Whal Interview with Arena, PRE-Houston http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/grant_wahl/news/2003/05/15/wahl_insider/ No Keller, Freidel, O'Brien or Sanneh for the Confed Cup. Hopefully Claudio will be there. Arena takes Gold Cup more seriously.
What? What is Bruce saying??? According to a myriad of Arenaphile BS Posers, Bruce was perfect last time. He's more perfect now? Amazing.
Yes, the force is with Bruce. I must say I'm a little upset about the Confeds Cup not being taken as serious as I would like. I want to win that one, badly. And with Brazil and Turkey sending less than full streath teams then why not. France will not be at full streath either IMHO. But the Gold Cup is more importain. Is Tim up to it? We shall see. With Reyna I like are chances alot more. Can you imagine the world wide uproar if the USA wins BOTH the Confeds and Gold Cup with basicly two diffrent teams! Bruce may already be the most advanced human of all time. If he can pull that double off, it will prove that he is in fact a Greek god.
I see where you are going...but I cannot imagine world wide uproar about anything concerning the gold cup.
Don't remember anyone saying he was perfect, just that he knew more than you. Those two things are only equivalent in YOUR mind.
Interesting move by Bruce--don't know why he'd regard the GC as more important. Both it and Confeds Cup are opportunities to play against international competition, but the quality of the opponents in the CC is much higher, even if Brazil and Turkey are at less than full strength. Also, they both count in the FIFA rankings, right? Perhaps the GC counts for more; I remember we shot up like six spots when we won that one last year.
One of the key principles of an effective leader - undersell, overdeliver. Remember the infamous quote, "The US is not going to win the World Cup" from Bruce last time around? The same thing is in play here. He's protecting his European players, but you can bet your tail he will have the guys who are called in ready to win. I don't think Bruce really wants a 3 and done tournament in France.
The Confeds Cup and each of the confederation respective finals count the same x1.75. The only place when games are worth more is at the WC finals. The thing that makes the Gold Cup more importaint is that is also serves as a defacto qualifier for the next Confeds Cup, in Germany 2005. Also, a trip to the Copa America next summer if we have not yet been invited. In the seeding formula for the next world cup (see my other threads on this) the USA has an advantage. While others team may get to play in one x1.75 event over the next four years. The USA may get to play in FOUR if we play are cards right. The bottom line is we have got to win. I hate using events as a tune up. That's what friendlies are for.
Well, I agree that they seem a little silly, but part of his job is to sell and promote soccer here, and those changes in ranking are news. Anyway, I'm not upset a his decision to give the Confed Cup a lower priority than the Gold Cup. I think had to pick one tournament to really try some of the new blood MLS guys out, and I'd rather win the Gold Cup.
I agree, that's why I love the Bruce. But Bruce may want to do better, but he's not taking the players he may need to make that happen. Maybe it's Bruce's call, maybe it's out of his controll over if certin players are avalable. I just want to win.
Another thing about the Gold Cup we may be forgeting is that the final is at Azteca. Bruce may be bringing the A Team to the Gold Cup hoping to get a first ever win over Mexico their. A victory over Mexico in Azteca in a Cup Final will be a major victroy and put to rest any debate about the top team in CONCACAF.
I LOVE this quote about the Confed Cup: I don't even know why they have that tournament. That's vintage Bruce. I also like that he is putting our regional championship ahead of the Confed. Cup. For the Gold Cup to grow, the big fish in the region have to take it seriously.
Well, he only said the Gold Cup was "slightly more important" than the Confed Cup. Thought we would see Johnny O at the Confed Cup. He may have been playing 3 games a week for a while (although he's sat out the last two), but he did miss...what?...5 months earlier in the year?
Though I used to agree with the conventional wisdom around these boards that FIFA rankings are fully irrelevant, I've since changed my opinion after learning that they are a major determinant in seedings for the next world cup. And for reasons I'm too tired to go into, the US has a respectable chance of seeding in the next wc, if we keep up our position in the FIFA-coke rankings. So yeah, it is kind of important.
Actually it could be if the USA plays well enough, they might be able to grab a seed and avoid: Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, etc. in the first round. FIFA rankings are a key in getting seeded.