***Official 2014 World Cup Thread*** (3 Viewers)

[The Gator]

I'm going to completely disagree. I'm seeing foreign born players coaching high school teams.

That may be true, but it's too late by this time. The great technical players don't start getting technical training at the age of 15. Too many kids have been burned by "soccer dad/coach" by that time

2 of every 3 coaches at the club level has some type of European accent. I've see some great technical coaching.

0 out of 20+ here have a fancy accent, so I'll assume you mean where you're at?

I'm taking about club level play at a young age, not 15.

You may be correct, the redneck SE USA must have a lock on all the European and Hispanic coaches. Honestly we have more qualified coaches than qualified kids to play.

Send a few of the coaches to Cali, please?

 

[jonessed]

Thought Donovan nailed it. We need some players who are elite even in the context of the World Cup to go further than we have at this point.

Belgium ran us off the field for the most part, and their ability to string long passing movements together under pressure was the difference in quality between the two sides.

How do we get those elite players though?

J

Annex Mexico?

Mexico has the same problems we do.

The only answer is better youth coaching with more focus on technical skills and less on scrimmaging.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I don't know the answers for how we get better - but I do believe this based on what I've seen. Trying harder and putting more focus and effort into the youth angle isn't going to make a difference as we're already doing the max there from what I can see.

J

we're not, trust me.

It may be getting better in certain areas, and that's a good thing, but overall youth development is not good.

yeah we are no where near doing the max, or at least doing it efficiently.

Part of Klinsmann's job the next 4 years is to try and align the various development programs and continue to hope that MLS academies can increase generating players like Yedlin and Fagundez on a more steady basis.

We really need 7-8 Yedlin/Fagundez level players to be generated every year before we can feel good.

I would argue we are 10-15 years away from that but if MLS expansion goes well, we could cut that down a few years.

 

[Ilov80s]

The Belgies are one of the most fanatical nations at teaching technical skills at the youth level and you could see it paying off out there on the pitch today.

We've got a long way to go but having the opportunity to watch the best players in the world on a regular basis now will count for a lot. We're also gonna have to find a way for poor kids to gravitate towards pick up games when they're young and then have a path for them to advance to quality training. That's gonna be really hard to do.

Come to Detroit. There are tons of athletic kids with little direction and endless empty space for soccer fields.

 

[BassNBrew]

I don't know the answers for how we get better - but I do believe this based on what I've seen. Trying harder and putting more focus and effort into the youth angle isn't going to make a difference as we're already doing the max there from what I can see.

I'd hope the answer could be "try harder" or "be more serious" for the youth. What I see is we're already more focused and trying harder than we do with our Football players. And American society isn't going to accept much more than that. We'll never get to a point where we send 10 year olds off to a team. We don't do it for Football and Basketball or Baseball, we're not going to do it for Soccer. If that means we're going to non elite at Soccer, then I think that's what we're stuck with then.

J

Rank these sports in terms of what a kid has to pay to make it to an elite D1 level - football, basketball, hockey, soccer, baseball. Rank the same sports in terms of where our best athletes go.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Thought Donovan nailed it. We need some players who are elite even in the context of the World Cup to go further than we have at this point.

Belgium ran us off the field for the most part, and their ability to string long passing movements together under pressure was the difference in quality between the two sides.

How do we get those elite players though?

J

Annex Mexico?

Mexico has the same problems we do.

The only answer is better youth coaching with more focus on technical skills and less on scrimmaging.

Mexican club teams are pilfering young US talent at an alarming rate.

 

[got_nugs]

It may have (probably has, actually) been brought up in here already but i'm concerned for US soccer interest in the immediate future. Such a big draw for this WC but the time zones really benefit that growth in interest. Russia and then Qatar (if it stays there) means at least 12 years before we get another chance of having our team draped in the flag in prime time.

I'm relatively new to the sport and for me the NBC addition of PL and other matches across Europe will keep me interested but I love sports and competition. The fringe fan may be lost in the next decade or so. Now, if they move the Qatar to the states, of course it'd be huge. Such a fun sport and i'm glad I found interest in it.

 

[The Gator]

Thought Donovan nailed it. We need some players who are elite even in the context of the World Cup to go further than we have at this point.

Belgium ran us off the field for the most part, and their ability to string long passing movements together under pressure was the difference in quality between the two sides.

How do we get those elite players though?

J

Annex Mexico?

Mexico has the same problems we do.

The only answer is better youth coaching with more focus on technical skills and less on scrimmaging.

and stop with the money grab tournys too

short article on part of what we do wrong- http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/more-training-fewer-games-a-key-to-reform_aid19866

 

[Sinn Fein]

For the soccer doubters, who think and or want soccer to go away for 4 years, I think this is the tipping point the US has been waiting for - it really is the perfect storm for a growth explosion.

1. This team, and this WC, has captured the attention of a lot of, relatively young fans. The enthusiasm shown across the country, used to be seen in small pockets, but now those pockets are spreading.

2. The amount of high-level professional soccer that is available on TV has never been higher, and people are tuning in in record numbers. One of the reason the WC has been successful, beyond just the success of the US team, has been the number of household names that people recognize from watching the EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, MLS, etc. The WC coverage will feed right back into the club season that are starting up in August. It is almost self-feeding at this point.

3. Between now and the next WC in 4 years, there will be an unusual amount of competitive USMNT games - Gold Cup in 2015, where we will field a competitive team, rather than all B-squad players, Copa America which will include the South American powers playing here in the US will be in 2016, The Confederation Cup, which the US is in good position to attend, will be in 2017, WC qualifying will take place in 2016 and 2017, plus a number of friendlies - probably against traditional European powers. In short, this happens to be the one time-frame where the US can really capitalize on its popularity because it won't shut down for a couple of years.

4. Fathers and sons are now partaking in watching soccer in numbers that we have never really had. My dad never enjoyed soccer, despite the fact I played most of my childhood. I watched games with my kids, and they were excited about it. That is where it will translate to a wider audience - kids are growing up with soccer on TV and watching it the same way I grew up watching football or baseball with my dad.

I know this has been talked about for decades, but you can really start to see the evidence of the tipping point right now.

bump for nugs...this is perhaps the best time to be a USMNT fan

 

[BassNBrew]

I'm going to completely disagree. I'm seeing foreign born players coaching high school teams.

That may be true, but it's too late by this time. The great technical players don't start getting technical training at the age of 15. Too many kids have been burned by "soccer dad/coach" by that time

2 of every 3 coaches at the club level has some type of European accent. I've see some great technical coaching.

0 out of 20+ here have a fancy accent, so I'll assume you mean where you're at?

I'm taking about club level play at a young age, not 15.

You may be correct, the redneck SE USA must have a lock on all the European and Hispanic coaches. Honestly we have more qualified coaches than qualified kids to play.

Send a few of the coaches to Cali, please?

Honestly this may be a cost of living deal. Coaches don't make a ton and the feeder stream of ex players aren't exactly know to be rich.

 

[Eephus]

I don't know the answers for how we get better - but I do believe this based on what I've seen. Trying harder and putting more focus and effort into the youth angle isn't going to make a difference as we're already doing the max there from what I can see.

J

we're not, trust me.

It may be getting better in certain areas, and that's a good thing, but overall youth development is not good.

yeah we are no where near doing the max, or at least doing it efficiently.

Part of Klinsmann's job the next 4 years is to try and align the various development programs and continue to hope that MLS academies can increase generating players like Yedlin and Fagundez on a more steady basis.

This is a much bigger challenge for Klinsmann that picking Zusi over Beckerman or persuading Julian Green to go Yank. Hopefully the team's performance in Brazil will help in this mission. But it's a big country and the national Federation is not as powerful or rich as many others.

 

[Slapdash]

I don't know why anyone really cares how much people are interested in/like soccer. Doesn't matter to me at all.

 

[roadkill1292]

It may have (probably has, actually) been brought up in here already but i'm concerned for US soccer interest in the immediate future. Such a big draw for this WC but the time zones really benefit that growth in interest. Russia and then Qatar (if it stays there) means at least 12 years before we get another chance of having our team draped in the flag in prime time.

I'm relatively new to the sport and for me the NBC addition of PL and other matches across Europe will keep me interested but I love sports and competition. The fringe fan may be lost in the next decade or so. Now, if they move the Qatar to the states, of course it'd be huge. Such a fun sport and i'm glad I found interest in it.

People keep saying this in the face of a strong long-term progression in popularity of the game between World Cups. The demographics are different now. The two youngest generations of consumers are into it big time.

The 10 games of the final week in Premier League back in May, all played at exactly the same time, drew a combined 5 million viewers in the U.S. Not much was on the line, either.

 

[jonessed]

It may have (probably has, actually) been brought up in here already but i'm concerned for US soccer interest in the immediate future. Such a big draw for this WC but the time zones really benefit that growth in interest. Russia and then Qatar (if it stays there) means at least 12 years before we get another chance of having our team draped in the flag in prime time.

I'm relatively new to the sport and for me the NBC addition of PL and other matches across Europe will keep me interested but I love sports and competition. The fringe fan may be lost in the next decade or so. Now, if they move the Qatar to the states, of course it'd be huge. Such a fun sport and i'm glad I found interest in it.

FIFA is incredibly corrupt, but I don't think they are stupid enough to actually try to put this in Qatar. Everybody's pockets were lined. Now it's time to actually pick a legitimate host.

 

[Spartans Rule]

We'll never get to a point where we send 10 year olds off to a team. We don't do it for Football and Basketball or Baseball, we're not going to do it for Soccer. If that means we're going to non elite at Soccer, then I think that's what we're stuck with then.
J

We are up against countries that are doing that. For some insight, read THIS about how Ajax Amsterdam, the top team in the Netherlands with one of the strongest youth programs in the world, picks and develops players from as early as age 7.

I agree we're unlikely to ever match that on a development level, and maybe that's a good thing for our society. But we have enough other advantages working in our favor that if we can maybe get halfway to what the top countries are doing, we can compete with them on a regular basis.

 

[jonessed]

I don't know the answers for how we get better - but I do believe this based on what I've seen. Trying harder and putting more focus and effort into the youth angle isn't going to make a difference as we're already doing the max there from what I can see.

J

we're not, trust me.

It may be getting better in certain areas, and that's a good thing, but overall youth development is not good.

yeah we are no where near doing the max, or at least doing it efficiently.

Part of Klinsmann's job the next 4 years is to try and align the various development programs and continue to hope that MLS academies can increase generating players like Yedlin and Fagundez on a more steady basis.

This is a much bigger challenge for Klinsmann that picking Zusi over Beckerman or persuading Julian Green to go Yank. Hopefully the team's performance in Brazil will help in this mission. But it's a big country and the national Federation is not as powerful or rich as many others.

I believe this is what he was brought in to do as it fits his skillset.

 

[JaxBill]

Sorry if this was answered already but this thread is moving fast - was Green cap-tied to US before today?

I know he played in a friendly but that doesn't do it. A buddy suggested being named to the 23 qualified him but I maintained he actually had to appear.

One last note - I don't get the Bedoya love I wanted to see what Mix could have done on that stage.

 

[CBusAlex]

It may have (probably has, actually) been brought up in here already but i'm concerned for US soccer interest in the immediate future. Such a big draw for this WC but the time zones really benefit that growth in interest. Russia and then Qatar (if it stays there) means at least 12 years before we get another chance of having our team draped in the flag in prime time.

I'm relatively new to the sport and for me the NBC addition of PL and other matches across Europe will keep me interested but I love sports and competition. The fringe fan may be lost in the next decade or so. Now, if they move the Qatar to the states, of course it'd be huge. Such a fun sport and i'm glad I found interest in it.

The Copa Panamerica in 2016 should help bridge the gap some. And honestly, it's not like this WC had the best start times for the US either, despite being in our time zone.

 

[gump]

It may have (probably has, actually) been brought up in here already but i'm concerned for US soccer interest in the immediate future. Such a big draw for this WC but the time zones really benefit that growth in interest. Russia and then Qatar (if it stays there) means at least 12 years before we get another chance of having our team draped in the flag in prime time.

I'm relatively new to the sport and for me the NBC addition of PL and other matches across Europe will keep me interested but I love sports and competition. The fringe fan may be lost in the next decade or so. Now, if they move the Qatar to the states, of course it'd be huge. Such a fun sport and i'm glad I found interest in it.

People keep saying this in the face of a strong long-term progression in popularity of the game between World Cups. The demographics are different now. The two youngest generations of consumers are into it big time.

That's a positive sign...MLB is really struggling with teens, and the league doesn't seem to have much of an urgent concern about it.

 

[Moe.]

Sorry if this was answered already but this thread is moving fast - was Green cap-tied to US before today?

I know he played in a friendly but that doesn't do it. A buddy suggested being named to the 23 qualified him but I maintained he actually had to appear.

One last note - I don't get the Bedoya love I wanted to see what Mix could have done on that stage.

Green filed a one-time switch with FIFA, he was tied to the US regardless of whether or not he even made the team.

 

[EYLive]

Ok people. Time to change your avatars to less gay pictures.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

It may have (probably has, actually) been brought up in here already but i'm concerned for US soccer interest in the immediate future. Such a big draw for this WC but the time zones really benefit that growth in interest. Russia and then Qatar (if it stays there) means at least 12 years before we get another chance of having our team draped in the flag in prime time.

I'm relatively new to the sport and for me the NBC addition of PL and other matches across Europe will keep me interested but I love sports and competition. The fringe fan may be lost in the next decade or so. Now, if they move the Qatar to the states, of course it'd be huge. Such a fun sport and i'm glad I found interest in it.

FIFA is incredibly corrupt, but I don't think they are stupid enough to actually try to put this in Qatar. Everybody's pockets were lined. Now it's time to actually pick a legitimate host.

That's my take too. When all is said and done (and there's nothing left to lose since the whole scheme is public anyway) they'll move it.

 

[NewlyRetired]

It may have (probably has, actually) been brought up in here already but i'm concerned for US soccer interest in the immediate future. Such a big draw for this WC but the time zones really benefit that growth in interest. Russia and then Qatar (if it stays there) means at least 12 years before we get another chance of having our team draped in the flag in prime time.

You are correct, the ratings will likely peak for 2014.

But I think there was only one game played in prime time in this WC. No other game had a start later than 6:00pm eastermn

This WC featured start times of 12:00, 3:00 and 6:00 for the group stage.

Those will shift to roughly 9:00, 12:00 and 3:00 for Russia.

It will make a difference but not a huge one.

 

[TLEF316]

Sorry if this was answered already but this thread is moving fast - was Green cap-tied to US before today?

I know he played in a friendly but that doesn't do it. A buddy suggested being named to the 23 qualified him but I maintained he actually had to appear.

One last note - I don't get the Bedoya love I wanted to see what Mix could have done on that stage.

Green was tied once he filed his official switch with FIFA (which I believe was back in like February)

The rules vary based on where you were born, where you've lived, if you've played for another country, etc.

For example, John Brooks (who was also born in germany) wasn't cap tied until he actually got into a game. Not sure what the details of the rule are.

edit: green was actually born in Florida. Brooks was born in Germany.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Sorry if this was answered already but this thread is moving fast - was Green cap-tied to US before today?.

Julian was cap tied the minute he submitted his "one time switch" papers to FIFA. Whether he ever played a minute or not for US, he was tied for life.

It was John Brooks who we cap tied during the WC when he subbed in during the Ghana game.

 

[The Gator]

Sorry if this was answered already but this thread is moving fast - was Green cap-tied to US before today?

Yes, he did a one time transfer with FIFA - http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/03/27/14/20/140318-julian-green-association-change-request-rel

One last note - I don't get the Bedoya love I wanted to see what Mix could have done on that stage.

Love Bedoya, but I was calling for Mix to come on for him around the 70min mark

 

[JaxBill]

For the soccer doubters, who think and or want soccer to go away for 4 years, I think this is the tipping point the US has been waiting for - it really is the perfect storm for a growth explosion.

4. Fathers and sons are now partaking in watching soccer in numbers that we have never really had. My dad never enjoyed soccer, despite the fact I played most of my childhood. I watched games with my kids, and they were excited about it. That is where it will translate to a wider audience - kids are growing up with soccer on TV and watching it the same way I grew up watching football or baseball with my dad.

I know this has been talked about for decades, but you can really start to see the evidence of the tipping point right now.

bump for nugs...this is perhaps the best time to be a USMNT fan

This x1000. My wife who is a big sports fan that doesn't really like soccer has accepted the fact to just leave myself and my teenage sons alone when the WC is on.

I took the boys to Tampa to see USMNT in the Gold Cup and we saw them here in Jax for both friendlies.

Saturday mornings BPL is always on with various levels of interest.

 

[Eephus]

We'll never get to a point where we send 10 year olds off to a team. We don't do it for Football and Basketball or Baseball, we're not going to do it for Soccer. If that means we're going to non elite at Soccer, then I think that's what we're stuck with then.
J

We are up against countries that are doing that. For some insight, read THIS about how Ajax Amsterdam, the top team in the Netherlands with one of the strongest youth programs in the world, picks and develops players from as early as age 7.

I agree we're unlikely to ever match that on a development level, and maybe that's a good thing for our society. But we have enough other advantages working in our favor that if we can maybe get halfway to what the top countries are doing, we can compete with them on a regular basis.

One thing in this countries' favor is the pure randomness of elite talent. A national team doesn't need eleven superstars. National sides aren't like the mega club teams in Europe. If Brazil doesn't have a great #9, they can't go out and buy one. They're stuck with Fred and Jo.

A golden generation can consist of three or four players who happen to hit at the same point in the development curve.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Sorry if this was answered already but this thread is moving fast - was Green cap-tied to US before today?

Yes, he did a one time transfer with FIFA - http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/03/27/14/20/140318-julian-green-association-change-request-rel

One last note - I don't get the Bedoya love I wanted to see what Mix could have done on that stage.

Love Bedoya, but I was calling for Mix to come on for him around the 70min mark

I think Mix could be a key player in the next cycle. I just wish he had a touch more grit to his game.

 

[Eephus]

Sorry if this was answered already but this thread is moving fast - was Green cap-tied to US before today?.

Julian was cap tied the minute he submitted his "one time switch" papers to FIFA. Whether he ever played a minute or not for US, he was tied for life.

It was John Brooks who we cap tied during the WC when he subbed in during the Ghana game.

I for one welcome my new fellow Americans.

 

[ffldrew]

I don't know the answers for how we get better - but I do believe this based on what I've seen. Trying harder and putting more focus and effort into the youth angle isn't going to make a difference as we're already doing the max there from what I can see.

J

we're not, trust me.

It may be getting better in certain areas, and that's a good thing, but overall youth development is not good.

yeah we are no where near doing the max, or at least doing it efficiently.

Part of Klinsmann's job the next 4 years is to try and align the various development programs and continue to hope that MLS academies can increase generating players like Yedlin and Fagundez on a more steady basis.

We really need 7-8 Yedlin/Fagundez level players to be generated every year before we can feel good.

I would argue we are 10-15 years away from that but if MLS expansion goes well, we could cut that down a few years.

That is not going to pay dividends in 4 years - those guys are already in the pipeline and our Olympic(U23) U20 and U18 are not all that hot right now - and Klinsmann is not really the coach of those kids now he's more a manager. We have a lot of Hispanic talent in these levels - but Klinsmann seems to like the kids that come thru German academies - something will come to a head there soon IMO. Hopefully they can get this going in a better direction for Russia.

 

[Ilov80s]

Ok people. Time to change your avatars to less gay pictures.

WAC ain't over yet.

 

[Ilov80s]

I don't know why anyone really cares how much people are interested in/like soccer. Doesn't matter to me at all.

More interest= more money to develop = more youth playing= Better American players

 

[NewlyRetired]

It may have (probably has, actually) been brought up in here already but i'm concerned for US soccer interest in the immediate future. Such a big draw for this WC but the time zones really benefit that growth in interest. Russia and then Qatar (if it stays there) means at least 12 years before we get another chance of having our team draped in the flag in prime time.

I'm relatively new to the sport and for me the NBC addition of PL and other matches across Europe will keep me interested but I love sports and competition. The fringe fan may be lost in the next decade or so. Now, if they move the Qatar to the states, of course it'd be huge. Such a fun sport and i'm glad I found interest in it.

People keep saying this in the face of a strong long-term progression in popularity of the game between World Cups. The demographics are different now. The two youngest generations of consumers are into it big time.

That's a positive sign...MLB is really struggling with teens, and the league doesn't seem to have much of an urgent concern about it.

I have read a ton of articles saying that soccer strongest foothold are the demographics which lean heavily young and have a healthy mix of white and hispanic.

Why does MLB not also benefit from the enormous and growing young hispanic population?

 

[Sinn Fein]

We'll never get to a point where we send 10 year olds off to a team. We don't do it for Football and Basketball or Baseball, we're not going to do it for Soccer. If that means we're going to non elite at Soccer, then I think that's what we're stuck with then.
J

We are up against countries that are doing that. For some insight, read THIS about how Ajax Amsterdam, the top team in the Netherlands with one of the strongest youth programs in the world, picks and develops players from as early as age 7.

I agree we're unlikely to ever match that on a development level, and maybe that's a good thing for our society. But we have enough other advantages working in our favor that if we can maybe get halfway to what the top countries are doing, we can compete with them on a regular basis.

One thing in this countries' favor is the pure randomness of elite talent. A national team doesn't need eleven superstars. National sides aren't like the mega club teams in Europe. If Brazil doesn't have a great #9, they can't go out and buy one. They're stuck with Fred and Jo.

A golden generation can consist of three or four players who happen to hit at the same point in the development curve.

I like what we have for the next cycle with Green, Yedlin, Bradley, Gonzalez/Besler/Brooks thats a pretty good group to build around. Chandler too at RB. Fabian Johnson could stick around for the full cycle, and push Yedlin up to an attacking midfielder. I'd like to see Mix get involved as the creative type in the middle, with bacon up top.

I don't think we are as far off as we think, in terms of having players who are skillful and confident on the ball.

 

[TLEF316]

For those that don't know, roughly 1000 elite 6-8 year olds try out for Barcelona's youth system every year. They take the best 200. These 200 go into the funnel with the hundreds of others they already have. These kids have skills and a specific style of play drilled into their head 24/7/365 for years.

Barcelona doesn't care if 195 of those 200 kids never even sniff their first team. They'll gladly pay for their training (and in some cases room and board) for a decade if it means they find 1 Lionel Messi or Xavi. (plus a handful of other squad players and a bunch of others that they can sell to lesser clubs to recoup some of their investment)

The US will never get to this point, mostly because the parents in our culture will never accept it. The idea of letting 195 kids wash out in order to find 1 or 2 stars just doesn't work in America.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Gotta fire Klinsmann and hire former Peru boss know-it-all Christo no?

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Biggest difference that always gets brought up is the US focuses more on team coaching vs skill coaching. Lots more that can be done in terms of training and development as well as talent identification probably.

But I don't see most US parents subjecting their kids to the European model anytime soon. It's gotten much better though.

 

[Sinn Fein]

It may have (probably has, actually) been brought up in here already but i'm concerned for US soccer interest in the immediate future. Such a big draw for this WC but the time zones really benefit that growth in interest. Russia and then Qatar (if it stays there) means at least 12 years before we get another chance of having our team draped in the flag in prime time.

I'm relatively new to the sport and for me the NBC addition of PL and other matches across Europe will keep me interested but I love sports and competition. The fringe fan may be lost in the next decade or so. Now, if they move the Qatar to the states, of course it'd be huge. Such a fun sport and i'm glad I found interest in it.

People keep saying this in the face of a strong long-term progression in popularity of the game between World Cups. The demographics are different now. The two youngest generations of consumers are into it big time.

That's a positive sign...MLB is really struggling with teens, and the league doesn't seem to have much of an urgent concern about it.

I have read a ton of articles saying that soccer strongest foothold are the demographics which lean heavily young and have a healthy mix of white and hispanic.

Why does MLB not also benefit from the enormous and growing young hispanic population?

Its an old-white guy's game right now. It is dying on the vine, and no real way to spruce it up.

 

[Eephus]

We'll never get to a point where we send 10 year olds off to a team. We don't do it for Football and Basketball or Baseball, we're not going to do it for Soccer. If that means we're going to non elite at Soccer, then I think that's what we're stuck with then.
J

We are up against countries that are doing that. For some insight, read THIS about how Ajax Amsterdam, the top team in the Netherlands with one of the strongest youth programs in the world, picks and develops players from as early as age 7.

I agree we're unlikely to ever match that on a development level, and maybe that's a good thing for our society. But we have enough other advantages working in our favor that if we can maybe get halfway to what the top countries are doing, we can compete with them on a regular basis.

One thing in this countries' favor is the pure randomness of elite talent. A national team doesn't need eleven superstars. National sides aren't like the mega club teams in Europe. If Brazil doesn't have a great #9, they can't go out and buy one. They're stuck with Fred and Jo.

A golden generation can consist of three or four players who happen to hit at the same point in the development curve.

I like what we have for the next cycle with Green, Yedlin, Bradley, Gonzalez/Besler/Brooks thats a pretty good group to build around. Chandler too at RB. Fabian Johnson could stick around for the full cycle, and push Yedlin up to an attacking midfielder. I'd like to see Mix get involved as the creative type in the middle, with bacon up top.

I don't think we are as far off as we think, in terms of having players who are skillful and confident on the ball.

Timmy Chandler had an outstanding tournament

 

[NewlyRetired]

I don't know the answers for how we get better - but I do believe this based on what I've seen. Trying harder and putting more focus and effort into the youth angle isn't going to make a difference as we're already doing the max there from what I can see.

J

we're not, trust me.It may be getting better in certain areas, and that's a good thing, but overall youth development is not good.

yeah we are no where near doing the max, or at least doing it efficiently.

Part of Klinsmann's job the next 4 years is to try and align the various development programs and continue to hope that MLS academies can increase generating players like Yedlin and Fagundez on a more steady basis.

We really need 7-8 Yedlin/Fagundez level players to be generated every year before we can feel good.

I would argue we are 10-15 years away from that but if MLS expansion goes well, we could cut that down a few years.

That is not going to pay dividends in 4 years - those guys are already in the pipeline and our Olympic(U23) U20 and U18 are not all that hot right now - and Klinsmann is not really the coach of those kids now he's more a manager. We have a lot of Hispanic talent in these levels - but Klinsmann seems to like the kids that come thru German academies - something will come to a head there soon IMO. Hopefully they can get this going in a better direction for Russia.

I don't expect Russia to be too much different than Brazil. We should put together a team that in an average group should make the second round.

I like some of the individual talent in our youth teams. I don't think the Rubio Rubins or Junior Flores will be ready for Russia but 4 years is a long time away.

The two players who could have the biggest affect on the next cycle are Fagundez and Nagbe, both of whom are working through citizenship issues.

 

[Slapdash]

I don't know why anyone really cares how much people are interested in/like soccer. Doesn't matter to me at all.

More interest= more money to develop = more youth playing= Better American players

Unless we're going to let clubs start purchasing the rights of kids in elementary school, the above is just going to be a marginal improvement.

Looser immigration policies would help more than higher interest in the sport.

 

[got_nugs]

It may have (probably has, actually) been brought up in here already but i'm concerned for US soccer interest in the immediate future. Such a big draw for this WC but the time zones really benefit that growth in interest. Russia and then Qatar (if it stays there) means at least 12 years before we get another chance of having our team draped in the flag in prime time.

I'm relatively new to the sport and for me the NBC addition of PL and other matches across Europe will keep me interested but I love sports and competition. The fringe fan may be lost in the next decade or so. Now, if they move the Qatar to the states, of course it'd be huge. Such a fun sport and i'm glad I found interest in it.

People keep saying this in the face of a strong long-term progression in popularity of the game between World Cups. The demographics are different now. The two youngest generations of consumers are into it big time.

The 10 games of the final week in Premier League back in May, all played at exactly the same time, drew a combined 5 million viewers in the U.S. Not much was on the line, either.

I'm wrong all the time. It's just a concern that I have. I hope i'm dead wrong about this, I think there's a huge capacity for growth in the states.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

US has made huge strides in hockey of late. I know the competition is not the same world wide but I think there are lessons that could apply to a sport like soccer.

 

[NewlyRetired]

It may have (probably has, actually) been brought up in here already but i'm concerned for US soccer interest in the immediate future. Such a big draw for this WC but the time zones really benefit that growth in interest. Russia and then Qatar (if it stays there) means at least 12 years before we get another chance of having our team draped in the flag in prime time.

I'm relatively new to the sport and for me the NBC addition of PL and other matches across Europe will keep me interested but I love sports and competition. The fringe fan may be lost in the next decade or so. Now, if they move the Qatar to the states, of course it'd be huge. Such a fun sport and i'm glad I found interest in it.

People keep saying this in the face of a strong long-term progression in popularity of the game between World Cups. The demographics are different now. The two youngest generations of consumers are into it big time.The 10 games of the final week in Premier League back in May, all played at exactly the same time, drew a combined 5 million viewers in the U.S. Not much was on the line, either.

I'm wrong all the time. It's just a concern that I have. I hope i'm dead wrong about this, I think there's a huge capacity for growth in the states.

The growth will come. It is significantly more popular today than it was 8 years ago and it will be more popular 8 years from now. Trying to project the exact growth curve is impossible but as a fan who lived through multiple dark times, it is hard to explain how bright things are and look to be.

 

[The Gator]

Biggest difference that always gets brought up is the US focuses more on team coaching vs skill coaching. Lots more that can be done in terms of training and development as well as talent identification probably.

Oh man, this is a good one.

Tactics and formations shouldn't be taught to kids under 12 imo and yet there are guys who focus entire practices to this. Kids need to know where to be on the field, I get it and it's needed, but they don't need to be standing on a field for 30min doing nothing while the coach goes around and moves them where they're supposed to be at any given point.

Practices in the USA are waaaaaay too structured, we're over coaching the kids and stifling any kind of natural development.

 

[gump]

It may have (probably has, actually) been brought up in here already but i'm concerned for US soccer interest in the immediate future. Such a big draw for this WC but the time zones really benefit that growth in interest. Russia and then Qatar (if it stays there) means at least 12 years before we get another chance of having our team draped in the flag in prime time.

I'm relatively new to the sport and for me the NBC addition of PL and other matches across Europe will keep me interested but I love sports and competition. The fringe fan may be lost in the next decade or so. Now, if they move the Qatar to the states, of course it'd be huge. Such a fun sport and i'm glad I found interest in it.

People keep saying this in the face of a strong long-term progression in popularity of the game between World Cups. The demographics are different now. The two youngest generations of consumers are into it big time.

That's a positive sign...MLB is really struggling with teens, and the league doesn't seem to have much of an urgent concern about it.

I have read a ton of articles saying that soccer strongest foothold are the demographics which lean heavily young and have a healthy mix of white and hispanic.

Why does MLB not also benefit from the enormous and growing young hispanic population?

Its an old-white guy's game right now. It is dying on the vine, and no real way to spruce it up.

Yea...the player mix is terrible (who cares about Trout other than Angel fans for example)...and the game is slow.

And the Mkt isn't connecting...the #1 MLB player on Twitter is Nick Swisher.

 

[moleculo]

I think there's plenty of room for growth. We need to blow up the youth model somehow whereby teams have as many games as practices, and figure out how to get kids practicing more. Not sure how to do that.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

My dog was born in Germany, I guess I'm rooting for them.

 

[Sinn Fein]

For those that don't know, roughly 1000 elite 6-8 year olds try out for Barcelona's youth system every year. They take the best 200. These 200 go into the funnel with the hundreds of others they already have. These kids have skills and a specific style of play drilled into their head 24/7/365 for years.

Barcelona doesn't care if 195 of those 200 kids never even sniff their first team. They'll gladly pay for their training (and in some cases room and board) for a decade if it means they find 1 Lionel Messi or Xavi. (plus a handful of other squad players and a bunch of others that they can sell to lesser clubs to recoup some of their investment)

The US will never get to this point, mostly because the parents in our culture will never accept it. The idea of letting 195 kids wash out in order to find 1 or 2 stars just doesn't work in America.

Disagree 1000%

This happens every day in America - only it happens in sports like basketball and football, where "poor" youngsters pour their heart and soul into breaking out of the proverbial ghetto by playing sports - they are encouraged to pursue those sports to the exclusion of all other life-changing activities, and for the most part their families, and the system, does not care if they wash out.

In the US, soccer is generally a middle-class sport, played out in suburbia across the country. In most countries, the "stars" have come from poor backgrounds, much the same way many of our football and basketball players come from. Soccer is a generation or 2 away from having that kind of impact - where kids dream of a better life by playing soccer. As the professional sport grows, so will the desire of kids living on the wrong side of the tracks to play their way out of their environment.