U.S. Soccer (15 Viewers)

[Enron]

When he moved to Leverkusen, he was very yound 19-20? I know its not an excuse, but moving to a foreign land with no understanding of the language and culture would bring anyone down. I believe he should have been stronger, like I said before...he is mentally weak.

I believe Donovan could make a goood captain if he grows up and matures into a professional. He needs to get out of the MLS, he is developed already and make a name for himself in a European League.

Would you still keep reyna as coach though?
What kind of midfielder is Dempsey? I thought he was a DM but he seems to play like an AM. I really, really have high hopes for him, he should be a starter from now on.

He was 16 when he moved to Leverkusen. He didn't get playing time so he was loaned to San Jose of the MLS. When the time game for him to return he decided not to.

Dempsey is a creative central attacking midfielder, even though we played him on the right. Which speaks wonders for his ability to help the team.

 

Buy on AliExpress.com

[Enron]

2010?

Howard

Cherundolo - Onyewu - Gibbs - Spector

Dempsey - Mastroeni - Szetela - Convey

Johnson - Rolfe

Who is Szetela? And don't rule out Bocanegra and my boy Jimmy Conrad.

 

[Badass J Elkann]

I think a midtable EPL team may suit Donovan. Somewhere the pressure may not be so great and he can adjust to the league better. Unfortunately, I have not kept up with his MLS stats this season, but I am going to go watch him when the Galaxy come to Houston.

Landy cakes is the spark we need in the NT, when he has a bad day it seems like our attack dwindles.

i disagree, the pressure in the epl is great, for every team, i still think ajax or at least a top dutch side will develop him better.

 

[jorossian]

As a first generation American with deep roots in Italy, it's depressing how little I care about US soccer and MLS. I truly want to embrace our attempts to advance in the sport but at the same time I feel we as a nation don't deserve it due to the complete arrogant attitudes the majority of Americans have towards the sport. The top talking heads in sports radio and television love nothing more than to tear the game apart and somehow attach an emasculate and "soft" connotation to it thus influencing the idiotic masses to dismiss the sport outright and foster an almost racist and elitist view of the outside world which embraces it so dearly.

As far as I'm concerned world soccer is better off without the US budding it's isolationist head into a sport that embodies a world view.

That said, I'm a season ticket holder for my city's USL First division franchise (the next step below MLS) Rochester Rhinos. It's my only outlet to see live professional soccer and I embrace it for that reason and luckily our team is one of the strongest in the league with the best financial resources, stadium and usually players. We've regularly beaten MLS clubs in US Open Cup competition and won the cup once while making it deep into the competiton several times. The level of play is obviously very bland and unsophisticated, but there are moments here and there.

If US soccer is ever going to make it out of it's "red-headed stepchild" status in the states it's going to take far more than just having our most promising youngsters traveling overseas and attempting to be more than a role player for weaker European teams. It's going to require a time. A LONG time. Time enough for two full generations of ignorant and pre-programmed idiotic american sports fans, who will never give the sport an ounce of respect, to die off and hope they don't pass on their same stupid stigmas onto their children..... good luck.

Juventus is my home team and the Azzuri are the team I support in international competitions.

And I love American Football! ......Go figure. NFL Sunday ticket subscriber since it began in '95, been a die hard Detroit Lions fan since I can remember and usually hit at least 3 Buffalo Bills home games every season as well.

 

[Enron]

As a first generation American with deep roots in Italy, it's depressing how little I care about US soccer and MLS. I truly want to embrace our attempts to advance in the sport but at the same time I feel we as a nation don't deserve it due to the complete arrogant attitudes the majority of Americans have towards the sport. The top talking heads in sports radio and television love nothing more than to tear the game apart and somehow attach an emasculate and "soft" connotation to it thus influencing the idiotic masses to dismiss the sport outright and foster an almost racist and elitist view of the outside world which embraces it so dearly.

But what about the guys who spent ten plus years of their lives getting their asses kicked in 90' and all the years up to it? What about the guys who played away games in Central and South America only to be pelted by bags of shit and nine volt batteries and not mention the occasional rock and flare? What about the guys who have given their all to get US soccer to a decent level? Are you saying they do not deserve to succeed or at least view others success? Because if you are, then you would be a hypocrite.

Furthermore, what about the elitest view the rest of the world holds against Americans? It works both ways if you think about it. And just because soccer isn't mainstream in our country doesn't mean we don't deserve success. And I wouldn't say that the mainstream of the US views soccer in a racist manner. That is definitely a wrong description.

Football in the states is looked at as more of a foriegn sport which not a lot of people know about. Its not really hated like you put it. Botton line: People may not follow the sport on a regular basis but that doesn't mean our players deserve any less than what they earn.

 

[BFC82]

Bravo Enron, excellent point. I hate the attitude the world has on our brand of soccer, just b/c it is not the #1 sport here does not mean that we shouldnt show the same amount of respect.
The fact is, its still growing. 10 years ago, only a few players played abroad. The MLS is growing and breaking into new markets. The NT is still making strides, sometimes it misses a step but we have climbed to the top of the CONCACAF.

In a way, I think the world has a fear of the unknown with the US. They know sooner or later will break into one the elite NT's of the world.

 

[jorossian]

The success of MLS isn't going to be the measure of how far we advance in the sport internationally in the next 12 years. What we need to raise the level of our youth players is exposure to real soccer heros to emulate. Kids growing up in the states who wanted to be great Basketball or Football players watched Micheal Jordan, Magic Johnson, Joe Montana, Barry Sanders etc. and strove to emulate them.

IMO we CAN'T have our young players looking at and wanting to emulate Landon Donovan, Claudio Reyna, Eddie Johnson, Demarcus Beasely or Dempsey. We need them to be exposed to more of the top leagues (and thanks to FSC and GolTV they can be) so they can grow up wanting to be the next Ronaldinho, Totti, Zidane, Del Piero, Camoranesi, Cannavaro.... etc.

When a generation or 2 is weened on that sort of inspiriation THEN we can start to worry about how established MLS is and how it stacks up against the top sports leagues in the states that represent the highest level of play in their particular brand. In the mean time MLS needs to stop pandering to big television markets and start letting big grassroots soccer communities with strong fan support into the league such as Rochester and Charleston of the USL first division.

Their doing it all ass-backwards. They're trying to mass market a product that's not yet developed rather than trying to develop it's grassroots soccer communities first and allowing them to grow on their own merits over the course of the next couple decades

 

[ßöмßäяðîëя]

i strove to be Peter North when i was a child.

 

[Bjerknes]

Red Bulls appoint Arena
July 19, 2006

Former USA coach Bruce Arena has been named the coach and sporting director of the MLS New York Red Bulls.


The move had been expected since Arena was told last week that week that his eight-year tenure as the US coach would end at the end of the year. The Red Bulls fired Mo Johnston last month and replaced him with assistant Richie Williams.

Arena was appointed US coach in October 1998, and guided his country to a quarter-final spot in the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. His reign ended after the US' failure to qualify for the knockout stages at Germany 2006.

He previously led D.C. United to the first three MLS Cup finals, winning two.


www.worldsoccer.com

 

[Bjerknes]

Who is Szetela? And don't rule out Bocanegra and my boy Jimmy Conrad.

Danny Szetela was supposed to be the next best thing to Freddy Adu, and still has potential to become a very good central midfielder. I believe he still plays for Columbus and is only 18 years of age. It's just a matter of whether or not players such as Adu and Szetela can improve and fulfill their potential, and at least Freddy is starting to do the former.

Another player who has loads of potential is Feilhaber who plays for the Hamburg youth system.

 

[Enron]

I googled him ages ago. But thanks.

 

[Bjerknes]

Here is the future of United States soccer:

Benny Feilhaber: Playmaker and midfield organizer, very much like Reyna except perhaps more talented. He was one of the players of the tournament for the U-21 championships last summer, and hopefully he will get more playing time in the Bundesliga.

Villanueva: Perhaps the most talented youngster in American soccer. He's a playmaker with great touch, instinct and creativity, something very rare in our boys. He has recently started a two week trial at Ajax and the reports sound promising. He seems to have more potential than Adu at the moment.

Josmer Altidore: Beast of a center forward who is 6'0 180 at only the age of 18. He has great potential, however I do not know much about him.

Lee Nguyen
Zimmerman
Nathan Sturgis

 

[Enron]

Check out the new MNT kit. It looks pretty sweet.

 

[ßöмßäяðîëя]

That is hot as fuck!

Yo, in case you guys didn't know.....Szetela completed a 6 month loan deal from Sociedad or wherever he was to Brescia.

 

[Enron]

That is hot as fuck!

Yo, in case you guys didn't know.....Szetela completed a 6 month loan deal from Sociedad or wherever he was to Brescia.

From Racing biatch! But yeah those are the shiznit.

 

[Zé Tahir]

Szetela sounds like a wicked name

 

[Lawnchair Bes]

gallardo went to DC, always wanted him to come to juve

 

[Bjerknes]

gallardo went to DC, always wanted him to come to juve

Marcelo Gallardo?

That's a pretty sick pick up. We're going to have to go and watch him play.

 

[Bjerknes]

That is hot as fuck!

Yo, in case you guys didn't know.....Szetela completed a 6 month loan deal from Sociedad or wherever he was to Brescia.

Hopefully he'll be able to get some playing time.

Funny thing is, I sent Szetela on loan to Brescia in FM.

And yeah, those kits look pretty good.

 

[HelterSkelter]

That's a pretty neat kit.I dont really follow the US national team..but is McBride still playing for the national team or has he retired?He's probably the only Fulham player that i like.