The Official US Soccer thread

[Zeno]

Hi guys... I watched the game here in Guatemala.... your kids are very talented and the better team. We just had everything going on tonight and they looked kind of scared. The first ever WC for Guatemala in any category...! the US is and will be for a long time the class and better team in Concacaf for a LONG time!!

Congrats to Guatemala and very classy of you to say. Good luck the rest of the way.

 

[Stout]

Hi guys... I watched the game here in Guatemala.... your kids are very talented and the better team. We just had everything going on tonight and they looked kind of scared. The first ever WC for Guatemala in any category...! the US is and will be for a long time the class and better team in Concacaf for a LONG time!!

Good observations, Gorilla. Sometimes the better team loses...just ask Spain. Definitely the better team, but we managed a victory.

 

[Mulli]

Hi guys... I watched the game here in Guatemala.... your kids are very talented and the better team. We just had everything going on tonight and they looked kind of scared. The first ever WC for Guatemala in any category...! the US is and will be for a long time the class and better team in Concacaf for a LONG time!!

Talented or no, has Bradley shown he is a world class coach?

 

[Shzm13]

"If you're holding two passports, you have a choice. You have a privilege," he said. "That's like saying Andy Najar's a traitor. ... Or Thomas Dooley or David Regis [a French-born defender married to an American who played for the U.S. in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups]. Half the U.S. team now, a bunch of guys who don't even speak English.

"For me personally, I'm opposed to that stuff, but that's me. Rossi's a different situation. He's an American. He's an American, not an Italian. For me, hopping around the world and trying to find a player that has a parent [from the] U.S. military, which happens to be the case nine times out of 10, I think that's against the spirit of everything. But whatever."

Thats why hes a former NT coach

 

[Zeno]

Thats pretty ignorant of Arena to say. FWIW the only current USMNT members who didn't have English as their first language are Yelldell, Jones & Chandler (all German raised), hardly "half".

 

[Gaddabout]

If it weren't for America's liberal immigration policies, I doubt we'd ever field a WC team. First- and second-generation players on this team (off the top of my head): Onyewu, Agudelo, Altidore, Chandler, Diskerud, Edu, Feilhaber, Howard, Jermaine Jones, Lichaj, and Yelldell.

But it's something we celebrate in this country. Maybe we should offer citizenship to former great players to come here if they sign an agreement their offspring play for us. LOL

 

[Zeno]

If it weren't for America's liberal immigration policies, I doubt we'd ever field a WC team. First- and second-generation players on this team (off the top of my head): Onyewu, Agudelo, Altidore, Chandler, Diskerud, Edu, Feilhaber, Howard, Jermaine Jones, Lichaj, and Yelldell.

But it's something we celebrate in this country. Maybe we should offer citizenship to former great players to come here if they sign an agreement their offspring play for us. LOL

You forgot Landon Donovan, whose Dad is Canadian.

FWIW Shevchenko, former Milan great and Ukranian Nat'l team striker has 2 US citizen kids with his American wife...heres to hoping.

 

[Mulli]

If it weren't for America's liberal immigration policies, I doubt we'd ever field a WC team. First- and second-generation players on this team (off the top of my head): Onyewu, Agudelo, Altidore, Chandler, Diskerud, Edu, Feilhaber, Howard, Jermaine Jones, Lichaj, and Yelldell.

But it's something we celebrate in this country. Maybe we should offer citizenship to former great players to come here if they sign an agreement their offspring play for us. LOL

And hopefully, some might coach for us.

 

[Shzm13]

Hi guys... I watched the game here in Guatemala.... your kids are very talented and the better team. We just had everything going on tonight and they looked kind of scared.

They capitalized on their opportunities, the home crowd gave them the extra boost they needed it.

the US is and will be for a long time the class and better team in Concacaf for a LONG time!!

The class of the Concacaf (present) and in the future will be playing in the championship, Mexico-Costa Rica. Mexico (15 goals scored - 1 allowed) Costa Rica (14 goals scored - 2 allowed) in the tournament.

The final will be played on Sunday April 10th. Should be a good one.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Feilhaber is headed to New England. Moving back to the MLS from Denmark is probably a good way to get him the playing time he needs to jump back in the MNT mix. He played surprisingly well in the WC and proceeding games, and with Holden out there's definitely a midfield slot for the taking.

 

[Zeno]

Feilhaber is headed to New England. Moving back to the MLS from Denmark is probably a good way to get him the playing time he needs to jump back in the MNT mix. He played surprisingly well in the WC and proceeding games, and with Holden out there's definitely a midfield slot for the taking.

Feilhaber was still finding a USMNT roster spot even without getting a ton of playing time (although injuries played a part), being in MLS and getting regular PT should only help. The Revolution could use him, they are not playing well at all and he and Shalrie Joseph should form a good MF pairing.

I expect Eddie Johnson & Beasley to be on their way back to MLS this summer as well (Adu should be too but I wonder if he is willing to swallow his pride).

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Juan Agudelo volley from the NY-DC game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4P9_enYqBE&feature=player_embedded

 

[Zeno]

Juan Agudelo volley from the NY-DC game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4P9_enYqBE&feature=player_embedded

Yeah that was pretty sick. I hope the kid sticks around through the end of next season in MLS, he needs some more playing time before jumping overseas...2 full seasons practicing with Henry on a day to day basis couldn't hurt his development. Last rumor was Atletico Madrid was already interested.

 

[Zeno]

New WCQ Proposal...

http://www.ussoccer.com/Social/MNT-...&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

Under the plan, CONCACAF qualifying would take place in three group phases, and would be preceded by preliminary matches between the 10 lowest CONCACAF teams in the FIFA rankings in two-leg series June 3 and June 7. The winners of the five preliminary round matchups, between Montserrat- Belize, Anguilla- Dominican Republic, U.S. Virgin Islands-British Virgin Islands, Aruba-St. Luca and Bahamas-Turks and Caicos Islands would advance to the first group phase.

They would join the next highest 19 teams from the March 2011 FIFA rankings in one of six, four-team groups set to play from September to November later this year.

The group winners would then qualify for a three-group semifinal round - tentatively set for June-October 2012 -- along with the top six CONCACAF teams from the March FIFA rankings: the United States, Mexico, Honduras, Jamaica, Costa Rica and Cuba.

The top two teams from each of the semifinal round groups would advance to a six-team final round group - referred to by some in previous years as the "Hexagonal" -- to be played from February to October 2013.

It would only mean a couple of less qualifiers but I think we could do without beating up on Belize/Barbados or whoever. Much better than the previous plan which would have had the US & Mexico playing in seperate groups as the "top seeds" in the region and never meeting in qualifying.

 

[Gaddabout]

Good news in Feilhaber. He's one of my favorite players.

I get to watch a lot of MLS at work. Agudelo has been fun to watch, but Donovan had the game of the week the other day. I couldn't believe how aggressive he was on offense. I was wondering where that Donovan is when he's on the USMNT. That Donovan could alter the course of U.S. Soccer.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

SI.com blurb on Feilhaber's debut. So far so good.

Benny Feilhaber's debut: Revolution coach Steve Nicol wasted no time in adding Feilhaber's talents to the effort. The U.S. international midfielder certainly lifted the Revs' overall quality, especially considering New England's recent emphasis on possession, something that really hasn't "taken" just yet. The key to possession, of course, is players who are good at possessing. And there just weren't enough of them on Steve Nicol's team. Saturday's 3-2 win over against Kansas City was a good start. Feilhaber lined up alongside Stephen McCarthy in the middle as the Revs, lately in a 4-3-3, reverted to their more comfortable 4-4-2. Shalrie Joseph played ahead of Feilhaber as a withdrawn striker.

Thanks to his calm and awareness, Feilhaber needed just 12 minutes to record his first MLS assist. Later, his best moments were balls that put teammates' through, some of which needed to be dealt with better.
Now he has a chance to get even better as he gets more familiar with teammates. Overall, his control and distribution were fairly good, as his ability to hold the ball allowed other Revs the time to work into better spots. (Anyone remember how Steve Ralston once did the same?)

Finally, if Feilhaber partners with a more experienced type in the center of the park (Joseph or the still-sidelined Ousmane Dabo), he'll be that much better. Nicol has some thinking to do in terms of midfield mix, but it's a great problem to have.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/steve_davis/04/25/mls.week6/index.html

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Charlie Davies is out for "a couple weeks" with a hamstring injury, which basically removes any chance of him making the Gold Cup roster

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_...-a-couple-of-weeks-with-hamstring-injury.html

 

[Gaddabout]

Charlie Davies is out for "a couple weeks" with a hamstring injury, which basically removes any chance of him making the Gold Cup roster

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_...-a-couple-of-weeks-with-hamstring-injury.html

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[coyoteshockeyfan]

The Boston Globe says that AS Roma's new American president is looking at bringing in either Landon Donovan or Michael Bradley.

http://www.boston.com/sports/soccer/blog/2011/05/dibenedetto_con.html

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Holden wins Bolton's player of the year award. Not bad considering how much of the season he's had to miss.

http://www.bwfc.co.uk/page/General/0,,1004~2365177,00.html

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Feilhaber questionable for the Gold Cup after picking up an ankle injury yesterday. Bedoya has been added to the roster, but not sure if Feilhaber has definitely been ruled out yet.

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1679...in-doubt-for-feilhaber-after-picking-up-ankle

 

[Zeno]

New Grant Wahl article...

U.S. could benefit from a potential 2022 World Cup revote by FIFA

Is a revote for the World Cup '22 host back on the table? Not yet, but it could be down the road. The strongest indication yet came on Wednesday when German federation president Theo Swanziger called for an investigation of the controversial vote that gave Qatar World Cup '22. "There is a considerable degree of suspicion that one cannot sweep aside," Swanziger said. "This needs to be examined anew."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/grant_wahl/06/02/fifa.2022/index.html?eref=sircrc

 

[Zeno]

Let the hype begin...

Barcelona signs first American - 10-year-old Ben Lederman - to youth academy

Southern Californian 10-year-old star Ben Lederman visited and worked out at Barcelona's La Masia training complex in April. That trip turned into a two-year development contract with the club's youth academy.

The American soccer prodigy, who has a similar style of play and ball control skills as Barcelona star Andres Iniesta, signed with the team's academy to become the first American to ever do so. He will be reevaluated after his initial two-year stay to determine whether or not his contract will be extended.

Lederman's parents are also reportedly moving to Spain to be with their son as he pursues his soccer dreams

http://www.nationalsoccerwire.com/news/458/13788

Hopefully US Soccer keeps this kid out of the spotlight and lets what happens, happens...the hype machine destroys more careers than anything.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Yeah ok scheduling a friendly against Spain three days before the Gold Cup was not a bright idea

 

[Renz]

Damn. So glad we re-signed Bradley.