US Men's National Team - what went wrong?

I think we need to have an "Open Tryout" across the country.
Surely we can find 1 player out there who can play the 6. Another that can play the 2 or 3. Shore up those 3 positions and we are making a visit to Putin this summer.

Criteria to tryout:
1. US Citizenship
2. Age 18-27
3. Weigh less than 230 pounds
4. Must have worn soccer cleats and shin guards during a soccer game in the past 10 months.
5. No felony record.

That is all. I see some Sunday league guys that are pretty impressive, but over-the-hill. Surely there are some youngster out there that can play at a high level.

US Soccer could even fund it by making it a reality show.

I think I said it on here before, I bet there are 15 guys in So Cal, that would give the team that played on Tuesday night a run for their money.
 
watfly said:
Your opinion may be unpopular, but unfortunately you may end up being right. I think this fits in with Mystery Train's narrative regarding accountability, and lack thereof. I get the impression that US Soccer is more concerned about protecting the MLS than they are about developing the USMNT (for example, training and solidiarity payments).

I've kind of scoffed at the concept that US club soccer is mostly for upper middle class kids. However, upon reflection there is some truth to that. My son has been playing Flight 1 soccer for 4 years with two different clubs and the families are predominately upper middle class. I see this in a lot of SD and OC clubs although it doesn't seem as prevalent in LA.
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The MLS can keep going on the very players from Trinidad that whipped the US. Meanwhile, how many of those country club kids do you think are going to give up their safe 4 years of college and scholarships for a $65000 salary as a defender in the MLS? Pulisic said thanks but no thanks and went overseas. It also fits into the Europe narrative....in Europe not everyone goes to college....it's why so many middle class parents send their kids here (because they couldn't get in over there and get their free education)....so in Europe if you are good at athletics, but not so good at books, early on you begin to look for other opportunities.
 
DBSoccerFan said:
Ghost - I couldn't agree more and you are rocking on your insight. I am judging and seeing things as a parent of youth player and playing on the women's side. I see the women's side going in the direction you mention the men's program is devoid of. I don't know how delineated USSF is on the men's and women's side when it comes to governing bodies, long range planning or development. I believe the women's side is on the right track with their evaluation process. Vision and implementation by its nature is a work in progress and time is needed to see if the processes are on track. We can't base it on one tournament or game, but over a long period of time. I see it on the U14 (women's) level with the current selection of the youth pool. Personally watching two of the selectees on a daily basis and the the team around them would confirm my belief that the U.S. Women's vision and development program are on point and the men's side should look hard at consolidating that vision. I say this also by seeing my daughter benefit from her success in your former thoughts of only being athletic, strong and fast versus your latter evaluation fixes. She now needs to quickly and diligently adapt to this latter evaluation process to be successful going forward. From a husband's perspective, women once again have it right, unless MAP tells me I'm all jacked up .... :)
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I think that technical ability is king and then athletic ability. Obviously the best of the best have both. I can tell you that the best player on my player's team is only 5'4 and not an imposing physical specimen but she is the best player in the world under the age of 24 and it is because of her technical ability and her genius level soccer IQ.

Focus on the technical skills when young, when in middle school, when in high school. Someday US soccer will catch up....
 
bruinblue14 said:
^^^ I really hope you're right. Watched one of NWSL semifinal games last weekend (Courage vs Red Stars) both of which have several USWNT players and it was kind of awful to watch. No more than 3 passes connected. So many passes to no where and no one. So much panic on the ball. It just seemed like they didn't know how to play any way other than just run run run as fast as you can. The lack of intelligent play was difficult to watch.
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Oops, was referring to DB's post above
 
timbuck said:
I think we need to have an "Open Tryout" across the country.
Surely we can find 1 player out there who can play the 6. Another that can play the 2 or 3. Shore up those 3 positions and we are making a visit to Putin this summer.

Criteria to tryout:
1. US Citizenship
2. Age 18-27
3. Weigh less than 230 pounds
4. Must have worn soccer cleats and shin guards during a soccer game in the past 10 months.
5. No felony record.

That is all. I see some Sunday league guys that are pretty impressive, but over-the-hill. Surely there are some youngster out there that can play at a high level.

US Soccer could even fund it by making it a reality show.

I think I said it on here before, I bet there are 15 guys in So Cal, that would give the team that played on Tuesday night a run for their money.
Click to expand...

@timbuck since you are a coach I am going to assume you were either joking or just forgot. We already have our future #6 but for him to have helped us this year (which he could have) Michael Bradley would have to move or sit. If you don't recognize this name now you will shortly. Wes McKennie

https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/09/19/weston-mckennie-schalke-usa-fc-dallas

Oh and Haji Wright and Nick Tatigue are future senior MNT players too. The future is full of talented Americans, we just need to get the old guard out, get an excellent South American coach and get rid of Sunil Gulati...
 
If you have seen him play you will think that he is the real deal. Better than Bradley right now...

Watch the video. It is worth it.
 
timbuck said:
3. Weigh less than 230 pounds
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LOL

I don't know if Jozy Altidore would have made the cut, then. Dude looks like a mike linebacker right now. A big, yoked up striker don't mean much if the team can't possess the freakin ball or close down the opposing forwards...
 
Mystery Train said:
LOL

I don't know if Jozy Altidore would have made the cut, then. Dude looks like a mike linebacker right now. A big, yoked up striker don't mean much if the team can't possess the freakin ball or close down the opposing forwards...
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He's only listed as 6', 175.
Either that's wrong or we underestimate just how little some soccer players really are.
 
MakeAPlay said:
Bruce Arena did the respectable and accountable thing and resigned. Sad because he could have brought in some youth and gone for it!

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/west...on-not-to-call-him/1qucxsz5ebdid1049qesejn86h

https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/u...contract-extension-usa-usmnt-usynt-bundesliga

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My god, some of those through balls and long passes were perfectly weighted....like watching Tiger Woods long putt the 16th hole in the '05 Masters...that kid is dropping dimes.
 
Mystery Train said:
LOL

I don't know if Jozy Altidore would have made the cut, then. Dude looks like a mike linebacker right now. A big, yoked up striker don't mean much if the team can't possess the freakin ball or close down the opposing forwards...
Click to expand...

Tell me you wouldn't take Romelu Lukaku who is 6'3 215...
 
Mystery Train said:
My god, some of those through balls and long passes were perfectly weighted....like watching Tiger Woods long putt the 16th hole in the '05 Masters...that kid is dropping dimes.
Click to expand...

For an American player to start for a top quarter of the table Bundesliga side at 19 he has to be SPECIAL. Sort of like for a non-American raised/educated player to start as a rookie in the NBA.
 
Mystery Train said:
My god, some of those through balls and long passes were perfectly weighted....like watching Tiger Woods long putt the 16th hole in the '05 Masters...that kid is dropping dimes.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but he doesn't score many goals and doesn't seem to have "big kicks". He'd never make it in American soccer. (sarcasm)
 
timbuck said:
He's only listed as 6', 175.
Either that's wrong or we underestimate just how little some soccer players really are.
Click to expand...

MakeAPlay said:
Wes McKennie is bigger than that right now! He is 6'1 175-180.
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LOL, Altidore is bigger than that too. That ain't 175. The brother may not be linebacker size, but like Bill Parcells said of Roy Williams, he's "one biscuit shy of it."

1280-jozy-altidore-main.jpg
 
my rant....

it was great that BA resigned, now the rest of marrionetist's need to leave the top side of us soccer.

not sure who should take control of the ship, but I would like to have landon donavan in the cabin helping direct things. we need people in place who can stay with the project for 12-16 years, to see things to fruition.

in my eye's, us doesnt possess a "style".... let alone the ability to consistently connect a pass to their teammate. some will say, yeah - long ball-mls, thug ball, etc. when you have players that cant string several passes together or the players are thinking his teammate is going to thump the ball up the field & turns away, when a ball is actually passed to him, it's a joke, there is pure confusion out on the field.

I was embarrassed for the us before the TnT game, when the usmnt were being carried onto the field looking like a bunch of pansies. so sad. not to mention the lack of pride or respect to be playing for the national team, let alone personal pride. Before the 1st TnT goal, i was thinking to myself, i hope us looses, their display of effort, they dont deserve to move forward.

a buddy of mine has 2 kids that went to a us national camp a while back, u14 & u18, practiced @ the same location. after the 1st day he asked his kids what they both worked on u14 was building out the back, while u18 was instructed to get the ball in the attacking 3rd within 3 touches. So here you have a us nat team training camp with numerous age groups & they are all teaching different philosophies...wtf. same thing happened the next few days....sad.

BA is just the tip of the iceberg, we need to clean house & establish / identify a style & stick to it.

Plan your work, then work your plan. keep it simple.
 
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