Hallelujah! The USA is 29th in the World!

[GolazoSr]

See it for your self at http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ranking/lastranking/gender=m/fullranking.html#confederation=0&rank=157

Tell Sunil Gulati , Bob Bradley and the MNT what you think about. Go to www.USSoccer.com - "Contact Us" is located at the lower right corner of the home page.

Meanwhile, vent your bile and vitriol here at BS.

The Europe-based player team sucks; the MLS players would most likely do better than them. We have only 2 1/2 years to prepare for the World Cup.

The root of our predicament is that there is no honest criticism that tells the MLS and the US Soccer Federation (USSF) the painful thuth about our soccer. The "mainstream" media ignores the sport. Except for Soccer America and BigSoccer forums, there is no one to tell things how they are.

The MLS, the USSF and their coaches get away with whatever lousy work they do. Nobody tells the king the truth, that he is naked. So let's do it ourselves.

DISCUSS!!!!!!

[Silock]

I don't put too much stock in the FIFA rankings since the outcome of the World Cup and our grossly exaggerated ranking then.

[TCNJFan]

I've got a few questions about rankings after looking at FIFA's procedure.

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ranking/procedure/men.html

They say that the away team gets a 3 point bonus. Is that based on the physical location of the match or the designation of the teams (such as at a neutral venue)? Also, I thought that Continental Qualifying and Finals matches carried more weight. If that's not true, then I guess my question of whether or not the Copa America counts as a Continental Final for us doesn't matter.

In the end, I'm with a lot of people in that I really don't care about the rankings. Their nice for getting an idea about a team's strength (especially since the new ones seem to measure how a team is playing right now), but they don't determine who will win or lose a match.

[Clint Eastwood]

The Europe-based player team sucks; the MLS players would most likely do better than them. We have only 2 1/2 years to prepare for the World Cup.

DISCUSS!!!!!!

Um, who? Which MLS players? We don't have Messi and Eto'o playing in Columbus.

Let's face it folks. This IS close to the best team we can put together right now. If the world cup were held today and we ignored injuries, there wouldn't be THAT many changes.

When you look at the rankings and our performances, 29th is only a little low.

[astabooty]

Why are you bitching? The US finally has a more realistic ranking on Fifa.

[bltleo]

well all this FIFA ranking is only joke.

Klinsi said it already in 2004 that Fifa ranking was only joke:)

I´m only glad that Holland is behind Germany:)....

[ugaaccountant]

You do realize the reason we are ranked so low is entirely due to 2006 results. We're actually undefeated this year. Please do not misplace blame to the current coach/players until they actually lose a game. The FIFA rankings award no style points so the 2007 team is doing just fine in that ranking.

[bltleo]

You do realize the reason we are ranked so low is entirely due to 2006 results. We're actually undefeated this year. Please do not misplace blame to the current coach/players until they actually lose a game. The FIFA rankings award no style points so the 2007 team is doing just fine in that ranking.

i think you are right.

I never take these FIFA ranking seriously. Germany for example is now ranked at place 5. However, if you look at european qualification games for Euro Cup 2008, Germany performed best, we did not lose any game. We have 19 points from 21 possible points, we are the best european nation based on performance in European qualification games. So I would say that right now we are the best in Europe:)

[soccerfan]

The root of our predicament is that there is no honest criticism that tells the MLS and the US Soccer Federation (USSF) the painful thuth about our soccer. The "mainstream" media ignores the sport. Except for Soccer America and BigSoccer forums, there is no one to tell things how they are.

The MLS, the USSF and their coaches get away with whatever lousy work they do. Nobody tells the king the truth, that he is naked. So let's do it ourselves.

DISCUSS!!!!!!


you better watch out, most posters don't like any negative talk about our soccer, you might get neg reps if you dare speak the truth

I think the rankings are fine, it is what we are , this time sounds about right.

[Bluecat82]

29th???

Too high, much too high!

No, seriously, we suck. Really. We do. I wouldn't lie to you. No improvement at all since '98. Or '90. Cobi Jones is still our best midfield player. Tony Meola should be starting in goal. Our best player is still Alexi Lalas. Or maybe Mike Sorber.

Trust me. You mighty European teams will have noooooooooooooooo problem with us in any tournament. We're just a scummy CONCACAF team.

What? Young guys? Nah, don't pay any attention to them. They're horrible. Really. Trust me. Not a keeper in the bunch. Posers, all of 'em.











(psst...guys? Is it working?)

[Roehl Sybing]

The Europe-based player team sucks; the MLS players would most likely do better than them.
Seconded.

[Sandon Mibut]

29th? Cue the theme from The Jeffersons!

[Nyghtewynd]

This thread makes me a sad panda.

[TabLalas]

Who gives a damn about FIFA's ranking? As has been said, I think we all learned last summer what their ranking means. Didley sh!t. They can have Mexico ranked 10th for all I care.

[FLFootballFan]

The rankings given out by FIFA are bs........They don't really consider the strength of the teams a given team plays against and it doesn't consider the fact that some teams don't play as much as others......

[bltleo]

29th? Cue the theme from The Jeffersons!

Sandon, don´t be sad. 29 or 30....5 or 10....it does not matter....the most important is not the PAST (how you performed in 2006 etc.)...the most important is how your team is ready for next cycle, how they PERFORM NOW ...you will see how is doing your team in Gold Cup, Copa America etc....
look forward....it is more important than any Fifa Ranking..

P.S I think I will need to speak to Kaiser an he should make this Fifa ranking more "reasonable"..:).

[Sandon Mibut]

Don't worry, I'm not sad. Being a fur'ner and all you likely didn't get the cultural reference I made.

Google "them from the Jeffersons" and you might get it after that.

As for the rankings, I don't take them seriously at all. Not when we're ranked 30th and not last year when we were in the Top 8. Nor did I take the rankings seriously when France was reigning world and European champs and still, at the time, ranked No. 2.

The rankings are silly and the formula for them is skewed, at best. Besides, rankings aren't needed when you have a little tournament to decide who is best. Right now, Italy is No. 2, France 2, Germany third and Portugal 4. Why? Because that's how it played out on the field last year.

[MightyMouse]

I don't put too much stock in the FIFA rankings since the outcome of the World Cup and our grossly exaggerated ranking then.

Perfectly said, exactly what I would have written and thought of when I even read the thread title.

[bltleo]

Don't worry, I'm not sad. Being a fur'ner and all you likely didn't get the cultural reference I made.

Google "them from the Jeffersons" and you might get it after that.

As for the rankings, I don't take them seriously at all. Not when we're ranked 30th and not last year when we were in the Top 8. Nor did I take the rankings seriously when France was reigning world and European champs and still, at the time, ranked No. 2.

The rankings are silly and the formula for them is skewed, at best. Besides, rankings aren't needed when you have a little tournament to decide who is best. Right now, Italy is No. 2, France 2, Germany third and Portugal 4. Why? Because that's how it played out on the field last year.

thanks for a good tip.."Jeffereson"..

I also never take this ranking seriously....

if we look only at world cup 2006: then we can say that the best teams are Italy, France and Germany...if we would consider 4 last world cups, then we would have another ranking..

if we looked at European qualification games (up-to date games), then Germany will be number one in Europe..

so I think this ranking change often - it depends which period you take into account and how do you create formula for rating...

but soccer is no statistic..it is a game...and fans and coaches are not interested for ranking on paper, but more at ranking in the important match..

for example, I´m happy how Germany performed in the last european qualification games.....we really showed that we did not play good only because of "home advantage"...we even can play beautiful soccer....so I don´t mind if Germany is 5th now....if they win the Euro cup 2008, then it will mean more than any ranking..

your friend

bltleo

[TCNJFan]

I'm starting to think that we actually want a lower ranking before major tournaments.

Look at the fixtures for the Copa America. They were set according to the February FIFA rankings. Argentina was the highest ranked team in our group and are the "home" team for all three group matches. We were second highest and are only "visitors" for our match against Argentina. Under the new FIFA ranking, the "visitors" get a three point bonus if they win.

Not only would a lower ranking lower our opponents' expectations, but we could make a bigger jump at the World Cup, Gold Cup and Copa America.