Nothing wrong with being the underdog.

SoccerSt · May 19, 2003

I don't get why people have written about:
"Needing respect from Europe"
"Having to prove ourself to Europe"
"Always an underdog in European eyes is an insult"

Just to quote a few that I have read on other posts. Why is it so important to gain the respect of Euope when it come to our national team? (I say National Team because they now about the quality of our players i.e. Fredel, Keller, Rayna, Stewert, O'Brian, LD, and others that played it Europe)

I for one am very content with being the underdog and I am almost postive that any coach, who is worth anything, would agree. Look what happens as a result of being the underdog.
U.S. beats Arg in Copa America 3-0
U.S. beats Germany 3-0 then 2-0( second on being of course in Confed Cup.)
U.S. beats Portu 3-2 in World Cup
U.S. has not lost to Mexico in how many games?
U.S. nearly (and I would argue at least should have tied) beats Germany in Q-finals of World Cup

And of could I could list them all but I'm sure you get my point. I'm as disappointed as anyone when it come to the team wales is sending...... even the Wales fans are predicting a massacure on the BBC posts, but as far as being the underdog and not getting respect for Europe....well i say thats just fine with me. I love seeing the looks on their faces after the game thinking...what the hell just happened.

-Emiliano

Go U.S.

worldsoccer-Jeff · May 19, 2003

Nothing wrong with being the best

Some of this is directed at me, so I'll answer,

Being the underdog is fine for now, but I dont want to stay the underdog. I want the USA to win the World Cup before I die.

The plan simple truth is that the USA has a hard time winning against teams from UEFA. This is a fact. One win in three years, and we have not won in Europe since April of 1998. Does the USA have a good team? Yes, no question. Is the USA one of the top teams in the Western Hemisphere? Yes, IMHO loosing to anyone but Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico is a disaster. (and we're working over Mexico fairly good these days.)

I dont care if we are "respected" by Europe or not. Europe can go jump off a cliff. But Europe is the home to about half a dozen of the top soccer nations and about another dozen teams that are very good. Now if those teams were on Mars, I would say "how's are we vs Martain teams."

Now, I want someone to explain to me how the USA wins the World Cup without beating a team from Europe. We cant play Mexico in the round of 16 every year. And right now, with the exception of a couple of one off wins here and there, we dont do well aganist teams from UEFA, this is a fact.

Call it "proving ourselves" or "needing respect" or whatever. I just want to win. Right now, European teams are a major hurdle for us. As for Wales, as I stated over there, Its not about Wales, its about us. The USA only gets two, at the most three games verses European teams each year. We have to get the most out of them as we can. We have to play their best players in order to impove, gain confidence, just do something diffrent than were doing now, 'cause what we're doing now aint working. I'm upset about Wales bringing their second string because we need to play world class player. I dont care why Giggs and co arent coming, I just mad that their not.

Now, were not like Brazil or Argentina. They can field a team of player who all play in Europe, with these same guys, everyday. Most of us here can name each and every American that starts everyday in Europe, and most of the guys that sit on the bench. Go ahead, name off the Americans that start for European clubs in your head, I'll wait. Done, good. Now name each and every Brazilian that starts in Europe. We dont have the luxuary of club ball giving our guys world class expirence. MLS is good enough so that we can be El Salvador and Trinidad, but Italy?

As for the being the underdog. Im sure Coach K at Duke, sits around thinking, "Man, I sure wish I was the underdog, like Valpo. Being a #14 seed in the NCAA tournament must be great. Maybe we should be bad for a while so that we can be the underdog." I sure that Alan Trammel(sp?) told the Detroit Tigers, "Good news team, we got a whole year of being the underdog to look foward to, the Yankees will never know what hit'em." Now, all coaches poor mouth their teams as a form of motivation and to take the pressure off, but we all know the truth.

Here's a concept. Being the underdog is bad. Why? Because the underdog lose, that's why their the underdog. Sure the underdogs win every now and then, but even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes. Name one true underdog that has won the World Cup.

I dont want to see the face of shock on their faces after the game. I want to see fear on their face before the game.

But that's just me.

SoccerSt · May 19, 2003

Re: Nothing wrong with being the best

Originally posted by worldsoccer-Jeff
Some of this is directed at me, so I'll answer,"

my post was not intended to be directed you, but if you feel that way then I sorry because that was not my intention.
I'm sure that all of us in our lifetime would like to see the U.S. win the WC. We all are die hard U.S. fans who want the best possable result every single time they step on the field. But let us not forget how far we've come in such a short amout of time. I was too young to hear the cries of my dad over not winning that game in LA (didn't they have to only tie) which meant no ticket for '86. I how far my memory goes back, I have seen the quick stages of the U.S. becoming a contender against anyone in the World, from Gansler to Bora, Sampson to Bruce. But the truth is we have not yet reached our peak and the point of what I'm writing now is that this is going to take time. I agree we need to play more games against Europe in Europe, but keeping MLS alive is still way more important in the long run. Without MLS we're lost. But with MLS, it is going to take time. If we learned anything from '98 it is that money can't compare to European experience, it can speed up the process a little, but it can't happen over night.
Ya know if anything the fact that we Americans are not confortable with being called the underdog is in itself progress. I just feel that the underdog role does not due our team justice, but if they what to think that was we are, then fine let they believe what they want to believe. I won't be suprised....will you.

-Emiliano

Go U.S.
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worldsoccer-Jeff · May 19, 2003

Re: Re: Nothing wrong with being the best

Originally posted by SoccerSt
my post was not intended to be directed you, but if you feel that way then I sorry because that was not my intention.
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No prob, I said similer things in another thread, I got nothing but love for you.

I'm sure that all of us in our lifetime would like to see the U.S. win the WC. We all are die hard U.S. fans who want the best possable result every single time they step on the field. But let us not forget how far we've come in such a short amout of time. I was too young to hear the cries of my dad over not winning that game in LA (didn't they have to only tie) which meant no ticket for '86. I how far my memory goes back, I have seen the quick stages of the U.S. becoming a contender against anyone in the World, from Gansler to Bora, Sampson to Bruce. But the truth is we have not yet reached our peak and the point of what I'm writing now is that this is going to take time.
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I agree,

I agree we need to play more games against Europe in Europe, but keeping MLS alive is still way more important in the long run. Without MLS we're lost. But with MLS, it is going to take time.
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I agree, but who said anything about MLS going under. MLS is great, but for now it is limited. Perhaps, one day MLS will be a world class league and the Euopean club experance question will be moot, but for now.....

If we learned anything from '98 it is that money can't compare to European experience, it can speed up the process a little, but it can't happen over night.
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I still agree, but I just hate it when we miss a step, that just makes the whole process longer.

Ya know if anything the fact that we Americans are not confortable with being called the underdog is in itself progress. I just feel that the underdog role does not due our team justice, but if they what to think that was we are, then fine let they believe what they want to believe. I won't be suprised....will you.
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True, but I stop trying to figger out Europeans a long time ago. I mean Jerry Lewis, come on.

Having said all that, I believe, Lord willing, we may see a break through in France this summer.