Frankie's Red Card-Worthy "Challenge"

Discussion in 'USA Men' started by LetsGoYanks, Apr 13, 2006.

  1. LetsGoYanks

    LetsGoYanks Member

    Jul 23, 2005
    Dirty South
    Jamaica certainly committed some dirty fouls, but I was really hoping to see Frankie draw a red for his two-footed tackle. I bleed red, white, and blue, but there's absolutely no place for crap like that on the pitch. WTF was he thinking???

    I'm beginning to see visions of Agoos WC 2002.

    Frankie appeared to be moving away from going quickly and recklessly to ground as was his wont in seemingly every instance when confronted with adversity or opportunity...

    an unsettling regression.
     
  2. DiscoWarrior11

    Dec 27, 2005
    New Jersey
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree... and remember how strict the refs usually have been at the beginning of the WC... I see that being a red card if he pulls that crap in the first round.
     
  3. PaulGascoigne

    PaulGascoigne Member+

    Feb 5, 2001
    Aotearoa/NZ
    I'm not disagreeing with y'all about the recklessness of the challenge. However, I don't necessarily think that particular challenge was a red because the contact that he actually made wasn't really that severe--although the all-out, 2-footed nature of the challenge was.

    I'm definitely worried about Frankie as well. He was toasted on the goal, although in all fairness it was a great play and Meola probably could have done better.

    Problem is, once we get past Cherundolo and Lewis, we're pretty weak at the outside D position--Boca, Spector, Gibbs, and others who have been tried Frankie's position also have their issues. On the right, you have Albright, who although I admire him, I pray he does not start a game in Germany if he makes the roster.
     
  4. DiscoWarrior11

    Dec 27, 2005
    New Jersey
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    But do you think that Arena will take both Hejduk and Albright? Both are attack-minded right-sided defenders. On top of that, our starting right back has the same style of play.

    Granted, we could break it down and say that Albright is better with the ball at his foot and looks like he could be key for set pieces, but is there a point in mentioning Albright as a possibility for the WC if Cherundolo looks like he's going to start every game?

    We are weak at outside back, yes. But I think that Bruce would be fine with just bringing Hejduk for cover on either side, and push Boca or Gibbs over there if Lewis doesn't fit in for a certain match or two.

    And then there's Spector of course.
     
  5. VOwithwater

    VOwithwater New Member

    Oct 17, 2005
    If I remember the play right Surfer made a pass and should have moved for a return pass. He stopped as the player he passed to lead him with a pass. So he got a late start and he saw he was not going to get to the ball because he delayed. So he tried to touch the ball before the Jamaican. That is how I remember it happening.

    Part of the game complain about the Jamaican tackles on Noonan first okay,
     
  6. Shibb

    Shibb Member

    Feb 22, 2005
    Tampa
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If he does this challenge on Totti, Nedved, Ronaldinho (second round?), etc., any "name" player, the red is out of the refs pocket in a heartbeat. It's not sporting and it's just plain stupid to allow the ref have to decide if you stay or go.

    Let's say this challenge was in 2002 on Ballack... what'dya think Dallas would have done?
     
  7. JohnR

    JohnR Member+

    Jun 23, 2000
    Chicago, IL
    This Cup, I predict that the Frankie Red Card Roulette contest will end with a bullet in the brain.
     
  8. fscat

    fscat Member

    May 2, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    I 100% agree with you. He probably didn't get a Red because the Jamaican player didn't appear to get hurt, and it was a friendly. If it's a WC game and/or the player gets hurt, Frankie gets a red for sure.
    I didn't think about it until a few minutes after that foul, but imagine if that's a WC game and the US goes down to 10 men against the competition we are up against in this group, you might kiss advancing out of the group stage goodbye based on that one play.
    Not only is recklessness like that unprofessional, it could very easily be detrimental to a team.
     
  9. JohnR

    JohnR Member+

    Jun 23, 2000
    Chicago, IL
    You probably recall, but the red card Thierry Henry received at '02 World Cup was for a much gentler challenge. They don't f&%$ around at the Cup.
     
  10. USNatsfan Yesiam

    Feb 23, 2003
    Portland, OR
    Club:
    Portland Timbers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ... or David Beckham's sending off in '98 -- the kick was rash, but not nearly as ugly as Hejduk's "challenge." For the USA to go down a man in the WC would be disastrous.

    I know we don't have a world-class backup for Cherundolo or Lewis, but honestly, if either of those guys go down, I'd rather see BA change the formation rather than plug a "utility defender" into that spot. We simply have too many players with more ball skills on this roster. I can't imagine any circumstance that I'd like to see Hejduk or Albright on the field in Germany, so why bother bringing them?
     
  11. Doo Daa

    Doo Daa New Member

    Dec 20, 2005
    Doo Daa
    THANK YOU FOR THIS THREAD!!!! FINALLY there is someone who see the light.. There is no room for this kind of talentless play on the USA team..

    and YES that was like a nighmare return of Agoos... he is nothing but handicap for the team.

    He should have gotten straight red.

    Why doesn't BRUCE look at a REAL defender like Jonathan Spector? Frankie-Surferboy plays in the MLS, Spector STARTS in the EPL...
     
  12. dcole

    dcole Member+

    May 27, 2005
    Arena had this to say about Frankie in the 2005 Gold Cup after Frankie picked up his second yellow card:


    "Frankie needs to be a little bit smarter. He's got to learn from that. I don't know how much he's going to learn at this point in his career, but (it was) not smart to have to take a card there. He knew going into the game that he had a card. We've lost him to, in my opinion, two foolish yellow cards."

    I recall being really surprised at the time at how harsh Arena was on Frankie. But it indicates that Arena is well aware of the fact that Frankie doesn't get it when it comes to cards. If you saw Frankie's face after that moronic lunge in the Jamaica game, he seemed like he didn't even understand why the ref called it a foul. I honestly believe that he thinks it wasn't a foul. Worse yet, however, Frankie's play was really bad all around. He was partially at fault on the goal, but he also got beat several other times and contributed nothing to the attack (and Arena expects his fullbacks to contribute there).

    I believe that Frankie is in the dog house again and is in serious jeopardy of losing his spot on the roster. The only real question in my mind (and probably in Bruce's) is, who do you take in his place? Because there's no obvious choice, I think Frankie goes. But he is no longer a lock.
     
  13. JohnR

    JohnR Member+

    Jun 23, 2000
    Chicago, IL
    Because in fairness to the truth, Frankie Hedjuk attended a REAL tournament known as WC '98 and was one of the few Americans to acquit himself well, and he attended a REAL tournament known as WC '02 and played pretty well, and played a REAL team called REAL Madrid this spring and was the only MLS guy on the field to play with composure. And yes, he was in the lineup for the current squad's biggest result in WCQ, the 2-0 victory over Mexico.

    Like him or not (and Frankie makes me queasy), Frankie has always done the business for Bruce Arena when the games matter. I'm sure he'll be on the roster. I hope that our health and form are good enough that he can fill the role of team cheerleader, rather than actual participant.
     
  14. JohnR

    JohnR Member+

    Jun 23, 2000
    Chicago, IL
    Frankie doesn't really get this foul thing, because his entire career is built around skill prevention. It's what he does.
     
  15. ursula

    ursula Member

    Feb 21, 1999
    Republic of Cascadia

    And how do you know Arena isn't looking at Spector?
     
  16. cosmo fan

    cosmo fan Member

    Jul 28, 2000
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    it was an awful challenge. Deserved a red. I was at the game and had a very close look at it. I do like the guy but I am very unsettled by his play. It was a great ball through on the goal but he was out of position. I also agree that Meola could have done better. Also, I am concerned about Albright...hard worker but playing against top flight forwards I see him getting spun like a top.
     
  17. Shackleton

    Shackleton New Member

    Sep 13, 2005
    N. Texas
    Frankie seems like he has the role of enforcer on the USA team. Whenever, we start to draw some cheap fouls, Frankie almost inevitably commits a hard, card-worthy tackle soon after. Besides this game, I particularly remember a couple of hard Hejduk tackles in the USA-Mexico game soon after Beasley was repeatedly fouled. Frankly, I think we need someone who is willing to retaliate and not back down when the team is physically challenged.

    The problem with Frankie against Jamaica is that the challenge was terrible. There is definitely a good chance (likelihood?) that it gets a red card at the world cup. We cannot afford an early red card. I don't mind Frankie getting a yellow for a reckless challenge or persistent infringement. I don't even mind if he picks up two yellows in separate games in a tournament. He's a role player and we can easily go a game without him. But, he must be smart enough not to draw a red. I think he knows what he's doing, but I'm not sure.
     
  18. United1

    United1 Member+

    Feb 23, 1999
    Arlington, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Arena should have been red carded for putting that putz on the field in the first place.
     
  19. Lobooho

    Lobooho Member

    Jul 26, 2002
    Cali
    I agree. Its part of his "game". Let's have him help get the guys fit. Keep it loose on the training field and in the clubhouse. Give the one "surfer from California" interview on German TV. Then keep him off the field unless we're up 2 or more goals and there are 10 minutes left. Then tell him to run around crazylike for ten minutes.
     
  20. GOOOOAL!!

    GOOOOAL!! New Member

    Feb 21, 2005
    Des Moines, IA
    I agree completely with this. Noonan was getting whacked and the ref had a chance to show a card and send a message. He didn't. What I would have done as a defender (yes I was one of those defenders) was go out and find the first guy I could and send a message myself. The ref didn't deal with it, so heyduk did. Heyduk's tackle wasn't the first hard one in the game, the Jamaican's were first with no bad outcome. If I remember correctly, there were no other nasty fouls the rest of the half. IMO it wasn't the ref who prevented it, it was Heyduk.

    I don't condone nasty play, and it shouldn't be in the game, but there are times when the enforcer needs to stand up and put and end to it. Heyduk is that guy. The only other guy on the team that seems to have this ability is Gooch. He's not a role player and will probably get a card or two just because he's so big and physical. I'd rather have Heyduk getting the "enforcer" cards.

    [/QUOTE]
    The problem with Frankie against Jamaica is that the challenge was terrible. There is definitely a good chance (likelihood?) that it gets a red card at the world cup. We cannot afford an early red card. I don't mind Frankie getting a yellow for a reckless challenge or persistent infringement. I don't even mind if he picks up two yellows in separate games in a tournament. He's a role player and we can easily go a game without him. But, he must be smart enough not to draw a red. I think he knows what he's doing, but I'm not sure.[/QUOTE]

    If there is no need to get a card, I think Heyduk is smart enought not to get one. He pushes the line, but in the big games he has done what was needed. In 02 I remember him playing very hard, committing a ton of fouls and getting some cards, but nothing close to getting a red. I think he knows what he's doing.-
     
  21. camasterton

    camasterton Member

    Jun 26, 2001
    North Carolina
    that little guy is not an enforcer! He's just a ferret on a double expresso (Well he used to be anyway). Onyewu is an enforcer, Bocanegra in an enforcer! Remember Carlos whipping the Mexican right wing to the ground with disdain a few years back ? At that moment Mexico lost their edge on the USMNT. Remember Onyewu staring down Borgetti? Maybe even McBride will be an enforcer.
    As for Frankie Hedjuk, he has been a mystery to me for as long as he has been in the limelight. He has one foot, no first touch, his chance of making good service is maybe 10%, he makes costly mistakes and now is slowing down. Yet he is so highly thought of. I wrote Robert Wagman at soccertimes.com about his constant praise of Frankie and Mr. Wagman asked me to cut him (Hedjuk) some slack. Writers, coaches, comentators, they love the guy. I am uterly confused. I'm telling you, he must be the greatest practice player in the history of sport!
     

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