hurts MLS? It's like taking players off NBA teams mid-season and having them play in a Streetball tourney in Harlem... Ridiculous... The USA has surpassed the point where we have to jump at every tourney in the world... Arena and Co. need to realize this. Speaking of Arena ,,his son is a pretty good player.
It feels like a waste time since I can't watch any of the damn games. Sorry ESPN. No Confed Cup, no Gold Cup. It will be a cold day in hell before I pay the extra money to go above the basic package.
Anyone else feel the Confed Cup is a joke and...hurts MLS? Yes... but the MLS regular season is a joke so what does it matter?
Of the three stations, only one is carried on my cable package, Univision and the only match that they will carry will be the finals. Maybe the semi's as well. Have not paid that much attention to the details.
ya know i hardly freakin' think the USMNT is at the level where we can act above any tournament (much less one that includes brazil and france) - too much foolish pride in these boards - we are NOT among the elite until we sustain the performances from the past few years - i'm sorry, i truly don't understand the arrogance
It may be a crap tourney, but our national team coach wants to win it. Just look at the roster. Arena has demonstrated in the past (Confed 99 in Mexico) that he's in it to win it. I guess he's got the mentality of winning trophies and beating whoever's playing against us. Works for me.
Rookies... While I can see your point, there is a way that the Confed Cup helps MLS. When two or three starters aren't available, a bunch of younger guys get a chance to prove themselves in league games. Since the league is looking to expand soon (expect an announcement in 60-90 days!) more experience for the young guys is very helpful. The timing is good too, about a third of the way through. The starters who aren't going will be in top form, so it's a great time for some new blood to show what they can do.
It turns out Zidane won't be playing. But plenty of big-name players are on France's roster for the tournament: Goalkeepers: Fabien Barthez (Manchester United), Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Mickael Landreau (Nantes) Defenders: Jean-Alain Boumsong, Philippe Mexes (both AJ Auxerre), Marcel Desailly, William Gallas (both Chelsea), Bixente Lizarazu, Willy Sagnol (both Bayern Munich), Mikael Silvestre (Manchester United), Lilian Thuram (Juventus) Midfielders: Ousmane Dabo (Atalanta), Olivier Dacourt (AS Roma), Ludovic Giuly, Jerome Rothen (Monaco), Olivier Kapo (AJ Auxerre), Benoit Pedretti (Sochaux), Robert Pires, Sylvain Wiltord (both Arsenal) Strikers: Djibril Cisse (AJ Auxerre), Sydney Govou (Olympique Lyon), Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Steve Marlet (Fulham). http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=268903&cc=5901