American Soccer

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’m sure this won’t have the depth or passion of some of Owlstretchingtime’s threads on world football, but I thought I’d toss this out as a way to see if anyone was interested to discuss the state of soccer in the USA. Here are the topics I’d like to discuss:

[ol]
[li]MLS (Major League Soccer)[/li][list=A][li]Finish to last season - I thought there were some excellent games in the playoffs, particularly the semifinal with DC United and the New England Revolution. A very exciting game, finished off with PKs (the only disappointing part, IMO). Then the MSL championship game, between DC and KC. When KC scored first on an impossibly long blast, I was sure the game would stall out and get boring as KC went into a prevent to try and preserve their lead. But Alecko Eskandarian did a great job to get DC on the board and then put them ahead, even though his second goal was clearly a handball on the replay. [/li][li]Recent sponsorship deals with Nike and Adidas - Does this inject new life into the league? I like the way the deals are structured, particularly that it helps create developmental squads for the younger players. I still would like to see some players migrate to Europe to establish themselves, as the quality of play there is really unsurpassed, but for many who can’t make that cut it will help to have a local option for them.[/li][li]League expansion - I think the creation of a Chivas club in LA is brilliant. It’s a great way to bring in the hardcore Mexican fan base. Not so sure about Salt Lake City, but would love to see the sport become the premier pro sport there.[/li][li]Silly team names - What’s up with Real Salt Lake City? Isn’t Real just Spanish for “Royal”? I’m not sure that the US clubs real benefit from mimicking the names of storied European clubs.[/li][/ol]
[li]US National Side - An undefeated run through qualification this year. In fact, only one loss at all this year, with that coming at the hands of traditional power Netherlands, in Amsterdam. Not too bad. Some of the games showed brilliant, although a couple of the qualifiers went down to the wire before resulting in ties. Barring a complete disaster the USA should qualify easily from the final six group of Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama,Trinidad & Tobago and USA. Eddie Johnson stood out in the last three games, scoring five goals in about 110 minutes. Jonathon Spector of Man Utd finally took the field at the end of the Jamaica game and looked very solid. The defense continues to be the weakest link for USA, but players like Carlos Bocanegra are making me more confident that the USA is making the right strides there.[/li][li]Player movements - Of course the big one here is Landon Donovan returning to Bayer Leverkusen after years on loan to the San Jose Earthquake. The consensus is that this is a good move for him, allowing him a chance to grow. Personally I’d like to see him transferred to a club in the Premiership where he can really be challenged and where he’s less likely to succumb to home sickness. I also wouldn’t mind seeing other young players like Alecko Eskandarian and Eddie Johnson take overseas assignments. It might have a bit of an impact on MLS, but it would be great for team USA’s continued growth at the international level.[/li][/list]

2

For that matter, which two teams were combined to create DC United?

Seriously, what’s wrong with a team that’s just named after the city it plays in? Mascots don’t do anything for your team except possibly sell extra bedding sets to six-year-olds.

3

Kansas City was originally called “The Wiz” in 1996 before they finally rounded out the name to “Wizards” the following year. Good thing their uniforms weren’t yellow.

4

We have professional soccer? I thought soccer was for little kids and their moms with the vans and stuff? Grown up people play?

:dust cloud:

5

Actually, we now have a very good US National team that’s consistently ranked around #10 in the world. We have a bumper crop of good young players coming along, across all parts of the field. The MLS has done adequate attendance-wise, although for me I’d say most MLS squads would be pressed to compete in the English First division, never mind the premiership. When the “name” teams of the world came to play exhibitions they sold out all or most of their games in very large arenas. Obviously there is a market here, but the question is how to reach it.

6

I should also mention, the little kids are becoming quite good. I coach little kid soccer and sometimes I get frustrated. Then I realise that the seven and eight years olds are probably playing at a better level than I did when I first began playing around the age of 11 or 12. Well, not all of them, but there is some extraordinary young talent out there everywhere I go. I think the one thing that hurts the USA is the lack of pick up soccer for young kids. All soccer is organized and played with minivans and parents yelling from the sides. It would improve the creativity of the game for the kids just to have a field and a ball, with no one watching or criticising or trying to coach them, as a supplement to organized games.

As for “grown ups” playing, soccer is, I believe, the second largest participation sport in the USA, after softball.

7

The state of United States soccer is good, very good. The best that it’s ever been!

  • MLS has shown that its business model works, and more importantly, that it assures success and stability for the long term.

  • Collective bargin agreement

  • 10 year, 150-Million dollar contract with Addidas

  • Expansion (with more in 2006)

  • New group of standout strikers: Davey Arnaud, Edson Buddle, Brian Ching, Alecko Eskandarian, Eddie Johnson, and Pat Noonan

  • Freddy Adu

  • Killer playoff games
    And damn, I can’t wait for World Cup 2006!

8

Collective bargaining agreements are not important to the success of a sport. The idea of a players’ union which actually does things outside of collecting license fees for player likenesses and such is sort of unusual in sport elsewhere in the world.

If anything, a strong players’ union is a detriment. Situations like the current NBA lockout would be unthinkable elsewhere.

9

The MLS collective bargain agreement does more than just address license fees. It established a higher minimum salary, a better health and life insurance package, and retirement benefits. Developmental players will have a “significant” increase in salary and benefits.

These are all critical for the development and growth of the League.

10

I think you missed my point. I was saying players’ unions in America do too much, not too little.

11

Please don’t mention the FIFA rankings. We’re not a top 10 team, but we’re somewhere from 10-25.

12

Our current ranking is #11.

13

MLS
I wasn’t a huge fan of last season in MLS. I’m a Fire fan though so that shouldn’t be suprising. I think we need less parity in the league. There aren’t really any upsets in the league and with the talent spread out as evenly as possible, I think the excitement suffers. I think that the league is going to improve greatly in the next 5 years. With the recent transfers of Carlos Bocanegra, Bobby Convey, and Demarcus Beasley to European teams, I think that many good young players from Central America and the Caribbean will look to MLS as astepping stone to greater success. That will surely help the league more than bringing over the hill euro players.

I also think the Adidas deal is huge. A $150M deal will surely catch the eye of other sponsors since a company is willing to spend so much on our league. Hopefully Nike will get involved in a bidding war of some sorts (I wish). Shibboleth, what is the new Nike deal by the way?

Chivas USA is going to be great for the league. The SJ LA rivalry always had good attendance, but this should be much bigger. THey should also have great road attendance. I’m less optomistic about the Salt Lake franchise. I don’t think they’ll tank because there’s much less pro sports in Utah, but I’m not expecting a lot from them either.

National Team
Defense is the weakest link for the US?! I am so completely in disagreement I can’t describe it in words. Our keepers are among hte finest in the world. Carlos Bocanegra is behind, maybe, Donovan in the list of our best players. Cory Gibbs made Ruud van Nistlerooy look ordinary in Holland. Eddie Pope can still play alright, Pablo Mastroeni and Oguchi Onyewu can both play very well. The only week point is right back where Steve Cherundolo, a regular starter for a Bundesliga club, if more than competent.

You could argue that our midfieldis better than out defense, but I would disagree.
--------Donovan
-Beasley--------Gaven/Martino/Sanneh/whoever
------John O’ Brien ih healthy/Reyna
is pretty good, but our right side is a huge question mark unless Gaven steps up big although I like him better in the center. I’m really excited about our upcoming holding midfielders though. Ricardo Clark and Clint Dempsey could both turn out to be great players and a little farther down the line we’ve got Danny Szetela who drew lots attention from Everton.

I think our offense is clearly our weak point. McBride is just about done, and I don’t expect him to start or perhaps not make the trip to Germany is we qualify. Eddie Johnson has the physical tools Thierry Henry, but he’s still a question mark. He missed a couple goals againt Jamaica that were not going to be able to afford to miss in the future. He is promising though. I guess we have to hope Conor Casey, Taylor Twellman, Pat Noonan, or Josh Wolff claims a forward position for themslves.

Player Movement
Donovan should show very well for Leverkusen. I think he’ll earn a starting place in a few weeks after he’s eligible, and he’ll be a major part in their attack. Eddie Johnson, I’d like to see stay in MLS for another year or two so that he can gain consistency and confidence. Eskandarian, I don’t see ever being more than a good to great MLS player. He’s too dependent on his left foot and not enough of an athlete. He does have great instincts and a great shot though,a nd I think that’ll get him some looks with the nats, and, eventually, the MLS scoring record.

14

My point is that those rankings are pretty poor. Mexico at 8? We own Mexico. Well, now that I look at it more there aren’t that bad. I’d say that Turkey, Sweden, Germany, and Greece should be place ahead of us, and probably Mexico even or just behind us. So I’d say we’re 14th, 15th, or 16th.

15

Agreed that the rankings are completely screwy - France and Spain the best European teams? :rolleyes:
And I’m disappointed that nobody’s pointed out that the US Womens team is among the very best in the world.

16

Yeah, but does anyone care? The women’s league in the US was a huge disaster.

17

Here’s the draw for the final round of CONCACAF qualifying:

Date Match (Home teams listed first)
Feb. 9 Panama vs. Guatemala
Feb. 9 Costa Rica vs. Mexico
Feb. 9 Trinidad & Tobago vs. USA

March 26/27 Costa Rica vs. Panama
March 26/27 Guatemala vs. Trinidad & Tobago
March 26/27 Mexico vs. USA

March 30 Panama vs. Mexico
March 30 USA vs. Guatemala
March 30 Trinidad & Tobago vs. Costa Rica

June 4/5 Trinidad & Tobago vs. Panama
June 4/5 Guatemala vs. Mexico
June 4/5 USA vs. Costa Rica

June 8 Panama vs. USA
June 8 Costa Rica vs. Guatemala
June 8 Mexico vs. Trinidad & Tobago

Aug. 17 Guatemala vs. Panama
Aug. 17 Mexico vs. Costa Rica
Aug. 17 USA vs. Trinidad & Tobago

Sept. 3/4 Panama vs. Costa Rica
Sept. 3/4 Trinidad & Tobago vs. Guatemala
Sept. 3/4 USA vs. Mexico

Sept. 7 Mexico vs. Panama
Sept. 7 Guatemala vs. USA
Sept. 7 Costa Rica vs. Trinidad & Tobago

Oct. 8/9 Panama vs. Trinidad & Tobago
Oct. 8/9 Mexico vs. Guatemala
Oct. 8/9 Costa Rica vs. USA

Oct. 12 USA vs. Panama
Oct. 12 Guatemala vs. Costa Rica
Oct. 12 Trinidad & Tobago vs. Mexico

Note that our first home match is not until March 30 next year.

Playoff Match
Nov. 12/13* AFC #5 vs. CONCACAF #4
Nov. 16* AFC #5 vs. CONCACAF #4

18

Good to get that one out of the way early … and before the summer arrives.

19

I think the biggest issue in Mexico City (assume that’s where the match will be) is the altitude, attitude (fans) and air quality. If I had to pick it now I’d say it’s likely to be our first loss of this round. A tie on the road there would be excellent.

Not sure when summer arrives there, but here (roughly the same latitude) it can either be fairly pleasant or even pretty hot that time of year. Usually the bad humidity doesn’t kick in until after April, though.

20

Defense is not the USA’s biggest problem it is its biggest strength. The problems are in the midfield with passing and control and especially servicing the striker(s). Up front USA is OK but we never seem to learn how to take it deep toward the goal line and then make a proper pass BACK to the open attacking midfielders, instead we just push push push always straight at the goal. Reminds me of the church league I played in in 1977. Until we get past this boot and run mentality we can’t seriouly compete for the World Cup, though we are getting better every year.