http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/story?id=192584 espndeportes is sort of an American news source and it says here that Costa Rica has been invited.
I'll make the same comment I've made before about this. If MLS teams find their marketing and sales are hampered by the number of matches their stars miss to play for the Nats, then the USSF made the right decision. (And I've seen a bit of anecdotal evidence on these boards that that's happening.) If not, then we should have accepted the invite. You know, it's obvious now that you've pointed it out, but it never really hit me like this before. It's one thing if 15 MLS guys go to this, and they come from 18 MLS teams. It's another thing if they come from 10 MLS teams.
You were NOT invited Radio Unica is mostly spot on but they have been known to screw up. One time they interviewed CONMEBOL's general secretary who claimed Mexico was no longer permanent guest to Copa America, then Leoz (the president) came out and said that Mexico was still permanent guest's. Now we have two diffrent stories from two diffrent Conmebol officials. All i know id that when word that the USSF had been supposedly invited i didnt really see it make any headlines. Now that Costa Rica gets an invitation from Leoz himself i can find the news all over the Net.
The USSF should have accepted and Arena should have used only European players. This tournament and camp would have been a great way to ensure they were fit for the upcoming qualifiers, unlike in the early games of the last qualifying cycle where the European players came in after summer break and completely gassed out in the latter stages of the matches (Mazatanengo and Saprissa). I also agree w/ the poster that commented about the Olympics. Treating qualification as a foregone conclusion is extremely arrogant and is likely to come back and bite them in the ass.
I am disapponted because the USA 3:0 win over Argentina in Copa America is the main event to make me a die-hard USA fan. What I am doing now is just to pray for Bocanegra, Armas, Big Zak, Beasley, and Mathis to find a good playing job in Europe this winter. Maybe in 2006 Copa America, there are only two guys in MLS can become a starter for USA team. I also pray for Spector, Simak, Whitbred, Cooper, and Kenny K. to make their first team and for Rogers, Szetela to find an European team. So maybe one day the MLS will not got depleted by ANY tournament in the world.
Re: You were NOT invited Well, it did make headlines both at peru.com and at CONCACAF. http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=2168 Please note that the invitation comes from the same person that VS thinks is so authoritative Leoz. Come on, there is only one story here: Two weeks ago, as announced by CONCACAF, Mexico and the US were invited. Mexico accepted immediately, but nothing has been heard from the US. Now, two weeks later, stories are floating about Costa Rica being invited -- why now? Because the USSF has decided not to go and CONMEBOL is looking for a replacement. It's really not that hard and anything else requires both CONCACAF and Radio Unica to be wrong, with no other contradictory stories. Come on, VS, just admit that the USMNT has snubbed CONMEBOL, not the opposite as you loudly and proudly proclaimed. It's not that hard to be honest. .
I guess that settles it! Copa America would be great if it didn't come in the middle of the MLS season and just before the Olympics and in the middle of World Cup Qualifiers. If we didn't have MLS, it would be essential. HOWEVER, we are trying to promote MLS as a top First division league.
Of course, if we didn't have MLS, we probably wouldn't either be good enough to be getting any more invites to Copa America in the first place, or we'd be three, over, and out... (or have we forgotten the '93 fiasco) Copa America would be seen on PPV or Fox Sports World. The Olympics get a bit more coverage in this country (even soccer, if the US does well).
It's not simply about gaining respect, unless you feel the US is a lowly soccer nation...It's about competing with the best this hemisphere has to offer, precisely at a time in which CONMEBOL actually bothered to line up their calendars so that they could present their strongest teams...If you consider the only highlight of the sport you like to be only the WC, good for you....Sure, there are qualifiers and i follow them, but to think that in 2004 we'll be facing truly challenging opposition is not realistic... And if you happen hold the Gold Cup so highly, well Mexico has won it a few times, so it really cannot be that big an accomplishment, right? (that last part was all sarcastic, but really, you can't compare the two) [/B][/QUOTE] This is exactly the point that fans of the sports should be thinking of. We really do need to get our guys more quality matches because we can almost assume that we'll be in the next WC. Upon qualification, we should be trying to produce well seasoned players, not just a buch of guys who've scraped through by beating up on Martineque or Guatamala. Being the 3rd best in our region is good enough to get us into the cup. But if we don't truely put forth the effort to stregthen our opponents, then, can we improve that much more?
Yeah, it would have been nice but think about it. Think of all that will be going on during Copa. And while you're at it, remind yourself that the United States is not part of South America. That is something to consider. If you're saying that they had to accept (and I'm not saying that you said that but you may have intended to), then you're suggesting that they were obliged. I don't see the obligation.
"Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it." If you want to risk qualification to the biggest tournament in the entire world, so we can "try to gain some respect" in a tournament we have no realistic chance of winning, you're nuts.
I hope there is nothing wrong with this (if that is not the case, mods please delete): from http://forums.ussoccerplayers.com/messageview.cfm?catid=2&threadid=154 Schedule for US men this coming year (if Copa AMerica was included) " Saturday/Sunday, January 17-18, Preliminary Round – Date 1 Wednesday, January 21, Preliminary Round – Date 2 Under-23 Olympic Qualifying: Feb 2-12 Wednesday, February 18, Preliminary Round – Date 3 Wednesday, March 31, Preliminary Round – Date 4 Saturday/Sunday, June 12-13, Preliminary Round – Date 5 Saturday/Sunday, June 19-20, Preliminary Round – Date 6 Copa America: July 5-26 Olympics: August 11-28 Wednesday, August 18, Semi-Final Round – Game 1 Saturday/Sunday, September 4-5, Semi-Final Round – Game 2 Wednesday, September 8, Semi-Final Round – Game 3 Saturday/Sunday, October 9-10, Semi-Final Round – Game 4 Wednesday, October 13, Semi-Final Round – Game 5 Wednesday, November 17, Semi-Final Round – Game 6 " Does not look that challenging to me....I feel that many poster are feeling the same way Donovan did, complaining of the many games there are where in reality other players around the planet play far more times than him....
I would bet my life that most of you people saying that it is a good idea that the USSF turn down the invitation would be crying, you would be sooo pissed off if the US had not been invited in the first place. Its just sad really.
The USSF made the correct decision. The Olympics and World Cup will get more coverage than Copa America. And all of us know that at this point in time, in order to grow the sport here, exposure is more important. There will be more invites to Copa America. Sure CONMEBOL may get a little peeved and not invite the US for the next tourney, but it won't be the end of the world. Why is it Various Styles and the lot are upset that the US won't be playing in this tournament? Hard up to see a rematch with the US in a meaningful match? Would it be fair to CONMEBOL if we sent a weak team down there to get experience? It sure wouldn't. Look at the Confederations Cup in France, as many teams sent week teams. It wasn't much to get real excited about. And I haven't even touched the security issue at all, as well as other items we haven't even considered.
Bet your LIFE??? OK, don't be a pus** about it. I recommend a foolproof method for fulfilling this bet. Jump off of the highest building you can find.
I'm not saying we were "obliged" to accept. I just feel that it was a "golden" opportunity lost, in terms of invaluable experience, in a major tournament!!!
That'd be my point. Not that they were obliged to accept, but rather that it's good form to accept the invitation to a fairly prestigious tournament. We could have fielded a roster of the non-big time Euros, and added in a few youth players receiving sparing time in MLS (for example, during July of this year: Eddie Johnson, David Stokes, Nate Jaqua, Phil Salyer and Ricky Lewis all wouldn't have been missed too badly by their clubs) and you could field a decent roster and give players a valuable chance at experience. I think they could have accepted the invitation and worked around the various concerns. Too bad.
Yes voros the USA could have shown up with a weak and inexperienced lineup. They would get their shorts handed back to them, piss off CONMEBOL by doing so and made wonderful headlines back here where the only thing that the non-soccer knowledgeable person knows is that we got our arses kicked by a little country like Ecuador(because they brought thier veterans to the show). The USSF made the correct decision.
The non-soccer knowledgeable person would know jack all of the Copa America whether we won the whole freakin' thing or lost 15-0 every match. We'd struggle against Brazil and Argentina, and compete against everybody else with such a lineup. Would that really be the end of the world?
What happens if we dont qualify for the Olympics? Ever thought of that possibility? Let me get this straight... We will accept the Confederations Cup...MLS will schedule the Galaxy for a month off during the summer to play in a nothing tournament in freaking Korea...but they cannot figure out how to get our best team into the Copa America? the USSF is run by a bunch of assclowns. Seriously.