

 

We got to play with a TON of hispanic players down in Hilton Head this past week in some pick up soccer. It was rough soccer (very physical) but what a teaching game. Sometimes putting a player in those type of "non structured" situations can be a GREAT teaching tool, though also risky for injuries.

 

But you can't have a winning squad without good coaching. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't put it together, it just wont click in the long run.

[hamlet7478]

Of course as soon as you lament the US men's poor performances they go out and beat Egypt 3-0 to advance in the Confederation Cup.

 

Seriously, I know one result does not mean the program is "turned around".

 

The answer, I believe, will not come from kids playing in the countryside / neighborhoods / barrios / ghettos / etc like Brazil / Italy / Spain / etc. There's no turning back the clock. What we do best, apparently, is structure. So, maybe the answer is better structure. That and a more attractive National league than the MLS.

 

Another point to make that I'm sure will resonate with people over 35. That is, in our first World Cup in the "modern" era we were happy to be there and certain we would get demolished. Now we expect to win a bunch and be competitive, even with Italy, Germany, and Brazil. That's progress, isn't it?

 

Maybe we need to examine our sense of perspective?

[wbcsoccerstud11]

I think we have a lot of players in this country that are not given a fair chance to make the team. Think about it... in order to make this team you must have money. To play club ball and to play ODP in order to be recognized cost thousands of dollars. And I believe there is no doubt that it is political. If we could fix the selection process we might actually have the best players playing in our country. There is no way you can tell me the players we have seen play in the last month are the best players in our country.

[MVM]

Yeah... let's get rid of all of those stinking coaches! Boooo! Down with coaching! /tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" />

 

But you can't have a winning squad without good coaching. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't put it together, it just wont click in the long run.

 

 

"G" I'LL agree with that statement, but you have been around long enough, and would have to admit their ARE good coaches and there are BAD coaches.

 

There are coaches that can take very little talent and win, and there are coaches that can take a team full of talent and under achieve.

 

 

I have seen coaches use wrong formations with the talent they have, I have seen coaches place players in the wrong positions all because they only know one style of play....Theirs.

 

I did not mean for this to be a "Bash the Coaches Thread". But in my opinion The US of A is going backwards on the world scene of soccer and I'm just searching for answers.

[BigG]

"G" I'LL agree with that statement, but you have been around long enough, and would have to admit their ARE good coaches and there are BAD coaches.

 

There are coaches that can take very little talent and win, and there are coaches that can take a team full of talent and under achieve.

 

 

I have seen coaches use wrong formations with the talent they have, I have seen coaches place players in the wrong positions all because they only know one style of play....Theirs.

 

I did not mean for this to be a "Bash the Coaches Thread". But in my opinion The US of A is going backwards on the world scene of soccer and I'm just searching for answers.

 

I know your not bashing on coaches. I just thought I would have fun with it, being a coach, myself!

 

Note I said "good" coaching, not just coaching.

 

Bruce Arena was my least favorite coach of all time. I think he single handedly blew the world cup chances in the cup that he coached. His line up choices and positions were atrocious. While he was good in the MLS with DC United (also my least favorite MLS team) he showed it takes more than winning the MLS cup to show your stuff to the world.

 

I actually tend to agree with WBC. I have played with some outstanding young men who never went beyond playing locally, because they couldn't travel to Nashville once a week for state ODP let alone go the next steps with the region or national level.

 

I think we ARE on the right road, though. There are soccer schools (I think in New Jersey) that start young people when they are young (like the English Premier clubs do) and develop the players with talent. I'm not an expert on them by any means, but I don't THINK one HAS to pay to go (if they are talented enough).

 

But a good question about coaching... I have found that the best soccer coaches that I have ever had were all former players from high levels (at LEAST college level). While it isn't a necessity to be a college player to be a good coach, I think it lends a viewpoint that is missed if you are not.

 

I will also say, though, that not all college players make good coaches, just like all coaches weren't necessarily good college players. I just think that playing on a top level gives an understanding that one can't get elsewhere. Even in the NSCAA clinics (which are very good by the way) one doesn't get the same lessons as one would get on any level of the NCAA.

[MVM]

I think we have a lot of players in this country that are not given a fair chance to make the team. Think about it... in order to make this team you must have money. To play club ball and to play ODP in order to be recognized cost thousands of dollars. And I believe there is no doubt that it is political. If we could fix the selection process we might actually have the best players playing in our country. There is no way you can tell me the players we have seen play in the last month are the best players in our country.

 

 

 

Wb ...I can agree with your statement. But on the other hand Hamlet made a great point..

 

"The answer, I believe, will not come from kids playing in the countryside / neighborhoods / barrios / ghettos / etc like Brazil / Italy / Spain / etc. There's no turning back the clock. What we do best, apparently, is structure. So, maybe the answer is better structure. That and a more attractive National league than the MLS."

 

And if we're going to have structure then it's going to cost.

 

Again I don't claim to know the answer ...only that our National team is very lackluster to watch.

[BigG]

our National team is very lackluster to watch.

 

It's better than watching the MLS. I was so excited about finally getting cable this summer so I could watch the MLS on a weekly basis... I was so disenchanted. Too many fouls, too much one dimensional play, not enough possession. Thankfully, the Federations Cup has bailed me out!

 

And don't get me wrong... the MLS has greatly helped US soccer. But when one has been watching the FA cup and EUFA cup, then one goes to watching the MLS, one is dissappointed. (I'll still watch the MLS: I'll just complain as I do so! /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> )

[cincyred]

I will say that our USMNT has not played very well this year. They had a much better year in 2008. Better possesion, better passing, much better midfield work. We have hit a rough patch right now. I think Beasley not being up to form - maybe never will be again -has really set us back. We have no one right now who can play like he did -speed/skill down the wings. Now we must find someone or change our style of play.

I do think our style of play is unique to the world of soccer. We want athletes who are tall, physical, smart, and in the best physical condition in the world. (Toss in the best goalkeepers in the world.) Those qualities rule out many very good players - The Rossi kid from NJ that plays for Italy comes to mind (too short). I think US Soccer sees this as a short cut to top flight soccer. Win games with set pieces, not necessarily run-of-play goals. Play phyiscal soccer. Run for 90 minutes, exhausting our opponents. This works against most all teams in our hemisphere and places us in the top 15 squads in the world. But when it comes down to playing Brazil, Spain, Italy, and Argentina - we don't have the quality of players with the ball at their feet that these teams do. Until we find some players who can handle the ball with speed and strength, we will continue to play our current style.

[MVM]

I will say that our USMNT has not played very well this year. They had a much better year in 2008. Better possesion, better passing, much better midfield work. We have hit a rough patch right now. I think Beasley not being up to form - maybe never will be again -has really set us back. We have no one right now who can play like he did -speed/skill down the wings. Now we must find someone or change our style of play.

I do think our style of play is unique to the world of soccer. We want athletes who are tall, physical, smart, and in the best physical condition in the world. (Toss in the best goalkeepers in the world.) Those qualities rule out many very good players - The Rossi kid from NJ that plays for Italy comes to mind (too short). I think US Soccer sees this as a short cut to top flight soccer. Win games with set pieces, not necessarily run-of-play goals. Play phyiscal soccer. Run for 90 minutes, exhausting our opponents. This works against most all teams in our hemisphere and places us in the top 15 squads in the world. But when it comes down to playing Brazil, Spain, Italy, and Argentina - we don't have the quality of players with the ball at their feet that these teams do. Until we find some players who can handle the ball with speed and strength, we will continue to play our current style.

 

 

 

So your saying our style of play is....Big athletes who are tall, physical, smart and who are conditioned? No wonder we have the best goalies in the world, They get such a work out because our defense can't stop anybody. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

Cincy the more that I think of your statement the more I agree with you. I have no doubt that our national "thinking heads" believe this is a style. But come on .....that's not a soccer style of play....That's a rugby team.

 

I have always believed that soccer took all kinds, Big guys, small fast guys, smart guys, and all skilled guys. There is NO mode for soccer players, but apparently your right our national team has a quota to what kind of player they want.

 

PS..I got an e-mail from an English Friend who wanted to remind everybody that The English style of play is quick touches with a lot of possession. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

[cincyred]

I have had the opportuity to watch our US U16 team train, and they are all 6 foot plus players. Our player pipeline is stocked full of taller players. I think the game is evolving towards taller players, and the USMNT it trying to take advantage of this north american trait.