USA is in a crucial time with their manager. Lots of young talented players coming through the ranks. England had a similar situation when they had a terrible showing in 2016, and decided to switch to their younger players. Southgate facilitated that change, and made sure the players were ready for a major tournament. That is what we need. Keep a few of our older players, implement a new system that works with those players, and hope these players can carry us.
Until about ten or fifteen years ago it seemed US men's soccer was on a continuous upward trajectory. The USMNT looked like it would continue to improve from a roughly top 30 national team to a team that would rank in the teens for the foreseeable future. In the mid 2000's it looked like MLS would pass NHL and TV contracts would continue to grow exponentially. Garber was making a lot of smart decisions and everyone was optimistic. And at a more selfish level of analysis it was clear that the Galaxy would continue to be the cream of the crop in MLS. Then things started to change - and not for the better. USSF hired Klinnsman and he brought along a level of egotism and incompetence that slowly killed off the never say die spirit of the national team. Pointing fingers took the place of ever improving. A great opportunity to build on the legacy of the best American to ever play the game and possibly help us make a magical run during the 2014 WC was thrown on the trash heap because of a personal vendetta. At the pro level MLS players approved a collective bargaining agreement more designed to protect their jobs than grow the league's popularity. And even my beloved Galaxy started making mistakes. Players who played their hearts out for us were jettisoned in favor of new, shiny and ultimately defective baubles. Bad decision after bad decision started infecting all three organizations - USSF, MLS and our LAG. All of the repositories of my soccer hopes all seemed to stall or start going downhill. So the answer to your questions is they are all clueless. The only good news is that I don't think our leaders could do worse. But who knows? In recent years I've learned that incompetence seems to know no bounds.
I worry the US will go the way of Australia where they are a respectable nation on the world stage, but never really a threat outside their region.
Greg Berhalter USMNT Tito Martinez Mexico NT Patrick Vieira OGC Nice Jesse Marsch RB Leizpig Oscar Pareja Club Tijuana Pulisic Dortmund Adams RB Leizpig Mckennie Schalke Chris Richards Bayern Sargent Werder Bremen Soto Hannover Despite the programs shortcomings and stupidity we still are creating a pipeline of talent. This is good to see. If we can continue to fix things it will only get better.
Average age: 22 years and 71 days.Today's #USMNT XI vs. 🇮🇹 is the youngest in the modern era. » https://t.co/WJRcCaI8R4 pic.twitter.com/bq3gyI3raZ— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) November 20, 2018
What are your thoughts on US Soccer saying "thanks, but no thanks" to the interest in the USMNT job of Julen Lopetegui, who was undefeated in two years coaching Spain, the 2010 World Cup champion? https://t.co/7a335dWv58— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) November 20, 2018 So maybe it is close to call on who is run worse at the moment
I've always been a club over country guy, but the gap is only increasing. Between the Klinsmann era, not going to the World Cup, the racism exhibited by some supporter groups, and the incompetence-- or corruption, maybe corruption is a better word-- we've seen this year, it's been hard for me to even make the effort watch. How do you not interview this guy?
US soccer said they weren’t interested because they were “too far down the line” in the hiring process?? That’s depressing if true.
Looks worse when you realize that Berhalter's brother works for the USSF. https://www.google.com/amp/s/soccer...rhalter-for-usmnt-but-hating-the-process/amp/ The USSF must know it looks bad to not interview high profile and competent managers when your prime candidate has a family working for you, right?
This hiring has been a joke. We've wasted a year. I like Berhalter and think he will do well but after all of this how can you not check every stone it's like the Galaxy "searching the world" to hire Curt Onalfo Think I have this right: Been reported that Sarachan wasn't interviewed, Vermes wasn't interviewed, Tata wasn't interviewed, Marsch wasn't interviewed, Pareja wasn't interviewed.I think Berhalter is a good hire, but this is nuts. A ridiculous process AND a disservice to Gregg.— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) November 14, 2018
This is so depressing to hear. He had a great record with Spain, and I think he could have implemented a better style for us. I think Berhalter would do fine, but this is like comparing Bob Bradley to Conte.
Horrendous spell with Real Madrid though and WC qualification results often flatter to deceive. Berhalter knows US soccer and has been consistently successful in difficult circumstances. I'm not sure that it's as much of a no-brainer as people are suggesting. And remember who else had an impressive record with a powerhouse national team, only to flop at the helm of his nation's biggest club....
You mean in the long term future? Because that is all we are now, really ever have been (at best) and realistically will be for the next 10 years at least. But long term, I have to think our prospects are better than Australia just based on sheer numbers, and continued build up of the sport here.
They probably didn't interview this guy BECAUSE he would be too much like Klinsman (i.e. a European that would demand effort, toughness and commitment from his players, rather than coddle them). And we know how popular that type of coach turned out to be with the players and fan base.
You can't be serious?? Effort, toughness and commitment were the hallmarks of the USMNT prior to Klinsmann. The expectation was that JK would supplement those qualities with greater tactical thinking and an overhaul of the nation's technical development. Instead we got a lot of talk and politicking.
Hallmarks 15 to 25 years ago, sure, and yes that was before Klinsman, so your statement is technically correct. But that was a different breed of player that didn't need the toughness instilled by a coach, because they were already tough. Not these coddled sissies representing the USMNT these days.
I think the problem was that JK kept introducing chaos into the system. He never developed a core of players who could build chemistry over time. His teams always played like a bunch of individual talents thrown together at the last minute. Continual uncertainty about status and roles even made players lose individual confidence, forget about building a team that would fight for each other and be more than the sum of their parts. tldr vers - his teams were a mess, from start to finish
I think JK's decline happened the second he alienated the USMNT's best player in history before the 2014 World Cup. I don't think any player agreed with him that it was the right call and JK ultimately lost the locker room. Once the 2014 World Cup was over the Nats went downhill.