News & Media II: Articles, photos, videos, etc.

Factoid of the day...

571514274918477825 is not a valid tweet id

 

Nice piece but it didn't get to the real root or drive the nail home. The problem isn't at 22, it's at 15.

In Europe talented 15 year-old's play and train year-round in the highest level club environments with professionals from 15-40 whereas in North America it's 6-7 years later after they have graduated college and been drafted. You have to survive all those years of amateur programs and leagues (club, school, etc). Short seasons, limited age band, soft coaching, weak competition, etc.

 

in europe, pro soccer is a giant sport, and girls can see the support of their super rich men's teams as a big attraction.

in the u.s. pro soccer is a niche sport where the vast majority of women and girls who stay in the game are, and will continue to be focused on getting a free college education. that's where the good players will be for a while, because that's the only real widespread payoff in woso.

not sure how that is ussf's fault.

 

Not sure who's fault it is or what that matters. The point is it's the problem.

 

it matters if we forget that in some things culture holds sway and can't be changed by the ussf.

i'm just disagreeing with what has seemed to be the common sentiment on these boards, and agreeing with cpthomas:

agreed.

 

Sorry I don't really see the relevance of that.
The article nicely point out the main problem for USWNT to keep the no1 spot (or at least keep close to it), it do not say that it is caused by USSF. And it do not really matter if USSF is the cause for that problem or not. if they can't find a way to fix or compensate for it it will come a time, probably not more than a decades or two away where USWNT will be happy to be rated in the top 10.

 

???
no one claimed that the article said so.

QUOTE="JanBalk, post: 31864117, member: 42189"]...And it do not really matter if USSF is the cause for that problem or not. if they can't find a way to fix or compensate for it....[/quote]

are you assuming they can?

QUOTE="JanBalk, post: 31864117, member: 42189"]....it will come a time, probably not more than a decades or two away where USWNT will be happy to be rated in the top 10.[/QUOTE]

fact.

 

Which make the comments that they isn't the cause for it even less relevant.

Are you assuming they can not?
The only thing I am assuming is if they do nothing, they can not.

.

 

that's only if relevance means posting only about direct claims of an article, and not its implications. i and others posted about its implications regarding blame. that's relevant.


QUOTE="JanBalk, post: 31865479, member: 42189"]...Are you assuming they can not?...[/quote]

desperately hoping, but realistic.

don't think things are as bad as many make it out to be. they're trying their best. but they have little control over the football, basketball etc sport giants that are ingrained in the culture, and they can't change the appeal of the money parents and their kids get if they play four years of college soccer.

 

QUOTE*%$^$

I am not assuming that they are not planning not to try not to do worse.

 

Current USWNT success> NWSL Current USWNT success> NWSL Current USWNT success> NWSL

It is unlikely they can change the culture but they they can adapt to it.
Currently it is suffering from the USSF priorities which is:
Current USWNT success> NWSL > player development (on personal level)
This is pretty obvious since
1-they take out the WNT players from NWSL for a pretty unreasonable amount of time regardless of how it hurts NWSL. Proves: Current USWNT uccess > NWSL
2-they pretty much force US players to NSWL (they won't be considered for USWNT if they play elsewhere).
Proves NWSL > players personal development
Now this is what all federation do pretty when they are hosting the WWC (or possible Olympic or Euros), temporary sacrificing development for short time success. But USSF is as far as I know the only top team that do this even when they are not hosting (well North Korea do it that way to and probably Canada).
Fixing that would probably not entirely fix the main problem but should go a way to relive it possibly a long way.

So rewarding instead of punishing the players that break the mold and go leave to develop (at least if they succeed in getting better). The College system is working go for most players the numbers of top players it it delay the development for is few, probably less than two players/year, but those should make out about half the WNT and probably the better half.

 

I dont really have a problem with current USWNT players playing in the league. While it hurts their continuing development the USSF is also paying them. Where the Fed is making a big mistake is the second tier players. Players like Hagen, Brooks and others were in very good situations in Europe which they left because they r fringe NT players. It would have been better for US development if they had just left them alone. Hagen has gone from a starter at BM to a bench player at KC. How this helps her develop is beyond me.

 

we all would like it to be different because we don't have to make the $$ match up....

but, as i've said before, i don't see ussf having much of a choice. uswnt success has to be kept as the preeminent matter because it is the only entity that makes any money at all in the money losing business that is woso. it's clear the u.s. fan is only paying premium ticket prices to see the stars.

nwsl, personal development, etc. all lose money in a country that loves pointyball and basketball and even baseball and the lowly hockey more than soccer, and worse, women's soccer.

i want the ussf to do more. but i think they are doing a remarkable job considering the circumstances.

 

The world is full of people doing remarkable jobs under the circumstances. My understanding was that's not the expectation and level level of performance required in the United States.

 

no question.

just my minority opinion that it's may not be realistic. but I want them to win every game by a wide margin too.

 

Nice video on the attacking role of the outside backs:

 

Soccerwire on the problems of the 4-2-2-2:

http://www.soccerwire.com/news/nt/u...-the-algarve-cup-are-worrying-not-reassuring/

 

"In these circumstances it will be important to remember that sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel is daylight – and sometimes it is an oncoming train."

My heart tells me it's daylight. My brain tells me it's an oncoming train.

 

Olympic Football Tournaments to be played in six cities and seven stadiums
Belo Horizonte (Mineirão Stadium), Brasilia (Mané Garrincha Stadium), Manaus (Amazônia Arena), Rio de Janeiro (Maracanã Stadium and Olympic Stadium), Salvador (Fonte Nova Arena) and São Paulo (Corinthians Arena)
http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/media/news/newsid=2565827/index.html

 

You have any sources on this, or is it just your personal speculation?
I have never heard of that issue with Hope.

Now, if you had said "anger management classes" -- based on reported behavior, that I could believe. That said, it would be appropriate for you to provide a source for that too. It's still speculative

 

Odds on the US getting at least one game in Manaus, should they qualify?

 

http://equalizersoccer.com/2015/03/18/abby-wambach-wont-play-in-nwsl-this-season/

Surprised nobody has posted this yet. Per Equalizer, Abby Wambach is skipping the entire NWSL season. The ostensible reason is to rest and prepare for the World Cup. Besides the double standard (no one else is skipping that we know of), there is the obvious problem that the World Cup ends the first week of July, two months before the NWSL season ends. Abby clearly doesn't want to play in Western New York. Her family life is based in Portland now. The only reason she is still playing soccer at all is for WNT achievements; club is an inconvenience unless she can be in Portland.

I hope she doesn't get her USSF allocation money. Give it to Hagen or someone else who actually will show up for their club.

Another troublesome tidbit from the article is the implication that Abby plans to play in the 2016 Olympics. There isn't a direct quote, so maybe this is inferring, but it sure sounds like she's assuming she's already a lock. In my opinion she should NOT be considered for selection. The reason she's even around now is her fixation on winning a World Cup, the one major feather missing from her cap. She has won two gold medals already. Why would she stay for yet another one at age 36 and with declining skills? With Olympic roster space restricted to 18 players her presence on the roster would be a slap in the face to player development.

This announcement should make for an interesting and substantive debate.

 

It's being discussed the NWSL news thread and the off season moves thread.

 

It just says she won't play for The Flash anymore. Where does it say she doesn't want to play in NWSL anymore? Maybe she is trying to play for Portland now...

 

WNY said they still retain her NWSL rights so another team would have to trade for her.