TimmySmith

42 minutes ago, jschuck12001 said:

Ranking club and national teams together makes no sense so I can't really respond on that, I can tell you BATE is the 100th ranked club team in the world and we could beat them with our current team (Without brooks and Tim C).

My point being the Team Germany may be a top 10 side overall.  Team US may not be 200, so claiming we are 30 in FIFA rankings is technically true, but has little basis for the quality of the side. 

Trust me, I was Caps losing in the 1st round disappointed when the US lost.  We just weren't good. 

1 hour ago, jschuck12001 said:

The fact we didn't qualify is what makes it a bigger disappointment, don't focus on just the Trinidad game.

 

We are consistently ranked top 30 in the world, have qualified out of the group stage in 3 out of the last 4 world cups and made it out of the group of death last world cup, how is that "no where near" the miracle on ice?

The miracle on ice was perhaps the greatest hockey team in the world (soccer analogy Barcelona) vs the US Amateurs (soccer analogy Maryland Terps) .  Russia has beaten the US 10-3 one month prior to the miracle on ice.   This was no miracle on turf.  Not even close.  

If we were to rank all soccer sides, everywhere, mixing Club sides with National sides, the US side might not be top 200.   The USMNT just isn't very good, they didn't qualify for the WC.  Don't allow your disappointment to inflate their abilities.

13 minutes ago, pjfootballer said:

We always took it for granted being in a weak region.  Maybe this will put a foot up their butt to make our programs better.  Losing to T&T was like Alabama losing to Division III Slippery Rock.

Not exactly. We field a team that mostly plays in a 3rd rate league and they do also.  The experiment that the MLS can help the national team is over.  The US is not soccer crazy enough to use our huge populace to our advantage. Probably never will be.

10 hours ago, Gibbs Hog Heaven said:

Mexico's first loss the group huh? After leading 2-1. To Hondorous. 

 

The socialist who loves a conspiracy theory in me might suggest they purposefully F-ed you over and are currently laughing their dicks off at your expense. 

 

*******os!

I don't buy into conspiracies. This is a flat out fact. We all knew Mexico would lay down in the 2nd half.  We also know that concacaf is a 3rd rate organization geared to pushing the Central American teams in for some reason. Thus the non goal by Panama.  In 2017, with everything at stake, every pitch outside the US and Mexico is a shameful disgrace, the refs will not make a call south of the border and there is no replay. 

It's not dead, but it just suffered an ultimate revenue loss that could be in the billions. Pulisic  just lost a few million over the next year. That could translate to to 8 or more figures over the next 5. 

We'll never know if Klinsmann would have qualified.  Didn't look good.  His philosophy has born out to be the correct one. US soccer will be blown up. No choice.  There are only 3=4 players who will be around in 5 years anyway.

Klinsmann was right. MLSers ain't good enough. Omar never sees a squad coached by Jurgen.

Omar.  Why?

1 hour ago, Bang said:

One of those leaders was at the Colts game yesterday, and he basically said the same "**** you" to the protest that keeps it going.

That signals that he doesn't care about what the protest is about.

Nobody knows what the protest is about, much less cares.  NFL players had 2 years to follow Kaep and pretty much didn't.  Now they kneel to try to get back at Trump.  So he antagonizes them.  Then, today idiot Jamele Hill tells people not to use NFL sponsors products.  Which is almost exactly what Trump wanted people to do in the first place.  All of which hurts the NFL and the players.  They don't realize that they are doing this to themselves.

55 minutes ago, pjfootballer said:

I don't think any of us thought we'd beat OSU.  Especially at the horseshoe.  Hell, we can't beat them with our 1st string QB.  Like I said, forget about it and get ready for the Wildcats.

With Pigrome or Hill the Terps are a 15pt dog and probably play to about that.  It's extremely disappointing to continually run out of talent before they even get to the big boys.  Another year gone.

As Pulisic gets better it shows how bad the rest are.  Bradley and Gonzales can be replaced at any time.

GB Alexi Lalas.  He's 100% right. This team is WAY more talented on paper than any of the USMTs that cruised through qualifying.  They were hungry, these guys aren't.  It's that simple.  

5 hours ago, BRAVEONAWARPATH said:

 

On Johnson's long run, the final block, 50 yards downfield, is made by Kasim Hill. Unreal. Watched it 10 times and I still can't believe how fast Hill got down there.

As long as we are throwing out names. Why on earth is Aron Johansson in siberia from the USMNT?  He has fallen from favor on his club, mainly due to injury. But that that shouldn't have any bearing on the US squad.  Another example of MLS players seemingly getting preferential nods over an international caught in the politics of a completely dysfunctional club.

11 minutes ago, SkinssRvA said:

 

The average american does not watch the world cup to see Ronaldo or Messi.  People aren't packing in and selling out bars to watch the superstars of other nations.  They watch to support America.  Much like most Americans don't tune in to watch track events but every four years when the olympics come around.  If you amended your first statement to "Americans don't care much about soccer" you'd be more on.  If we miss this world cup it's an absolute detriment to youth development.  People would (somehow) care less about US soccer if we didn't show up on the national stage for 8 straight years (if we qualified next WC, which is shaky considering we are losing a core of solid respectable players).  Kids would be driven away from soccer because "there's just no future for American Soccer, we can't even make the world cup."  Obviously you myself and everyone else in this thread knows the USMNT has nothing to do with potential for wages, but Americans as a whole see it differently.  

 

Youth development certainly is lacking here in the states, no doubt about it.  Our best athletes don't grow up wanting to play soccer, and our best (future) coaches don't grow up wanting to coach soccer.  Jurgen, an international, immediately recognized this.  There is no comparison to international soccer.  Big clubs have youth academies that revolve around soccer, school systems are set up to revolve around soccer, it is their predominant sport.  It is career/livelihood driven for families like American football is here in the states.  Everyone wants to be a part of it from the day they are born basically.  That's not even touching on south america where soccer is literally a way of life and religion.  

 

My own personal take is MLS is doing their best to increase the coverage of our professional soccer league and that this is a good place to start.  We need to bring relevance to the sport in general.  The easiest ways to do that are 1. World Cup USMNT exposure and 2. Popular MLS.  As popularity grows with MLS so does youth development, I firmly believe that.  The model of buying old washed up internationals can only get you so far..we need to raise the competition here in MLS in other ways.  Somehow competing in international tournaments that aren't friendlies would be a great way to do that, but I don't know if it's even possible.  

 

Or..and credit to fanboy, I just saw in the soccer thread about spanish league teams hosting games internationally.  Dude, come to the US we'd love to host.  If we can't raise the perception of the sport through MLS let's do it by hosting big meaningful games from other leagues.  Get the quality of soccer played on US soil UP, and interest goes UP. 

Agree with 1st paragraph.  Those Americans watching the WC are watching every team but rooting for the US.  We are desperate for the US to compete every 4 years.

Agree with 2nd paragraph. 

Disagree with some of the 3rd.  The MLS itself is a monopoly and is really only interested in it's best interests. It needs it's top players on the USMNT and has the control to make that happen. Unfortunately that is contrary to WC success.  A true North/South American Champions League would be a great step in the right direction.  Paying washed up internationals is a waste, IMO, but I assume the MLS has run the numbers on it.

As said before in this thread, American Soccer needs promotion/relegation to keep everything fresh on the lower end.  

14 minutes ago, DC9 said:

Which is why there are rules in place on how many "homegrown," players you must have.  Here and in the Premier League.

Those rules were more guidelines when teams were full of homegrown talent, now they are minimums. 

7 minutes ago, DC9 said:

I think MLS is a joke and until they have a relegation ladder with NASL or another league they will continue to be. 

Will NEVER, EVER, happen, even if it would be a revolutionary development for soccer everywhere.  Same with the Hunt Cup, open it up to more teams. Never happen.

3 minutes ago, BenningRoadSkin said:

this is pro sports, not a charity.

 

The problem with development is not the Premier League or MLS problem. They are selling a product.

 

The problem is always in how we approach development in this country. Same is true in England.

 

Over half of the Bundesliga is foreign born/non-German players, yet they still have a conveyor belt of talent. 

 

The coaching at youth levels is the problem. 

 

Along with widening our talent scope. But since the US program is dependent on affluent families, you get this type of player pool that is limited. Its a joke, but this is how its going to always be in this country until someone actually wants to see a real change.

Most of what you say is spot on.  However, unlike our other professional leagues, in soccer, here and abroad, it is incumbent on the professional leagues to develop homegrown talent.  It's an industry in South America.  Becoming less so in England.  

6 hours ago, Gibbs Hog Heaven said:

God you guys have fallen off a cliff and then some huh? 

Long term development over short term gratification. Or else you'll forever continue to be the Worlds last great, completely untapped, going nowhere, football Nation. 

So many things going on.  Klinnsman was 100% right about the development of US Soccer, as in, we start way too late with very poor coaching.  But the other side of the sword is that (1) we need instant gratification from the US Team to keep it rolling and (2) there is not a pot of gold at the end of the training window for most kids.  

A quick numbers comparison of the MLS and EPL.

Seattle Sounders are roughly 1/2 foreign born. The American half features a great many older players. So much for the development of US players.  

A quick look at Man U's roster shows just 9 English players.  I assume other EPL teams are following a similar path.  Not much pot of gold for English players either, and just look at the English National Team.  Honestly, not worlds better than the US.

My point being, when your home league, no matter the level of play, is not catering to the development of young homegrown players, the national team is doomed.

Lastly, the MLS is inferior, we can all admit it. However it is intrinsically tied to the USMNT.  The long term development you speak about would be to dismiss the the older MLS players and focus completely on the younger ones and the internationals. Won't happen, that is the short term gratification of which you speak.

1 minute ago, Fergasun said:

Defense is a sieve....all the goals against were stupid defensive plays.

 

Omar is just awful. Wish he wasn't. Has all the physical skill but makes 3 complete boneheaded plays per match. 

A healthy Yedlin will make a huge difference.

Solid result when everything was stacked the other way. A miracle really. US need more internationals. Klinnsman was dead on about that. 

Just turned on. The pitch is an absolute disgrace. US Open rough is shorter.

When teams bring in their internationals our MLSers can't hang. 

3 years ago I would have thought it inconceivable that Julian Green and Aron Johannsson would not be on the roster this late in the campaign.  Yedlin and Brooks on the mend.  Tonight's lineup should coast through qualifying, but won't get far in the WC.

19 hours ago, Kosher Ham said:

I have an issue. 

I would rather have 5 star players. 

3 stars are in a situation.

Not coached or not talented enough.

There are only a handful of 5* and most major colleges don't get a whiff of them. They are the property of Alabama, OSU and a couple of others. Sometimes for odd reasons they fall to a school like MD.  

To be fair to the 5*, Alabama and OSU turn them into guaranteed 1st rounders so why would they go elsewhere?

A heads up for those who have internet without cable and want to see the Nats.  Always search in Youtube live for Nationals and more often than not someone has put it on there.  It may be the out of town broadcast, but it's better than nothing.  And you can watch it on your phone without MLB.

13 minutes ago, FanboyOf91 said:

(mumbles) pulisic should be playing in midfield at some point

 

(and jozy's getting injured somehow before the World Cup)

 

(and zardes? please)

 

100% agreement.  

The US is loaded (for us) at forward, Pulisic is a bit of a waste up there when we are so thin in the middle.

Morris could be special, but not if he stays in the MLS.  That goal will make him the MLS posterboy, which is not a good thing.

Klinsmann was a horrible cook, but he sure knows how to stock a pantry.  Let's give him credit for that.

Praying that: Aron Johansson is healthy, Julian Green finds himself.   Those 2 = Zardes who?