U.S. Men's National Soccer (Official Thread)

[OHSportsFan]

He was right about that. And guess what they don't all work out. And that's ok.

So, I'd say he was right on development structure/player pool. But awful at actually picking squads and formations from that pool (oh and also berating said players). Bruce Arena sucked at all the above.

By the way, the development academy system is wildly out of control. These parents are paying outrageous sums of money to buy their way onto development teams. Visited my old high school coach from Israel (and who was once set to join Everton as a youth, before the whole IDF thing interrupted that). Anyway, he opened my eyes to a lot of the US problems. I'd been out of the loop since I played Club ball some 10-15 years ago. It's a much worse money grab than I ever remember.

 

[OHSportsFan]

Also this

 

[Dryden]

We can blame the MLS all we want, but a majority of Panama's starting XI, a good number of Costa Rica's starting XI, and a few Mexican players play in the MLS.

The real disappointment should be in the U23, U20, U17 squads for not properly developing these players, and the senior squad's over-reliance on using players 3-5 years past their prime to even get them qualified.

The lack of goalkeeper development is a huge letdown, and inexcusable. The defensive development has been horrible. The strikers are so inconsistent, it's hard telling who deserves to start. Bobby Wood plays in the Bundesliga, and he was awful tonight.

There's so many issues with US Soccer, that pointing the finger ONLY at MLS is weak.

Jon Solomon currently on a Twitter rant about the fact 32% of the US pop under the age of 18 is Latino, but about half that makes it to the NCAA level. The demographic that finds soccer appealing has shit Everyone Plays youth leagues and is priced out of the unregulated travel club system.

Could say the same for a lot of other Olympic sports in the US. Gymnastics. Volleyball. If your kids actually want to do that, and at a high level, you're talking 20-30 weekends a year on the road. You've got to make 6 figures to bankroll your child.

 

[TooTall]

Jon Solomon currently on a Twitter rant about the fact 32% of the US pop under the age of 18 is Latino, but about half that makes it to the NCAA level. The demographic that finds soccer appealing has [Mark May] Everyone Plays youth leagues and is priced out of the unregulated travel club system.

Could say the same for a lot of other Olympic sports in the US. Gymnastics. Volleyball. If your kids actually want to do that, and at a high level, you're talking 20-30 weekends a year on the road. You've got to make 6 figures to bankroll your child.

It's created a huge entitlement issue in US Soccer. That I will 100% agree with.

And I'm not saying go to T&T with 23 rookies. Best comparison I can draw is Iceland. (Whom I've been quite vocal about their emergence into the world stage of soccer) They have a solid mix of determined verteran players, and a few hungry young guys eager to play. It's a huge reason why Gylfi Sigurdsson has become the player that he is, and why my boy Birkir Bjarnason continues to be that team's unsung hero. Iceland. With a population less than WYOMING, is light years ahead of US Soccer currently. If that doesn't sum it up, I don't know what will.

 

[Dee-Liem]

On the bright side, maybe this will be the impetus to completely change the youth system in the U.S. and go towards a more European model (but the U.S. Department of Education would probably prevent that).

Anyhow, disappointed right now. Complete leadership change is in order. Klinsmann could've stayed onboard and got the same results (i.e. not qualifying).

Germany totally revamped their system about a decade ago...and they did this after qualifying.

I just hope something good can come from this. A new youth system or something.

One things for certain in my book: Every time Michael Bradley wears that Captain's armband, the team starts resembling him and lacks energy. I hate seeing him as captain.

-Venting over-

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

Goes Twellman off...

 

[Dee-Liem]

Sunil Gulati said wholesale changes are not in order.

What in the F' is he looking at?

Does he know the U.S. didn't qualify?

 

[TooTall]

Sunil Gulati said wholesale changes are not in order.

What in the F' is he looking at?

Does he know the U.S. didn't qualify?

He knows he's as good as gone. Seems like he's trying to defend his decisions on his way out.

 

[Bucklion]

Sunil Gulati said wholesale changes are not in order.

What in the F' is he looking at?

Does he know the U.S. didn't qualify?

Anybody who says that after this result is a huge part of the problem. Twellman is right, we need a complete overhaul of the entire development system, from youth players to MLS to everything. CONCACAF is the most ridiculously easy way to qualify for the WC. Can't do that because you can't win away anywhere short of the Grenadines? (And that was 3-2 BTW) then everything you are doing is wrong.

 

[Dee-Liem]

With all the concerns, complaints, and suggestions Jurgen Klinsmann had after the 2014 World Cup and prior to his departure, he was right about most of his comments.

I just hope U.S. Soccer realizes it has to have a top-to-bottom change, but I really doubt it. The men's program will just keep plodding along.

I keep thinking of Ohio State bringing back John Cooper to be the head football coach after firing him. That's basically what U.S. Soccer did with Bruce Arena.

 

[AKAK]

So, I'd say he was right on development structure/player pool. But awful at actually picking squads and formations from that pool (oh and also berating said players). Bruce Arena sucked at all the above.

By the way, the development academy system is wildly out of control. These parents are paying outrageous sums of money to buy their way onto development teams. Visited my old high school coach from Israel (and who was once set to join Everton as a youth, before the whole IDF thing interrupted that). Anyway, he opened my eyes to a lot of the US problems. I'd been out of the loop since I played Club ball some 10-15 years ago. It's a much worse money grab than I ever remember.

Klinsmann was certainly lacking in other areas, to be sure. I think the discussion here is development and talent pool, though, and I'd argue we should be in a position that you should be able to send 10 guys out there, tell them they are midfielders and they should be able to self organize a win against T and T, flooded field or not.

As for the US soccer club system... You don't have to tell me what it costs. I can send you bank statements. .

I was pretty fortunate to be able to have my kid play on mid-level team for a while that was only about $500 a year. (But once you pay for extra shit like camps and clinics that are included other places, it's still expensive.). I'm pretty fortunate that our most local club team isn't all that much $ compared to say, Crew or others. (And they do have scholarships and if you volunteer to help with their rec programs, they will reduce fees. )

But in the end it's a monopoly. You don't have a choice in most places especially in the middle school ages there's not really another choice.

And Dryden is right. It's the travel that can really kill you. Fortunately we really only have 4-6 weekends that we really need to be out of town right now. And all I'm doing is trying to make sure she can play in high school if she wants to have that experience, anything past that, we'll worry about later. And when she was younger (this is such a fucked up conversation about an 11 year old) I wasn't sure she had the minimum level of interest to put her in a club environment. It was when she was out on the field catching the other kids in game and yelling at them for lack of effort I realized it was the to move on to more serious things. But it's not cheap.

@Dryden - well there you have it, Jeep Wrangler unlimited, not sufficient for club soccer tournament needs. It's an F-150 kind of a job. Full mobile kitchens and tents take up space.

 

[AKAK]

With all the concerns, complaints, and suggestions Jurgen Klinsmann had after the 2014 World Cup and prior to his departure, he was right about most of his comments.

I just hope U.S. Soccer realizes it has to have a top-to-bottom change, but I really doubt it. The men's program will just keep plodding along.

I keep thinking of Ohio State bringing back John Cooper to be the head football coach after firing him. That's basically what U.S. Soccer did with Bruce Arena.

So we have a coaching pool problem too. I'd have rather brought back Bradley. Hopefully Steve Samson has passed. (Ok that's mean). But you take a guy like Michael Bradley, and we need guys like him in the pool... As depth.

 

[Jake]

Stunning to see the team fail to make the WC. I'd figure a team comprised mostly of MLS players - think third division in Europe - coached by an MLS coach would be ready to take on the world.

 

[Dryden]

@Dryden - well there you have it, Jeep Wrangler unlimited, not sufficient for club soccer tournament needs. It's an F-150 kind of a job. Full mobile kitchens and tents take up space.

Fully loaded new Wrangler Unlimited - money left over for step-sons travel baseball, the occasional cigar, and a bottle of Jeffersons every now and then.

Fully loaded new F150 - my kids are done with pay to play, I'm rolling my own from pipe tobacco at the local Shell, and drinking Old Crow and Kesslers cause it's cheaper than domestic beer.

 

[AKAK]

Fully loaded new Wrangler Unlimited - money left over for step-sons travel baseball, the occasional cigar, and a bottle of Jeffersons every now and then.

Fully loaded new F150 - my kids are done with pay to play, I'm rolling my own from pipe tobacco at the local Shell, and drinking Old Crow and Kesslers cause it's cheaper than domestic beer.

I just passed on fully loaded. I mean old crow? Give me a v-8 and 4wd. The dog will fuck up the leather anyway.