Why US Soccer Federation SUCKS

Football.

...and the Fed doesn't have control over TV slots, as per #10.

I agree with most of the rest, though.

 

3) How much money do you think the USSF has laying around? Why throw the money into a product that it was obvious based on TV ratings and attendance just didn't have any interest?

7) Did FIFA set the ticket prices or the USSF? And were the prices that much higher than in 1999?

8) This argument is ludicrous.

10) Do you really think they had that power?

 

And this is their job?

See above.

You don't fire someone until you have someone better to step in.

IIRC, the USNT has not only some qualifying matches a few weeks after this competition, but Olympics and league play also.

I am not aware that Freddie has had some senior team playing time with Man U. When did this happen?

Seriously, Adu hasn't played against men yet. He is still a boy. Cripes, he'll grow up soon enough.

Was it the USSF that set the ticket prices?

Lighten up, Francis.

See first reply.

 

I'll take a crack.

#1 No scheduled matches for the Men's National Team.
Have you been paying attention? MLS is the playoff season and - until this week - it looked like WCQs were going to start in January. The Fed was waiting for the draw on December 5th before scheduling any games. With WCQs likely being backed up until next summer, look to see some friendlies being scheduled shortly.

#2 No promotion or marketing of soccer.
They are an "organizing body." Other than press releases they don't have the resources to pay for advertising campaigns. They are very receptive and helpful towards media inquiries - but they're not in a position to create demand.

#3 No help for the WUSA to come back.
The WUSA is a private "for profit" company. It survives and/or dies based on the deep pockets of its investors and market forces. If you don't believe that the USSF would prefer to the WUSA operating than you haven't been watching. Even if the USSF wanted to help, their financial situation wouldn't allow for it. Plus, what would be next? the MISL?

#4 Keeping Heinrichs, who obviously sucks as a coach of a championship calibre team ... or any team for that matter.
I agree that this is a bad management decision.

#5 Letting Arena dictate our playing in Copa America, and basically not letting that happen. It's short-sighted, cowardice & bad for growing the sport and improving as a team. STUPID x 1000.
And what exactly would the Copa America get us? More disruption for our domestic league? Just because a tournament is offered to us, it doesn't mean it is in our best interest to attend. I completely disagree with your analysis. I would like to find a way to have the US participate, and I think the USSF does to, but it's not just a simple matter of turning it down.

#6 Not forcing Ronco Rongen to take Adu on his squad. He is good enough for Man United and other big teams and is more talented than anyone living in the USA today, but he isn't more important than a crappy college player who is not even as good as Ali Curtis in his "heyday". What a joke.
USSF interference in national team player selection. Yeah. That's what we want. As far as Freddy Adu is concerned, what makes you think he wouldn't get killed? He was nearly hacked out of the U17 World Cup, imagine what 19 and 20 year olds would do to him.

#7 OUTRAGEOUS ticket prices for the Women's World Cup. Scaring away MANY potential new and loyal soccer fans and players. What's worst, many kids who wanted to come ... couldn't ... as empty seats remained empty. Not only looking bad on television but once again portraying the image of negativity and failure for the sport of futbol in the USA to the general American public.
I'm sorry, but FIFA sets/approves ticket prices. Look at the brouhaha over the WC06 between the German organizing committee and FIFA over ticketing prices.

#8 Letting horns still be used at National Team and league play in the nation. Get it straight, they are annoying in the stadium and WORSE over the television. Like an incessant 90 minute car horn in B flat. And wait til you have the kid behind you who just realized he has lungs ... oh my.
The Federation doesn't mandate, nor can it, what is allowed - or not allowed - into any stadium. You need to take the plastic horn thing up with your local stadium operator. I do wish you well.

#9 For not having color uniforms. FYI - the Red, White & Blue kit the Women's National Team wore versus Germany should be the #1 kit all our national teams wear.
We've had red in the past, and I'm sure the men will have them in the future. I know a two year uniform cycle is a long time to wait when someone is as impatient as you seem to be, but expect to see a real 1950 replica show up around the time that The Game Of Their Lives hits theaters. Oh wait, that would be promotion by the USSF. Whoops.

#10 For not mending bridged between the WUSA & MLS so that they worked together for the good of the game and had doubleheaders all the time and never played the same times on television. This was a majorly bad move. What is the federation for if it cannot work for the betterment of the overall game???
How do you know what did or did not occur behind the scenes? Do you really think profit-based leagues really care what a non-profit federation has to say? The USSF will survive, but MLS and the WUSA are on their own.

There are MANY more reasons, but 10 is a nice round # to start with.
It is. Too bad you could only come up with one, though.

 

1) They'll have stuff line up sooner rather than later - say starting in January (IIRC, Nov & Dec are usually pretty dead times for US intl's. I'd be curious for some numbers here)

2) Agreed - especially if you listen to Metro Front Office. But promotion and marketing is their #1 job. Not of anything specific, but the sport in general. Especially the USOC.

3) Totally and completely out of their hands, as is pt. #7 and#10

4) Yep. No doubt here

5) Totally agreed - there is no way they should have thumbed their noses at CONMEBOL (again). It's just bad business. But you could definitely make a counterargument - this move is defensible (unlike #2 and #4)

6) I'll reserve judgement until the rosters are finalized (I'm not convinced Adu will have an easy time of things at 14 OR 15). I am concerned that he may not put the 11 best players on the field, but the 11 players he is most comfortable with on the field. I can foresee a Clive/Conor/LD brouhaha coming in Athens. But I'll reserve full judgement in how this all plays out.

edit : Whoops - are you talking U-20 or Olympics? Rongen has the U-20's right? But my point remains the same. And Andy's right, the USSF should never interfere in player selection. They do however, reserve the right to fire that person's @$$ when theose moves blow up in his/her face.

8) An absolute pet peeve of mine. I HATE those things with the burning passion of a thousand suns. But again, I am not in the full majority here, and I'm not sure it's USSF's place to do anything.

9) Lighten up Francis. This is a sheer matter of preference. I prefer the white home kits, with maybe a little splash of red and blue (like a thin stripe or something) and white shorts. But that's me.

 

Originally posted by futbol571 - bold text
#2 No promotion or marketing of soccer.

Yeah - it's too bad they don't advertise during MLS games and they don't sponsor MLS games. I wonder who's paying for those US Soccer Foundation ads I see all the time and for those USSF logos that are in stadiums and next to the clock on the MLS broadcasts.

#6 Not forcing Ronco Rongen to take Adu on his squad. He is good enough for Man United and other big teams and is more talented than anyone living in the USA today, but he isn't more important than a crappy college player who is not even as good as Ali Curtis in his "heyday". What a joke.

Why out him before he's ready and why not use in the next U20s tournament?

#10 For not mending bridged between the WUSA & MLS so that they worked together for the good of the game and had doubleheaders all the time and never played the same times on television. This was a majorly bad move. What is the federation for if it cannot work for the betterment of the overall game???

Hmm - how do you know they didn't try, but the parties were unable to come to an agreement?

 

My priorities till 2010:

1. I put building the domestic league(s) over the national team.

2. Same as 1 -- but strike WUSA from the list.

 

I agree. But they're planning scheduling around the MLS season for the 2006 WC qualifliers. Don't want any crowded fixtures.

Isn't that SUM's job? Do you think they (USSF) promoted the U.S. Open Cup very well? They at least could use or work out a business partnership with SUM to promoted MLS, WUSA, Men's & Women's Nationals teams and the U.S. Open Cup.

USSF don't have that amount of money to put it back up. WUSA would have to look for outside sources for it to survive.

I agree.

One word: Priority. We don't want to conflict the WC Qualifying with Copa America. So I can see why they reject it.

This time: Patience. You don't want to rush Adu. Let the player develop time to time and not rush into things. There's a lot difference between the U-17 level, professional/MLS level and senior National team level.

I agree about the prices, however isn't USSF or FIFA that set the prices. And to be fair, it was originally going to be in China before the SARS problem. So planning this in a short amount of time is predictable.

So you would prefer a quiet crowd? THIS OF SOCCER GAME FOR CHRIST SAKE, NOT A LIBRARY! The duty for a soccer fan (if you haven't notice) is to be loud, vocal and supportive of your team.

2002 Men's World Cup
White jersey: 2 wins 1 draw 0 losses
Blue jersey: 0 wins 0 draws 2 losses

2003 Women's World Cup
White jersey: 5 wins 0 draws 0 losses
Red jersey: 0 wins 0 draws 1 loss

White uniform players, Red uniform fans.
Case close.

See #3 on MLS.

 

If the USSF had ordered Adu to be on the U20 team not only would it have underminded Rongen's authority, but it would scare away many potential coaches in the future at all levels.

 

#1 They did not know qualifying was going to be postponed until a few days ago...which is why i wonder why the USSF thought Copa America could not fit even then
#2 It is a fact the USSF gets money off all international games staged within the US so they have "some" extra money...I don't know if enough to go crazy an blow it on marketing that won't likely pay off in the end
#3 Just like with MLS, USSF cannot save either league if they need money....just too little a budget to help sustain either league

 

#4 I agree with the sentiment...What really bothers me though is that having had THE team in Women's world soccer, we let the team lose any semblance of superiority...Yes, many nations caught up, but we've made it very easy for them
#5 Arena will have his "work" cut out for him...Taht is,watching 6 more months of soccer on TV...God i'd love to have his job...
#6 I would have loved to see Adu, but it's no big deal...In truth, i think until the time we get both better coaches and a bigger % of players who are professional, there won't be a noticeable difference in performance (as a team) OTOH, we will be often getting some nice individual talent regardless, so it's not too bad, even if it could be better....
#7 FIFA decides this, no?

 

Professional atheletes need a break. WCQ doesn't start until summer.

Any ideas on how they would do this?

That's the WUSA's job.

Agreed.

Cowardice? How?

Imagine letting a coach do his job. Adu, is a ridiculously talented 14 year old no doubt, but there is such a thing as team chemistry and Adu hasn't been playing with that team.

Those were some extremely fair priced tickets. 3 tickets for $50 in Foxboro, 5 for $160 in LA. Not a bad deal.

I for one love those horns. I'd rather hear their incessant drones than be able to hear a pin drop like you can in many stadiums.

Wow, I thought we had a blue one, and I have a red jersey we wore a few years ago. The uniforms change every now and then.

WUSA is largely to blame over this one.

Considering how far US Soccer has come in the last 15 years, I'd say ZERO would've been a nice round number for this list.

 

Re: Re: Why US Soccer Federation SUCKS

No the promotion of soccer in USA is not USSF JOB, that job belong to NFL... or perhaps NASCAR , take a pick.....

 

Re: Re: Why US Soccer Federation SUCKS

I like the part where you talk about the coaches .....About Adu... well what are we expecting from a soccer federation mostly made of WANABES, they have not even able to ride the Donovan wave, MLS and the federation are dumber than a 2x4