The bottom line 1. We won 1 out of 4 games. 2. We were inferior in 3 out of 4. Yes, you heard right … IN·FE·RI·OR. Ghana, Germany, Belgium. Yes, we won the game vs Ghana, but we were inferior – that’s football. Don’t understand that? Sorry. The Portugal game? We were on par. Jurgen […]
World Cup
US U-20 World Cup Qualification Failure: Who Cares?
I’m a bit late to the U20 topic, but this is not a news outlet; it is an education outlet. In case you’re not up to speed, we lost to Guatemala and were eliminated from the U20 World Cup for the first time in 8 cycles. And as with most US Soccer failures, many across […]
5 Positive Influences for US Soccer in 2010
This year has made me a bit more optimistic for the future of the US game. When compared to my sentiments in years past, this one has been by far the best. No our national teams have not shown any progress, MLS and college remain barely watchable, and our youth development is still piss poor. […]
Spain: The Champion of Possession Soccer
Soccer won in 2010! I think the two best teams got to the final, and the best team got the trophy. This is the best thing that could have happened to soccer in our country. Perhaps more people will at least begin to appreciate what dominating possession can do. Unfortunately there are still some who […]
Do Soccer Predictions Make You An Authority?
I was accused on a forum the other day of not sticking my neck out by making predictions. Even though I had, and shared their location (more on that later), this person’s statement disturbed me. Was this an attempt to discredit me? Or is this something people use to assign authority? I’d like to think […]
Thank You Ghana! You Are The Savior of US Soccer.
For anyone who is a fan of US Soccer or has a child that aspires to big things in the sport, you should say: “Thank you Ghana”. I know I made my position clear last week, but this can’t be emphasized enough. Thank the lord the US lost to Ghana on Saturday! Or in the […]
The US a World Cup Semi-Finalist? God Help “US”!
First and foremost it was important for us to get out of the group. And it’s tough to have written a better script! The way we advanced – by a razor’s edge – helps to keep fans grounded, while at the same time experiencing an emotional reaction so rare in all of sports. This is […]
US Soccer 2009 Year In Review (Part III: The Senior Team)
Thought to be kings one day and subservient the next – this is the mark of a team that wants to join the exclusive club of world soccer powers. The case for US Soccer was no different in 2009. We climbed Mount Everest by beating #1 ranked Spain, and then got obliterated by Mexico a […]
US Soccer 2009 Year In Review (Part II: U-20s)
We continue our 4-part series on recapping the US Soccer National Teams with a look at the U-20s performance. This is the age group that is most frequently targeted by critics as the point where our system fails in player development. While 18 to 20 year-olds in other countries are making regular professional appearances, our […]
US Soccer 2009 Year In Review (Part I: U-17s)
This is the first of a 4-part series that will recap the results of our National Team’s 2009 results. We start out by examining the U-17s. Usually the players on this squad form the foundation upon which the U-20s and the senior team are built. So if you want to look at the likely future […]