Apparently, the Czech Republic might be playing in a tournament hosted by the USA from May 22nd-25th. From what I gather, they are currently in talks. The USA has also invited Turkey, but as the Czech FA stated, nothing is for certain as of yet. http://fotbal.idnes.cz/fotbalovy-se...ot_reprez.asp?c=A100127_105429_fot_reprez_min
This is a great idea, we need to do more of these kinds of things. Playing the same tired teams gets repetitive and stale.
Didn't they used to do something like this called the "US Cup" or something, to tuneup before the World Cup (or possibly Gold Cup)? Not a bad idea, although doesn't seem much different than just calling them a series of friendlies (although I don't know, if there's some phoney Cup up for grabs maybe they can milk more money out of the games)...
There's no way in hell that Team USA is going to put its top players into some tourney that happens just two and half weeks before the start of the World Cup. The Czechs and Turks would never put their top guys on the field in that kind of scheduling window if they were going to the big dance. Given the fact that both Turkey and the Czech Republic bothed to qualify for South Africa, I'm betting that any USMNT involvement would be just for American players in development.
It's not really a tournament. They can call it what they want, but it's really just a series of friendlies and you can bet the US will have their best players playing. These pre-World Cup matches are critical to a team's development. Every country in the World Cup will be playing friendlies weeks before their first match in South Africa. We did it in '06 and '02 and '98 and '94 and '90 because that's what you do to prepare.
This is what I was remembering: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Cup I kind of (strangely) miss being a fan of the USMNT in the 90s, when these silly tournaments seemed exciting and the prospect of beating England in essentially a friendly was like the greatest victory ever! Turns out the US Cup wasn't for World Cup tuneups, but yeah if this year's "tournament" happens it'll probably be somewhat similar in that it will be used for training (otherwise known as friendlies) with hopefully high quality competition...
Yeah, the US always has a "send-off" series of ~3 games. It would probably be 4 teams in a table. They all play each other once........and the team at the top at the end gets a spiffy looking (albeit meaningless) trophy. If the competition was the Czech Republic, Turkey, and say Ireland or Bosnia.........that would be a really nice series of games for us. In 2002 we played some difficult games as our send-off series (Holland, Uruguay, Jamaica)........while in 06 we played some puff pastries (Latvia, Venezuela, Morocco). While the Holland-Uruguay series was much tougher, I think it prepared us more for the tournament. You can't be afraid to schedule some games you might lose.
So, the rumors that the US was trying to lineup the Czechs, Bosnia, and perhaps Northern Ireland are true. This isn't a send-off series, per se, this is more like the US cup, but it's designed to emulate a group. Czechia, Turkey, and Bosnia/Northern Ireland would be a great simulation for the group we have to play. Although, if it's a 3 game tourney, it would be longer than 3 days. The tournament would probably be from mid-may to about the 25th or 26th. There is still rumors of the Tunisian friendly, which makes sense. If the USA leaves the US on may 28th, they can play Tunisia on the 5th or 6th, that would be the last tune-up before the kickoff against England. Or, the tournament would start on the 22nd, and the Tunisian camp would be abandoned, and this would genuinely be a send-off series. Either way, it's good planning by the US. I still feel, however, between March and May, the US should play another big European team and at least one African team.
Clint you beat me to the punch on the suggesting four teams. Seems logical to be a round robin format. If they place them in large markets Turkey Vs Czech could garner some fans. My guess for team 4 is Northern Ireland
Totally disagree. These friendlies are money makers and a rare opportunity for fans to see the complete USA lineup in a competitive game in America apart from a meaningful WCQ. And why would the players benefit from being sent (back) to Europe prior to the WC? Give them a break. EDIT: Misread your post, thought you meant during the send-off series.
google translation: Czech to English translationShow romanization Football team for the inter-State matches will go away again, this time over the ocean. After the November tournament in the United Arab Emirates in May will most likely attend the race in the United States of America. Photo: Dalibor Glück, MF DNESIvan Hasek "It was always about it," said Czech football boss Ivan Hasek to meet with journalists. "Now settled in the city which will be played." U.S. national team as a participant of the June World Cup in South Africa will invite the Czechs and the Turks. Neither the European countries qualified for the World Cup. If Hasek et al. participation in the tournament for the Atlantic agree, the Czechs fly to America around the 20th May. Play will be from 22 to 25 May. World championship match will open the organizing country of Mexico in the 11th Johannesburg June. To Czechs will only watch on television. While interstate matches in the United States are not yet certain, on Wednesday 3 March Czech team will take home in Glasgow against Scotland. "It's a very good match in a beautiful atmosphere," promises the manager of the national team Vladimir Smicer. In the August deadline will be home-team host Morocco. Even earlier, only a week in the Sunday, the 7th February, the Czech generals moved to Warsaw, where he picked the qualification process at the European Championships 2012th Czechs are the second basket of performance, not to come across to Greece, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Turkey, Denmark, Slovakia and Romania - more here .. Of the nine groups refer directly only winners and the best team of runners. The remaining candidates from the second position will play offs in November 2011. Six groups will be šestičlenných, three five-member. "We'd been in the five-member. Matches with the dwarves do not give anybody anything, you can also do more than embarrass," Smicer said with a smile. "In addition, the results of the last Text size team." "And I know from personal experience that it is not easy to play a match in Azerbaijan," Hasek recalled the November defeat in the Emirates. Who would Hasek to a group like? "I still think we have a rival, from which the Union also benefited economically. But of course I want the group from which we have referred. These are teams that we meet typologically. Perhaps over the Dutch in recent years we have followed. But by saying that I just is. Just when the offensive team encounters that our defensive, is in trouble. " this sounds good but we have no second source. Proffesional Bloggers you need to run this down for the exclusive!!..quickly would be nice I want USA Today to pick up the story for Monday after the super bowl. I would like to know I played a small role in helping deliver the news to a nation while i read it as I eat my frosted flakes.
Any speculation on location? I am biased, but the new Giants Stadium or Red Bull Arena (too small?) would be nice as I am 15 minutes from each!
If that's the case, why don't we encourage instead of belittle. We need to welcome new fans, not mock them. (Stepping off soap box)
I was hoping something like this would be in the works, and I'm glad we are looking at teams that will prepare us for the cup. Our preparation in 06 wasn't good enough IMO, but games against the Czechs, Turkey, and possibly Northern Ireland would be great. Since I can't go to South Africa anymore, these would be some great games to go to...
I agree. I would hope to play Egypt, Tunisia or Morocco, a North African team. I would also like to play either Ghana or Senegal, teams with large amounts of French based players. Any of those teams would be an adequate preparation for Algeria. I would prefer to play an African team in Africa, just so those who didn't make the Confederations Cup journey can take in the atmosphere.
If it's a 3-game send-off series it would make the most sense to have 2 of those games in New York (Red Bull Arena or even New Meadowlands Stadium for big name opponent) and Philadelphia (new Chester stadium) respectively. Provided those stadiums are completed in time, it would be a great opportunity for those facilities to be showcased right after completion in the buildup to the World Cup. Plus, the last match or at least most of the matches of the send-off series have been or are usually held on the east coast. That makes for a shorter flight time to SA which will be very important considering the time the USMNT will need to get used to the altitude and conditions in SA.
It's highly unlikely that the Chester Stadium will be done in time for the send off matches. My guess is that we play four send off matches and I think they'll be in New York, Philadelphia, DC and Nashville. It would not surprise me in the least if the USSF sets up the DC match and gets President Obama to show up.
According to Nick Sakiewicz (at around 4:45 in the vid) US wants to play in Philly before going to S.A. so Lincoln Financial is probably one of the locations for the tournament. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfrYe49QzJU"]YouTube- Philadelphia Union[/ame]