Over the years, the U.S. national team and league has come a long way, in my opinion. Although still mocked by many Europeans who are probably a little fearful of the prospect of a strong U.S. nation, many of us have come to admire the progress made stateside in terms of emerging players and results. I, myself, used to view U.S. football as little more than a joke. Surely no American player could actually be any good, as they don't care enough about the sport to grow up playing it like we do? In recent years this has been proved incorrect, and I've seen a very strong U.S. national team emerge, with some genuinely quality players such as John Harkes, Landon Donovan and Brad Friedel, with seemingly a lot more on the way. Despite what you may read, Europe and the rest of the world is taking notice, and although many won't admit it for some time to come, U.S. football is starting to make an impact. Americans playing and competing in the English premiership? Unthinkable at one stage, but now accepted and looked at with interest regarding what the player can bring to that specific club's fans. It's good for the game to continuously change in regards to the countries that are capable of challenging for top honours. Twenty years ago people would never regard th U.S., Japan, South Korea, Turkey, many African nations and other emerging countries as an actual threat to the big European and South American nations, now we sit down to watch Spain Vs. the U.S. with expectations of a close match decided by quality players. Thoughts of "Heh, 10-0 to Spain" not even entering the equation. So, despite the apparent adversity from many who regard you as a genuine threat, I would like to offer the other side of the coin. That of the European that is becoming increasingly interested in the development of the U.S. as a football nation, and interested in seeing you in top level competition with the rest of the world in the world's greatest game. Of course, if you ever knock England out of the World Cup, I'm going to revert to being a bitter European and coming up with any excuse possible for our loss.
Thanks and welcome. (over/under on how long before something about that certain infamous game of yore appears)
I cant speak for the rest of the country, but in my house, and in alot of Washington DC. el fútbol es la vida o la muerte. (football is life or death). Now in my neighborhood, all the public fields are full of kids playing soccer. Old Little League Baseball fields are now soccer pitches for little kids. MLS is the best thing for soccer in this country since the NASL. The NASL planted the seeds, but when it died so did the sport. But when MLS came out, it changed alot of peoples minds about the sport. including mine. I used to like helmetball.
-lol- I assure you, I'm English. You'll be surprised how many of us think in a similar way now, although by reading through many of the messages on the board in recent days, I can understand the shock. The internet has always been a place for the loud minority to speak their minds though. I just thought I'd give the other side of the story.
I would like to congratulate the US too. From the brazilian part I can also say there isn't such fear of the US being successful in soccer simply because it's a sport that cannot be dominated by any given nation. Anything can happen, and at any given time an underdog can beat a powerhouse. I think that's what makes this game so magic. I know I've been posting some threads that sounds like trolling but in fact I'm just testing your sensitivity and how passionate are you guys about the game yet.
Welcome compadre! We try. It is very hard to gain respect. I was at a Detroit Tigers' baseball game 2 days ago, and there were a group of Dutch guys there who couldn't believe I knew anything whatsoever about world football. I told them that an American player (John O'Brien) has started for Ajax the last 2+ seasons, and the guy spent 5 minutes giving me the third degree, and finally concluded that if the guy WAS on Ajax' first team, he must spend all his time on the bench (only true when injured, which unfortunately was a good deal of the time). The guy even called the Netherlands on his cell phone trying to verify my claim. I welcome those who want to watch us, but after that incident I give up trying to persuade anyone about our quality. I really don't care if people in Europe think we stink--it's all the better when we spank their ass in international matches, and increasingly in club matches. Of course Euro ignorance isn't just of the US, but of the rising nations--Korea, Mexico, Turkey, Japan to name a few. What we are seeing is the creation of a truly WORLD sport. It makes it great to watch. BTW, the foreign league people follow most often by far in the US is the (must be PC) Barclaycard Premiership. It is an entertaining league and one that I think will may soon make some popular inroads into this country. See you, and welcome.
see, now this guy gets it. we have all these euros who come on here and tell us 'oh you're doing great. here's what to fix so you can be more like us.' nothing worse than a know-it-all euro. but this ... a euro who's a nice guy? I could get used to that. you're welcome to post here anytime. that MIGkiller, though .... well that's a different story.
My attitude is it's not when are we going to win the cup, but how many. You might think that I'm being arrogant, but you never win anything without being absolutely sure of yourself. They used to laugh at American bicycle riders too. Hell a little more luck and we could have been in the final last time.
Oh, let them complain. Like we really care when the trophies become ours. Dark side or not, it's coming, and there's little to get in the way of it.
Some things come down to simple numbers. More US kids playing=better talent=better players=more wins=more big game experience=better experience=better players turned coaches=better instruction for the more US kids playing. We win the whole thing in 2010....just like the plan has us doing.
SOCCER IS GRADUALY TAKING OVER FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, BASKETBALL, ICE HOCKEY AS A LEADING SPORT HERE IN US
Actually, to go a bit off topic. Why were these guys at the Tigers game (and no need for jokes about the Tigers as I can come up with plenty on my own). Were they there because that's just what you do in the summer in the USA, or did they happen to be baseball fans. I ask because, we wouldn't think it, but a lot of what we go through as American soccer fans, people in other countries go through as baseball and basketball fans. There are baseball fans in Australia, Holland and Italy who aren't ex-pats or anything. I'm sure I'll be bombarded with plenty of people who'll say "nobody cares about baseball in Italy" and that just illustrates my point: people say the same thing about soccer here. Yet there are some people who care in those countries (Australia and Holland have contributed born and raised players to MLB in the last 10 years, and Italy has had a successful league for many years). Anyway sorry for off topic. My other sport occupied my interests today.
2010 is a possibility, but let's remember that jumping up from a position of being able to beat powerhouses from time to time, to beating them w/regularity may just be the most difficult hurdle in American soccer development over the past sixty or so years. We're definitely on our way, but I certainly hope we don't have oodles of fans and media expecting and assuming we'll take the cup home from Africa (if it's played there). I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for continued improvement, development, solidity in the home league, continued growth, and hopefully some cups in our near future, 2010 is almost certainly too soon. But who knows, maybe we can get lucky, it happens, and you definitely need some luck, particularly if you aren't Brazil, or say Argentina, to win this thing. Oh and thanks for the props to the thread starter. It is appreciated.
This is true. About a year ago I was watching a Spanish movie(one made in Spain), and a background prop in one scene was a baseball mitt and ball. This blew my mind. They don't play baseball in Europe. If anything they play Cricket or something. So I looked around on the internet, and sure enough, they have big youth tournaments and such, in at least Spain and Italy. I guess I was just as surprised when I saw that the US had a national women's field hockey team.
... and us too ... Of course, if England ever knocks the USA out of the World Cup, we're all going to revert to being bitter Americans and come up with any excuse possible for our loss.
For myself personally this is the reaction from the thread starter that I have always wanted to hear. To earn some respect. I know that MLS & US Soccer still has a long way to go to being at the upper levels of World Football, but I for one am very happy to see that post. There have been ups and downs. Currently the USA is on an up. And they have to stay on that up or else it's back to the debacle of the World Cup at France 98. But at least we know as supporters what needs to be done. We know about how good our players are and how they can help not only their clubs & the League of MLS but could they be used in a foriegn league in Europe & or South America. Johnny Walker is a keeper of Colo Colo in the Chilean League who has be a big star yet just finding out about him here in the States. The possibillities of Tim Howard Playing for Man Utd. Thank you kind sir for your words, but as I have said before. The Football Revolution continues.