No thank you. JDG2 made it quite obvious that he was willing to work both sides of his multi-nationality to maximize his chances of playing in a WC. I'd rather not see him play international football for any nation
The artificial surface issue is only taking steps backwards here in recent times. I understand players reluctance. JDG2, I really do agree with you, TFC Ajax. It was more to make a point, even if only a very small one. I do not agree that the strategy of the USMNT was/is worse than doping. I do not see a foreign substance injected for performance enhancement, I see role models for youth. An American is leading my local club team and the youth here are running around with bald heads tearing up the midfield. I understand the club/country difference, but the role model and development result is the same. Oh yeah, and, drugs are bad mmmkay!
Surely Belgium has some real fullbacks. I find it crazy that even with Kompany and Vermaelen out, Vertonghen and Alderwiereld are still played at fullback instead of CB
Belgium are looking like the biggest waste of talent. God that team is loaded from front to back nearly and they can't even beat Wales (and I have a soft spot for Wales, I like a lot of their players, but they are not a top team).
Loved reading the comments here re Italy during Euro's. Thanks guys! Stopped by to say I loved your team and was happy you beat Latvia yesterday. Holland is most people's second team, great country! Very unlucky to lose that Friendly to the USA last week. 3-2 up and a clearance hits the dutch player and comes off the cross bar. Then at 3-3 De Jong's follow up also goes out off the cross bar and the other end, goal USA. Even when you lose, you lose playing great football. Hope you guys have a massive Euro 2016, unless you play Italy of course. Go Holland!
Look at this, celebrating 7-0 over Gibraltar like they just won the world cup. Typical Germans http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...champions-turn-style-cruise-emphatic-win.html
Seeding for WC 2018 qualifier confirmed. Pot 1: Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Romania, England, Wales, Portugal, Spain, Croatia Pot 2: Italy, Slovakia, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, France, Iceland, Denmark, Bosnia-Herzegovina Pot 3: Poland, Ukraine, Scotland, Hungary, Sweden, Albania, N Ireland, Serbia, Greece Pot 4: Turkey, Slovenia, Israel, Republic of Ireland, Norway, Bulgaria, Faroe Islands, Montenegro, Estonia Pot 5: Cyprus, Latvia, Armenia, Finland, Belarus, Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Moldova Pot 6: Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Georgia, Malta, San Marino, Andorra Possible group of death: Netherlands, Italy/France, Sweden, Ireland, Belarus, +Pot 6. Ouch.
Romania & Wales in Pot 1? Are those teams really better than Italy and France? I understand they probably did well in the qualification so far but it still doesn't feel right.
Guidetti is still quite the character. In terms of personality, Sweden have their successor when Ibra retires.
I hear things like Mexico getting help from the ref in the CONCACAF Cup. One of the games ending in a bullsh*t penalty, while the Robben one against them was a 50/50 case. Maybe even more. Look at the drama after that decision, look at the things now. Something might not be totally right here.
What a horror show for Mark Geiger the US match official last evening. You can see clips of the three calls that determined the outcome of the match HERE. He's supposed to be the best the US has to offer and everyone on the Referee Forum on Big Soccer was touting him for last summer's WC final. With calls like the ones last evening, he will be lucky to even be invited to Russia. Take a look see!!!
I'll give you a better reason: who the hell anointed Sunil Gulati dictator for life? That's problem #1. He's not an executive. He's an academic with no mgmt experience. Just the wrong guy. That kills the org chart, discourages coaching talent and keeps the MNT off the radar. A better executive would be someone like Jerry Colangelo. The perception among some potential US MNT players is that there is a tremendous amount of regional bias in the squad selection and the team is run by FC Hollywood. Bringing in Germans works in the short run, in the long run it kills opportunity for local talent. Watch carefully in media coverage and you'll see that the German players are their own clique in the US camp. I'm sure that's great for morale. Last problem is a combination of the fact that the top flight athletes in the US are choosing other sports, and as you mention, the development resources are poor to disastrous. Not helping issues are the fact that US College programs are a hindrance to growth, but too entrenched in the culture to sidestep. IMO, there is a lot to be said for being a smaller, focused nation in football.
@El Cid - I agree 100% with all of your comments; in particular the statement about college programs. These are really a hindrance. Until, there is a unified youth development program that is linked to professional clubs it will continue. Poaching foreign trained players did not originate with Klinsman. Going back several WCs we had Dutch trained Earnie Stewart and German trained Thomas Dooley. I believe they were the first Euro-trained players for the US NT.
You certainly don't want to discourage getting the best players on the roster. But I would argue that the US peeked in 2002 and has arguably gotten worse since then. most MLS rosters are thin for US grown talent. The national team is a reflection of that. You're 100% right and That challenge of a youth development system could easily be overcome, but I've seen and heard enough of Gulati to believe he is a key obstacle. The top brass is too worried about endorsement deals to care about player development. Much of what made college basketball irrelevant in the US is happening in US football..
Money is also an issue as much as lack of development. Top skilled athletes in north america won't pursue a career in soccer, where the domestic league has a salary cap of ~3.5m, and instead will pursue a career in NA football, baseball, basketball, or hockey, where the real money is.
The European Championship is not about who you want to win ... it's about who you want to lose ... so who do you want to lose?
One of the most fond memories of an end tournament for me was actually 2002. I did not resent anybody to be honest, but I did develop a favorite in South Korea also due to the Hiddink connection and the absolute craziness in support from the nation. I will just be looking at the games and see who has the spirit and enjoy the football. I do think there will be very bad games due to the expansion and so I will not watch all 90 minutes if it is rubbish. I look at the stories that develop that I can now follow more clearly now my team will not be there (though there is still a small chance).
Depends on who qualifies but I am content with Belgium and France. Preferably Western Europe. Spain and Germany out asap please.