View Full Version : Great camp tidbits from Marc Connolly (different from mlsnet piece from 2 days ago)
mbar
19 May 2006, 06:21 PM
http://www.ussoccerplayers.com/marc/
Didn't see it posted yet
house
19 May 2006, 06:28 PM
Dempsey could really make a name for himself in this tournament.....
BigKris
19 May 2006, 08:37 PM
Wow, lots of great news there. If Clint and EJ really turn it on, and if Reyna is extremely fit, and if JOB is healthy.... wow. Just wow.
Pygmalion
19 May 2006, 08:44 PM
Dempsey could really make a name for himself in this tournament.....
Great quote fron Connolly:
"Clint Dempsey is dialed-in. Simply running hard, always battling, always getting back on defense, and always pushing himself right through to the end of the training session. You don't have to be a genius to figure out that he's gunning for a starting spot against the Czechs."
I wonder how much of an impact getting essentially suspended from the game against Germany had on him. His quote on one of the early ussoccer videos "You've got to work hard if you want to get somewhere" caught my attention. A brush with throwing it all away and then seeing Noonan, Ralston and Twellman all miss the cut have to have helped make clear what this opportunity means.
OCKlinsmann
19 May 2006, 09:03 PM
Thanx for the article, good stuff.
All great signs for the team. Dempsey's looked great on the training vids as well.
pwip
19 May 2006, 09:03 PM
Oh Boy, these kind of reports just blows up BS. BA is getting everything he wants. everyone fit and ready to excel. The only slight detour was Frankie but as to the state of our team compared to the other WC teams, we look and sound like we are in good shape. I still think majority of the USNT from the MLS were sandbagging it. Make sure they do not get injured prior to the call up.
FirstStar
19 May 2006, 09:13 PM
The buzz about the US is building. We may roll into the tournement with a real head of steam. Hope we don't hit a brick wall (or, if we do, we burst right through it. Sometimes the quickest way out is through.)
mbar
19 May 2006, 09:15 PM
I still think majority of the USNT from the MLS were sandbagging it. Make sure they do not get injured prior to the call up.
that thought crossed my mind with a few players in the early mls season.
bdevil02
19 May 2006, 09:18 PM
Don't worry, all it takes is a 1-1 tie on Tuesday to send all of us back into depression.
;)
still great article and can't find fault with good news.
uclacarlos
19 May 2006, 09:48 PM
Don't worry, all it takes is a 1-1 tie on Tuesday to send all of us back into depression. ;)
No matter what happens in the next 3 weeks, there will be a handful of BS posters who commit suicide for whatever reason, like in a lightning fast sequence of 6 one-touch passes that result in a goal, the 3rd passer passed w/ his left foot instead of his right.
Is it b/c he's injured and nobody's saying anything? Is he really capable of playing elite soccer if he's obviously :eek: favoring his right foot? That would never even fly in the Hungarian 2nd division, so how is it going to fly in the WC?
Which all just shows that Landon should've stayed in Europe and the USMNT is doomed to repeat '98 and set soccer back in this country to the 1950s. ;)
FirstStar
19 May 2006, 10:37 PM
No matter what happens in the next 3 weeks, there will be a handful of BS posters who commit suicide for whatever reason, like in a lightning fast sequence of 6 one-touch passes that result in a goal, the 3rd passer passed w/ his left foot instead of his right.
Is it b/c he's injured and nobody's saying anything? Is he really capable of playing elite soccer if he's obviously :eek: favoring his right foot? That would never even fly in the Hungarian 2nd division, so how is it going to fly in the WC?
Which all just shows that Landon should've stayed in Europe and the USMNT is doomed to repeat '98 and set soccer back in this country to the 1950s. ;)
What happened in the 1950s???
WFU03
19 May 2006, 11:18 PM
What happened in the 1950s???
The US pulled off one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_v_United_States_%281950%29
Harper916
19 May 2006, 11:26 PM
Marc Connolly:
"Different guys are displaying their leadership qualities. I thought it was interesting to see Cherundolo run side by side with DaMarcus Beasley during shuttle runs, sometimes turning to face him, pleading with him to go faster and push himself, as the two distanced themselves from the others in their group. That's gotta be a good sign for Bruce Arena."
Nice to see Cherundolo stepping it up as a leader. He's become one of my favorite players. This is just what you want to see in this camp. Guys pushing each other hard.
turbostevo
19 May 2006, 11:34 PM
Nice to see Cherundolo stepping it up as a leader. He's become one of my favorite players. This is just what you want to see in this camp. Guys pushing each other hard.
that part also got me fired up. these guys are confident and motivated.
they must not frequent big soccer. :)
the lead up to this world cup is especially exciting with so much "behind the scenes" information and buildup available to us online. i am about to come unglued with anticiplation for june 12th.
BED-STYPUNDIT
19 May 2006, 11:39 PM
And another great quote from Connoly about Johnson, being more than just speed? When people say Johnson isn't an intelligent player, then they aren't intelligent themselves.
DCSharksFC
19 May 2006, 11:43 PM
Which all just shows that Landon should've stayed in Europe and the USMNT is doomed to repeat '98
speaking of landycakes, all i gotta say is, props to him, i hated him for pussing out on europe, but if it makes our national team better to have a mentally stronger donovan, than so be it, if it makes our league that much stronger (the first honda superclasico), than so be it
he shut me up
lets hope he shuts up more people
the gals still suck
Eleven Bravo
20 May 2006, 12:07 AM
Even though it's not relevant to 2006, it's good to hear Bradley is doing so well. even at LB!!!
Teleturn
20 May 2006, 12:39 AM
This quote was interesting:
"Marcus Hahnemann is an absolute monster. When it comes to pure shot-stopping, he is a sight to take in."
He is also, IMO, the best of our three keepers restarting counter-attacks. Something Friedel was also very good at and why, I believe, Friedel beat out Keller in 2002.
Keller clearly has more big game experience but why is it healthy to have competition for starting spots at field positions but not at keeper?
Keller was annointed to the spot 3.9 years ago. I can't imagine how bad he would have to play to lose it regardless of how in-form Hahnemann is.
The recent Germany goal fest wasn't Keller's fault, but I didn't find his performance inspiring.
Comments?
dirtskier
20 May 2006, 12:59 AM
I can kind of agree with this. However, I think Howard may have held Marcus back more than keller. Timmay was the second coming of Jesus in 2003 while Hahnemann sat on the bench behind him at the confederations cup. Given Howard's form at the time, it was pretty easy for us to discount anyone else (many considered Howard to be the 2006 starter until Keller got the nod for the Netherlands game)
I do wonder where Marcus would be today if he got a couple starts in France at the Confed Cup.
Although for as mediocre as the Germany game was, Qualifying solidified Keller's spot. Last year at this time, some of the stops against CR and Panama were stunning (england game ignored)
Dirty_South_Futbol
20 May 2006, 01:04 AM
This quote was interesting:
"Marcus Hahnemann is an absolute monster. When it comes to pure shot-stopping, he is a sight to take in."
He is also, IMO, the best of our three keepers restarting counter-attacks. Something Friedel was also very good at and why, I believe, Friedel beat out Keller in 2002.
Keller clearly has more big game experience but why is it healthy to have competition for starting spots at field positions but not at keeper?
Keller was annointed to the spot 3.9 years ago. I can't imagine how bad he would have to play to lose it regardless of how in-form Hahnemann is.
The recent Germany goal fest wasn't Keller's fault, but I didn't find his performance inspiring.
Comments?
I, too, am a little nervous about Keller's upcoming performance in the WC.
Perhaps that is just normal before such a big event. But I couldn't agree more about competition for the spot. Why is it valuable to keep all players fighting for a starting spot, but tell the keeper he is the starter months and months before camp? Could this not lead to complacency in training? I am sure the KK is a professional though, and will push himself.
My concern is that we were spoiled by Friedel in 2002, and whoever takes the helm at goal in germany (Keller or Hanne and Timmy in back-up), is in store for some major scrutiny during and after the WC.
Come on Keller, and Come on you Yanks.