Sochaux The World: The Davies Saga 3

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

You asked what does Sochaux need to do to be completely up front about it.

In public they said it was up to the USSF, which seems to be the fact. In private they told Bob Bradley it was up to them. So it seems that behind the scenes they did everything they could to not allow the US to make its own decision in its own time about its NT player. If Bob was being upfront, the weight he gives to Sochaux in his statements to Charlie and in official statements just confirms this.

Here's what Charlie said about the phone conversation with Bob:

“Bob Bradley called me the night before the selection was put out. He explained to me that Sochaux sent a letter saying they weren’t going to clear me and wouldn’t release me to go with the national team and that this had a big part to play in not being able to have selected me.”

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

There you go. As Davies himself said, Sochaux's actions had a direct effect on Bradley's decision. As Ives said: If Sochaux had been on board, BB would have gambled and brought CD to Princeton over Findley. Thus, all of us "conspiracy theorists" are correct in saying that Sochaux tipped the scales on this decision--which, by the way, is illegal, unorthodox, and unethical.

For what it's worth, I'm upset with BOTH Bradley AND Sochaux.

I disagree with all the posters who've bought the story that CD9 simply wasn't ready. When on takes this position, it's basically just a feckless defense of Sochaux. The evidence suggests that BB nearly brought him to camp, but only backed off because of Sochaux's intransigence. To be clear, CD9 was and is able to participate in the training camp.

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

That's right.

If Bob tells Sochaux that he has made his tentative 30-man list and his five strikers on that list are Pele, Messi, Maradona, Gerd Müller and Just Fontaine and that Charlie Davies just ain't gonna make it to the final 23 no matter how ...

well, guess what then ....

there's no reason for Lacombe (the club's president) to write that effin' letter.

He'd say, "Awwwwww, so disappointed for Sharlee ... but, as vee say in France, c'est la vie and voulez vous coucher avec moi".

It's precisely because Bob was going to bring Davies in, that a-hole had to fire off that letter to the USSF and yell, "But we protest".

And so Bob reversed his course and left him off.

Now, let's just hope the decision to go with Pele, Messi, Maradona, Gerd Müller and Just Fontaine works out for him.

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

sochaux inaugurated a new crest today:

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

Sochaux did the right thing

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

Are you referring to their new crest?

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

What, do you make this stuff up as you go? What do you know of what the Sochaux fans think? Since when does a professional football club change their official statements because of what their fans think?

Wrong again - what they've been saying all along is that CD isn't physically ready to play first team football this summer. Not a difficult concept to grasp for most.

More projection on your part, nothing could be less obvious.

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

Patently false, unless you think a preliminary roster spot should be given to a player with NO chance of making the 23! The truth will out in time but will you AND SFS be listening?

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

Because people liked to their fans board and I listened to the interview on the French radio.

And, why wouldn't fans be upset?

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

Have you looked at the Sochaux message boards? Some of the fans are furious about this.

And Charlie Davies was in full contact training for nearly two weeks. Do you think his club would let him do that if he wasn't ready to play?

Lets look at the facts. A week ago, Charlie Davies was in full training. He was feeling no pain whatsoever, just cardiovascular fatigue. Then Sochaux come out and say, "sorry Charlie can't play yet" directly contradicting the fact that he's with his club, playing 5 days a week.

There are plenty of players that got listed on their country's 30 man roster that can't even play right now. Charlie can actually play at this point. The USSF trainers acknowledged it, Charlie acknowledges it.

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

In that case, let the fans run the club and choose who makes the WC roster then.

But he WASN'T ready to play, or else he would have gotten in a match? And to boot he was given a 40 day "sick" leave.

Can you substantiate those "facts"? And not from what a fan or CD himself said. "Full" training meaning an IDENTICAL practice session as club starters!

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

He wasn't given a 40 day ''sick leave''. His club, like every club on the planet, gives their players a vacation when the season ends, and before the return to preseason training. This is Sochaux's vacation time.

As for whether he's been in full training, from all that I've read (and I'm not referring to posts on BS) it sounds like he has been in normal training since April 22 with the whole team.

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

Now how the hell is it "patently false" that Charlie Davies was and is able to participate in training camp? If he's been training with his club for weeks--probably in full, high-intensity training sessions with the whole team--then how would he be absolutely unable to participate in full training sessions with a different team? You're a dip.

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

As I've said a hundred times, CD9 is in better shape than many football stars who ARE going to the World Cup (Torres, Barry, Sorensen).

I just want to repeat what a distraction and a let down this whole episode has been. For many of us who've followed CD's career and recovery, this decision hit us on a near-personal level. I feel CD's pain. Obviously, many of us are too close to have any perspective on the affair. I admit it. But we all must admit that this was a fishy decision, despite the obvious odds against CD.

Moreover, this whole mess of a scandal has really distracted USMNT fans from focusing on the World Cup. At this point in the affair, we're supposed to be happy about our team; we're supposed to be excited for (and confident in) our players. Instead, we're left scratching our heads about really very questionable decisions on the part of the USSF. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. If the US does poorly in this Cup, there will be a ton of finger-pointing. If they do well, then there will be a lot of hat-eating.

Final thought for the night: Buddle actually impressed me tonight. Maybe I need to stop hating on him so much. But I still think he'll choke when faced with serious defenders.

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

Anyone who wasn't prepared all along for Charlie not to make the final 23 was doing themselves a disservice. If the US does bad it will not be because CD is not there.

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

No, not letting Davies play in his world cup

they are protecting their investment

of Davies were to get injured, were the USSF willing to pay his salary?

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

We will miss a fit and in form davies a lot. We might miss the current davies' inspiration as well.

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

Good article:

http://houseofsoccer.blogspot.com/2010/05/chuck-d.html

Selected quotes below:

Regardless of whether he felt ready, the fact is that very few players can perform at the highest level there is - World Cup - without recent match time. Charlie Davies believed he was ready. But, despite what he may think, the world, not even the soccer world, revolves around what Charlie Davies believes.

When players are snubbed for tournament selection, many choose to take the high road. They give the old "I wish I was there, but that won't stop me from working hard"-type cliche. And that's that.

But Charlie had no interest in taking that road. Instead, he decided to bash his club, by wildly alluding that they prevented him from making the U.S. preliminary roster.

despite his immaturity, Charlie Davies has to be one of the luckiest people on the face of the planet.

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

No. It's a bad article.

Charlie Davies's play for the US - much like Oguchi Onyewu's - earned him the benefit of the doubt insofar as making the camp goes.

And that's beside the fact that each is playing at a thin for the US position.

BTW, prior to Sochaux's declaration on his fitness and an immediate goosestep march-along of the American - but not the French - press, no one in the media published articles that questioned Davies' recovery schedule.

As I brought up earlier, he walked when he said he would walk, he jogged when he said he would jog, he began to practice slightly behind the schedule he expected but, once he began practicing, no one in the media ever reported that he was way behind the camp level fitness or that he wasn't progressing nicely.

Plus, much like with Onyewu, there was little drawback to giving him a chance to earn the WC gig - which is all he ever asked for - compared to proven stiffs like Robbie Findley or Sacha Kljestan.

The guy actually asked for a chance to practice - yes, I am talking about practice ... not the game, practice - and prove his fitness and form.

Oh, well...

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

Oguchi Onyewu is a longtime fixture in the USMNT, with more than 50 caps and -- most relevant -- a World Cup under his belt.

His past few months have been spent recovering from a knee injury. Charlie Davies' past few months have been spent recovering from his entire body being mangled in a car crash that killed someone.

Onyewu is a defender whose primary weapons are size and strength, which were not taken away by his injury. Davies is a forward whose primary weapons are speed and agility, which were taken away by his injury.

I've said it already: I don't know what you guys are ultimately getting at here. What, at the end of the day, is the point of your interminable complaining about this situation? Do you think a conspiracy is afoot? If so, what is its purpose and who does it serve? Is it merely grist for your "Bradley is incompetent" mill?

Beneath all these lengthy, hair-splitting posts, what is your actual argument?

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

I'd say the discontented argument is very simple. Davies didn't get a fair shot. Bob was planning to bring him in, Sochaux threw a fit, Bob backed down.

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

Next time I'll have to put a smiley face.

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

The Davies-Gooch comparison is interesting. Neither played a league game this spring.
Both have only been training with their teams for several weeks.
But everyone has Gooch penciled into the starting lineup.

What if Milan had refused him medical clearance?

 

Re: Sochaux Sad: The Davies Saga 3

We will miss a fit and in form Davies, but those who weren't prepared for that to not be a reality were foolish. I think the inspiration angle is overrated - our players are professionals and the WC is inspiring enough.

Davies recently became an integral part of the team, but not quite the core player that makes us go from good to bad or vice versa. He could be a difference maker that we will miss if he's on form though - I agree with that sentiment. I wish he could've been in camp to at least have a chance to prove his fitness and I would probably take a less than 100% fit Davies over the other options.