The problem with the US's offense is that it is a forward passing only offense. I don't think a single goal the US scored had a backwards or lateral pass involved past the midfield line. It was diffinitely a fast break team: stretched out on the wings wide, with nothing in the middle. The US could have used a good dribbling center midfielder. Someone who can initiate the offense 10-15 meters from the top of the penalty box. Against Ghana, the US was exposed to this imbalance in their offense.
I think Bradley has done a solid job, but I would go in a different direction. In my opinion, Bradley is too conservative. I don't have anyone in particular in mind, but I would go with a South American coach that has experience in both South America and Europe. Hopefully he could shore up the defense and change the team's style of play to a more aggressive/attacking approach. I was real disappointed at the lack of finishing by the US forwards throughout the World Cup. Again, in my view, an elite striker that scores with flair on a consistent basis would do wonder for US soccer in general (since Americans are obsessed with scoring) and the national team in particular (as he would put away the chances he gets to score). It would bring more positive attention to US soccer and obviously help the national score more goals. Unfortunately, there is nothing that a new coach can do about this. I agree that Howard was very good, but he was out of position on that 1st Ghana goal. He didn't cover his near post well enough and as a result he let a low, but relatively weak and savable shot in.
Yeah that was an easy shot by Howard standards, but how does a single guy from midpitch breakthrough a 3 on 1 with an additional defender trying to keep up with him?
What Klinnsman says in the video is correct, but that's not the responsibility of the head coach, that is what the federation as a whole needs to be working on. As far as the head coach is concerned, I do think it's time to move on from Bradley and bring in somebody that will move the national team away from the conservative mindset they've had in the past.
I always thought Klinsmann was overrated. He never impressed me during his time with Germany. Somewhat similar to Van Basten as a coach during his time with teh Dutch team (and Ajax).
I don't think that's true at all and is a reflection of popular mythology created by movies like City of God etc. My lady is from Rio Grande do Sul, in the south of brazil, home of Ronaldinho among others. Most of the competitive soccer players there are just regular middle class kids playing organized soccer rather than barefoot kids kicking rag-balls and dodging bullets in the favela. Brazil is just a soccer mad country with a massive population and a hardcore athletic tradition - they're going to produce lots and lots of good players from any and all backgrounds no matter what.
Are we not getting to the next level because of coaching(i.e. Lakers before Phil or Rockets before Rudy T), or because there's an inherent talent issue? I get the impression that every time the US makes it out of the group stages, they're actually over-achieving.
Are the US a top 16 soccer team? a top 8? IMHO we did about as well as one could expect. Now France and Italy have reason to fire their coaches.
Just because both Klinsmann and Van Basten were both great players, that comparison for them as coaches is really unfair. Klinsmann took over a German team who was trashed in the Euro 2004. Two years later in the WC, his team won every game but one, and that was in the semis against the eventual champions in overtime. If that kind of turnaround effort doesn't impress you, then I don't know what will. On the other hand, Van Basten's team (3rd place finish in Euro 04) finished second in the WC group and was beat fair and square in the first knock-out round by Portugal, whom Germany dismantled in the 3rd place game. You tell me how they were similar.
This. Bradley did fine, the players like him, the problem is their pool of talent is shallow. The Hispanic angle may be valid - I don't see any way to break the sucking vacuum of basketball and football on American athletic talent.
Bradley should be out. It's just tradition... except for ARENA. "get with the Hispanic population..." - LOL! :grin: In you dreams, Klinnsman... in your dreams... - Sincerely, Donovan (speaks Spanish), Gomez, Torres, Dooley, Hugo Perez, Fernando Clavijo, etc., etc.
Except for Donovan, those players suck. And Donovan is not Mexican. :grin: Soccer won't over take basketball in the inner city until it is popular in the suburbs. It's all about the money. Soccer can't even compete against the lowely sport of la crosse, let alone basketball or baseball.
How do you think he got to be so good at a sport that "wasn't that popular with US-born kids"?? He played against nothing but Hispanics. That's how.
Agreed on the above points but the '06 Brazil WC team did only have one player (Kaka) who came from a middle-class or better upbringing. Not sure if that's true for this year's team but the simple fact of the matter is that the U.S. system (club teams, showcase tournaments etc..) precludes talented kids from playing at higher levels if their families can't afford it.
Same for Dempsey. I never understood the rule that if you accept a position on the Dynamo (or FC Dallas up here in North Texas) Academy team that you couldn't play with for your high school team. Soccer needs to go the route of AAU, IMO and give more kids access to the coaching/training that the US can provide to build up the talent base. If a kid who is in one of those Academies can play on his high school team, he might be able to find another kid or two that should get a try-out on the select/elite/academy team as well. This is how you grow the base. Game recognizes game, right? And, those kids will be exposed to a wider variety of talent - not just the affluent ones who can afford the traveling teams. Get some talent identified early, put them in the program, and coach them up. We can't let what happened to Freddie Adu happen again. We had a talented kid, and let him try and stick overseas because the infrastructure wasn't available at home to develop and nurture whatever God-given talents he may have possessed.
^ Add to the Dempsey and Donovan also: TORRES, who got a lot better by playing and training with Mexican teams. Dooley did this back in the 90's. Now it's HERCULEZ GOMEZ's turn with Pachuca. Michael Orozco is with San Luis, Edgar Castillo is with Tigres, and Marco Vidal is with Indios...
It may be different in Dallas, but the Houston academy allows players to play for their high school teams, but not for a club team. http://www.houstondynamo.com/content/academy-faq One of the biggest problems with youth development in America is that too much focus is put on winning instead of player development. At younger ages it's easier to win games with superior athleticism which leads to more talented kids being looked over if they don't meet the physical attributes the coaches want.
LOL! You've GOT to be kidding. Tim Howard was one of the strongest performers in this Cup. There wasn't a single goal I would say Howard flubbed.....it's not his fault that a funnel would have been a more effective defender than the middle of our defense, or that Ricardo Clark decided to go completely off the reservation in his 15 minutes on the field against Ghana. If it wasn't for some of the fantastic saves he made in the group stage (not to mention his completely incredible outlet pass to Landon Donovan against Algeria), the United States wouldn't have even BEEN in the knockout stage.
