2006 World Cup

[Sunshooter]

Yeah - doesn't he basically live full time in California, and commute to Germany for practice/games?

that's the first point

and Lehmann/Kahn is another clash between Klinsmann and the association

 

[Zeno]

Of all 32 teams in Germany, the U.S. will finish No. 32 in terms shots on goal with four. The next worse is Trinidad and Tobago with seven. Iran have 19. England, 21. Germany lead the pack with 27.

As to his future, he seemed to indicate that:

(A) He has other offers;
(B) He's not sure he wants to go through this again;
(C) It's not his decision anyway.


LOL Who is offering Arena a job?

As much as I believe Arena needs to go he is the best American soccer coach ever(at least on the mens side--best ever period is Anson Dorrance). Thats exactly the reason why I think we need to go foreign coach right now, we've already seen the best America can offer.

 

[Sunshooter]

Contracts can be bought out.

how can US bought it?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

As much as I believe Arena needs to go he is the best American soccer coach ever(at least on the mens side--best ever period is Anson Dorrance). Thats exactly the reason why I think we need to go foreign coach right now, we've already seen the best America can offer.

I agree with this completely. From Arena's post game press conference today, it seems like he thinks he's done with the national team.

 

[Sunshooter]

As much as I believe Arena needs to go he is the best American soccer coach ever(at least on the mens side--best ever period is Anson Dorrance). Thats exactly the reason why I think we need to go foreign coach right now, we've already seen the best America can offer.

I'm a chinese, so i would suggest Milutinovic, he's a great national team coach

 

[Zeno]

how can US bought it?

I'm assuming you mean how can the US buy it? Throw a ton of money at both Hiddink and the Russian soccer federation and it can happen.

I don't think there is a rule in FIFA about buying Coaches out of their contracts or contacting a coach under contract with another national team.

 

[Zeno]

I'm a chinese, so i would suggest Milutinovic, he's a great national team coach

Been there done that...no thanks.

 

[Zeno]

Here are 2 names to consider though, not sure if they'd even be interested...

Jose Mourinho
Arsene Wenger

They'd both for sure make things interesting.

 

[dogpoo32]

Great goalkeeping for Australia.

 

[Sunshooter]

I'm assuming you mean how can the US buy it? Throw a ton of money at both Hiddink and the Russian soccer federation and it can happen.

I don't think there is a rule in FIFA about buying Coaches out of their contracts or contacting a coach under contract with another national team.

compete with Abramovich?

 

[Sunshooter]

Here are 2 names to consider though, not sure if they'd even be interested...

Jose Mourinho
Arsene Wenger

They'd both for sure make things interesting.

I think they will be the national coach in the future, but only for their nation --- Portgual and France

how about Felipao?

 

[Sunshooter]

Kewell score with his right feet!

good job

 

[dogpoo32]

Good to see Australia move on. Even though their last goal was offside. They were screwed out of 2 penalty kicks it seems though.

 

[Russ Smith]

How about Jerry Smith, coach of one of the more successful soccer programs in the US at Santa Clara? Of course he's the womens coach, but at least if he's coaching the mens team we won't have to worry about him marrying another one of his players?

Who's the coach of the UNC womens team, they've been incredibly dominant.

Although I do tend to agree an American coach is unlikely to be as good as a foreign coach, largely because I think US players are less likely to fully buy into a US coach because they know the best soccer in the world is played outside of the US.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

How about Julie Foudy? She should be on tv more.

 

[Russ Smith]

How about Julie Foudy? She should be on tv more.

In all seriousness though soccer is one of the few sports in the US where i genuinely believe some of the best coaches are actually in the womens game not the mens, because they know the talent is there more on the womens side.

Let's be honest here, the best coach in the world isn't going to win a World Cup with our current talent, the best US athletes are all playing basketball, football, baseball, tennis, track etc.

I've mentioned before on these boards I went to junior high and highschool with Chris Sullivan. Chris was easily the best athlete in our school, he played football(QB, WR), basketball(guard), soccer(forward mostly), ran track(sprinter) and I think he may have even played baseball one year. Just an amazing athlete. After highschool Chris focussed on soccer, played in college at I think Tampa, and then became one of the first Americans to play overseas. He played for the US in the 1990 World Cup, he played for both the San Jose Earthquakes and the Clash, he played in Mexico(I actually ran into him last year in Cabo), he was the youngest member of the Olympic Team in 1988(made the team in 86 it was a demonstration sport in 88).

http://www.purofutbol.com/profile.html

What made Chris unique was that he was that good of an athlete, and chose soccer. We just don't see that enough in the US, the best athletes choose other sports. Until that changes it really won't matter who is the coach IMHO.

 

[Stout]

First point: Although we got jobbed on a lot of calls, the calls did not lose the World Cup for us. True, we may have advanced if they went our way, but let's face it. We did not deserve to advance. We sucked, from coaching to goalkeeping to our stars.

Second point: Sack Arena. Right. Tonight, not tomorrow. Why does this need to happen? Because on top teams, accountability is numero uno. If we allow Arena to stay, or allow him to leave on his own terms, we're still a different soccer team. We're still the other guys, the guys that just aren't there yet and that don't get it. Yeah, we lost, and it sucks, but now we have to do exactly what needs to be done to try and build for the next time around, and that starts NOW.

Third point: Recruit the foreigners. Yeah, I know you can't move to a different country after even one cap, and I know it may be hard to attract top youngsters, but we do have a lot to offer. Living in our country is a huge perk to a lot of people around the world, and to play for the US would not preclude playing in one of the top foreign leagues.

Fourth point: Change our recruiting process. I know this has been discussed, but it absolutely needs to be fixed. We MUST get into the inner-city areas. We MUST be able to give these kids assurances for their future, so we can lure them away from other sports.

This stings. This hurts so bad because of the press we were getting leading up to the tournament. I was prepared for it, but it hurts nonethelsess. I knew, from watching qualifying and watching our leadup matches, that we weren't totally prepared, but I didn't expect it to be this bad. I thought coaching would greatly aid us and maybe let us slip into the next round, but Arena clearly regressed as a manager in this World Cup. Regroup, reorganize, and march on. It's all we can do.

 

[S_Nash]

GO THE AUSSIES!!!

"Ou' 'Arry"

Hiddink's first mistake of the tournament almost cost us our spot in the next round. Luckily for us though, we survived and Schwarzer will be back in goal for the game against Italy.

We really should've won 4-2. Viduka was molested in the box; while a blatant Croatian handball, also in the area, went unnoticed.

You might call it homerism, but this team can really take it to Italy, and if the Italians aren't on their game, it'll be arrivederci!

We're riding in the pumpkin coach, we're on our way to the ball, and the clock is nowhere near midnight

 

[arthurracoon]

i think im gonna root for the aussies in the next round

 

[arthurracoon]

First point: Although we got jobbed on a lot of calls, the calls did not lose the World Cup for us. True, we may have advanced if they went our way, but let's face it. We did not deserve to advance. We sucked, from coaching to goalkeeping to our stars.

 

[Zeno]

Third point: Recruit the foreigners. Yeah, I know you can't move to a different country after even one cap, and I know it may be hard to attract top youngsters, but we do have a lot to offer. Living in our country is a huge perk to a lot of people around the world, and to play for the US would not preclude playing in one of the top foreign leagues.

I think this would prove very difficult. It will be almost impossible to target a player who hasn't yet been identified through his home nation. The US has a hard enough time identifying the players in our own country. Often times the kids who make the Olympic Development teams are the ones who can afford it not necessarily the most gifted or promising.

Fourth point: Change our recruiting process. I know this has been discussed, but it absolutely needs to be fixed. We MUST get into the inner-city areas. We MUST be able to give these kids assurances for their future, so we can lure them away from other sports.

This is being tried, a program called "Soccer in the Streets" was created a few years back with the idea of targeting the inner cities. Unfortunately its not attracting the high quality coaches. Why go volunteer to coach in a bad area when a club will pay you to coach in the suburbs on great fields?

There are more children playing youth soccer than baseball, football and basketball COMBINED. The problem isn't getting them to play soccer, the problems are to develop them properly and to keep them playing. What is needed are true soccer academies similar to what the Europeans run, players should be identified at an early age and given the chance to train with top coaches daily and to learn how to properly play the game. We should copy the Ajax youth academy and set up one in every major city across the country...assuming we can find enough quality coaches.

 

[Nate]

Hiddink has some experience leading underdogs to victory over Italy. Just ask the South Koreans. Maybe even the refs will help again ;-)

 

[Dback Jon]

So Bruce Arena refused to shake the Ghanian coaches hand?

 

[Kel Varnsen]

So Bruce Arena refused to shake the Ghanian coaches hand?

Really?

 

[Russ Smith]

There are more children playing youth soccer than baseball, football and basketball COMBINED. The problem isn't getting them to play soccer, the problems are to develop them properly and to keep them playing. What is needed are true soccer academies similar to what the Europeans run, players should be identified at an early age and given the chance to train with top coaches daily and to learn how to properly play the game. We should copy the Ajax youth academy and set up one in every major city across the country...assuming we can find enough quality coaches.

To do that you really need to get the cooperation of people like AAU and shoe companies. much as I hate both there's no question that one of the reasons basketball is so popular in the inner city is the tie in to shoe companies, all of whom sponsor AAU ball.

Soccer has huge participation with kids but in general, they get to highschool and most play other sports. My ex girlfriend's 15 year old son played soccer from 8-13, and he started late most start at 6 now. He got to highschool, and immediately dropped soccer and played football. Soccer seems to be popular with young children because it's considered far safer than baseball or football, mostly by moms. If you attend youth soccer games you quickly discover there are far more moms involved than fathers, the fathers that are involved tend to be the Marv Marinovich controlling father types.

For 30 years now people have been predicting a soccer explosion in the US, it's never happened, and the lousy showing in the World Cup sure isn't going to help. US kids grow up dreaming of playing in the NBA or NFL, even baseball is having a hard time recruiting kids from the inner city and is mounting campaigns to change that.

Soccer is fighting a huge uphill battle, it would sure help soccer if Freddy Adu would start to become a star, he could be the Tiger Woods of soccer to a degree(impossible for him to be as big as Tiger IMHO). The last soccer game Ryen played as a 13 year old was a tournament in Santa Clara, after the game the kids all stuck around for medals and trophies, and they all got to shake hands with Eric Wynalda. Ryen only stayed because he wanted his medal, he had no idea who Wynalda was, and that was true of most of the kids there. The parents knew, but the kids didn't. All the kids knew who Adu was though.