Great thread TSC.
I feel that the US program is developing at a good rate in the last 10 years and it should continue to grow in the near future. I feel that they were unlucky with the draw in 06 but that in no way excuses them from their performance against the Czech and the brain fart known as Bruce Arena. The 2010 World Cup should be very exciting with the prospects of Altidore, Adu, Bradley, Edu, as well as Dempsey, Beasley, and Donovan (02 form plz).
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Donovan doesn't have the stones to play up front in big games IMO. I'd rather see Joze and Deuce up there.
Agree 100%. I am giddy with the prospects of Jozy's development and hope he can become to the great American striker on the international level.
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It looks like Eddie Johnson's too mind****ed to develop like he could, so he's out. I think Kenny Cooper will get another look here real soon in his place.
QFT on Eddie, he has all the physical tools to succeed at the top level but it's just not there mentally. I am a huge Kenny Cooper fanboy and hopes he can nail down a place on the national squad.
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Does the game get played much in school or in the streets?
This is the major problem I see in the US MNT's development into a serious contender. I believe that their needs to be a grass roots effort into the inner cities of America to promote soccer. In about every country except the US and Canada kids in the slums and middle class neighborhoods grow up with a football around them at all times, here in America it's a basketball because it's easy to shoot around. The development of the top athletes in the inner cities is key for the continuing development of the game in America.