Soccer/Football random discussion & other leagues thread

[JaredL]

While the Ux teams have been successful, it's hard to imagine the national team moving much up or down from the current pretty good but not great status.

The US and Mexico are probably the two teams most likely to qualify for every World Cup Finals due to the relative weakness of the CONCACAF and how many spots we have. That will keep the US from falling off as at least the national team will play at the top level both in the tournament itself as well as friendlies in preparation.

The MLS is getting better, but it's not going to blow up over night. This, the NCAA system and that there appears to be no huge increase in Americans playing abroad (yes, relative to 10 or 20 years ago it's huge but it seems like the few that go to Europe are replaced by a few coming the other way any given year) will keep the US national team from entering the elite group anytime soon. There is promise from the late teens and early twenties guys, but the development gap hits right about there so I don't think the USMNT will get results that good.

As far as the World Cup finals go, I would say for the next two it will again depend on the draw. I think the US is a favorite to advance, though most often in second, from a random group of qualifiers. Give them a tough group like in Germany and the chances aren't great. It's not impossible (see Korea/Japan) but not likely. The nice thing about the US team now as opposed to the 90s is that in an elimination round game, while the US is still probably going to be a dog to most teams going that far, a win would be far from shocking. In 1994 the US seemed quite happy to be in the game with Brazil. While there were a few chances, a win there would have been a major upset. Now a win would over a top team would be an upset but not too surprising.

We're still worse than the top national teams at every single position, but because the gap is pretty small, a run to the final 8 is quite possible and even the semifinal could happen.

[raju]

Salt, that all sounds like its moving in the right direction.

Does the game get played much in school or in the streets? Ive heard womens football is much more popular as a spectator sport. What in the world is that all about?

[mmbt0ne]

Originally Posted by raju

Does the game get played much in school or in the streets?

It has more youth participants than any other sport. It does not, however, have a huge "pick-up" population.

Ive heard womens football is much more popular as a spectator sport. What in the world is that all about?

dirty, dirty lies.

[mmbt0ne]

Originally Posted by JaredL

This, the NCAA system and that there appears to be no huge increase in Americans playing abroad (yes, relative to 10 or 20 years ago it's huge but it seems like the few that go to Europe are replaced by a few coming the other way any given year) will keep the US national team from entering the elite group anytime soon.

Jared, I keep up with this stuff pretty closely, and I can't name anywhere near as many players coming back to the US from overseas as those leaving.

I'm not saying that the US is going to be a top 5 team, but they will be a top 15 team who will flirt with the top 10.

[ThaSaltCracka]

Womens soccer is not more popular. However, it has been one of the most popular sports for women to play here, so thats why the US has been successful.

Honestly, as an organized sport, soccer is relatively young here. The game has been played here for almost 150 years, but baseball and football have always been the most popuarl.

[TehVader]

Originally Posted by TheRenaissance

Nakamura vs Rangers, what a hit....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWpmNFljKTE&feature=related

That game must've been so sick, stupid family business stopping me from going to Glasgow to watch it

[thedeezy]

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).

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.

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.

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.

[Franchise 60]

Little O/T, but do any of you guys follow Series A at all? I've been getting into it a bit lately and have been enjoying it.

[sumpy]

Originally Posted by raju

20 years ago you lot were still calling it kickball.

I just want to point out that this is not true. Kickball is a different game. It is a version of baseball in which the ball (a rubber ball about the same size as a soccerball) is rolled toward the batter, and instead of batting, he kicks it.

[thedeezy]

haters still call it kickball fwiw

[ThaSaltCracka]

Originally Posted by Franchise 60

Little O/T, but do any of you guys follow Series A at all? I've been getting into it a bit lately and have been enjoying it.

I watch some of the games every weekend, but I don't have a team I follow, so I am kind of ambivalent. Usually just watch one of the big teams.

[Franchise 60]

I don't think that the MLS will ever be insanely popular, but I can see the Premiership becoming very popular in the US as more people get the soccer channels in the states and are exposed to it more. I just think its hard for America as a whole to get behind an inferior product.

[sumpy]

Originally Posted by thedeezy

haters still call it kickball fwiw

I've never heard soccer called kickball. That would just be confusing since there is already another sport called kickball.

[JaredL]

Originally Posted by mmbt0ne

Jared, I keep up with this stuff pretty closely, and I can't name anywhere near as many players coming back to the US from overseas as those leaving.

I'm not saying that the US is going to be a top 5 team, but they will be a top 15 team who will flirt with the top 10.

I could well be off on that. My point is that it isn't like there is a flood of Americans playing in Europe.

I think the US is currently a top 20 team so I agree with you that they will be top 15 flirting with top 10 at some point in the reasonably near future.

[JaredL]

BTW to keep this thing random, one thing that bothers the **** out of me as a (hopefully not former ) referee is how poor and sloppy the ARs are with their signaling. It's not uncommon at all for matches at the highest level to see the linesmen running with their flag up, not signaling at the appropriate angles (should be vertical, horizontal or at a 45 degree angle, never in-between), or not keeping a consistent distance from the touch line. These things are all pretty basic and while I'm not nearly competent or fit enough to be an AR at this level, I think I can safely say that I am better at these things than most of these guys. It's not the most important thing obviously, but it's so easy to fix that I don't understand it.