Will we get any respect in Germany ?

[kinstlinger]

NO.

There will be players who play alongside, or against our 11, and other teams might give us lip service about how they can't take us lightly, that we finished in the top 8 last time, etc., but once the games get started, I feel the mindset of our foes will be that we're soccer minnows.

... and I can't wait until they do.

[ratfacejt]

NO.

There will be players who play alongside, or against our 11, and other teams might give us lip service about how they can't take us lightly, that we finished in the top 8 last time, etc., but once the games get started, I feel the mindset of our foes will be that we're soccer minnows.

... and I can't wait until they do.

I hope not. I enjoyed Portugal's lack of respect immensely.

[USvsIRELAND]

NO.

There will be players who play alongside, or against our 11, and other teams might give us lip service about how they can't take us lightly, that we finished in the top 8 last time, etc., but once the games get started, I feel the mindset of our foes will be that we're soccer minnows.

... and I can't wait until they do.

After we win.......

[Jay510]

Greece won the Euro cup and dont get any respect because they didnt qualify for the world cup this time.

the USA will get respect if they do something good, until they do something horrible. People will say many things to prevent themselves from giving the USA respect.

[elknco1]

i bet we'll get respect if we go out onto the pitch w/ baseball bats and hockey sticks.. or we take ray lewis along to play linebacker/midfielder... no?

[rgli13]

the funny thing about respect is that you usually dont give it to people whining about not getting any.

the tiny portion of the media that covers soccer cuts our legs out from under us with that, and unfortunately too many of our fans do as well.

weve proven everything we need to prove- we consistently get results, weve had success at the highest level. no one is suggesting we are on the same plane as brazil- but only staunch haters would say we dont belong on the pitch with them. and the teams we have had success against- the mexicos, costa ricas, weve played head up with germany, beaten portugal...its not respect anymore the u.s. is lacking- its tradition.

do you hear romania, or columbia, or nigeria bemoaning their "lack of respect"? would you say any of them have a stronger national team that we do?

the search for respect is outdated, we are past that. u.s. soccer is in the midst of building its tradition now. leave this past-its-due-date argument to college basketball writers who double in soccer coverage pulling ap reports for token articles.

[Maldini#3]

the funny thing about respect is that you usually dont give it to people whining about not getting any.

the tiny portion of the media that covers soccer cuts our legs out from under us with that, and unfortunately too many of our fans do as well.

weve proven everything we need to prove- we consistently get results, weve had success at the highest level. no one is suggesting we are on the same plane as brazil- but only staunch haters would say we dont belong on the pitch with them. and the teams we have had success against- the mexicos, costa ricas, weve played head up with germany, beaten portugal...its not respect anymore the u.s. is lacking- its tradition.

do you hear romania, or columbia, or nigeria bemoaning their "lack of respect"? would you say any of them have a stronger national team that we do?

the search for respect is outdated, we are past that. u.s. soccer is in the midst of building its tradition now. leave this past-its-due-date argument to college basketball writers who double in soccer coverage pulling ap reports for token articles.

Our opponents respect us ... but the other 6 billion people in the world don't. Think about it. How many people who are not Brazilian nor have any connections to it don the Yellow jersey as a fan? England? Italy? Spain? Ireland? NOW ... how many people who aren't American don the US kit?
How many times do you hear this comment: "REALLY? The US is number 7?" Or ... "Ah ... England are having a hard year compared to you Yanks." If we had the respect of the world, would stuff like this happen? I tend to think "NO."

We need to win on the road OUTSIDE of the cozy CONCACAF (think big fish, little pond). We need to do well at the CONFEDERATIONS Cup and World Cup. Might as well throw in the Olympic Tournament while I'm at it. We need to put away our inferior opponents on our home soil (see Panama in this year's Gold Cup). We do all that, and people start to respect us.

That being said, I think we're well on our way to respect. If we can repeat the results we had in Japan/Korea ... especially when we're playing in the hostile environment that is Europe, people will give us the respect we want ...

[BocaFan]

Greece won the Euro cup and dont get any respect because they didnt qualify for the world cup this time.


Exactly!! It takes more than one good showing on the international stage to get respect.

2002 - respectible 8th place
1998 - dead last!
1994 - worse performance by a host nation in a world cup ever!
1990 - next to dead last!

... and a bunch of DNQ's before that.

Do you think these performances deserves respect? Do you think the USA should get respect solely based on its current FIFA ranking? :p

[Ricky_DCU]

They'll respect us after we beat them. And if they don't, who cares- we won.

[SwissGCZ]

Respect is something built over time. One single quarterfinal appearance won't change much unless it is confirmed in '06 and '10. Consistency is the key word. The casual observer will "open his mind" once every four years towards teams from less glamorous confederations. That impression will stick until the next competition. This isn't just Europeans or South Americans, posters on this board are guilty of the same state of mind. How many Saudi Arabia jokes have we heard since '02, and how many have seen the Saudis since?

[dabes2]

Imagine you are Brazil, watching the draw hoping for bad teams in your group.

Let's create a basic system -- contenders, dangerous, legit, minnow. I think we've climbed from minnow to legit.

- 8 years ago we were still minnows (like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Jamaica)
- Today we are legit (like Paraguay, Poland)
- Still not dangerous -- like Sweden, Mexico, Czech Republic
- Definately not contenders -- like Argentina, Italy, Germany, France

Is this respect? Don't know. Another quarter-final performance probably would elevate us to the realm of dangerous. Minnow is probably difficult to attain again, even with 3 and out.

[Mikey10]

You'll get respect when you actually produce some great players. As of now, you don't have one single World class player in your entire squad, or one close to it. Hope and pray for an easy group, and be greatful you only have to play crap teams to qualify.

[dsp87260]

You'll get respect when you actually produce some great players. As of now, you don't have one single World class player in your entire squad, or one close to it. Hope and pray for an easy group, and be greatful you only have to play crap teams to qualify.

I would consider Claudio Reyna pretty close to "World Class".....


But that being said, our strength lies in our team chemistry, workrate, and "never say die" attitude. We're just talented enough that those things can win us the game vs. anyone (even Brazil, on a very good day).

[Mikey10]

I would consider Claudio Reyna pretty close to "World Class".....


He's shite.

[england66]

If we can repeat the results we had in Japan/Korea ... especially when we're playing in the hostile environment that is Europe, people will give us the respect we want ...


I think everyone puts too much stock in the 2002 Portugal game...and convieniently forgets the rest....no question the Portuguese just thought they had to show up to win and by the time they did wake up even jeff agoos coudn't save them.....drew with S Korea, a decent result at their place....battered by Poland...the Poles only win.....beat Mexico...and these days the USA only loses to mexico in Azteca....and then lost to the worst German team in living memory....


....now compare that to Englands world cup....drew with Sweden....beat Argentina.....drew with Nigeria.....beat Denmark.....lost to Brazil.....

now reverse the opponents....does the USA advance out of the group ?...doubtfull.....does England get to the final...more than probable and then chances are beats Brazil in a cooler, evening game...

...look I want the USA to do well but this world cup is going to be a lot different (because it's played in europe) and a lot harder for the USA to do a "Portugal" on anyone....

[Bluecat82]

No.

Don't want it. Don't need it.

It'll make their crying in their adult beverage of choice all the sweeter.

[Maldini#3]

You'll get respect when you actually produce some great players. As of now, you don't have one single World class player in your entire squad, or one close to it. Hope and pray for an easy group, and be greatful you only have to play crap teams to qualify.

Tim Howard WAS well on his way until one Edwin Van Der Saar came into the picture ... still could be though since he's not even 30 yet.

[dsp87260]

He's shite.

Wow.....what brilliant analysis. For a moment I thought I was mistakenly in the WR forum. :rolleyes:

[jbeall]

This thread is just dumb. First off, why is anybody so insecure that we care whether or not soccer fans respect our national team (not us, but our national team!).

Second, this is such a common sports cliche that it hurts to hear; time and time again. Baseball teams and their fans, football teams/fans, basketball teams/fans, hockey teams/fans... it only makes sense that soccer teams and their fans start whining about respect as well. I've seen players on the NE Patriots complain that nobody respects them, heard the same thing from the Pistons, and even (best of all!) from players on the Yankees!!!!

So, class, what have we learned? All this talk about respect means absolutely squat. Next topic.

[Mikey10]

Tim Howard's rubbish, come on now.