I just got an email from U.S. Soccer saying that the U.S. had drawn Brasil, Cameroon, and Turkey in the Confeds Cup. Are we totally screwed? How big is this tournament, anyway?
We're not screwed. We're as lucky as you can get. There is nothing I want to see more than the USA playing against the best teams in the world. We are always complaining around here about friendlies against teams like Barbados or even El Salvador. I for one am so excited to see these games! Scumby
Re: Re: Confeds Cup Agreed. A wonderful learning experience for our younger players to play in Europe against the best teams. trial by fire. We'll either sink or swim, but be better for the experience.
Que beleeeeeza! The US may well end up playing Brazil twice this summer - first round of the Confed Cup, plus a potential matchup in the elim rounds of the Gold Cup. It's even possible, though highly unlikely, that if both Brazil and the US advance out of this CC group, and both either win or lose their semi matchups, then they'd meet again in either the final or third place game. It seems more likely that the rumored US x Brazil friendly may now be cancelled, although I think it wouldn't be a problem to keep it. Both Brazil and the US would probably field mostly domestic squads for the friendly and then call in the Euros for the CC anyway. The more the US plays Brazil, the better.
Thanks Flanoverseas! Not only did FIFA screw us by giving France the tournament and us the Group of Death, we are the only team not to get a game in Paris. There are thousands of Americans living in Paris but hardly any in St. Etienne. We also get 2 out of 3 games at 9 pm. We also start the last date, giving us less rest time in an already packed tournament. Obviously some teams have to start on the second date and some teams have to play at 9 PM and so on. But it seems every break went against us and the groups were rigged so France could get out of the group and we may go home early-as I predicted. Just my opinions. But, hell, so what, we are going to beat Brazil and make it out of the group!
Re: Re: Confeds Cup i agree w/ you man, beside there are no weak teams in this tournament, all the champions of every continent, and we had enough to play weak teams, its time to play like the 10th Fifa rank and playing against biggest teams in the world.
The only team i fear in this group is Cameroon, the US doesn't play well against weak opposition. I hear that the spanish networks carry the games, also heard that ESPN will show the USA matches
So, everybody complains that we schedule too few or too easy of friendlies then when we get 3 tough "friendlies" in a meaningless tournament a year before qualifying, it was rigged against us.
The Confedations Cup is a tournament. Games played during it are tournament games not friendlies. FIFA continues to play hardball with the US. Wait until the "random" draw for World Cup Qualifying and the refs we get.
while acknowledging it's a good learning experience, i cringe at the thought of a team even remotely resembling the one that played arg. or jam. vs. the likes of brazil or turkey
Glorified friendlies to me. A chance to play some high quality opponents that does not affect WC qualifying.
It's definitely a cringe-worthy thought, sregis, but by the time the Cup roles around (if it's not cancelled for any one of several reasons), our MLS players will be in mid-season form, and we'll have our Europe-based players available, too. So we don't have to worry about seeing our guys taking their B-C games to this tourney.
It's silly to talk about potential lineups at this point, but I wonder what people think about the philosophy of who plays in the CC. Should we run out basically the same team that went to Korea (health allowing) or should we use this as a chance to give high level experience to young players who didn't make the J/K squad but will be vital in 2006 qualifying? The experienced players this question affects, off the top of my head: Sanneh, McBride, Armas, Reyna (altho he probably won't be available at any rate). Anyone else? My initial impulse would be to bring only McBride of these guys and to go as young as possible.
posted by Tom Flannigan in the now closed confed cup thread: " We also get lousy venue placement, with one game in St. Etienne, two in Lyon and NOT ONE in Paris. Lyon is beautiful but St. Etienne is not so great. But there are many interesting things in the south of France that can be visited while we advance to the second round." Absolutely. Having lived there I know it is only 2 hours, if that, by train to Avignon from Lyon. And Marseille is only another hour, give or take some minutes. And from either of those cities there are numerous really cool towns and sites to visit. Also the cost of getting around is not bad at all, and the train will take you pretty much anywhere. That time of year though should mean big tourist crowds. I'm hoping I will be able to make the trip for at least one game. It isn't too hard to get from southern Norway to Paris, we'll see though.
1. Horror of horrors, we actually get a chance to play very good teams. I hate that we'll find out how our players stack up against two of the top three teams in the last World Cup. 2. I am so psyched we don't play in Paris. Our players will be spared the delousing after their visit.
It may not be possible to speculate on just whom Arena will decide to take the confed cup, but it is safe to assume that we will see a mix of Euro based players and top MLS players. Arena is going to want to win this thing and that will require the presence of players like Mcbride, possibly one of our top two keepers, maybe a Cherundolo or Berhalter to fill defensive holes. O'brien will be there if he is healthy. Screw it, here's a possible lineup if things go well from now til then: ...........................Keller.......................... 'Dolo.........Pope............Berhalter......Bocanegra Donovan.......Mastroeni....O'brien.......Beasley ................Mathis............Mcbride.................. I wouldn't be shocked to see Howard or another third string keeper get at least one start though. I do not think Convey will be ready for a serious central midfield role by then and if O'brien is not healthy I really have no idea what we will do, judging by our last two games. Also, I have a feeling we'll see something like we saw last time. A completely different starting eleven for one match. We could end up really needing points against Cameroon and having a somewhat fresh starting eleven could be big. Also, why is everyone so scaredy cat of Turkey? I think we'll take them. They should have lost to Costa Rica in the first round World Cup. They got paired with a lethargic Japan in the round of 16 and they met Senegal, who really, really, really stunk it up by the time they wiggle their way to the quarters. And Turkey did their best to screw up every chance they got. Sure they are good, but they aren't great and getting three points from them is as likely as not.
Bruce's thinking...last Dec... Bruce's comments on 12/17/02: On his approach to the 2003 Confederations Cup: "There are a couple issues there. One is that we are building a pool and these are great experiences for some of our younger players. However if we go into the Confederation's Cup with a very inexperienced team we will take a beating. We need to balance that the right way. Will it be a completely veteran team? No, I don't think so. It will be some kind of a mix of some of our less experienced players with some of our veteran players. Between now and June a lot of things happen. Injuries, fitness and form of players, players developing out of MLS, there are a lot factors. So it is hard in December 2002 to give you exactly the direction we are going to go for the Confederations Cup, but in theory it will have the kind of balance I described." http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/us/news/2002/12/17/arena_quotesheet/
Pretty much the same thing he says for every tournament. Would 'Dolo, Beasley, Convey fall under the "less experienced" mantle? I'd say so. Beasley is still raw and needs more experience, despite his very good World Cup. Bocanegra seems to be impressing everyone and 'Dolo still only has a handful of caps. The positions we will see the most experience are central defense and central midfield, and most likely at least one forward spot. Arena will most likely use three totally different starting lineups for the first round, which should afford good experience to whatever newbies he brings along.
Agreed, the only rigging was to help the now woeful French get at least a point out of group play. My how the mighty have fallen. Is Aime Jacquet in the house. How about Claire Henry? Damn two image limit. Imagine a big grin following the Claire Henry sentence.
I don't see any thread about the Confederations Cup in US Men, but since Speedcake continued the thread here, you may be interested in reviewing what Sports Illustrated has to say about the draw. As a side, the article gives a plug to Big Soccer. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/grant_wahl/news/2003/02/13/wahl_soccer/ "As the spouse of a French dual citizen, I'll refrain from taking any pot shots at our Gallic friends across the Atlantic, but the Confederations Cup draw in Paris on Wednesday was more than a little dubious. The gist: France gets the easiest possible path to the final, which should make the home folks proud (and boost FIFA's coffers with gate receipts in the process). * * * * * * The results mystified at least one official in the U.S. Soccer Federation, who told me that the rules given to the USSF before the draw stated explicitly that the U.S. and Cameroon would be thrown into the same pot and could not be drawn into the same group. (Colombia had already been paired with France and Turkey with Brazil beforehand to prevent teams in the same confederation from meeting in the opening round.)" I had forgotten about this. I recall reading on the FIFA website that Cameroun and the U.S. would be in the same pot. More than a little dubious is an artful understatment!
It's looking more and more likely that this tournament doesn't happen. If FIFA does indeed lay down the iron fist, expect most teams to send their B or C teams. If that happens, I'd send the Olympic team candidates.