Dear Fellow Americans, After reading a thread started by BorrachoNJ, I was shocked to read that the U.S. team may decline participating in the Copa America to be held in Peru. I think this is a big mistake! Turning down the biggest tournament in the region? Why? If you feel as strongly as I do that the U.S. needs to participate in this tournament (a tournament I feel the U.S. has a good chance of winning) then write to these folks at the USSF! http://www.ussoccer.com/feedback/default.sps Thanks and may the U.S. win the WC 3 times in our lifetimes!
Yeah, skipping in 2001 really "hurt" us. The biggest tournament in this region is World Cup qualifying. Thankfully, that's a priority for us.
I'm with you on this Chichi...I'm a naturalized American, so i guess I count.... I think many USMNT fans like to overuse our performance in the 2002 WC to justify pretty much anything we are not doing well...Sure, we did great, but i think (please don't be shocked) playing high level teams is important, especially knowing that the first couple of rounds of qualifying won't likely present us with tough opponents ....(and if by some weird act of nature they do, we can always change our minds and send a watered down team to South America and still get some valuable experience)....Just to keep on the 2002 WC topic, we did poorly vs Poland, so in the first round we played what optimistically can be called 2 really solid games....Call me hopeful, but i want us to play 3 really solid first round games next time, and i think playing quality teams helps to accomplish that....Of course, i think it would also help us prepare for pressure packed knockout/pivotal games, be it in the WC, Gold Cup and for qualifying, something which is more likely to happen by the time the Hex starts, and not as much of this happening before it does....
Yes the WC was great for the US, hey I like the US as much as the next guy, if not I wouldn't be here, but we all know that it takes more than one good showing to prove that you're one of the best.
What haunts me from 2002 is the loss to Poland. We should have got to the second round under our own steam, instead of being towed in by ROK. Beating Mexico was big for us -- it seems that will always be big for us. But we lost to Germany, mainly due to lack of international experience -- experience to be gained at tournements that mean something, like Copa America. Besides, as an American I like to think that when friends offer an invitation we would accept.
And I think it's more important to focus on the semifinal round of qualifying, which begins in August, than a tournament that might or might not help us repeat our 2002 performance. Would it be nice to go? Sure. Do we have to go? Hell, no. We have at least 10 games - games that play a real role in our World Cup future - scheduled for each of the next two years. I'd rather err on the side of caution.
If true (and it appears so), I'm highly disappointed in turning down this offer. We should be able to get through early qualification with our "B" and "C" squads. No reason for our "A" squad to not participate in the Copa America. Also, we should have many of the European based players available. We need to play against higher quality competition at tournaments away from home. This is not about respect, but about developing a team to be competitive in WC 2006. It will be very interesting to hear the rational for declining the offer...
rational? you want a rational explicamaquetion, read your buddy's post up there^ Look, all I can see coming from this is, Mexico will again claim the "Mexico is better than the US" throne, they won the gold cup, and the final was up against an u-23 Brazilian squad, not the US like everyone expected, so that's 1pt for them. Also, they will probably do pretty good in C.A. and make it to Germany 2006, 2pts right there. 2 - 0 Mex, the WCQ match between Mex/USA will be murder....
Sorry, unlike others, I can care less about us being better than Mexico. Frankly, it will go back and forth depending on the players and coaches at the time. I'm more interested in developing the depth and experience of the US team which will allows us to be consistently competitive on foreign soil. Progress will be when we are successful over a several year period in cup competitions, not just one WC. Plus, we haven't exactly been great playing in Mexico, Cost Rica, etc. How do we expect to get experience playing in a tropical environment against quality opposition?
I understand what you are saying. But, my opinion is that we need to measure up against stronger teams such as the South Americans. Arena could use this to try new players amongst those already established and if we advance to the finals against a Brazil or Argentina then we can field the real McCoys!!! I just think that if the Europeans can deal with hectic schedules then why can't we? MLS is already one of the shortest leagues in the world. Our players sit on their rears for months compared to other countries. We need something to measure our quality or lack there of.
This year alone we have played Argentina, Turkey two different Brazil teams, Cameroon, Paraguay, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Mexico. In 2000, Bruce played three decent teams - Mexico (the Pumas fiasco), Ireland and South Africa a month before qualifying started. We played horrible tostart qualifying. Maybe this plays in his strategy. For what? For pride? We play these kinds of teams ALL THE TIME. Just because we don't go down there and do it all the time doesn't make it not worth the effort. The semifinal round was much more precarious than the final round of qualifying last year. It should not be taken lightly. There is a ton of time to play teams for the sake of measuring ourselves. Qualifying comes first for Bruce Arena, end of story. We'll see how we "measure up" when that's taken care of.
radio unica says that they contacted the USSF and it's official USA IS NOT GOING TO COPA AMERICA! They said that the reasons are the conflicts of dates with the mls season and the qualifiers coming up. will Mexico go? you bet they will! USSF are idiots
to add/complement previous post LAtest (from Radio Unica) Interview From Mr. Vinazco "Gerente general comision de Copa America" (general manager of Copa America) Latest Costa Rica has been invited but Peru/ Conmebol have not yet received any formal rejection from the US Costa Rica, Japan, Korea would all be candidates in that order, if and only if the US formally declines Interview with USSF official (can't recall name) US not going (official document not yet drafted but decision has already been made). reasons: 1.MLS, Copa AMerica in the middle of season 2. 10 qualifiers (which amusingly enough, does not prevent Mexico or Costa Rica from going) 3. Utter incompetence (this one of course is my opinion) Some Radio Unica broadcasters point out what a lack of respect this is...while two others claim that is a decision that should be respected, since the US apparently has "its own plan of development" according to one and "can follow its own path according to other" Yet a third guy is against the decision, stating that the US "feels that they are at the stage where they can reject tournaments such as these, and can pick and choose" Well there you go////
No, we don't.... we played mostly in unimportant and meaningless friendlies at home. Yes, we played in Confederation Cup.... but we won't get to play anybody in a real tournament until Germany 2006. And that invitation is an honor..... and something that can help the US, but.... I hoped this is not the reason. Or else, it showed what kind of arrogant pricks are running the USSF....