http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/28/sports/soccer/28SOCC.html "United States soccer officials have been enlisted by FIFA and the State Department to help get the sport back on its feet in Iraq — an effort that could include a match against a United States national team within six months. "The major priority is getting their Olympic team ready," Dr. S. Robert Contiguglia, president of the United States Soccer Federation, said in a telephone interview. "I was in Doha, Qatar, last week for the FIFA meetings and we did talk about a game, probably to be played in a third country. Soccer is really the only common language in the world; there is no ideology on the field." The headquarters of Iraq's soccer association, which had been run in brutal fashion by Uday Hussein, one of Saddam Hussein's sons, was destroyed during the war. The senior national team, under the direction of Bernd Stange, who once coached East Germany, qualified last week for the 2004 Asian Cup in China by winning its four-nation group. Iraq is currently ranked No. 75 in the world by FIFA, down 22 places since December 2002. Iraq last played in the World Cup in 1986. The United States federation and the United States Soccer Foundation have donated 60,000 soccer balls to Iraq, where soccer is the most popular sport. In addition, FIFA has agreed to donate $700,000 to the Iraqi federation to support the domestic game. "A game would appeal to me because the more we can do to build good will, the better off we and the world will be," Contiguglia said."
I'm good with that as long as it's play nowhere near Iraq. I'm pretty sure nobody's that stupid though.
How about Tehran or Jakarta instead? This to me is a no-win situation. If we beat them handily, we're just displaying to the world our might and humiliating them. But since we're not Brazil and usually play matches we should win very tightly, a tie would be best. Of course, a loss and we'd never hear the end of it, and the world of war-sympathizers would get quite a kick out of it and I for one can't listen to that anymore...
Whatever team they manage to put together in half a year obviously wouldn't be a match for our Nats, but be serious. I really don't think Bruce would run up the score on them.
The Bruce might use this game is a training camp session to introduce new players to the National Team ....
Neither is exactly a neutral site. You certainly wouldn't play the game in Iran, for fear of offending the Iraqis with that offer, and I certainly wouldn't want to play the game anywhere in Indonesia, after the Bali tragedy and the threat of more terrorism there lingering. If anything, the game's going to take place somewhere in central or southern Europe or in the U.S., IMO. Gotta agree with you on that, in principle. However, at some point, you have to play these games for the friendly spirit in which they're intended. And whatever the result, people will just have to accept it. And yeah, it would be a fun game. And if the proceeds go towards helping to rebuild Iraq in whatever way, shape or form, then it's for a just cause as well. Why not, play the game!
In SoCal (LA/SD) there are Iraqi and Iranian ex-pat populations. Security better be friggin tight, though, any game against them in the US would be a target... I don't want to play it outside the US. Europe bothers me security- wise for a game like this, especially places like Germany, England and France. Switzerland, maybe, but that's it.
Something about this just doesn't sit right with me. It's not logical. It's nothing I can articulate. I just have a bad feeling about it. Just doesn't seem like a good idea. For no reason other than the gut. I'm glad I'm not USSF brass, being put to a decision about whether to do this.
Play the game in Swizterland. that is about a neutral site as the come. Other than that, South Korea or Japan would be my best bet.
The upside here is that this game would get massive media coverage in the US, but yeah, this gives off a bad vibe.
Maybe it wouldn't be the best soccer move. But it'd still be good to have a friendly match (note the term. Not "exhibition," but "friendly") and help out the Iraqi FA. That said, their national team isn't bad at all compared to the other countries in their region.
Nice to see that the USSF has its priorities straight. One the one hand, declining an invite to the Copa America for reasons I cannot begin to understand. On the other, letting the US State Department dictate that we will play a match that is so meaningless in terms of preparing for the 2006 World Cup that even the USSF could not have dreamt it up on their own.....
Very true, despite the fact that they haven't qualified for a World Cup finals since 1986 or 1990, IIRC. Look at any of the various Asian cups and competitions, and they're almost always contending.
Unless this game is played in Iraq or the USA, nobody's going to go. Most people in other countries think we playing ugly, boring soccer and you can only imagine what they'd say about Iraq. It would be a a politcal curiosity at best. Maybe we could play it in Canada though since they haven't had a home game in several years...that way, at least a few Americans could cross the border for the match. Or maybe play it in Australia or New Zealand.
I don;t think it is a bad idea at all. The Bruce could use this game to scout some fresh meat for the Nats....