as an assistant coach. Really, really interesting. I'd imagine there'd have to be a "Meet Christian Pulisic night" and Christian Pulisic camps in the summer when he's off......and not playing in the World Cup
Riverhounds hire Christian Pulisic's dad
- Thread starter Sean Miller Fan
- Start date
Hmmmm......you know I like this stuff. The Pulisic's are from Hershey. Philly has a team. Columbus is losing theirs. Maybe a long-term plan would be for the Pulisics to invest in a Pittsburgh MLS team where Christian could play the last few years of his career.
If he's making big money in Europe, you know when his career is winding down, MLS would pay huge for him to play here for a couple years, maybe even with equity in a franchise.
I bet you are proud that you don't know who the USA's top young soccer star is. LOL.
Not really. I’m not a hockey fan, but I recognize some young stars. Soccer and hockey are on equal footing in terms of my interest. Is he at Messi’s level, Donovan?
Best American ever, or best American ever at his age? I had this debate with someone else and am willing to concede that he's already a Top 5 all-time, regardless of age. You can certainly make an argument for him as the greatest American at this point, but I'm not quite ready to go there myself. I'd still go Donovan and Dempsey for now, and let's not forget Tim Howard and the run he had in the EPL.
He is so far ahead of Donovan and Dempsey at this age. Its disrespectful to Pulisic to even make those comparisons. At the point where if he doesn't improve one bit the rest of his career, he will still be the best American ever.
Pulisic is a starter on what is the equivalent of a good NBA team. Donovan and Dempsey, at their peaks, would have been nothing more than role players and bench bench players for clubs like Dortmund assuming they would have even made the club.
You have to play a lot more than a year and a half of top level soccer to be the best American player ever.
He does but right now, regardless of age, he is doing things at a level of soccer that any other American NEVER has. If he doesn't finish his career as tbe the best American ever, something will have gone seriously wrong. Amazing that this kid grew up in Hershey.
Why is he so good if he grew up playing in the Lancaster Invitational... even my daughter played in that, lol. Or did they send him away somewhere at a very young age?
Clint Dempsey played some high level soccer on a top half of the table EPL team. Tim Howard won the EPL goalie of the year once and for numerous years was easily a top ten goaltender in the world (but comparing goaltenders to field players is truly comparing apples to oranges).
Yea GKs dont count. Overall it takes less technical skill than field players which is why you tend to see American GKs have more success than field players.
You are right about Dempsey but those Fulham teams he was on really weren't that talented. He was a good player on an average team who did have some success against the super clubs and in the overall table some years. Dont get me wrong, I love Clint Dempsey but he was an average EPL who did have a couple above average years. Pulisic would be a high-level EPL player.
Playing GK is practically a different sport. You can probably get an athletic basketball player to learn the position. Not at the highest level, but just saying. I never played soccer as a kid, not even a little, but I ended up playing in an adult rec league in my mid 20s, playing with former high school and college players at GK, Yes, it was low level rec stuff, just for fun, but I embarrassed myself trying to play soccer, but at GK I could catch a ball out of the air or bat it away, punt it, goal kick it, and people could barely tell I never played soccer before, I ended up playing 4 years. That experience probably gives me a better appreciation for soccer than most people I grew up with. Probably why Americans have been good goal keepers, playing basketball and sports where you catch with your hands helps at that position.
GK is changing now at the top levels. More teams want their GK to be really good with his feet, like Barcelona’s are. If you think about it, what are the odds you will maintain possession if your GK punts the ball 50 meters? There will be more defenders in their own defensive zone than you are going to have offensive players. Plus, the defenders will be playing the ball in their natural position, with their back to their own goal, while the offensive players have to turn around and play with their back to the opposition goal. My best guess is that your team retains possession maybe 30% of the time. By playing a pass to a teammate 20 or 30 meters up the pitch, the GK actually can start the attack.
Yesterday, Barcelona was tied 2-2 with Real Sociedad, a team they hadn’t beaten on the road since 2007. The Sociedad GK punted a clearance to the center line, which one of his teammates headed 10m backwards, right to Leo Messi’s chest. One quick through ball to Luis Suarez and it was 2-3 Barca.
Yesterday, Barcelona was tied 2-2 with Real Sociedad, a team they hadn’t beaten on the road since 2007. The Sociedad GK punted a clearance to the center line, which one of his teammates headed 10m backwards, right to Leo Messi’s chest. One quick through ball to Luis Suarez and it was 2-3 Barca.
Puliscic is rumored for an EPL transfer in the summer. Liverpool is the natural odds on favorite with their manager being klopp. I also heard that Man U may have an interest. That one I don't get. He wouldn't see the field the way that team is constructed. But the kid has emmense talent. I hope he continues to improve. I would love to see him starting for a top 4 English team one day.
