US vs. Honduras: April in B'ham?

[Crimson Ace]

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/113688844872930.xml&coll=2

As reported in the Birmingham News on January 10, 2006
U.S. Men's Soccer Team Might Play Here (Legion Field)

It sounds like the issue is turf vs. natural grass. I hope B'ham makes this happen.



Mods, sorry if this has been posted prior - feel free to delete if a duplicate.

[dfb547490]

At what point do we start playing QUALITY opponents?!?! Canada, Guatemala, and Honduras aren't near the level of any of our first-round opponents, Norway and Japan are better but still not as good as the teams we'll be facing in Germany. Germany and Poland will be good tests but nonetheless we need to bring in more QUALITY opponents from around the world...at least 2 of our East Coast pre-WC friendlies need to be against top 10-15 teams.

[fidlerre]

At what point do we start playing QUALITY opponents?!?!During the pre-WC friendly tour of the east coast. I'm guessing we'll play a top African side that didn't qualify for the WC -- a quality Euro opponent and then some crappy CONCACAF side to send us off to Germany.

[nicodemus]

It sounds like the issue is turf vs. natural grass. I hope B'ham makes this happen.

The Birmingham Park Board are a bunch of morons. It'll be a miracle if it happens, though I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Once Legion Field goes turf, Solomon Crenshaw probably won't cover soccer anymore since there won't be anything local to report. :(

[dfb547490]

During the pre-WC friendly tour of the east coast. I'm guessing we'll play a top African side that didn't qualify for the WC -- a quality Euro opponent and then some crappy CONCACAF side to send us off to Germany.

Hopefully you're right...Canada was actually the ideal opponent I'd had in mind for the send-off game. I'd really like to get a game vs. Brazil in the mix, though.

[Shaydee]

everyone's complaining about who we're playing but i don't believe it really matters since we are playing a ton more games than most teams. look at England they're playing Hungary, Jamaica, and Uruguay. Only three games and none against any team that qualified, not exactly world beaters.

[strawberryfields]

At what point do we start playing QUALITY opponents?!?! Canada, Guatemala, and Honduras aren't near the level of any of our first-round opponents, Norway and Japan are better but still not as good as the teams we'll be facing in Germany. Germany and Poland will be good tests but nonetheless we need to bring in more QUALITY opponents from around the world...at least 2 of our East Coast pre-WC friendlies need to be against top 10-15 teams.

Honduras is a good team, we almost lost in the gold cup if it wasn't for Gooch's goal ... we were a bit overplayed by them.

[PaulGascoigne]

I'd really like to get a game vs. Brazil in the mix, though.

I would like to see them, too. But if we finish 2nd in group we would face them in the next round, and they aren't going to give us that kind of practice against them.

[Adam Zebrowski]

I suspect the best usa side shows up for the poland and germany matches in march...

and the may matches are yet to be determined....

if those 5 matches, that's more than enough to get the usa a side ready....

norway and japan will more than test the usa mls base...and so will canada

[CbR]

USSF should throw a US-MEX game at the rose bowl, you know just to get a little cash to pay for the germany trip,hotel, etc...

[dfb547490]

I would like to see them, too. But if we finish 2nd in group we would face them in the next round, and they aren't going to give us that kind of practice against them.

Not neccesarily. We've already got one potential second-round opponent (Japan) on the friendly slate, and we actually played 3 of our 4 potential second-round opponents in the run-up to the last World Cup (Mexico, Italy, Ecuador).

[soccrplayr21]

here's an update -


Park board delays turf for Legion Field

The Birmingham Park and Recreation Board Wednesday agreed to delay replacing the grass at Legion Field with an artificial surface to allow an international soccer game to be played there.

The agreement came with the condition that the Alabama Sports Foundation make up any additional costs the park board assumes as a result of the delay.

The United States Soccer Federation contacted the Sports Foundation about the possibility of having the Men’s National Team play Honduras before setting its roster for this year’s World Cup in Germany. U.S. Soccer has indicated that the men’s team will only play domestic matches on natural grass.


looks like its a done deal guys, one more game in birmingham. way to go bham park and rec, you finally made the right call on something!

[scaryice]

At what point do we start playing QUALITY opponents?!?! Canada, Guatemala, and Honduras aren't near the level of any of our first-round opponents, Norway and Japan are better but still not as good as the teams we'll be facing in Germany. Germany and Poland will be good tests but nonetheless we need to bring in more QUALITY opponents from around the world...at least 2 of our East Coast pre-WC friendlies need to be against top 10-15 teams.

At what point do you and the other retards realize that we can't play the top teams in the world on a non-FIFA international date, while their leagues are going on?

[nicodemus]

here's an update -




looks like its a done deal guys, one more game in birmingham. way to go bham park and rec, you finally made the right call on something!
Great news. You have a link on that?

[Shaydee]

At what point do you and the other retards realize that we can't play the top teams in the world on a non-FIFA international date, while their leagues are going on?


repped

[nicodemus]

More news (http://www.al.com/sports/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/sports/1137061311317510.xml&coll=2)

It says the game would be April 11. That's a Tuesday. Never heard of them doing a Tuesday game.

[Scotty]

Honduras is a good team,

It depends on whether they bring their first choice team or not.

It would be a great test for our potential WC defenders to play against David Suazo who, in my opinion, is the best striker in CONCACAF.

But I really can't see their Euro-based players getting released from their clubs for this one.

[RobtheAggie]

Tuseday?!? That seems really odd. But I guess this is better than nothing.

[RobtheAggie]

Tuseday?!? That seems really odd. But I guess this is better than nothing.

[SamsArmySam]

Off topic...

If you're looking for an excuse to travel, there's nothing quite like the southland in the springtime. Have lived in Minnesota for six years now, and April is hands down the month every year when I most miss the southeast.