More classic Kasey. The more I know of him over the years, the more of a jerk he seems to be. It is one thing to be confident and disappointed. Quite another to call having been a member of the team that had the greatest USA World Cup showing "a lost summer." He had nothing to complain about, having lost out to another world class keeper, who quite frankly played magnificently. Would it have been that tough to even pretend to have cared how the team did? I used to love this guy, but what a whiner he is.
For the most part, I agree with what's been said. Used to be my favorite Nat. Maybe because of that I'll give him the benefit of the doubt because of the statement that twice he was told he was starting only to have it changed. That's gotta suck. To get all up to play in a Cup game and then have it yanked away. It has to be frustrating. It would piss me off. But publicly, he should have been more supportive of the team.
I don't think he is whining. I think he is a bit upset by bieng let down. Wouldn't you be disappointed too if you were told you would start in a World Cup match, and after having your hopes up, suddenly it all came crashing down because the decision was reversed?
context? "Glad when it was over?" I hope he meant his personal experience, though it reads as if he means the Cup run. Could/should be happy for the team and fans, regardless of his personal feelings. Anyone read/hear someplace else which two he was to start in? He almost sounds as if he is steeling himself to not start at Spurs (per the last comments).
On the one hand, Kasey says he was twice told he would start. Nobody likes to be lied to. I don't have a problem with him venting. What I do have a problem with is that there's little evidence he gives two sh*** how the US did. I mean, throw us a bone, Kasey. "Despite my personal disappointment, it was great to see the team do well." Something. Being that this is a Spurs site, I doubt they'd twist Kasey's words to make him look bad; if anything, the opposite. I find this article pretty disturbing.
Uhh...more supportive ehe? What did you want him to do? Jump up and down on the sidelines? He kept himself composed for the most part, kept his mouth shut as much as he could, and managed to keep the GK controversy a non-story until after the Cup for the most part. Kasey got hosed, Arena was a jerk, pure and simple. Kasey got lied to and pulled in a different direction. Anyone remember that friendly against Germany where Kasey made a number of great saves? I really don't see at which point Kasey made a mistake that deserved a benching. I would be "glad it was over" as well, he sat there and supported his team while in personal anguish while he realized he would NEVER get to represent the US in the World Cup. Also, for Kasey being a jerk, didn't Arena and Friedel get in an arguement in Florida about Friedel's playing time or lack there of (this had to be a year agoish, I don't remeber the details if anyone can refresh my memory). Kasey never made this a public debate, he never appealed to the US Soccer fan. Kasey handled being lied to and deprived a chance to represent your country on a World Cup pitch as best he could.
First, I agree that Kasey got jerked around. i woulda loved to have seen him play. But you didn't hear Regis whine. He was the first person over to congratulate Donovan after his Mexico goal. It's called acting like a professional. If he's pissed fine. Just don't run your mouth just because somebody shoved a tape record in front of your face. And Kasey did make it a public debate. He said during the cup, or just soon after, that he thought he could've done better. But my point is this: Kasey should've played, but he shouldn't have grumbled about it. It's the finest moment in U.S. soccer history and he's got hurt feelings. He shouldn't have made it public. Question that I don't have an answer for: Does Kasey's whining, justified or not, make Arena think twice about calling him in? Arena's all about team, you know.
actually he didn't say "he could have done better"... it was more like "you watch the game and think to yourself you would have handled it differently, made different decisions"... not verbatim, but certainly words to that effect. it came across to me as very much, of course i think i could have done better, but it's easy to say that when you're not out there. i hope he starts for tottenham though, i think sully's lost it a bit.
His exact words (I looked up a copy of a story by the Associated Press): Asked whether he could appreciate Friedel's play from the bench, Keller said, "Oh, I don't know. You always think you can do it better."
When Keller chose Tottenham, he knew that there was the possibility that he would get much less first team action as Friedel. That came to pass and put Friedel in a far better position. Keller made the choice and should live with it. How does Arena take Friedel out after those first two matches-particularly the SoKo game? Arena made the choice he felt put his team in the best position to win and, given the results, it's difficult to argue-except to talk about hurt feelings and things not being "fair". It's Keller that took a club job with a good possibility of being the 2nd team keeper the year leading up to a World Cup.
Keller was bascially the #1 for many years. He missed out the most important run of US team's history not because of injury. It must be frustrating for Keller.
It's really Kasey's fault whether he wants to admit/acknowkedge it or not...he shouldn't have gone to Spurs at all because of the presence of the Scottish #1...and his lack of playing time there was probably the reason Arena didn't use him at all...give it up, stop whining and make sure you are the #1 for this season.
I want him to throw us a bone, as I suggested. "Despite my personal disappointment, I was happy to see us do so well." I should have pointed out in my previous post, that we've only got Kasey's word for that. IOW, anyone assuming Kasey is telling the truth is letting their anti-Bruce pro-Kasey bias color their thinking. And I remember him also being slow off the line many times. And I remember his "awesome" organizational skills, too. And picking the ball out of his net 4 times. I know, I know, it's a team game...but it happens about once a decade that a GK plays a great game *AND* his team gets shelled. This wasn't that once-a-decade. He signed with Spurs, and thus spent most of last season sitting on the bench. Meanwhile, Friedel moved into the top class of goalkeepers with his work at Blackburn. Plus, Kasey got a slight knock at a VERY inopportune time. bigsoccer rumors. Which doesn't necessarily mean it ain't true. But it also isn't necessarily true, either. I do remember that the rumors were tied into Brad's desire to go on a honeymoon with his new bride, and him not being happy about postponing that in order to sit on the bench. "Objection, your honor, assuming facts not in evidence." "Sustained."
Match Reports at Tottenham Site Check out, if you will, the match reports of ALL of Tottenham's friendlies so far. Lots of Neil Sullivan, some Lars Hirschfeld, and not a trace of Kasey Keller. Is Keller injured, or has the Canadian who matched him save-for-save in February in Pasadena moved ahead of him on the depth chart?
Why do people automatically believe Kasey is telling the truth? I love his play as much as anyone but the attitude and comments have really annoyed me since he went to Rayo Vallecano. Isn't it possible that Kasey heard what he wanted to hear ... both in regards to Tottenham and with the national team? (Note I am not calling him a liar). I find it hard to believe that coaches keep lying to his face while being upfront with other players.
Re: Match Reports at Tottenham Site Tottenham's world cup players just rejoined the team 3 days ago. Sullivan sucks ass. I will be shocked if Keller isn't the number one. Well considering it's Hoddle, maybe not shocked, but surprised.
First, he has played for the US in the World Cup. He had two mediorce games in France (though he certainly can't be blamed for the goals against Germany (Burns) he didn't look as sharp as we've seen him). But the fact is, two starts, two loses. I assume you knew this and were referring to this world cup (and also not referring to the fact that he has a chance to play next go round). Arena has said on several occassions that he did have a plan to play keller in the SK game, and it looked as if Keller was the no. 1 overall before the injury. but so what? BF was the winner in one of the biggest games in US history. Every gk (moreso than field players) going over to any tournament, and especially a world cup, knows that if he's not No. 1 at the start of the cup, he might not play. If the starter gets hot _ and BF did _ it makes perfect sense to keep the No. 2 at No. 2, and no sense to play him, promises or not. this isn't U-14 suburban soccer where we're trying to make everyone feel good about themselves. Sorry kasey, that's the way it always works. Name another nation in contention that benched a hot goal-keeper. Kasey knew the rules going in. He's probably cost himself a shot at the next cup by ignoring them now.
Kasey's not a weiner you are just Kasey Keller bashers!!! Twist the statements how it pleases you!!! typical
That's maybe how it works when you have a clear number one goalie. The US team clearly didn't have a number one goalie going into the WC. It seems pretty clear to me that there are Friedel supports and Keller supporters, and there isn't much room for movement in either camp. As far as "we" knew going into the WC, they were co-number ones. As a result, it's not so clear to me that if the "starter gets hot" that he stays in over the other. We expected both of them to be "hot," and I frankly expected them to share time unless one of them made errors. Of course, the next question is whether Friedel really was "hot"? He made many spectacular saves (incuding the penalty kicks), but he also had significant errors in almost every game. In the S.Korea game, there was no excuse for Friedel not challenging Ahn for the header. Rather than taking two steps forward and punching the ball, he went backwards 6 yards and gave himself no chance to stop the shot. In the Poland game, he didn't come off his line aggressively on the first goal. In the Mexico line, he punched a ball right to Blanco at the penalty spot and was only spared by a shot that was right at his head instead of in the corner, and misjudged another cross that he forced him to recover and tap the ball over the crossbar. And, although it's a closer call, he probably should have been off his line on the German goal. I know. I know. The Friedel supporters saw each of these plays differently. But there's an extremely reasonable argument to be made that Friedel (who is an extremely large goalie) was timid about coming off his line to challenge for balls in a box that he ought to own, and that Keller historically reads such balls better than Friedel. Could Keller have done better? We'll never know. But for Kasey to have seen the errors that were made (some of which I've noted above), and think that he wouldn't have made them, seems pretty natural to me (and frankly, it's how I would want my goalkeeper to be thinking). Should Keller have remained quiet? Harder to say. The important thing was to be quiet at the time, and he did a pretty good job of that. I don't have any strong reaction to him speaking his mind at this point (although it probably will end his participation on the team, at least as long as Bruce remains coach). I don't see any reason to condemn Kasey for any of this. Brad had his spat over his playing time, and Kasey's entitled to be upset over his at the WC. Personally, I hope they both continue to grow and improve and that (based only on performance and skills) they have one more showdown with each other at the next WC.
I was under impresion thet KK lost his chance to start in large becouse he could not get out of trainers room. Also he should not played the holland game, KK looked way too slow becouse of bad knee, but was telling that he was about 95%. It about the same he was durring first round.