US v. Guatemala | March 28th | Home Depot Center

[bmurphyfl]

Guatefc passed this link along to me.

http://lared.com.gt/internaCont.asp?idc=164333&id_cat=379

I can't translate it but Guatefc says that the article claims the US will play Guatemala at the Home Depot Center on March 28th.

Guatefc also points out that the Guatemala team will be coming off the UNCAF Nations Cup so it won't be as weak of a team as the one Guatemala fielded in San Francisco in 2005.

Lastly, Guatemala may also play another match, 4 days earlier, at the Home Depot Center.

[bshredder]

Guatefc passed this link along to me.

http://lared.com.gt/internaCont.asp?idc=164333&id_cat=379

I can't translate it but Guatefc says that the article claims the US will play Guatemala at the Home Depot Center on March 28th.

Guatefc also points out that the Guatemala team will be coming off the UNCAF Nations Cup so it won't be as weak of a team as the one Guatemala fielded in San Francisco in 2005.

Lastly, Guatemala may also play another match, 4 days earlier, at the Home Depot Center.

I am getting kind of bored playing Concacaf teams, to be honest. Outside of the Gold Cup and WCQ, we should be playing teams outside of our weak region. I can understand and support the cash grab behind a Mexico friendly in LA or the Southwest, but our team gets nothing from playing other Concacaf teams.

We should be taking our team on the road and playing some away friendlies. Preferably in Europe or South America. We don't play away nearly enough.

[sidefootsitter]

I am getting kind of bored playing Concacaf teams, to be honest. Outside of the Gold Cup and WCQ, we should be playing teams outside of our weak region... What do you mean it's weak?

Didn't you see how well Club America played Barcelona at the World Club Championship yesterday?

[dcsundevil2002]

If this match is in the works, regardless of what I have said in the past, I think that the time frame that we are looking at, it is a good match for the USMNT.

Bradley will only have had two matches with the players and will still be working them out, and it is before the MLs season. I agree that we should be starting to schedule more away matches, in South America, in Europe, or even down in Central America, but in current situation where the USMNT will have had 7 months off, having three home matches in a row isn't that bad an idea.

[TimB4Last]

If this match is in the works, regardless of what I have said in the past, I think that the time frame that we are looking at, it is a good match for the USMNT.

Bradley will only have had two matches with the players and will still be working them out, and it is before the MLs season. I agree that we should be starting to schedule more away matches, in South America, in Europe, or even down in Central America, but in current situation where the USMNT will have had 7 months off, having three home matches in a row isn't that bad an idea.

Any chance BS could add an animated smiley that looks downcast and shakes it head? I promise not to use it with every post.

I could rant and rave here, but I won't. Let me ask this, though. Was it so out of line to hope that the paired March FIFA dates would be Euro dates? I gave you six months off; I gave you a home game in January and another in February.* And this is the thanks I get?

One more question. Is a 'split squad' now conceivable, allowing us a Euro game and a home game, back-to-back? I'd ask for 2 + 2, but I'll settle for 1 + 1 (in March).

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* I realize that the February may not seem like a home game, but technically it is. You're the one who wanted a big payday, remember?

[dcsundevil2002]

Any chance BS could add an animated smiley that looks downcast and shakes it head? I promise not to use it with every post.

I could rant and rave here, but I won't. Let me ask this, though. Was it so out of line to hope that the paired March FIFA dates would be Euro dates? I gave you six months off; I gave you a home game in January and another in February.* And this is the thanks I get?

One more question. Is a 'split squad' now conceivable, allowing us a Euro game and a home game, back-to-back? I'd ask for 2 + 2, but I'll settle for 1 + 1 (in March).

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* I realize that the February may not seem like a home game, but technically it is. You're the one who wanted a big payday, remember?


Yeah, i see your point, but we all should expect to have all of the European teams busy in Euro 2008 qualifying, and not available for a friendly match. That i think is why we are not traveling to Europe. Granted Switzerland and Austria are not going to be involved in qualifying and should be free for a match, playing the match on the 28th at home sits fine with me, during Euro 2008 qualifying.

Hopefully, the match on the 24th (if they haveone, which they better) is played in Central America or in South America. How about Costa Rica in San Jose would be good, or Peru in Lima? Either one of those matches would be good for the players and for the coaching staff.

[2-0 Baby]

Wow, a game against Gautemala...WOO HOO!!!:rolleyes:

[garbaggio]

Wow, a game against Gautemala...WOO HOO!!!:rolleyes:

Any opponent is useful and, with a new coach, we need games to see what the new players / system / whole enchilada look like before Gold Cup and Copa America.

Guatemala was apparently available and willing. They're not Brazil but they're still a worthy opponent for a friendly.

[2-0 Baby]

Any opponent is useful and, with a new coach, we need games to see what the new players / system / whole enchilada look like before Gold Cup and Copa America.

Guatemala was apparently available and willing. They're not Brazil but they're still a worthy opponent for a friendly.

I know, I know. It just seems the USSF is supplying one letdown after another lately...at least they're consistent, I guess.

[cleansheetbsc]

Hopefully, the match on the 24th (if they haveone, which they better) is played in Central America or in South America. How about Costa Rica in San Jose would be good, or Peru in Lima? Either one of those matches would be good for the players and for the coaching staff.

My guess is, aside from Canada, there isn't a Federation in CONCACAF that would host the U.S. as opposed to playing them in the U.S. The payouts from the box office is better for them to come here plus there is the incentive that ex-pats will flock to the match in very good numbers to give them support.

[Flyin Ryan]

I am getting kind of bored playing Concacaf teams, to be honest. Outside of the Gold Cup and WCQ, we should be playing teams outside of our weak region. I can understand and support the cash grab behind a Mexico friendly in LA or the Southwest, but our team gets nothing from playing other Concacaf teams.

We should be taking our team on the road and playing some away friendlies. Preferably in Europe or South America. We don't play away nearly enough.

Who do you propose? Denmark?

We can't play European teams other than Austria/Switzerland right now, due to the club/country scenario with they can only play on FIFA matchdays. So no teams of note (I'm thinking we're getting the Danish B team) is going to add an additional match that is unneeded. As far as the rest of the world, who are you going to play in the middle of club season that is a good team that would most likely be without their European stars? The only two exceptions to that I could think of is an all-domestic Brazil or Argentina.

We need better competition, but it comes down to lack of availability.

[2-0 Baby]

The payouts from the box office is better for them to come here...

Really, how does that work? How would the payouts here be better than if we played Peru in say, Lima, in a 60,000 seat stadium that was completely full? I'm not questioning you, just looking for an explanation.

[Martin Fischer]

Really, how does that work? How would the payouts here be better than if we played Peru in say, Lima, in a 60,000 seat stadium that was completely full? I'm not questioning you, just looking for an explanation.

What are you talking about? Peru rarely sells out anything. Second, the amount they get for tickets is a pittance. And Peru is not abnormal for Latin America.

[TimB4Last]

Who do you propose? Denmark?

We can't play European teams other than Austria/Switzerland right now, due to the club/country scenario with they can only play on FIFA matchdays. So no teams of note (I'm thinking we're getting the Danish B team) is going to add an additional match that is unneeded. As far as the rest of the world, who are you going to play in the middle of club season that is a good team that would most likely be without their European stars? The only two exceptions to that I could think of is an all-domestic Brazil or Argentina.

We need better competition, but it comes down to lack of accountability.

FYP. Our federation must/should have someone dedicated to scheduling USMNT matches months and months ahead of time. I doubt said scheduler is incompetent; s/he's simply following orders from on high.

From July to December, the order of the day was: no games for now; we don't have a coach anyway; let's focus on getting a coach and resume playing in January.

Now we have an interim coach and it looks like we're playing it safe. Even if all you care about are our GC/CA results this June/July - all many posters here do care about - I think playing the March game(s) at home is a mistake. You'll already have gotten your feet back on the ground with (January's camp) Denmark and Mexico.

If you care about improving the team, and challenging the players to step up their games, you'll travel and play the best competition you can find.

There are no FIFA dates in April and May, btw, and the Gold Cup commences in early June. The paired dates in late March are too valuable to 'waste.'

I don't know what our March scheduling options are at this late date, but two months ago there were several Euro teams with open March dates. At least some of the (Euro 2008 qualifying) groups have an odd number of teams, and as surprising as it may sound, Euro teams generally try to play on those 'free' dates (while others are paired playing qualifying matches).

[2-0 Baby]

What are you talking about? Peru rarely sells out anything. Second, the amount they get for tickets is a pittance. And Peru is not abnormal for Latin America.

What % does any visiting team get of the gate if they come to play in the US? That was, more or less, my question. Perhaps poorly worded with a bad example. I'm well aware of currency value, or lack thereof, in Latin America. Thanks for showing me the light.

[Adam Zebrowski]

ussf wants to fill it's money bags again...

the truth leaks out...

ussf to JK....we're gonna play guatemala in LA on march 28..

jk to ussf....NO, i want to take the team to spain and play spain...

ussf to JK: NO you can't

JK to ussf.... I'm not your coach then...

[Bigrose30]

And the status quo remains.

We play a "home" friendly against Guatemala. We'll beat them 2-0 or 3-0 with some fring national teamers.

How stale. We need a change.

[Adam Zebrowski]

march 25 and march 28 are fifa dates....

so if you're playing in LA on march 28, where would you have been playing on march 25....

go to europe and play then!!!!!!!

split squads??

or is it TWO A squad matches in the usa??

[Flyin Ryan]

What % does any visiting team get of the gate if they come to play in the US? That was, more or less, my question. Perhaps poorly worded with a bad example. I'm well aware of currency value, or lack thereof, in Latin America. Thanks for showing me the light.

Don't worry, give the U.S. dollar a year and our currency will be down about 25%. We've already gone down to 2 dollars for 1 pound. :D

(Bit of a joke, but true. http://www.itulip.com/forums/showthread.php?t=683 )

[cleansheetbsc]

Really, how does that work? How would the payouts here be better than if we played Peru in say, Lima, in a 60,000 seat stadium that was completely full? I'm not questioning you, just looking for an explanation.

I don't know what was a weaker subject for you, reading comprehension or geography. I said CONCACAF teams. Last I checked Peru is in South America.