Haha! I think we had one primary area of disagreement, but perhaps this is the start of a period of general agreement (and merriment).
It absolutely is a reward. I look at being called up for international duty the same way NFL players are called up for the pro bowl or the MLS all star team. Its a gift for their hard work. And you dont get invited to pro bowl or all star games for riding the pine or having bad luck with your team. And i can almost guarantee the USMNT players feel the same. Its the ultimate achievement in my opinion. Your country believes your good enough to represent them ib international duty. Again, this all just my opinion.
Your opinion is wrong. All-star games are 100% meaningless in terms of the result no matter how big an honor it is for players in the sport. Results matter for the US team.
Im making a point that its a reward. I realize they are meaningless. Which is why its an even bigger reward to be called up for international duty. You have to earn that call up with good performances. If not then ur sending the wrong message to the rest of the squad.
There will be a certain level of it being a "reward" just because it's something that pros will strive to be a part of. The question is whether management should treat it as a reward in terms of their selection criteria, and how weighted should that aspect of player choice be. By the way they already do to some degree, but not to the degree that is described by this policy. Thankfully, no coach in the world would actually implement this strategy for this team. Brazil, sure, they can afford to act this way. That's basically the only team in the world that has the depth and talent to afford such a luxury.
We gotta start somewhere with this mindset. We cant keep using brazil as the example and expect to further our progress as a dominant team
They have started somewhere... it was MLS subs that came in and changed the game and perhaps gave themselves the opportunity to start in the future. That is "starting somewhere". The point is it's never one thing. No one plays just because they are the most experience or talented and no one plays just because they are lock 90 minute players for their clubs. That doesn't apply to the US team.
You're right, we CAN'T use Brazil as an example. It's impractical to do so. That's why when they bench Ronaldinho and Adriano and Robinho due to lack of form and field Elano or Nilmar or Ganso who play in inferior leagues or on inferior teams, but are playing well and often... quite simply it's something the US cannot afford to do.
Sorry mate, my talent-meter is not hitting red with him. What I really want is an out-of-game-shape CM who hasnt played a club level competitive match in its entirety for 9 months. That would make my team really sing. Pontius should have been on board for the GC along with at least 4 or 5 more MLS regulars. Brad Davis got absolutely hosed. Beckerman hosed. I find it endlessly amusing that Bob Bradley spent the entirety of his professional career never being better than an MLS coach and yet seemed to hold most of those players in total disdain.
Yeah it wasn't that one it was technically "unofficial" because it was raced in the middle of the street in Europe but he should be fit for the London Olympics.
I could probably understand Brad Davis given that he plays the same position as Brad Davis, but who did Kyle Beckerman and Chris Pontius get hosed for exactly? Maybe Sacha Kljestan, but I don't really find either of those guys to be any better than Sacha, who actually did quite well off the bench and against Jamaica. People will probably point out the Panama game, but I attribute that to as much to Panama's tactics as I do Kljestan (http://www.zonalmarking.net/2011/06/23/united-states-1-0-panama-tactics/).
Yes that is what I meant, either their inferior leagues or their inferior teams. Although while we're on the subject, the Brazilian league is inferior to more than a few leagues in Europe... but that's not really the point at all so I'll just leave it.
My apologies, I went against my own decision to not talk more about players and their performance in the last regime. Would rather keep the focus on play and players from Mexico friendly forward. Tactics however should have nothing to do with how a player reacts/passes/dribbles under pressure. Brad, Beckermann and Pontius on their club team have shown they can compose themselves under pressure.