USA vs Germany

[Kaka]

The game is this weekend.

I have a feeling the Germans are going to win the WC in Brazil, they are loaded, they just raped Ecuador with their C team, Ecuador is not a bad team...

Klissmann better play with 11 defenders for this game.

[gamecockphan]

Captains meeting during coin toss.....

German captain: "hi Clint, good luck today"

Clint:"thanks, same to you. Please, not in the face us all I ask"

[CockTail]

We have the worst collection of talent in 20 years. Germany will mercifully beat us 4-0. We have no goal scores except Dempsey, and he can not get service to be effective. Our back line is terrible and disorganized. We can not execute simple, accurate passes in the midfield. We panic and start hitting long balls into the teeth of the defense. No one has filled the void from Bradley Jr or Donovan. This team is very weak.

When you look at other teams, their starting 11 is pretty much set, we have close to 30 players in our starting pool, a clear sign of mediocre talent. Smaller countries with smaller player pools are beating us because they play their same 11 pretty much all the time. they dont make the dumb mistakes we do on a regular basis. Klinsmann will get a lot of the blame, but the fact is we do not have players.

MLS is not developing players as it should. MLS has below average players on an International level, playing against other below average players, produces below average teams on an International stage. If we were in group qualifying in Europe, we would make a World Cup every 100 years.

[MWard]

It is a little weird that the Unites States can dominate most sports, but we aren't in that elite group for soccer. Seriously, with TitleIX, our abundant collegiate development program, the USA's ODP for soccer, and total population size one would think we could get over 20 guys who are elite even in the global competition circle. If you look over the past 30 years we dominate in most of the Olympic sports and at least field globally competitive teams (the last Summer Olympics is a perfect example.)

We have the money, we have the bodies, why can't we get over that hump?

[cockypanther]

Originally Posted by MWard

It is a little weird that the Unites States can dominate most sports, but we aren't in that elite group for soccer. Seriously, with TitleIX, our abundant collegiate development program, the USA's ODP for soccer, and total population size one would think we could get over 20 guys who are elite even in the global competition circle. If you look over the past 30 years we dominate in most of the Olympic sports and at least field globally competitive teams (the last Summer Olympics is a perfect example.)

We have the money, we have the bodies, why can't we get over that hump?

We don't have the best athletes. The best atheletes the USA have to offer go play sports like football and basketball. Those athletes want prestige and soccer just ins't high up on that list. Imagine if some of these guys who play football grew up playing soccer all their lives... scary though.

[CockTail]

Originally Posted by cockypanther

We don't have the best athletes. The best atheletes the USA have to offer go play sports like football and basketball. Those athletes want prestige and soccer just ins't high up on that list. Imagine if some of these guys who play football grew up playing soccer all their lives... scary though.

I don't totally agree with this. Football demands a certain body type to be elite, same with basketball. Soccer requires a certain body type, but different than football or basketball. Most soccer players gravitate there because of their lack of size to compete in basketball or football, not lack of athleticism. We have plenty of players to be a very good team, our development of players is poor. We still have a larger pool of players compared to a country like Belgium, Croatia, or Portugal. We have to change how we develop players.

[SR4-AJ1]

Originally Posted by CockTail

I don't totally agree with this. Football demands a certain body type to be elite, same with basketball. Soccer requires a certain body type, but different than football or basketball. Most soccer players gravitate there because of their lack of size to compete in basketball or football, not lack of athleticism. We have plenty of players to be a very good team, our development of players is poor. We still have a larger pool of players compared to a country like Belgium, Croatia, or Portugal. We have to change how we develop players.

Yes we have a larger pool but most kids don't take it as a serious sport like those countries do. They grow up playing kids that live sleep and eat the sport we grow up playing kids that just do it for the exersice and social factor

[2000grad]

We better put our best 11 out there and KEEP them out there. Last night was not fun to watch.

[gamecockphan]

Originally Posted by cockypanther

We don't have the best athletes. The best atheletes the USA have to offer go play sports like football and basketball. Those athletes want prestige and soccer just ins't high up on that list. Imagine if some of these guys who play football grew up playing soccer all their lives... scary though.

Diagree. Spain is the 1st or 2nd best team in te world and are full of skinny midgets who would likely not be a good fit for football or basketball.

[cockypanther]

Originally Posted by gamecockphan

Diagree. Spain is the 1st or 2nd best team in te world and are full of skinny midgets who would likely not be a good fit for football or basketball.

For example imagine if a Tavon Austin, Ace Sanders, Chris Johnson type player gravitated towards soccer at a young age instead of football. They would develop the skill specific to the sport and train specifically for the sport. Those guys would dominate on the soccer field.

[gamecockphan]

Part 1: Whither Lionel?
A cruel accusation is often lobbed at America's soccer powers that be: How can a nation blessed with a diverse population of over 315 million have failed to produce a single Lionel Messi? Or, for that matter, a few more Clint Dempseys and Landon Donovans?

Taylor Twellman bristles at the question. "The people who ask about the development of world-class talent are often the same ones wondering why the national team is not in the top 10 in the rankings," the ESPN analyst and former player said by phone from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., while attending MLS's annual player combine. "Bruce Arena nailed the problem back in 2006 when he wondered aloud what U.S. football would be like if the States was as big as a European country. If America was that small, we, too, could build a system that would leave no stone unturned. [Our nation's] vastness means we don't have that capacity yet."

Twellman points to the combine as proof. "There are so many talented players appearing here that none of us have heard of," he said. "It's just too easy for talent to fall through the cracks right now."

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/soccerusa/id/1055?cc=5901

[gamecockphan]

Originally Posted by cockypanther

For example imagine if a Tavon Austin, Ace Sanders, Chris Johnson type player gravitated towards soccer at a young age instead of football. They would develop the skill specific to the sport and train specifically for the sport. Those guys would dominate on the soccer field.

If they had chosen to play soccer, the question is would they have gone to Europe to enroll in on of the top teams academies?


You also only listed black players, what about short white athletes? Or tall white athletes? Germany is a bunch of 6 ft white dudes. Do you think that some of the NFL LBs, MLB players, or other "traditionally white positions or sports" would make for good soccer players?

YOuth soccer has the largest participation of any sport in the country, houever the talent is not being properly identified or groomed.

[SR4-AJ1]

It all starts with the younger talent not being taught the right way. We think we are being to harsh on kids if we don't let them play tag and other oddball games that have nothing to do with the sport itself. Once we start properly training them at a younger age we can find stud players start to arise IMO

[cockypanther]

Originally Posted by gamecockphan

If they had chosen to play soccer, the question is would they have gone to Europe to enroll in on of the top teams academies?


You also only listed black players, what about short white athletes? Or tall white athletes? Germany is a bunch of 6 ft white dudes. Do you think that some of the NFL LBs, MLB players, or other "traditionally white positions or sports" would make for good soccer players?

YOuth soccer has the largest participation of any sport in the country, houever the talent is not being properly identified or groomed.

For your first question I am speaking to an international level. Of course if we have a superstar player they will go play for a top European club from a young age, but most likely will still play for the US National team.

I didn't purposefully discriminate non black athletes, but those are just a few that came into my mind. I agree that development is not as good, but that is because soccer is maybe the 3rd or 4th most popular sport in our country. More resources and what not are poured into other sports.

[gamecockphan]

Originally Posted by cockypanther

For your first question I am speaking to an international level. Of course if we have a superstar player they will go play for a top European club from a young age, but most likely will still play for the US National team.

I didn't purposefully discriminate non black athletes, but those are just a few that came into my mind. I agree that development is not as good, but that is because soccer is maybe the 3rd or 4th most popular sport in our country. More resources and what not are poured into other sports.

Hopefully some of the steps being taken in the article I posted aove will remedy this. Also - hopefully a growing Latino population will lead to advancement for the US.

[uscsig]

Originally Posted by Kaka

The game is this weekend.

I have a feeling the Germans are going to win the WC in Brazil, they are loaded, they just raped Ecuador with their C team, Ecuador is not a bad team...

Klissmann better play with 11 defenders for this game.

The back line for Ecuador was so soft and slow, Germany should have scored 10 goals. So much for that FIFA ranking of #10 in the world.

[Barry_gamecock]

Imagine Barry Sanders...if he could've developed the dribbles he would've been the second coming of Pele.

[Kaka]

The answer is simple.

Every country has 3 competitive divisions.

In every country 18 year old elite players are already playing in 2nd and third division, almost ready for the big jump to pro, they play all year round.

Here in the states, our elite 18 years old soccer players are playing 3 months of competitive soccer in college or usl.

Untill our second and third division are legit and they play all year round... we wont look as good as everyone wants.

Im hoping for a fluke but Germany is too strong at the moment, Belgium is also called to be a dark horse in the world cup so dont be surprised about the score yesterday.

Our second and third division are too weak to compete with the world, they dont feed great players for mls...

[gamecockphan]

Germany trots out the B squad today.

[Kaka]

still gone be a tough game.

stadium is packed.