So you're saying the USA can only win using raw athleticism and not actual skill? The athletes on team USA are better than most other countries.
To be fair Klimsman teams always brought it when it mattered and he publicly shamed the MLS guys. He saw this happening. Fire the guy who fired him.
This is not a league thing, it is about the lack of HEART on that team - the lack of competitive FIRE, no one willing to get stuck in.....cowards. If Iceland a country of 300k, the size of Corpus Christi can qualify, this is an EPIC failure, CLEAN HOUSE in US soccer....Gulati, OUT, Arena OUT, Tab Ramos - it might be time.... DD
I just want to read the article listing the fall out. This is more than just missing out on the World Cup.
I don't care, call a spade a spade. These players came to MLS, a league that did not demand anything of them, and were treated like conquering heroes. Guys like Zusi stayed in the MLS after the last World Cup cycle instead of going to challenge themselves in Europe. When they're fine with maxing out in a c-level league, what more can we really expect? The league itself has engendered the apathy we see in players like Michael Bradley and Joey Altidore. I'd like to see it succeed as much as the next US soccer fan, but I can't pretend that it's beneficial to us right now. You can't tell me that Bradley coming to Toronto, instead of taking the offer that Roma extended, benefited him professionally. You can't tell me that competing in Serie A would not have done anything more for his "competitive fire" than MLS has. Athleticism has never been the US' problem, it's technical skill. Even watching bottom-table EPL teams vs. top MLS teams is night and day. Kick everyone off of this team and call up the entire U-17 team. There's nothing left to lose.
Look, we are all upset and calling for heads, but sometimes only fire can burn away the stench of failure from this entire squad. The biggest mistake made was hiring Bruce Arena to babysit these egos and hopefully ride out another knockout stage elimination and figure out how to improve incrementally. The good news is Pulisic appears special and he's only 19. He could easily be our centerpiece for the next 3 WC (3rd one would be at age 32 which should hopefully still be tail end of his prime). He's already playing for one of the best clubs in one of the best leagues in the world. Bundesliga games are even shown on Cable TV every Saturday now. So we can hate this moment now, but this is a tipping point. This is a moment you look back at and see how it defined the journey back to prominence. I believe the key is we have to get our youth watching European soccer. I really believe this is the only way we are going to evolve into a competitive national team again. There is a big money war coming. The NFL is on shaky ground. But MLS is not the answer, not yet. MLS is a retirement league. It is helping other Central American players more than it is young American players. We need to actively promote soccer culture among fans currently disgruntled and/or fatigued by the NFL and its greed. I'm not saying don't watch MLS, but make room for the real players. We need exposure to the best. We need to spark creativity from a young age. The time is right. The mission is clear. Watch the best players play. Stop lying to yourselves. Champion the ****ing beautiful game FFS.
Did we seriously fking missed the World Cup? Do u know it's fking every four years?!?!?! I know that we don't go far, but it's always nice to root for your country. I blame this on the firing of the coach and probably blame shtty baldy bradley. Didn't even watched the game but Bradley is legit sht and him getting named captain shows how shtty our team is.
If you choose to play in the MLS you either can’t hack playing in the majors (Europe) or its a retirement home for you. The best athletes can make more money than NBA players if they are great in Europe. This isn’t about pay. It’s about skill.
Bradley was HORRIBLE always dropping back, and making soft passes, and his next DRIVEN corner kick will be his first. DD
CONCACAF is a $#@!ing cakewalk. Yet we found a way to blow this. Seriously. Look at this - out of 10 games, we won 3: Panama at home 4-0 Honduras at home 6-0 T&T at home 2-0 Drew 3: Mexico in Mexico: 1-1 Panama in Panama: 1-1 Honduras in Hondura: 1-1 Lost 4, $#@!ING FOUR GAMES: Mexico at home: 1-2 Costa Rica AT HOME: 0-2 Costa Rica in Costa Rica: 4-0 and tonight against T&T: 2-1 We missed out on the Intercontinental Playoff by 1 point. You can find a point (OR MORE) in any of those losses or games.
Actually we missed out on the playoff by a BULLSHIT call awarding Panama a goal on a ball that never went over the line. DD
Wow, didn't even have to watch and I predicted correctly. It's sad that espn and media is always on the baldy's dong when he sucks so much. Named captain of the US team but doesn't plays with heart and his passes r soft as a tissue. I only watched worlds, and I could tell that baldy fk was sht. The talent on our team is pretty shtty if baldy fk was named captain. Sad day for Men US Soccer.
Klinsmann's proper global perspective was 100% vindicated by this result. For all his faults, he understood these guys coming home to MLS was a bad idea. Altidore could have played in a lesser league. Bradley, Howard and Dempsey just too old. How many USA fans are still bitter about Donovan being left of the 14 WC squad? Where is he now?
I’m trying really really hard not to respond to the idiocy saying it’s a problem of athleticism. There, as f***ing hard as it is right now to say this, is a silver lining. This forces massive change. Go see Taylor Twellman’s post game rant. He spoke about Germany after the 2000 Euros. The national team and the professional leagues got together and created a 10 year plan. In 2010, they won the Cup. I’m not saying we’re winning the 2026 or 2030 Cup. I’m saying they need to take a very hard look at what is happening and figure out a plan to get us where we should’ve been a decade ago. The current U17 and U20 teams are a good start. These are kids that have been developed professionally much earlier than most of the players that so terribly embarrassed us in this cycle. This isn’t about athletes. In a country of well over 300,000,000 people, no sport is fighting for athletes. 6’8”, 250 lb guys aren’t playing soccer regardless of what country they come from. It’s just stupid to think it plays even a tiny part. Only novices would think this.
