Re: Fabri Salcedo Wow... my dad cant play soccer to save his skin...lol. Impressive career to say the least. Halls of fame are nice... I know they mean a lot to some people... I must say however, that I would consider myself among the greatest of the great if my descendance cherished and cared this much for my memory. That's all the hall of fame I need. Saludos, Arturo
Hank: Your Dad probably belongs in the Hall. So does Ruben Mendoza, a stud goalscorer from St. Louis. So do quite a few others from the 1950s. Hopefully we'll see some of these players honored while they're still alive. If memory serves (it's been years since I wrote my Gonsalves article, and I'm too lazy to read it right now), your Dad and Billy played a couple of years together...one with Hispano late in Gonsalves' career, maybe with Manhattan Beer. Any anecdotes to share about Billy? Cheers, Steve
Re: Fabri Salcedo Hank: I did some checking, and I can give you a good reason why your Dad is not in the Hall. He was never capped. NO U.S. National Team appearances. The current rules for consideration, if I remember them correctly, require players to have at least 5 caps with the full National Team. While this may seem like an arbitrary rule, it exists, in part, (ironically) as part of an effort over the last 5 years or so to "de-politicize" the selection process. Unless there are some rule changes, your dad is probably not up for consideration. Although I am involved with U.S. soccer history research, I am not affiliated with the Hall, so don't take anything I have to say as the definitive word on the subject. But I am familiar with some of the issues involved, and the lack of caps is probably the main hurdle for your Dad.
I come from a different continent and there are a lot of Tim Howard fans and I say Tim Howard is the best American soccer (football as we say) player.
Because he plays for Manchester United? Yes, Tim Howard is a great goalkeeper, but the fact that he plays for Manchester United doesn't automatically make him the best. After all... don't Diego Forlan and the Nevilles also play for Manchester United?
I've ben following the side closely since 93. Between 94 and the summer of 97 Eric Wynalda was the closest thing we've had to world class. Why I'd pick him over Tab Ramos was his overall affect on the USMNT. Teams knew he was the most dangerous player we had and he still got the job done. 2nd to me is Kasey Keller
ya k i do get ur point but that is not the reason i think Tim Howard is the best and when u live were i do u dont get to see american soccer so u have to judge on the rest of the world, anyways. But i THINK Tim Howrd is the best!!
perez was a great player who was in a different class from the other US players of his era. Bruce Murray scored a lot of goals on some fairly weak teams for the Nats. keller, friedel and now howard have played at a very high level. keller has played top level football around the world for over a decade. You also have to like Mr. Stewart, he played years and years of very high level football with much success and also brought a different skill level to the national program. ramos was an incredibly gifted player but like JOB and Claudio he, had so many injury issues so if consistency is part of one's "best" criteria this might rule them out. tom dooley was a very good player in his prime.
First of all just because a player is injured doesnt rule him out of what he has accomplished... although it does diminish the amount of things they can accomplish. Secondly players like donovan and beasley and Freddy are all much too young to even be conciderd. Are you all forgeting the only US player to score in two World Cups, Brian McBride. Eric Wynalda and Claudio Reyna are also world class american field players... including EPL goalkeepers Tim Howard, Brad Friedel and Kasey Keller these are probaly the biggest US talent ever. Players befor Eric Wynalda and Cobi Jones just dont compare.
Brad Friedel was possibly the best goalkeeper in the world last season. No other American player can make that kind of claim. 1) Brad Friedel 2) Claudio Reyna
Keller, Friedel and now Howard are probably a notch ahead of the field players the US has produced in the modern era. Reyna is probably the best US field player. Ramos is probably slightly behind. Perez was technically excellent but not as good a passer as the other two. Wynalda is the best US forward of the modern era, but not as complete a player the others. I'm stunned nobody has mentioned Harkes. He wasn't the best, had an attitude and the book was stupid, but he was a very good player. Better than a lot of the guys already mentioned. Hard to classify guys like Stewart and Dooley who grew up and played most of their careers in Europe. Dooley, especially, should be right up there. Remember that he did not play for this country until he was past his prime in Germany. Even though I never saw him play, I'd have to go with the opinion of the two people associated with soccer I have most respected and go with Gonsalves. My great uncle and my second cousin, who both played at Man. U. prior to emigrating to this country, both believed Gonsalves to be the best US player ever. We had this same conservation sitting in the stands at Foxboro Stadium watching Maradona play in the 1994 WC. My great uncle placed Gonsalves behind only Stanley Mathews and Stan Mortensen as far as players he'd played against.
There are two other American goal keepers in the Premiership right now that are probably better than Tim Howard. quit the glory hunting.
I don't follow domestic US football, but I have to go with Tony Meola or Eddie Johnson. But its so difficult to choose between US players as they are all on par with each other. But seriously out of the players that I've seen Cobi Jones is fairly consistant, and Brad Freidel is very competant. p.s Agoos for president!!!!!
Miro Rys. Before there was Claudio Reyna and Tab Ramos, before there was Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley, before there was Freddie Adu, Miro Rys was the best. Or at least, on his way to becoming the best. http://www.mlsnet.com/content/01/spot0809lewis.html There's a paragraph about halfway down..., and here it is in full: Miro Rys Some 25 years ago, there were 18-year-olds attending high school playing in the North American Soccer League. As an 18-year-old, Miro Rys performed for the Chicago Sting. He connected for four goals and set up two others in 17 matches in 1976. "The competition isn't that good in college to improve you," Rys told me way back then. As it turned out, Rys was the family breadwinner that year. His father had been laid off from work. He had two goals in as many games for the Los Angeles Aztecs in 1977. Rys died in a car accident while training (in Germany). He was also the youngest to play in a senior World Cup qualifying match, though that will change if Freddie continues unimpeded.
Kasey Keller silver ball U20 world cup Tab Ramos.....better than Hugo Perez Claudio Reyna......... center for all teams Landon Donavon..already on his way to greatness he still only 21 PS.Eric Wynalda give me a break
Tab gets my vote...But that's just my opinion based on players I've actually seen play...A lot of players do certain things very well, but Tab did everything very well... Maybe someone could filter this down to a 'top 8', and post another poll... I'd also like to mention Alexi Lalas here...Not because I think he's one of the greatest, but just to give him some props for his love of the game, and all he's done for it here....
Like Mary Carillo said of Jimmy Connors "He may not be the greatest player ever, but he cetainly was the most important" ALEXI LALAS is exactly that to US Soccer