wcharriscpa
03 Jun 2005, 12:19 AM
Balboa was a guest tonight on the local radio show "F.C. Dallas Weekly." The following was copied from my executive summary of the show.
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204013
Marcelo Balboa
On England match:
- for the first 45 minutes USA played scared, they didn’t attack, they just sat back
- they knocked it around, but they never really created very much in the first half
- the second half they were a completely different team, they stepped up the pressure, they had a few opportunities
- thinks we should have seen the second half team for 90 minutes
- US were definitely the better team in the second half
- unlucky not to have tied the game
On the US getting respect:
- the days of the US being taken for granted are long over
- US has proven that they can beat anybody anytime
- the respect will grow over time
- people don’t fear us, however; we’re not Brazil or Argentina or England
- they respect us on the field somewhat
- still would have liked to see Eng bring Owen, Beckham, et al.
- when teams are bringing their full squads to play us in full internationals, that’s when you know you have their respect
- England would not have brought that team to play against Brazil or Argentina
- the US needs to keep doing what they’re doing; the MLS needs to keep developing players
- eventually the teams will start bring their full rosters
On US in 2006 World Cup:
- you can’t speculate on what will happen
- he thinks the US will qualify
- from there, it depends on: 1) where they are seeded or drawn, and 2) if they find a little luck
- they have the potential to do as well or better than they did in J/K, but it will take a little luck
On EJ:
- if Balboa was in Dallas, he’d be buying season tickets to see EJ, ROB and Ruiz
- EJ has played well
- he’s a big part of the US team
- “Hopefully MLS is smart enough to sign him and to keep him. You need players like that in this league. But eventually a kid like that with that much talent has to, *has*to go to Europe. Well, he doesn’t have to. should go to Europe and test his ability over there.”
On CR match:
- they’re a very good team
- CR will not come out and attack, but they’re going to sit back and hope to get a counter attack or two
- the US will have to learn to break down defenses for 90 minutes, that’s what it will take in this game
- US will have to be patient, knock the ball around and bide their time
- going to have to take advantage of openings when they get them
- from what he’s hearing and watching in the press, CR is going to completely drop into a shell and counter attack with 2 or 3 players
- Johnson, McBride, or Wolfe is going to have to finish when they get opportunities
[B]James Edwards (RSL beat writer, Deseret News)
On Salt Lake’s receptiveness to USMNT:
- there were 300 - 400 people trying to get a peek during the closed training session
- ticket sales look great, have sold 35,000 tickets so far; 10,000 remain for a sellout
- the community and the media both have been very receptive and excited
- the team and Bruce Arena have definitely noticed it, and have really enjoyed it
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204013
Marcelo Balboa
On England match:
- for the first 45 minutes USA played scared, they didn’t attack, they just sat back
- they knocked it around, but they never really created very much in the first half
- the second half they were a completely different team, they stepped up the pressure, they had a few opportunities
- thinks we should have seen the second half team for 90 minutes
- US were definitely the better team in the second half
- unlucky not to have tied the game
On the US getting respect:
- the days of the US being taken for granted are long over
- US has proven that they can beat anybody anytime
- the respect will grow over time
- people don’t fear us, however; we’re not Brazil or Argentina or England
- they respect us on the field somewhat
- still would have liked to see Eng bring Owen, Beckham, et al.
- when teams are bringing their full squads to play us in full internationals, that’s when you know you have their respect
- England would not have brought that team to play against Brazil or Argentina
- the US needs to keep doing what they’re doing; the MLS needs to keep developing players
- eventually the teams will start bring their full rosters
On US in 2006 World Cup:
- you can’t speculate on what will happen
- he thinks the US will qualify
- from there, it depends on: 1) where they are seeded or drawn, and 2) if they find a little luck
- they have the potential to do as well or better than they did in J/K, but it will take a little luck
On EJ:
- if Balboa was in Dallas, he’d be buying season tickets to see EJ, ROB and Ruiz
- EJ has played well
- he’s a big part of the US team
- “Hopefully MLS is smart enough to sign him and to keep him. You need players like that in this league. But eventually a kid like that with that much talent has to, *has*to go to Europe. Well, he doesn’t have to. should go to Europe and test his ability over there.”
On CR match:
- they’re a very good team
- CR will not come out and attack, but they’re going to sit back and hope to get a counter attack or two
- the US will have to learn to break down defenses for 90 minutes, that’s what it will take in this game
- US will have to be patient, knock the ball around and bide their time
- going to have to take advantage of openings when they get them
- from what he’s hearing and watching in the press, CR is going to completely drop into a shell and counter attack with 2 or 3 players
- Johnson, McBride, or Wolfe is going to have to finish when they get opportunities
[B]James Edwards (RSL beat writer, Deseret News)
On Salt Lake’s receptiveness to USMNT:
- there were 300 - 400 people trying to get a peek during the closed training session
- ticket sales look great, have sold 35,000 tickets so far; 10,000 remain for a sellout
- the community and the media both have been very receptive and excited
- the team and Bruce Arena have definitely noticed it, and have really enjoyed it