Pre-match: USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina; January 28th, 2018

I'll be in Australia for the Open. I can't be bothered with this crap.

 

I could see some of the Bosnian A team coming. Who doesn't like a free vacation to the states.

 

I’ll be honest, if we get a new coach, new president, and most importantly a new mission statement that mediocrity and complacency won’t be tolerated, I’ll be thrilled.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not happy we didn’t make the World Cup. But something was seriously wrong with this program that extended past soccer is more popular in other countries. In truth, we could and should be a contender. However, the USSF was too content that so long as we qualified, nothing needed to change. Hopefully we see a rebirth.... focused on us finding our potential.

 

Didn't remember it wasn't a FIFA date. Completely overlooked this being a camp cup cake match. Yea it will be a B team maybe a few youngerster that are with the A team but haven't completely broken into the 11. Those clubs may want their players involved as it raises the players profile and thus transfer fee.

 

I don't think we are scheduled to get a new permanent coach until after the European season ends.

 

Nice, get us another match though. Can't only have one match for a full roster of players.

 

It likely won't happen until post presidential election

 

Hopefully they'll get 3

 

Yeah, I was going to say 4 or 5, I want this Camp Cupcake to almost be like a mini-test tournament for our players. Playing 50, 60 minutes isn't really a proper test, they need to play more.

 

I was hoping the same but it's unlikely. That's why I went with 3. I hope
They do something next summer during the World Cup not just the lead up to it.

 

They should participate in a tournament for teams that didn't make the WC. Have it right after the European season ends, and it could end a few days before the WC begins.

 

I was thinking about this when Italy lost. Do the better sides that don't make it historically schedule matches during a World Cup Summer? The ones I checked for 2014 seemed to take the whole summer off, but do of course play a lot of friendlies right before the Cup.

Would be awesome to host those friendlies in a tournament setting in the U.S. I think it would be advantageous for us and might make some cash if done right.

Group A:
USA
Italy
Wales
Paraguay

Group B:
Netherlands
Chile
Ireland/Denmark
Ecuador

As for this Bosnia match? Why not? Of course we'll still be rudderless, but there's still no reason to just waste dates where we could otherwise bring talent together.

 

of course. do you think teams will play martinique as a warm up? we should be very busy till the WC unless our kids start kicking ass. btw, cali in January? I'm in.

 

I was thinking about something like as well. Some traditionally strong African teams are missing the WC too and could be good invites. I'd imagine a lot of these teams would be like us and want to get started figuring out their next generation.

 

With respect to the original post, I'm glad they're having a January camp (though it's hard to think of too many young MLS players I'm excited about seeing at the moment), and January camp friendlies are almost always crappy opponents and/or B/C teams. So, we just have to accept it as part of doing a camp at that time of year.

 

Of course they were content. They were making off like bandits. As long as they continue to remain in charge, nothing is going to change on that front. If they remain in charge, there's an even higher probability of the MNT sitting out Qatar as well.

 

I’ll watch.
I always watch.
Even when I’d rather by gouging my eyes out with a grapefruit spoon, I’ll still watch.

 

I'm not going to watch Bradley, Nagbe and Acosta.

Euros are stingy about letting their players go for Olympic quali's so we need a domestic squad ready. I"d combine u17 with u20's to get a putative Olympic squad into camp to practice against a putative Gold Cup squad which would consist of players who would be prime age in 2022.

So kind of Carleton, Weah (PSG might let him attend), Durkin, Lindsay, Glad, Lennon, Adams, Booth, Sands, Klinsmann, versus the Roldan, Delgado, Polster, Trapp, Ramirez, Agudelo, Hagglund, Bono, Dwyer, Rowe, Parker, Lima, Lletget, etc. types.

Don't know what Bosnians would be doing here that time of year. I like playing Canada. Arent Koreans in town looking for a game that time of year? They should be prepping for WC.

I'd take a trip to SoCal and pay to see the future of US Soccer but why do I get the feeling we will be fed a cock and bull story about needing veteran leadership and such drivel.

 

I generally find cupcake to be a waste. Players come in out of shape, train for a few weeks and then produce thoroughly terrible and lifeless performances against whoever the opponents are to finish out camp.

So I'd make it a strictly U23 camp. You don't need to uncover 26 yr olds. When will the USSF learn. And if you're 26/27 and available for cupcake, meaning your prime isn't overseas, then I probably don't want you in Qatar as a complacent 31 yr old. This last cycle had far too many complacent players. So go young and with guys aiming to climb the club ladder. Ambitious. We need a new energy to the program.

So I'd start with the Carleton/Pomykal age bracket and extend it up to about Roldan/Manneh. Essentially top out with only guys who will be in their primes comes Qatar. And some think the NT doesn't showcase our players enough for Europe. If you think that then you have to showcase them while young. So throw out a bunch of 18-22 yr olds, the best MLS has to offer and tell every Euro scout to come watch.

Putting Nagbe out there will accomplish nothing.

 

This game is on my birthday but of course I will no longer be living in SoCal anymore. However we better make the 2020 Olympics since I will be living in Japan during that time.

 

I hope its either an U-20/U-23 camp or the sendoff match for our useless veterans who failed us in T&T.

 

You know what? Late Junuary, very little on TV in the late afternoon. Its dark and cold, I cannot wait to go skiing that morning come home late in the afternoon, get some chili or soup in a bowl and sit back and watch the game. So 'me.' Count me in.