seriously if we crash early out of this WC what do we have to play for in the next 2 years? ziltch lets get into the Copa America and bloody some of our 2010 prospects. We'll have 70% of our team gone by 2010....we need to get to work
The next 2 years will include more than a few European clubs prepping for Euro 2008. However, the US can surely benefit by playing tougher opponents leading up to 2010 qualifying. Additionally, younger guys may see action in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
I think the game against the Chechz proved that the USA needs to play in Copa America. Mexico plays in 2 serious tournaments (World cup, Copa America), Europe has the Euro cup and World Cup, while the USA plays in only 1 (world cup). The gold cup is not a serious tournament as much as you want to believe it is. It has mediocre concacaf competition that isn't a tough test for the USA. We know either the USA or Mexico will win it it is not a serious tournament it is more like practice. Copa America is the closest the USA can get to big time, tough, unfriendly environment, World Cup type games.
from what i understand, its usually a scheduling problem. the european based players are resistant to give up a break and MLS conflicts... I do agree that it would be nice to see us in the Copa. Not just because I think that playing better competition will make us better and help promote soccer in the USA but because I'm going to miss the lack of competitive national team matches. I don't really have any club favorites: i basically live for the nats.
Sorry to sound like a nit but I genuinely don't understand the point here. European national sides will be qualifying for Euro 2008. European clubs will be playing their national competitions, and the good ones will play UEFA club competitions in 2007 and 08. Which were you referring to? To the OP/thread: Yes, yes, yes! One Copa America match is probably worth half a season of MLS when it comes to our NT's development. Since the MNT, not MLS, seems to be the "point of the chisel" driving acceptance of the sport and recruiting people who didn't think they liked soccer, the disturbance caused by MLS is a small price to pay for anything, ANYTHING, that would potentially make our NT play better. Possible rebuttal: But our best performance (of two!) in the CA was before our lousy performance in France '98. True, but I'm not arguing it's an overnight correspondance. Besides, perhaps CA '93 helped us in '94, and perhaps CA '97 would have helped us do better in France. You don't get many opportunities to play meaningful international matches. The USSF has wasted them at their peril.
i don't know if i want concacaf and conmebol to merge, but i wish there was someway to have a pan-american cup - something that combines the gold cup and the copa america. i think that to get to the next level we need to play more top competition more frequently.
Clearly playing in the Copa America could only have a positive result for US soccer. Even if only the MLS contigent could make it. Heck, the Brazilians and Argentinians don't send their top players to the Copa either, but it's still a heckuva competition with some very skillfull and hungry players. Turning down invitations has been very shortsighted on the part of US Soccer.
as a matter of fact they were invited to the last Copa America, but they refuced to go, saying that it was better to keep trainning for the qualifiers, so I don't know if they will invite them again. the first thing they should do, is fix MLS schedule as most of the countries, that will give them time to participate on other tournaments, and will make the league more competitive on every aspect (the player wouldnt be playing for 7 or 8 months straight, and then resting for 4).
No, we should not play in the 2007 Copa America. We already have the Gold Cup next year which will mess up the MLS season for a month. Two months of players gone is too much. Two entirely different teams could be used, but I would rather see our best team in one tournament.
No, I think we should only play great teams at the world cup so we can pad BA's coaching record. Games against a Norway E team, a college Jamaica team that beats us, a Morocco B team that beats us, Canada, and other great sides are great preparation for the CUP.
I don't know if the benefits of playing in the CA outweigh the costs, especially since the South American teams don't take the CA too seriously. Too bad we can't enter Euro 2008...
The last edition of the Copa America (Peru 2004) had a lot of great players. Brazil and Argentina probably had the most absenses in their starting line-up, but they still were very good teams. Both finished first and second, respectively. Plus, the Gold Cup is nothing like the Copa America. It would be a lot harder of the US to win the Copa America than it would be the Gold Cup. Also if I am not mistaken, the US declined to take part of the Confederations Cup in 2005, and the last time they played it was in 2003 in France. That took place after reaching the Quarterfinals in the 2002 WC, and they lost to Turkey, Brazil, and drew with Cameroon. THEY ONLY GOT ONE POINT AND ONE GOAL! That should've been a wake-up call for the team. But it seems like the US doesn't take part in Copa America and Confederations Cup because they are just too scared of losing. Well, losing is part of life and sometimes defeat is more instructive than victory! We may be looking at a France 98 repeat. Both Ghana and Italy looked pretty good on Monday.
I don't think it has anything to do with being afraid of losing. Few in the US would pay attention anyway, so better to lose and make adjustments to play better in the WC, when it really matters to getting people on board. The real question, one that probably has its own thread somewhere is this: When MLS' best interest and the USMNT's best interest conflict, which wins out? Which should win out? They're both important to the development of the sport, no dispute. And in the end a strong MLS helps the NT, no dispute. But benefits from building up MLS are long, long-term -- like 20 years out. Benefits from building up the national team pay off every four years. Just think how everyone in the media got on board in 2002. I read on another thread that USA-CZE was ESPN's highest rated sports event this year! One good WC does more short-term good for the sport than four great years of MLS.
I have been saying this for years and those who think playing the CONCARAP Gold Cup is more important should all be dragged out and shot! Mexico dont want a damn thing to do with the gold cup but are forced to take part... BUT THEY NEVER TURN DOWN COPA AMERICA CONMEBOL have invited US Soccer many times over since 95 but Di** Heads at the federation thought MLS was more important and turn them down again and again... Hey Federation Morons had you take all the invites USA would be an official Participator just like mexico is in Copa America... also You would have take part in Copa Libertadores for your club teams by now, lets hope Sunil has the bigger picture in his head about copa america un like the walking COMA president B-4 Sunil that just left........
one thing we need to do besides entering Copa is to make damn sure we win the Gold Cup. We need to send our best available team, and not untestesed MLS all star team. We need to send our best players weather they are tired from Europe of not, the reason is the confederations cup. That is another quality tourney that we (as BS posters) often overlook. If we win the Gold Cup we go to the Confeds. Last year Mexico beat Brazil, and tied Argentina, and also got to play Germany IN Germany. Weather the Confed Cup was full of weakened teams or not, this is a tournament we need to actually try to get to.
Actually, the US didn't qualify for the last Confed Cup because Mexico (I believe) won the previous Gold Cup. You only go to Confed by winning your Regions championship, or being World Cup Champion I will say one thing, I hope we go this time. I think that is the biggest problem with the US, we don't play any meaningful games for 2.5 years after each WC. If we could do Copa America as well, that would be a bonus.
Play the first team in Copa America, throw the kids/B team in the Gold Cup to prep them for Olympic qualifying.
Don't forget the mighty Latvia, the incomprable Japan and our usual friendlies against Colombia and Mexico. Have you noticed that the guys on our board who generally are pessimistic about the nats have been the ones calling for us to play in the Copa and harder friendlies while the big talkers have been the ones who think we're doing things just right?
Totally agree, but there is just no excuse in not going to Copa America when you get invited. The USA turns down invitations while other teams are trying to get themselves in the tournament from what I read (Australia, Japan).
If the MLS moves its schedule to match the European leagues, attedance will fall dramatically. There is a reason MLS has its current schedule. It doesn't (and shouldn't) go up against College Football, Pro Football, NBA. Weekends are when families spend time attending these sports. You won't have parents taking their kids to see an MLS team play if they are used to going to other sporting events at that time of year. Should the MLS match other leagues schedules? Yes. But attendance will suffer. Like it or not, soccer/football is number 5 or 6 in ranking of american sports/events to attend so you don't want to hurt your numbers by making people choose what to attend. At this point in the league's life it would be a huge step backwards.