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USA Soccer thread

Every time I see them run Zardes out there it reminds me how far the US has to go.
miles and miles to go. They did get super lucky that the Pulisics and McKennies were all born around the same time but again, these kids are still the sons or grandsons of soccer-loving immigrants. There's almost nobody in who isnt the son or grandson of an immigrant or grew up in another country. This Hoppe kid might be more of a traditional American athlete (ie grew up in the US to non-immigrant parents who werent former pro soccer players).

I have said it a million times. Until US soccer can start getting the best athletes to choose soccer at 10, 11, 12, they have no chance on the national stage. This is another reason why the women are so good. For 1, there is no football picking them off. There's also no baseball. There's really no pro softball other than semi-pro and softball kind of has that big, manly girl reputation in the US. Women's basketball is pretty big but even at the pro and college level, its visibility is so low compared to the men's side that very few girls grow up dreaming of playing in the WNBA.
 
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miles and miles to go. They did get super lucky that the Pulisics and McKennies were all born around the same time but again, these kids are still the sons or grandsons of soccer-loving immigrants. There's almost nobody in who isnt the son or grandson of an immigrant or grew up in another country. This Hoppe kid might be more of a traditional American athlete (ie grew up in the US to non-immigrant parents who werent former pro soccer players).

I have said it a million times. Until US soccer can start getting the best athletes to choose soccer at 10, 11, 12, they have no chance on the national stage. This is another reason why the women are so good. For 1, there is no football picking them off. There's also no baseball. There's really no pro softball other than semi-pro and softball kind of has that big, manly girl reputation in the US. Women's basketball is pretty big but even at the pro and college level, its visibility is so low compared to the men's side that very few girls grow up dreaming of playing in the WNBA.
Yep.

and for young American girls, soccer is like football for the boys. It’s THE thing to do.
 
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miles and miles to go. They did get super lucky that the Pulisics and McKennies were all born around the same time but again, these kids are still the sons or grandsons of soccer-loving immigrants. There's almost nobody in who isnt the son or grandson of an immigrant or grew up in another country. This Hoppe kid might be more of a traditional American athlete (ie grew up in the US to non-immigrant parents who werent former pro soccer players).

I have said it a million times. Until US soccer can start getting the best athletes to choose soccer at 10, 11, 12, they have no chance on the national stage. This is another reason why the women are so good. For 1, there is no football picking them off. There's also no baseball. There's really no pro softball other than semi-pro and softball kind of has that big, manly girl reputation in the US. Women's basketball is pretty big but even at the pro and college level, its visibility is so low compared to the men's side that very few girls grow up dreaming of playing in the WNBA.
A great example of what you said is Gio Reyna.
 
A great example of what you said is Gio Reyna.
Paths to USMNT:

- son of former pro player or pro coach
- son of soccer-loving immigrants
- grandson of soccer-loving immigrants who has passed on their love of soccer
- son of US Military dad and German mom growing up in Germany
- grew up in some other soccer-first country

90% of USMNT are in one of these categories. US Men's soccer STILL to this day, cant win the hearts and minds of "traditional" American athletes. And honestly they dont even try.

The pool of players the US picks from is really small despite being a nation of over 300 million because of this.
 
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just saw this. no idea who he is. the fans want cahill to resign to help train him. but i don't know him. what's the deal? why are they offloading him?
Very popular and talented youth player with the club who has gone out on loan (last to Swansea I think) but I believe did not sign a new contract because he wants to take control of his own career. We both feel and fear he’s going to be a good one and could be a loss like Tomori was to Milan this past year. But this is what happens when you have a strong academy at a big club. You’re going to lose your top young players sometimes. He should be a good one for you guys. Just another reason for me to casually follow and root for your club.
 
Paths to USMNT:

- son of former pro player or pro coach
- son of soccer-loving immigrants
- grandson of soccer-loving immigrants who has passed on their love of soccer
- son of US Military dad and German mom growing up in Germany
- grew up in some other soccer-first country

90% of USMNT are in one of these categories. US Men's soccer STILL to this day, cant win the hearts and minds of "traditional" American athletes. And honestly they dont even try.

The pool of players the US picks from is really small despite being a nation of over 300 million because of this.
That simply isn’t true. Plenty in the us are ‘soccer’ families. Do the USMNT analysis by player and you will see plenty of paths. To be clear, I am not claiming soccer is more popular than fb or bb. Nor am I commenting on the quality, or wisdom, of the centralized system.
 
That simply isn’t true. Plenty in the us are ‘soccer’ families. Do the USMNT analysis by player and you will see plenty of paths. To be clear, I am not claiming soccer is more popular than fb or bb. Nor am I commenting on the quality, or wisdom, of the centralized system.
Name the USMNT players that do not fit in one of those categories.

The paths I named are over-represented in the USMNT pool. They probably make up 80%-90% of the players when kids with those family circumstances are probably only 20% of the US if that.
 
Name the USMNT players that do not fit in one of those categories.

The paths I named are over-represented in the USMNT pool. They probably make up 80%-90% of the players when kids with those family circumstances are probably only 20% of the US if that.
I have done this, and I am not about to do it again, nor have the definition changed to someone whose relatives were on the Mayflower don’t count because England is a soccer loving country. Or, they are a goalkeeper so it doesn’t count or…

Give it an honest go and you will be surprised at how many different paths they took.
 
Name the USMNT players that do not fit in one of those categories.

The paths I named are over-represented in the USMNT pool. They probably make up 80%-90% of the players when kids with those family circumstances are probably only 20% of the US if that
I’ve become a big Daryl Dike fan, like most USA soccer fans. He’s like the 2nd string QB in a sense, as he’s the guy that we really don’t know a lot about because he only got his 2nd cap last night…but we all think and hope he can be our solution at the #9 position. He’s a big, strong and imposing force up top. And last night he didn’t disappoint, scoring 2 goals and being directly involved in a 3rd. Of course the USA played against dummies, so we have to take it with a grain of salt.

his story fits your narrative. He’s the son of Nigerian immigrants. His parents are doctors and his two siblings played for the Nigerian national team. I think his Dad might have too. He went to the University of Virginia. So he’s privileged and he’s the son of immigrants.

I can’t wait to see which Euro club pays the 15-20 million transfer fee this summer. He was loaned out to Barnsley in the Championship last season and he almost got them promoted to the EPL. He’s currently the property of Orlando City. But not for long.
 
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Every time I see them run Zardes out there it reminds me how far the US has to go.
He's not EPL class material, but he did reach 10 goals and 10 assists faster than anyone else in USMNT history, so you can't say he totally sucks, he works hard and makes plays on offense, he gets a really bad rap.
 
He's not EPL class material, but he did reach 10 goals and 10 assists faster than anyone else in USMNT history, so you can't say he totally sucks, he works hard and makes plays on offense, he gets a really bad rap.


Well first of all, I'm not saying he sucks. He's a good enough MLS striker, nothing more but nothing less.

But he reached 10 goals and 10 assists quickly because he scores a lot against teams that suck in meaningless games. He has one goal in World Cup qualifying, and it's against St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He has five goals in the Gold Cup, one against Cuba, one against Guyana, two against Trinidad and Tobago in a 6-0 win (in a game that I was at), and one against Martinique. He scored one against Ecuador in the Copa America Centenario (which might be the biggest goal he has ever scored for the US). And he's scored four goals in 27 games in friendlies, one against the Netherlands (probably the only really good team he's ever scored against), two against Bolivia and one against Ecuador.

On the other hand, he's played eight games combined against Mexico, Germany, Brazil and Argentina, plus another five against Costa Rica, in other words, the best teams that the US has played with him on the squad (other than that friendly against the Netherlands), and in those 13 games he has a grand total of zero goals and zero assists.

In other words, he's perfectly fine when you are playing most of the teams in Concacaf or in most low level friendlies against countries from around the world. But when you are playing the really good teams he is just simply not good enough. There is a reason why guys like Dike and Hoppe can play and are coveted by teams in Europe and yet Zardes has never been anything more than a good MLS player.
 
Hoppe looked very active against Martinique. I liked what Shaq Moore did against Haiti. Miles Robinson has been very steady in both games. He could be a dark horse to pair with John Brooks in the back.
 
Hoppe looked very active against Martinique. I liked what Shaq Moore did against Haiti. Miles Robinson has been very steady in both games. He could be a dark horse to pair with John Brooks in the back.
Miles Robinson and Darryl Dike played vs Pitt in the ACC just a couple years ago. Crazy.

With Veljko Petkovic being living in the US since middle school or so, I wonder when he will get his citizenship because I could see him playing for the US one day.
 
I’ve become a big Daryl Dike fan, like most USA soccer fans. He’s like the 2nd string QB in a sense, as he’s the guy that we really don’t know a lot about because he only got his 2nd cap last night…but we all think and hope he can be our solution at the #9 position. He’s a big, strong and imposing force up top. And last night he didn’t disappoint, scoring 2 goals and being directly involved in a 3rd. Of course the USA played against dummies, so we have to take it with a grain of salt.

his story fits your narrative. He’s the son of Nigerian immigrants. His parents are doctors and his two siblings played for the Nigerian national team. I think his Dad might have too. He went to the University of Virginia. So he’s privileged and he’s the son of immigrants.

I can’t wait to see which Euro club pays the 15-20 million transfer fee this summer. He was loaned out to Barnsley in the Championship last season and he almost got them promoted to the EPL. He’s currently the property of Orlando City. But not for long.

That one goal the other night was ridiculously confident and powerful. He could be the Lukaku of the USMNT.
 
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Jackson Yueill is so terrible. No clue what GB sees in him. He's C level
 
Well first of all, I'm not saying he sucks. He's a good enough MLS striker, nothing more but nothing less.

But he reached 10 goals and 10 assists quickly because he scores a lot against teams that suck in meaningless games. He has one goal in World Cup qualifying, and it's against St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He has five goals in the Gold Cup, one against Cuba, one against Guyana, two against Trinidad and Tobago in a 6-0 win (in a game that I was at), and one against Martinique. He scored one against Ecuador in the Copa America Centenario (which might be the biggest goal he has ever scored for the US). And he's scored four goals in 27 games in friendlies, one against the Netherlands (probably the only really good team he's ever scored against), two against Bolivia and one against Ecuador.

On the other hand, he's played eight games combined against Mexico, Germany, Brazil and Argentina, plus another five against Costa Rica, in other words, the best teams that the US has played with him on the squad (other than that friendly against the Netherlands), and in those 13 games he has a grand total of zero goals and zero assists.

In other words, he's perfectly fine when you are playing most of the teams in Concacaf or in most low level friendlies against countries from around the world. But when you are playing the really good teams he is just simply not good enough. There is a reason why guys like Dike and Hoppe can play and are coveted by teams in Europe and yet Zardes has never been anything more than a good MLS player.
This can apply to Altidore also. The one guy who was so hyped to be a good scorer and just didn’t have the it.
 
Very shaky in the back today, were very fortunate to come away with the win.
 
Said to be a much stronger roster then what we brought.
which I thought was kinda dumb but then again, Mexico is no danger of finishing 4th in the Octo or whatever they are calling it now so they can bring an A 1/2 team to the Gold Cup and win it and then bring a completely new A 1/2 team to WCQ in September and win all 3. For the US, this is a full B squad because they need their guys rested and healthy in September for WCQ. As we know, it is not a given that they will make the World Cup.....although this is the strongest USMNT team ever in my opinion.
 
so they can bring an A 1/2 team to the Gold Cup and win it and then bring a completely new A 1/2 team to WCQ in September and win all 3.


Mexico will most certainly not be bringing anything other than their best possible squad to their World Cup qualifiers in September.

Mexico can bring a mostly A level squad to the Nations League games and then the Gold Cup and then the World Cup qualifiers because most of the best Mexican players play in Mexico, and the owners of the teams in Liga MX are also the people who run the Mexican Federation, so the Mexican national team never has an issue with dealing with getting players released for games. US Soccer wants to keep Chelsea and Juventus and Leipzig happy, so when those clubs don't want their players playing in both the Nations League and the Gold Cup, US Soccer generally complies, even if they technically do not have to. For the most part, the Mexican national team does not have that same issue.
 
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Oh, and as for the Mexican Federation knowing that they are going to qualify for the World Cup, it was just two cycles ago (the 2014 World Cup) that on the last day of qualifying the US scored two goals in stoppage time (one in the 92nd minute and one in the 93rd) of the last game to beat Panama. Had the US not scored those two goals Mexico would not have qualified for the 2014 World Cup.
 
Oh, and as for the Mexican Federation knowing that they are going to qualify for the World Cup, it was just two cycles ago (the 2014 World Cup) that on the last day of qualifying the US scored two goals in stoppage time (one in the 92nd minute and one in the 93rd) of the last game to beat Panama. Had the US not scored those two goals Mexico would not have qualified for the 2014 World Cup.
Costa Rica and Honduras had "golden generations" by their standards back then. Panama just had their golden generation for the 2018 cycle. None of those teams are close to what they were back then. That is partly why I see the USA qualifying easily. In fact, I think Canada will also. The Central American and Caribbean sides are weaker than usual.

1. Mexico
2. USA
3. Canada

4. Toss-up. I guess I'll go with Costa Rica to play either Asia, South America, or New Zealand in the playoff.
 
Costa Rica and Honduras had "golden generations" by their standards back then. Panama just had their golden generation for the 2018 cycle. None of those teams are close to what they were back then. That is partly why I see the USA qualifying easily. In fact, I think Canada will also. The Central American and Caribbean sides are weaker than usual.

1. Mexico
2. USA
3. Canada

4. Toss-up. I guess I'll go with Costa Rica to play either Asia, South America, or New Zealand in the playoff.

Not sold on Costa Rica achieving anything close to the level they had the last few cycles. New staff to be sure, but Ruiz is done and Campbell never quite became what many thought he could be.

They are losing to Mexico right now, but really like what I see from this El Salvador squad. They will be a tough out in the next round.
 
This can apply to Altidore also. The one guy who was so hyped to be a good scorer and just didn’t have the it.
But he's third all time leading scorer for USAMNT with 42 goals? Donovan and Dempsey are tied for #1 with 57. So he had something.
 
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But he's third all time leading scorer for USAMNT with 42 goals? Donovan and Dempsey are tied for #1 with 57. So he had something.
I liked Jozy. I liked him alot. He just never lived up to expectations. Maybe that wasn’t fair to him as he was never going to be what we wanted and our program needed. I think Dike is the next one, fair or not, who we firmly place our weight onto his shoulders.
 
There's a group of American fans that are exhausting to me. I call them "USA Soccer Snobs", The USAMNT sucks, the coaches suck, the players suck, the MLS sucks, They'll never be happy until every game is vs. Brazil, Spain and Germany and we win 7-0 every time! I'm sure they can't ever enjoy just watching a game, enjoying a win, and taking it for what it is, a mediocre soccer country, that plays in a weak region, and just enjoy a win over T&T or Martinique and just view it as TV Entertainment and not be constantly upset that we don't have soccer academies producing 3 Peles every year.
 
USWNT opens Olympic play vs Sweden at 4:30 am this morning on USA Network. Not an easy opener against a Sweden side that managed a draw against the US back in the spring.
 
Not sold on Costa Rica achieving anything close to the level they had the last few cycles. New staff to be sure, but Ruiz is done and Campbell never quite became what many thought he could be.

They are losing to Mexico right now, but really like what I see from this El Salvador squad. They will be a tough out in the next round.
Yea, really impressed with El Salvador. How bout their fans evening up the Mexican fans at the Cotton Bowl. Just cant see them winning enough to finish in the top 4 though. Its gotta be Honduras or CR even though those arent their best teams. Dont sleep on Jamaica either with Leon Bailey, who is probably the best player in Concacaf outside of North America.
 
USWNT opens Olympic play vs Sweden at 4:30 am this morning on USA Network. Not an easy opener against a Sweden side that managed a draw against the US back in the spring.
2-0 Sweden early 2nd half. I don’t even recognize this US team. Looking disorganized and being pushed around by the Swedes. Sweden is the American’s kryptonite. They are the one opponent that doesn’t just sit back and respect our skill. They have pressed the backline and haven’t allowed the US to build anything. 44-match unbeaten streak very much in jeopardy.
 
2-0 Sweden early 2nd half. I don’t even recognize this US team. Looking disorganized and being pushed around by the Swedes. Sweden is the American’s kryptonite. They are the one opponent that doesn’t just sit back and respect our skill. They have pressed the backline and haven’t allowed the US to build anything. 44-match unbeaten streak very much in jeopardy.
Final. 3-0 Sweden. Absolutely stunning how poor the US played. It really could have been 5-0 if Naeher hadn’t made a couple great saves.
 
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Final. 3-0 Sweden. Absolutely stunning how poor the US played. It really could have been 5-0 if Naeher hadn’t made a couple great saves.
Good. Knock these gals back a few pegs. Let’s see how they respond.

Sweden, outside of the US, is the best team in this tournament. And apparently they showed that they might be better.
 
Good. Knock these gals back a few pegs. Let’s see how they respond.

Sweden, outside of the US, is the best team in this tournament. And apparently they showed that they might be better.
Everyone knows this is an overage roster, but this is the first time it has ever truly shown. Of course it doesn’t help that one of their reliable younger players, Crystal Dunn, was terrible all game long. That said, the US couldn’t build any attack all game long, which is unusual, but definitely a credit to what Sweden did.
 
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