If his heart isn't in it...which I believe it hasn't been since 2010, then he needs to stay the hell away from the team. I don't want him infecting anyone with his lazy attitude and that perception that being the best at being mediocre is good enough.
I hear ya, and want to agree - but it seems that some guys like to be coddled and others like to be b****ed at to get the best out of them. I am no pyschologist, but Landon's attitude seems to have corresponded with Clint's rise - to me he seems to be sulking that others are recognized as the best player in the USA. He has never been mentally tough - he seems like a guy who needs to be coddled some - and whatever it takes to get the best out of guys is what you need to do. Sort of how JVG used to coddle Tmac - you just have to push the right buttons, and I think Donovan is like TMac - a guy who needs to be told how important he is - on a daily basis. That is how it looks from my severely amatueristic psychologists opinion. DD
^ I think you're absolutely correct. He's a pansy ass that needs to be told constantly that he's the best. I'm not thinking that one of the best players of his generation, Jurgen Klinsmann, is the man to do that. This is strictly on Donovan and I don't blame Klinsmann for keeping him away. Are they better with a healthy and dedicated Donovan? Heck yes. He's a threat that has to be accounted for at all times and opens up spaces for Dempsey and Altidore (and keeps the likes of Eddie Johnson off the field). I can't remember if we've had a game with both of them in the Klinsmann era, yet.
I concur, but I just want the best for team USA, and if Klinnsman can not get through to our arguably best player - then he is not the right man for the job. To me, a good coach understands what buttons each player needs to be pushed and makes sure he does that. Ostericizing Donavan in his prime is just bizzare, he really makes the entire team better - the only other player on the US team that does that is Bradley, and we need more players like that not less. I only care about getting to the WC, and doing well, and IMO, that will require Landon Donavan as a committed player, so again, IMO, Jurgen should be on a plane to LD's house and have a margarita ready to talk business. And yes, I agree, he is a panzy, a very talented soccer playing panzy ! DD
Donavan...in his prime? He's been toast for 2 years now and he knows it. That's why his heart's not in it and he's going to lead the team to a WC? Time for US soccer to donate to anti American football efforts. Maybe that will funnel some speedsters with size and touch into the camp.
I admire your optimism with the USMNT. I've seen enough of the "future" to get me depressed about soccer in the US. The growth of American football has caused it I suppose. I pray that focusing on minority urban youth can compensate for the athletes heading towards the NFL. A full scale investment in youth soccer by the MLS is urban Latino areas should be a number one priority. The rich kids that play soccer in high school and college do so because they aren't athletic enough to do anything else and the figure this out fairly quick. I do see some hope with the younger crop of Latino players but they are nothing spectacular. USA needs a Special player.
Imprecise passing, too confident in the back lines, and just plain and simple sucked a huge burro peepee. No excuse with that much talent... I think that when Chepo took out Gio, the speed was lost but Aquino should make a nice impact in the technical aspects. Like I said back in November, the Reggae Boys ain't playing around. They're making noise and so Mexico met them at the right time for them. [OWL PICTURE O'RLY!?!?! /END OWL PICTURE] YES. Herculez Gomez should start.
I'd also like to see them go into the black neighborhoods. But it's hard to sell it when you hear stories of racist chants and bananas being thrown at you.
No way a soccer coach could sway a black kid like a football coach could. I think it's a lost cause and the focus should be on Asian, Latino and West Asian kids. They are not on high school football's radar yet. The US melting pot is brewing and now's the time to forge the steel.
It's a huge problem in the system. Klinsmann went on a rant about it in his closing remarks after the US was knocked out of WC 2010. This is the only country in which the better you are, the more you have to pay to play. It's insanity. Too many kids are falling through the cracks. It is, though, why you see programs like Houstonians FC have success as an inner city program. I played for a team in San Antonio called The Generals that was similiar. We were all kids that couldn't afford the $100/month training fee and everything else that went with it. But, my U-19 team took 2nd in Texas, consistently beating teams like the Texans, Hammers, Capitals...all teams that were very expensive to play for at the time (late 80's/early 90's). No, we haven't found that one special player, yet. We all hoped it was Freddy Adu...and we were very very wrong (though I think things would have been much different had he gone to Europe and played in the youth program with a big club rather than his chosen path that was a miserable failure). I think we're starting seeing that investment with the MLS clubs starting to happen now. I've played against the Dynamo youth teams in tournaments. They're good players with a possible future. You're seeing more and more players in the MLS that came up through the youth ranks of their clubs (Stuart Holden is a great example). To your other point, I was (though not rich) one of those suburban kids. I was a good football player (was asked multiple times to play by high school coaches...as a receiver, not a kicker). I was a decent baseball player. I was a good basketball player. Turned out, I just loved soccer. So did most of my teammates that I played with. We were mostly all good all around athletes who chose to play out of love instead of not being good enough for other sports. So, you're wrong there. Good athletes are playing soccer. We just haven't found that special one, yet.
According to big baby, Mexico and Germany will play here. Might be down to go see that. Can't tell who is who since they wear the same colors.
Big "baby"? :grin: http://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/friendly-mexico-vs-turkey-05-31-2013.1983264/ It's no "qualifier" for this thread, but good fútbol news, though. Who wears the same colors? ------------------------- And, for those of you talking about black, Asian, Latino kids, etc., to play in the Estados Unidos team... this past Tuesday night I was wondering if it was MEXICO or the U.S. playing against Canada (CONCACAF U-20 tournament)... since it seemed like most names in the Stars and Stripes were of Latin American origin.
Saw a tweet from Glenn big baby Davis yesterday that said Germany and Mexico in Houston. Later that night, I saw another tweet from someone else saying Mexico and turkey. Mexico and Germany wear the same kits.
Whoa. http://www.chron.com/sports/dynamo/...t-Reliant-in-May-4332815.php?cmpid=sportshcat Thank you, Olajuwon. You can bet THE MAN is going to be there.
Bad news for team USA(more importantly for Everton) Tim Howard out at least for the next month. Back injury. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/mar/08/everton-tim-howard-wigan-fa-cup Time for El Guzano to step up in the next two WCQ.
Why not? He's certainly a big fútbol fan and his home country is coming to Houston. Why wouldn't he go to the game?
