After U.S. outgrows CONCACAF, then what?

[Scotty]

After U.S. outgrows CONCACAF, then what?

It’s coming. Certainly not today, probably not in this qualification cycle, but make no mistake, it’s coming. At some point in the near future – sooner than those who will inevitably rip this column will ever admit – the United States will be the dominant force in CONCACAF soccer, alone at the top.

Soon, the Americans won’t share equal billing with our neighbors to the South. The U.S. will be the alpha dog with El Tri in a second tier by itself and then the rest of the region fighting for third place. It’s not a matter of if, only when.

Take a look at the numbers. While Mexico leads the all-time series with 30 wins against only 15 losses and 10 draws, recent results paint a different picture. Since the start of the 1990s – when the U.S. national team first began seeing improvement resulting from the increased popularity of the beautiful game among the nation’s children – the red, white, and blue boast 13 wins to Mexico’s eight, with seven ties. This decade, the Americans boast a record of 9-2-2, including a victory in the biggest match, during the round of 16 at the 2002 World Cup.
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=go-usaconcacaf101008&prov=goal&type=lgns

[prowazekii]

Somewhat related question posed by Wagman in his column on SoccerTimes (http://www.soccertimes.com/wagman/2008/oct08):



How much is it hurting the U.S. and Mexico not to consistently have to face competitive opponents until they get to a World Cup. Both play friendlies against top-flight opponents, trying to get ready, but friendlies are friendlies. If both had to struggle to get to the World Cup, as teams from Europe and South America must, would they be better prepared for what they were are going to face? This is just a thought as the U.S. faces woeful Cuba Saturday night at RFK Stadium here.

[Bigrose30]

There's absolutely nothing that can be done about what region we are in.

International break = slow news day

[SCBozeman]

Meh. I reject the assertion.

The US has had the much better record over the past several years, but often hasn't "outplayed" Mexico to a degree to suggest that the US is a significantly better squad. It's been close, with the US getting the results, often against the run of play.

Plus, Mexico's talent is arguably in the ascendency. At this moment, which can be very different a year from now, the US doesn't have field players like Marquez, Guardado or Vela. If Altidore, Adu and Bradley never graduate to a higher level and the Mexican players do progress, we could be looking at a much better Mexico in almost every position.

I also kind of doubt the example Davis uses:

"The decision of Jose Francisco Torres to join the U.S. team is only the latest blow to Mexican hopes...He might never become a fixture on the full national squad, but that’s not the point. Torres’ choice represents the new way players think about the United States team: It’s more than just a viable option; it’s a land of opportunities to win."

I kind of suspect Torres picked the US because they got in early and because there were greater opportunities in the US. In another interview, Torres says Pachuca's manager told him to pick the country that has more need for left sided midfielders. That suggests to me that Torres looked at Guardado on one side and Beasley on the other and said "I think the US is weaker." Hardly suggests the US is more than a "viable option."

And even if we do become the regional hegemon, so what? Mexico survived for several decades without a comparable team in the region. And the USSF probably likes the idea of guaranteed World Cups, rather than the lottery and expense of trying to compete in CONMEBOL.

[studzup]

Don't worry, folks. Canada is going to step up to challenge us and we'll be better for it. How? Well, by having three teams in MLS. By turning its kids on to Chad Barrett and Carl Robinson. Anyway, when we've gotten to the point where Canada concerns us, we can thank our league for impatiently overlooking cities in the American south and midwest and establishing teams in Canada...just to give our national team the challenge that it needs. I tell you, the vision. You have to admire the vision. That's what it's all about.

This just in: Kljestan to Monaco. Not AS Monaco FC, but one of the TWO new teams from Monaco will play in Ligue 1, Monaco Inter. Wait. What's this? Kenny Cooper to the other team, Monte Carlo FC. Wow! Two derbies for the American legion in Monaco. I hope they handle the travel.

People, really. I know that we've put a man on the moon. But do you really think that we can move our part of the continent so that we can justify joining Conmebol or UEFA?

And we will not have outgrown anything until we can waltz into Saprissa and bag three points. As it stands now, we can't even pull a point out of there.

[Justin O]

There's absolutely nothing that can be done about what region we are in.

Maybe not, but I wouldn't be surprised if, 20-30 years down the road, there's a lot of shifting and the "regions" aren't so much based on which continent you're on.

[bshredder]

The US just has to try to take part in as many good tournaments that give us better competition than CONCACAF. A game against Mexico 1-2 times a year isn't good enough.

There are things we can do to make up for being in a weak region.

Qualifying for the Confed Cup regularly is important and hopefully we can go to the Copa America regularly and take it seriously. Plus, organizing lots of friendlies along the lines of what we had last summer with England, Spain, & Argentina is also a good step.

The US has to take advantage of of every possible international date they can. No more cupcake friendlies.

[m vann]

Let's not toot our own horn just yet. We still struggle to get results on the road in Central America. We struggle with a hostile environment. We struggle when teams bunker. We may have a superior record against Mexico since the 90's but how many of those results have been in Mexico? One win to my knowledge. The bottom line is that we may, in the near future, have the best players and team on paper but we still have yet to dominate the region. At home, yes. On the road, no. There's nothing we can do about the region we have. What we can do is sacrifice the comfort our home and head to Europe, South America, and Asia for tougher competition and environments. USSF is starting to recognize this. The cocky attitude that we are head and shoulders above the others right now will only cause us to take two step backwards. We are transitioning which the article eluded to but we are not as far along as some would like to believe. We are making steady progress but I'm not ready to proclaim we are a dominant force in the CONCACAF region.

[mattjo]

Plate tectonics

[smokarz]

......then we trashed out of the WC every four years going 0-3....

[Maximum Optimal]

US Soccer should see a change in schedule so that the Gold Cup is played a few months before Copa and work out a formal agreement with CONMEBOL under which the Gold Cup finalists will play in Copa. By having a few months between the Gold Cup and Copa, we can avoid the situation we had last summer where we ended up sending a B team to Copa.

[cpwilson80]

Canada has the population of California, does not have its own top-flight league, and soccer is not the primary sport in the culture.

Though the US has a great record against Mexico this past decade, Mexico still matches up very well against other quality countries. Additionally, their best guys are playing in leagues better than the Mexican top-flight.

It'll be the US and Mexico for at least the next generation of players.

[england66]

Canada has the population of California, does not have its own top-flight league, and soccer is not the primary sport in the culture.

Though the US has a great record against Mexico this past decade, Mexico still matches up very well against other quality countries. Additionally, their best guys are playing in leagues better than the Mexican top-flight.

It'll be the US and Mexico for at least the next generation of players.


Just like the big two in South America will always be in the world cup so too will Mexico and the USA, it's just the way it is. I agree that sending the best available players to the S.American championships is the way to go and it behoves concacaf to schedule the Gold Cup so as not to interfere with the bigger competition down south.

It is in the best interests of concacaf for the USA and Mexico to be really competitive in that championship.

[appoo]

I feel like International soccer is evolving into College football.

Soon we're gonna have England fans chanting "UEFA! UEFA! UEFA!" before matches :rolleyes:

[studzup]

cpwilson, I was being ironic, although I was echoing the silly arguments put forth by so many.

[JuanPeron]

US Soccer should see a change in schedule so that the Gold Cup is played a few months before Copa and work out a formal agreement with CONMEBOL under which the Gold Cup finalists will play in Copa. By having a few months between the Gold Cup and Copa, we can avoid the situation we had last summer where we ended up sending a B team to Copa.

A few months before? Players have seasons that end in May and June. Plus they need a good 3-5 weeks rest. We can move the Gold Cup to another year or make it smaller but we can't move it up during a year.

[cpwilson80]

cpwilson, I was being ironic, although I was echoing the silly arguments put forth by so many.

No worries, I wasn't responding to your post, but evaluating the three teams most likely to be a Concacaf power.

[DestroyerDaMarc]

A few months before? Players have seasons that end in May and June. Plus they need a good 3-5 weeks rest. We can move the Gold Cup to another year or make it smaller but we can't move it up during a year.

Or we can do the sensible thing and have the Gold Cup once every 4 years!

[Maximum Optimal]

A few months before? Players have seasons that end in May and June. Plus they need a good 3-5 weeks rest. We can move the Gold Cup to another year or make it smaller but we can't move it up during a year.

What I have in mind is us sending a primarily MLS team to the Gold Cup perhaps augmented by players in the Scandinavian leagues on their winter break and the odd young player not getting much time with his club (eg Altidore). We would be rolling the dice a bit with such a crew but it should be good enough to get by anyone but Mexico. Then bring in the big guns for Copa.

[sidefootsitter]

Both the US - and Mexico, to some extent - have a monetary situation.

The US doesn't draw well abroad, so it will rarely get top tier teams there (the summer series was a welcome departure, however), which makes it far more lucrative (especially for SUM) to stage the games in the US.

Mexico also makes most of its money by playing in the US under more or less a "home team" premise.

At least, Mexico takes the Copa America seriously. That gives them a reasonable indication of where they are.

The Gold Cup is basically a one-match tournament with the advantage going to whichever team is staging the final and, with the SUM, that final is largely staged in the US.

Some of the options are to fold the Gold Cup and Copa America into a single tournament with the best teams from both continents and try to ramp it up to the level of the Euros.

Even with the A/B rosters there, it should be a more challenging contest for everyone involved.