Yep. There was so much to bitch about back then. I was thinking if Ian Harks could make some major improvements we could have a Harks and Reyna midlfield again.
what I remember most was receiving a PM from Donovan’s father during the olympics, offering to tell me dirts about Conor Casey n Clive Charles. Should have accepted the offer!!
Lots of people didn't like Claudio, but we didn't have so many pretty young things making people call for his removal.
With Claudio, it was more that some people thought we should move him to right back. He played there at times early in his club career. The thinking was that we could plug a hole with Claudio at right back and/or John O'Brien at left back, because we had young midfielders playing well in MLS who could make the jump, which was somewhat true (Mathis, Mastroeni) and somewhat not true (Lagos). People both underrated MLS but also naively overrated MLS, in terms of ability to produce international players. If anything, there was even more of a "We are not integrating Hispanics!" thing going on back then. Clearly, there is a little bit of truth to this, both past and present. But people were more fanatic about it back then. There were (outlier) posters who would say there were better players in Sunday leagues in the barrio than on our national team. Hence Manny Lagos, who had about two caps, IIRC.
Little did anyone know that the 2002 team was the best US World Cup team to come before or after for another 18 years.
No, but the future USMNT General Manager was called different names and the nicest of them was McFragile. And generally speaking those who are bitching about tough crowd here now never met Michael Lasort and friends.
Gio got some more burn vs. Freiburg over the weekend and again, he looked like a solid contributor. He and Haaland are beginning to form an understanding, which bodes very well for Gio. For instance, on one play Gio receives the ball on the left, about 35 yards from his own goal as his teammates look to push the ball out of danger. Gio takes a quick look upfield and flings a direct ball 50 yards that puts Haaland in a great position to receive the ball and take on defenders at goal. Haaland just about creates a chance out of it. Strikers are going to love Gio...he already knows how to get them the ball.
He has a nice middle/long range air ball. Lotsa tools in Gio's tool belt. Looks like an old fashioned 10.
Reminds me a bit of Riquelme. No joke. It may be inevitable that he moves centrally and a little deeper.
Old fashioned 10's were wild cards who played everywhere. He could fit that role, moving around to maximize the team synergy.
I did not want to have anything to do with that character, and I would not believe in anything that he had to say.
Yes, and having guys like Adams and McKennie to clean up around him and contribute power, speed, and total skill packages would be fantastic. People should focus on 2026 as the year that the US could really make some noise in the world cup. Pulisic, Reyna, Weah, Adams, McKennie, Dest, Steffen, etc, will all be in their primes and looking to do some damage at home (knock on wood).
It was when Claudio was absent (due to injury) that many fans realized how good he was and how the team missed him. He was great at playing the ball away from pressure, thus allowing the team to maintain possession. Hardly over-rated.
He was great at the sideways pass or diagonal ball. But watch a Claudio Reyna highlights video and you will be left wanting. He's not a bad player; just overrated by US fans. He's not in the top tier of all time US players like Donovan, Clint, Howard, or Friedel. Hell, I'd take peak Cobi Jones, Tab Ramos, or Brian Mcbride before Reyna quickly.
Reyna pere was a great US player. When fully healthy, he was a top club player on one the old opta charts. And with the US, he made the WC'02 team of the tournament. He was possession hub, though. His main job wasn't to score goals and assists.
Reyna Jr. answers the question on which national team he will represent: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/g...russia-dortmund.2079561/page-83#post-38548997