Isn't that a good thing?all this and Alex Morgan can't hold her liquor
Isn't that a good thing?all this and Alex Morgan can't hold her liquor
Perhaps, but even someone like John Lewis has been rotting at NYCFC. If he was in Europe he'd at least be loaned out and getting minutes someone (this is what Germany did that Twellman was referencing). 20 year olds need games, not to be the 19th man on an MLS roster.but isn't that what the academies are only just now doing? it's not like there's a long history for them to build on... they're basically brand new, no?
there are a lot of young guys playing for the baby nats (at least we have THEM to support) and already in MLS who are coming up through those... right? did we have that 10 years ago? even 8?
I think it's the right track... generally.
I thought his timing on both was pretty off.He had a pretty bad game so I'm sure that makes it even worse - that 2nd goal was an incredible strike but I think it probably should have been saved.
I'm not talking MLS squads just yet...I think- and I'm far less knowledgable about the academies and MLS than most of you guys- but I think that the academies are only just starting to create pro-level players with any regularity. I also think that teams will start to cash in on their development by playing them and then selling them overseas... like haji, swagger, etc, with adams and many others on their heels. this batch of teenagers are far more professional in ability and understanding than any generation prior, IMO... which is a good thing. and I don't think it should come as a surprise that they're amongst the first generation to grow up in the US having pro soccer as a viable option and having pro soccer culture around them.I don't...and I'll leave it at that....at some point run through the MLS lineups and see how many under 26 US players play (nevermind U-23s). These guys rot from 18-23.
I mentioned this earlier. He might be done tied with Landon....I think he wanted that record so badly too.Duece probably just played his last meaningful game for the US.
we're almost there already.Yeah, obviously we're not going to just find another Pulisic. But who was Weston McKennie 18 months ago? Who was Jonathan Gonzalez (well, we still dont really know who these guys are)
We're not gonna get 11 Pulisics, but why we can't we have 1 Pulisic and then 6 or 7 guys that are a step or 2 below that (which still means they can start at one of the top 25-30 clubs in the world before they turn 26). That would be a pretty big step and we could be there 4 years from now.
4 inchesI mentioned this earlier. He might be done tied with Landon....I think he wanted that record so badly too.
I was hoping as that ball rolled that the field would just nudge it a touch at the end4 inches
I was thinking the same thing.I still can't believe we couldn't even tie a team with 3 points. It's Trinidad and Tobago.
You know what else really pisses me off. This is the final game of a World Cup qualification for this country and I can't even watch it on a normal ####### channel on my television. I have to watch some illegal bootleg #### stream on my computer with laggy audio so our national team can #### the bed. I can watch the women's 2017 mid-Spring Norwegian curling classic between Finland and Denmark on TV but not our national team as they proceed to bow out of the biggest sports tournament in the world aside from the Olympics?
Man, get the #### out of here. What a disgrace.
Why the hell not?For those that say to "burn it down and build a ten year strategy", what does that look like? We are not Belgium or Germany. What are the steps needed? Surely its beyond simply hiring a new Coach and new Federation President?
We are? No ####### way - who are the 25-30 best teams - Liverpool, Arsenal and a couple of mid table Spanish teams - which of our players are starting for those teams?we're almost there already.
#blameschoenI still can't believe we couldn't even tie a team with 3 points. It's Trinidad and Tobago. #######.
You know what else really pisses me off? This is the final game of a World Cup qualification for this country and I can't even watch it on a normal ####### channel on my television. I have to watch some illegal bootleg #### stream on my computer with laggy audio so our national team can #### the bed. I can watch the women's 2017 mid-Spring Norwegian curling classic between Finland and Denmark on TV but not our national team as they proceed to bow out of the biggest sports tournament in the world aside from the Olympics?
Man, get the #### out of here. What a disgrace.
Yeah, this really is a big deal. 20 years ago, the guy who will end up our all time leading scorer (assuming he doesn't just hang em up after this debacle, which is possible) had to jump in the family minivan and shuttle 3 hours each way just to play for a decent club team when he was a kid. Then the best he could do in terms of development was 3 years at freaking FURMAN university. FURMANI'm not talking MLS squads just yet...I think- and I'm far less knowledgable about the academies and MLS than most of you guys- but I think that the academies are only just starting to create pro-level players with any regularity. I also think that teams will start to cash in on their development by playing them and then selling them overseas... like haji, swagger, etc, with adams and many others on their heels. this batch of teenagers are far more professional in ability and understanding than any generation prior, IMO... which is a good thing. and I don't think it should come as a surprise that they're amongst the first generation to grow up in the US having pro soccer as a viable option and having pro soccer culture around them.
I was thinking the same thing.
This is obviously on the players but this country needs to step the #### up at all levels regarding the World Cup:
1. Don’t host games where half the city’s population consists of the opposing team.
2. Get a tv contract to push out marketing and excitement as far as possible to casual fans.
3. Best Trinidad and Tobago's ####### B TEAM.
4. Profit.
I agree we can be more but let's not kid ourselves - we played Belgium close in 2014 but they have gotten a lot better - we are way off them. And somebody else posted it but Germany can field 4 full teams and CP would be the only player in our side that would sniff any of the 4 teams.Why the hell not?
I think that mentality has stagnated our progress & gives easy excuses every failure.
Despite our talent pool being thinned by other sports I'm not accepting that we can't be a LOT more with the resources this nation has at its disposal.
Freaking embarrassing & I'm tired of excuses.
we also have the strange Concacaf variable too.Yeah, obviously we're not going to just find another Pulisic. But who was Weston McKennie 18 months ago? Who was Jonathan Gonzalez (well, we still dont really know who these guys are)
We're not gonna get 11 Pulisics, but why we can't we have 1 Pulisic and then 6 or 7 guys that are a step or 2 below that (which still means they can start at one of the top 25-30 clubs in the world before they turn 26). That would be a pretty big step and we could be there 4 years from now.
I'll believe it when these kids actually get opportunities to play in matches. MLS (like the EPL) is too keyed on winning and looking for the short term answer.I'm not talking MLS squads just yet...I think- and I'm far less knowledgable about the academies and MLS than most of you guys- but I think that the academies are only just starting to create pro-level players with any regularity. I also think that teams will start to cash in on their development by playing them and then selling them overseas... like haji, swagger, etc, with adams and many others on their heels. this batch of teenagers are far more professional in ability and understanding than any generation prior, IMO... which is a good thing. and I don't think it should come as a surprise that they're amongst the first generation to grow up in the US having pro soccer as a viable option and having pro soccer culture around them.
we basically are Belgium. they were an ok team with a low ceiling and potentially lower floor until they rebooted.Why the hell not?For those that say to "burn it down and build a ten year strategy", what does that look like? We are not Belgium or Germany. What are the steps needed? Surely its beyond simply hiring a new Coach and new Federation President?
I think that mentality has stagnated our progress & gives easy excuses every failure.
Despite our talent pool being thinned by other sports I'm not accepting that we can't be a LOT more with the resources this nation has at its disposal.
Freaking embarrassing & I'm tired of excuses.
Duece probably just played his last meaningful game for the US.
Yea well guess what we're a bunch of slobs on a message board, not the f'n players.It's easy to sit here and say that the US wasn't urgent enough in the hex and took things for granted, but honestly so were lots of the people here.
All I kept hearing after every bad game was no big deal, all we have to do is beat Costa Rica at home and we always do that. No worries we only need one point tonight then we will just take care of Honduras who is no real threat. Etc.
That seemed to be the same feeling the team had. It was always "eh we will just take care of it next month".
S####horpe?we basically are Belgium. they were an ok team with a low ceiling and potentially lower floor until they rebooted.
they looked up and completely redid their approach- and now they're **BELGIUM** and not ####e.
hopefully it's a shifting tide. but there are still guys across the league that have come up through the academies and playing regular minutes... I'm with you in hoping that more arrive sooner than later- or at least more get the chance sooner than later.I'll believe it when these kids actually get opportunities to play in matches. MLS (like the EPL) is too keyed on winning and looking for the short term answer.
Some of that is a result of the shortcomings in the developmental structure. There was a lot of talk about changing that when JK was hired but there's a lot of inertia and $$$ tied up in the status quo.I'll believe it when these kids actually get opportunities to play in matches. MLS (like the EPL) is too keyed on winning and looking for the short term answer.
that seems overly hopeful.we're almost there already.
Belgium didn't just "get better" they looked up a while back and redid their approach top to bottom... created this generation of players.I agree we can be more but let's not kid ourselves -weHOWARD played Belgium close in 2014 but they have gotten a lot better - we are way off them. And somebody else posted it but Germany can field 4 full teams and CP would be the only player in our side that would sniff any of the 4 teams.
Sorry, but no we aren't. Hazard, De Bruyne, Lukaku - several world class defenders. We just aren't anywhere close to that.we basically are Belgium. they were an ok team with a low ceiling and potentially lower floor until they rebooted.
they looked up and completely redid their approach- and now they're **BELGIUM** and not ####e.
You forgot Fellaini (that's for Wondo)Sorry, but no we aren't. Hazard, De Bruyne, Lukaku - several world class defenders. We just aren't anywhere close to that.
Ok fine. So lets say we can be Belgium. Or Germany. Or Argentina? Whats the ten year plan?we basically are Belgium. they were an ok team with a low ceiling and potentially lower floor until they rebooted.
they looked up and completely redid their approach- and now they're **BELGIUM** and not ####e.
Honest question - you think from 2014 until now is more about their approach than it is this current generation of players? What did they do so differently?Belgium didn't just "get better" they looked up a while back and redid their approach top to bottom... created this generation of players.
hey guy... belgium was a plodding, mediocre team that never did much of anything. sound familar? so yes- we are belgium.Sorry, but no we aren't. Hazard, De Bruyne, Lukaku - several world class defenders. We just aren't anywhere close to that.
To combat this I am signing my 3 year old up for soccer tomorrow. Pulisic 2.0 is coming.And now all these amazing athletes we have in this country that would have started to play soccer after watching the US in World Cup 2018 are now going to join other sports. We just lost LeBron 2.0.
Wilmots in!!!hey guy... belgium was a plodding, mediocre team that never did much of anything. sound familar? so yes- we are belgium.
they rebooted their program top to bottom and literally created this generation. hopefully we are belgium in that regard too.
Maybe LeBron 1.0 can play goalie for us!!1!And now all these amazing athletes we have in this country that would have started to play soccer after watching the US in World Cup 2018 are now going to join other sports. We just lost LeBron 2.0.
Too late to do it that way this cycle?NewlyRetired said:The WC is expanding to 48 teams in 2026 when the US/Mexico/ and Canada host.
Even worse, the group stage is now going to be just 3 teams and PK's will be used to decide every game if tied to prevent collusion.
It is going to suck as a fan. Basically Qualifying is almost meaningless and then you can wait for 4 years to lose a game on pk's and be done after two games.
I can't overstate how much I hate this.
That's one argument for not having relegation. At least you wouldn't get penalized for dropping. I'll say it again though, when you can sign a 27 year old from say CR (or however old Wallace is) and be called competitive or play the 20 year old American and be in a fight for a playoff spot, the choice for MLS clubs is easy.hopefully it's a shifting tide. but there are still guys across the league that have come up through the academies and playing regular minutes... I'm with you in hoping that more arrive sooner than later- or at least more get the chance sooner than later.
comparing to EPL- there's no relegation and half the teams get into the playoffs for a shot at the MLS cup. no reason why they shouldn't be running out young guys.
with soon to be 24 teams, ideally you would like to see 2-3 American players per team in the 18-22 year old range getting starters minutes. This has improved in the last few years but not fast enough IMO.I'll believe it when these kids actually get opportunities to play in matches. MLS (like the EPL) is too keyed on winning and looking for the short term answer.
I think he meant Belgium back when they were poor before this group came inSorry, but no we aren't. Hazard, De Bruyne, Lukaku - several world class defenders. We just aren't anywhere close to that.
I keep hearing all the teams in the region got better but it doesn't really pass the eyeball test. Sure maybe there is more parity in the region but that just means they are all closer to mediocrity than before. I doubt any of them do anything at the WC regardless of the draw. The last 5 US WC teams could beat any of these Hex teams too. So that means Germany and Italy and the like will curbstomp them. Even Iceland would throw down Thor's hammer on this joke of a region.I don't what changes from this.
that said- this isn't about little progress for US soccer- most of that T&T B Team plays in the US pyramid. all the teams in the region have gotten better- and many of them also play here. the depth of the US- filled in by MLS and more overseas guys- is much better and the LCD much higher. so there's increased depth.
Yes that's it.with soon to be 24 teams, ideally you would like to see 2-3 American players per team in the 18-22 year old range. This has improved in the last few years but not fast enough IMO.
If we can get those numbers to 48-72 across the league (2-3 per team) that should open up many more opportunities for players to move abroad and continue developing from 22-25ish.
We should not able to count on one hand players that have moved recently from an MLS squad (Yedlin, Miazga......jesus, is this it in recent years??)
Yeah but the buildup would have been fun: the draw, the roster decisions, the final tune-ups, the anticipation, the hope. It's all over.This team did not deserve to go. The win against Panama was an aberration. While, yes, a trip to Russia would mean we qualified, but they surely would have exited with three straight beatings.
Honest question - you think from 2014 until now is more about their approach than it is this current generation of players? What did they do so differently?
Enzo Scifo FTWlast time they were a dark horse darling that most of us expected to do really well... because of those same players. it's this generation of players getting older and better. seems pretty easy to me.
but it's not about 2014-now. it's about <<2014 and how they got that generation of players in the first place... .when the previously were highly mediocre outside of a couple decent players.
I think I see where we are disagreeing - I thought you meant they made changes from 2014 until now - I was saying they've improved from that time and are way ahead of us - this was 2014 - the changes they made would have been back in early to mid 2000's?hey guy... belgium was a plodding, mediocre team that never did much of anything. sound familar? so yes- we are belgium.
they rebooted their program top to bottom and literally created this generation. hopefully we are belgium in that regard too.