Giovanni “Gio” Reyna US National Team Discussion

From that article posted above: "What got in the way was everything around the talent. The politics, the entitlement, a soft culture that taught a generation of gifted American kids the game was about how you were managed, whether the coach was shielding you or settling a score."

No mention of Reyna's significant and frequent injuries over the past 4 years. Heck, he went into 2022 world cup recovering from an injury. Not mentioning the injury history is brain dead, imho.

 

Having Gio start would illustrate the "Peter Principle". He is like a "relief pitcher" in baseball who is not physically able to succeed as a "starter". He is excellent as a sub, and he should stay the course.

 

I think you explained it perfectly by saying you did it from a very young age. I think the longer you wait the harder it is because it's so different than everything else you do with the ball.

 

An interesting detail from The Long Game is that Adams's family did struggle economically, until his mom got remarried. . . to a soccer coach.

 

He was already in the Red Bulls Regional Development School program. Maybe that was where his mom met his stepdad.

 

I've always felt that Dempsey's story on soccer in his youth was pretty amazing.

How Clint Dempsey’s childhood in Nacogdoches inspired the USMNT’s 2006 hype video ‘Don’t Tread’ - The Athletic

 

BOO!!!

 

I know it's a joke, but I've thought to myself more than once how interesting the role genetics probably plays here. Claudio IIRC had a recurring hamstring injury in his UVA days that kept him out of being named for the 1994 WC, and Gio's had similar problems with his hamstring.

 

There is some truth there, for sure. Genetics play a big role

 

I agree he doesn’t likely have 90 in him. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t start, just that he can’t go a whole game. Against Canada in the 2023 CNL when he was excellent, he started and then was subbed at the half.

 

Gio has started plenty of games for us and always been amongst our best players on the pitch…

Gregg not playing him in ‘22 better illustrates the Peter Principle.

 

"Always" is an exaggeration.

 

Nope.

 

Outside or inside of the foot. They are equally easy.

 

You telling me I’m prone to exaggeration? Rich. Talk about rewriting history, Reyna was able to play in 22, I didn’t say start or go 90.

Reyna always amongst our best players when played, always. full stop. Has he had shit games? Absolutely and the team played like shit and he’s still one of the better players, ALWAYS.

I’ll continue to discuss Bora, Sampson, Arena, Robobob, Klinnsy, 3G and my lord and savior Mauricio anytime in a USMNT space.

(all in good fun for the bants if that’s not crystal clear )

Edit: I am absolutely prone to hyperbole, guilty as charged.

 

I love that we're rehashing the 4-year-old Reyna-Berhalter drama 2 hours prior to kickoff of a massive World Cup game.

 

It's like the dog that tangled with a skunk: it's smelled a long time afterward.

 

Lalas has the most punchable face in recorded history. It’s so smug and ginormously ginger.

Opps… I’m leaving it lol.

 

If he's gonna start a game during this WC, it's against Turkey.

 

Correct.

Claudio Reyna was in fact injured during the 1994 World Cup but I recall seeing him suited up and on the team.

I was sitting with the players and coach Bora Milutinović brother Miloš across from Stanford Stadium right before the USA vs. Brazil match on July 4th, 1994 and Claudio had his cleat unlaced.

He wanted to play desperately but Bora would not let him out of fear of risking further injury.

 

Don’t you think in a game situation that using the outside of the foot to score a goal is much rarer than kick it normally? First of all a situation where it’s a better shot is very situational, but more importantly is the fact that you lose a lot of velocity. So you are going for precision, deception, and surprise, most of the times a combination of all these factors.
Of it was so easy, why don’t we see it more often. It takes a cultured shot to be successful. In a game situation with very little time on the ball, under pressure, and you basically need a perfect strike to curl it around the keeper. One inch to the right and it’s an easy save, to the left it hits the post, not enough curl and flat, easy save.

Anyone can do it in practice or when your in your backyard with your dad, kicking a ball like that with professionals opposing you, and the pressure of a World Cup, that’s impressive.

It’s like saying I could shoot by bicycle kicks all day in my backyard. It is not a serious argument.
That was a classy strike by Gio, it took composure, situational awareness that it would work, then the skill to put the perfect spin and pace on the ball. You guys are freakin crazy if you think anyone and everyone, especially on our team, could pull it off.

 

This was in the Wall Street Journal yesterday:

The U.S. Soccer Lightning Rod Making His World Cup Comeback

 

Gio 2+ G/A vs Turkey is +1000 right now.