U.S. Players Speak After 3-0 Brazil Loss

2009-09-05T15:33:06-04:00

2009-06-18T15:42:25-04:00

236

2009-06-18T15:42:25-04:00

2009-06-21T15:55:11-04:00

soccercardo

Westwood 797894

238 The US is just not playing with any heart right now. There is no leader on the field, our defense looks chaotic and we don't have that upfront threat that can put the ball in the back of the net. We have a lot to figure out before next June 5819591

2009-06-21T08:46:59-04:00

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Raven1971

Manaus 41666

237 I'm glad my son won't be exposed to this in the States; he'll grow up here in Brazil, where the youth system actually works (as long as the parents have the resources to keep their children playing, and they don't disappear into the amateur "pick-up" game circuit). Of course, if he were to prove good enough to play for a national team (something every football-mad father dreams of), he'll have to choose which one - but you never know. His dad's American, and a bit more rabid in football passion than his mom. Maybe that will rub off. Is this thread about done? Is the one above the more permanent one? 5818378

2009-06-20T16:35:42-04:00

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Raven1971

Manaus 41666

229 Population of Croatia: 4,491,543 (2008) Population of Sweden: 9,263,872 (2009) Population of The Netherlands: 16,500,156 (2009) Population of Portugal: 10,676,910 (2009) 10% of the US population (conservative estimate of population that watches football/soccer): 30,671,100 (2009) Again, if the US has a conservatively-estimated pool of 30 million to choose from, the inability of the USMNT to field a talented, confident squad that can stand toe-to-toe with Brazil and Italy, as all the aforementioned nations have done, then there is an organizational problem in the very foundations of our football. Firing the coach isn't going to fix that kind of damage; it's like changing the air filter when the "check engine" light comes on. 5815586

2009-06-21T00:51:03-04:00

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D-Wreck

Bloomington 416251

Population of Croatia: 4,491,543 (2008)Population of Sweden: 9,263,872 (2009)Population of The Netherlands: 16,500,156 (2009)Population of Portugal: 10,676,910 (2009)10% of the US population (conservative estimate of population that watches football/soccer): 30,671,100 (2009)Again, if the US has a conservatively-estimated pool of 30 million to choose from, the inability of the USMNT to field a talented, confident squad that can stand toe-to-toe with Brazil and Italy, as all the aforementioned nations have done, then there is an organizational problem in the very foundations of our football. Firing the coach isn't going to fix that kind of damage; it's like changing the air filter when the "check engine" light comes on.

236 Raven: you're totally right. We have had this "problem" since the Bradenton/IMG academy started--ie since then we have produced almost NO young players of significance currently PLAYING in Europe in a regular basis. Infact we had more players playing in the top 8 leagues of Europe in 1995-1996. What does that tell you? I've said it before and I'll say it one last time: in 1999 we had 3 players who graduated from the esteemed Bradenton/IMG Academy who are currently on the USMNT (Beasley, Donovan, Onyewu). Since then, a 9 year period no less, only two other players have come out of the program that currently play for the USMNT. We have problem here folks. The academy was suppose to provide us our future and one of the reasons the USSF made the 2010 goal for winning a World Cup. Whatever deficiencies we have NOW can be pointed and blamed DIRECTLY on the failure of our academies to produce the kind of players we were developing BEFORE we had an academy at all. Things have gotten WORSE not better. And until we realize this and make the right changes, we will have player after young player go to Europe out of the academy and FALL on their proverbial faces... Let's get real here gentleman, we have a BIG problem developing youth and have had such a problem SINCE the USSF and IMG started this academy. Who is running the program (I know, do you?). What is its focus? Are we babying these kids (yes)? Ellineger, Hackworth and Cabrera as well as those leading things in the USSF U17s, U21s, U23s are all FAILING us. The failure is in the MENTAL preperation of our players. Not their technical failure (though Jozy's inability to handle a first-touch is atrocious). Before the days of the academies, before we set our players up for failure by babying them and treating them like stars BEFORE they were stars, players like McBride, Reyna, MAx-Moore, preki, Ramos, Wynalda, Caligiuri, Harkes, Jones, AND so mnay more, had to go to Europe without the "academy graduate" training , without the pacifiers and nipple miliking, and pats on the back, endless praise.... and they did well (the last generation of players) by busting there asses and making a case for why they out to be on the starting 11 on teams like Everton, Leverkusen, Real Betis. Now, academy graduates are failing. Think about it. IS something is wrong. 9 years, 2 USMNT players... 154 players, 70% don't even make it in USL or MLS... We all need to get on the IMG and USSFs rear-end NOW before its too late. I mean what is a washed up Columbian goalie doing COACHING and LEADING our IMG classes? You tell me? Why don't we have WORLD CLASS coaches at our academy and all of our Uage programs? Its unnacceptable. At least the results are... I'm getting too old for this crap. I wanted to see a GREATER USMNT before I was 40. One that could compete on the world stage. 5817785

2009-06-20T19:55:05-04:00

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~Soccer_Hooligan~

Los Angeles 795641

235 New U.S. Soccer group that includes news, blogs, Message boards, videos: U.S. Soccer Hooligans. http://www.fannation.com/groups/show/54946 5816535

2009-06-20T18:13:52-04:00

rowlo

New York 797565

233 Why is it that the US (federation and fans etc) place such an emphasis on players getting european experience, but not for the coaches to do the same? If the best play happens in Europe, does it follow that the best coaching happens there as well? 5815986

2009-06-20T18:37:01-04:00

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Raven1971

Manaus 41666

Why is it that the US (federation and fans etc) place such an emphasis on players getting european experience, but not for the coaches to do the same?If the best play happens in Europe, does it follow that the best coaching happens there as well?

234 Because there is a snowball's chance in the devil's residence of a European club ever hiring an American coach; it's hard enough getting them to hire South Americans, let alone North Americans. 5816030

2009-06-20T18:13:52-04:00

rowlo

New York 797565

2009-06-20T18:06:57-04:00

293

Mr Mac

Las Vegas 737792

232 After my cathartic rants over the USMNT's performance in the Confederations Cup I am now ready to look forward. My brain tells me we're going to get our asses kicked by Egypt tomorrow but my naive heart has some hope. If BB changes the linup and plays Torres and Adu for example, I'll feel a bit more hopeful because that will tell me that BB is humble enough to learn from his mistakes. Although we've badly lost the first two games, I believe we can save face if we convincingly beat Egypt. NZ tied Iraq today, so they have one point. If we lose tomorrow, we''ll be the worst team in the competition. Reason tells me we're going to get beat tomorrow but my stupid heart tells me that we're better than what we've shown so far and thus will win. I'm 99% shure reason will win out but it feels good to have hope. 5815945

2009-06-20T17:02:50-04:00

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Raven1971

Manaus 41666

231 You'll never hear me complain about the Bundesliga; in my opinion, it is the most competitive of the bigger European leagues, despite Bayern's dominance; there is rarely a large difference between European spots and the relegation zone. 5815714

2009-06-20T16:44:32-04:00

275

no_trolling_please

No City 128849

230 what do you people complain about? Bundesliga. The liga with the most fans in the stadium (with 2 teams less than other 'big' leagues'). Most goals on average per game. Better than France, Holland. Better than Italy this year. Nationalmannschaft played a good WC and a very good EC (reaching the final is a very good result). Two clubs in the final four of the UEFA cup. One team in the final. And completly ignored by the international press. Who prefers reporting about Ronaldos shorts. Or Beckhams hair style. Oh, and unlike the Spanish leage which is in worse debt than the USA or the EPL, which is in the **** almost as deep, the Bundesliga is financially sound... I tell you this: it doesn't matter how good a league is, if everybody always stares at EPL, LL, S1. Barcelona is coming to the american continent, and the media pees itself in glee - as long as that happens, nobody will take you seriously. Stop staring at the 'top leagues'. You won't get the attention. Just concentrate on becoming better - and some day you may be able to humiliate them - and that will be the sweetest of all moments (like when Germany won against Portugal last EC or Werder Bremen kicked out Milan). You are bombing out of the Fed Cup? So what? It is nothing more than an extended training session. Learn from the games, improve. And 2010 you might be able to kick some asses (I would like to see you kick English asses, btw). 5815638

2009-06-20T16:35:42-04:00

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Raven1971

Manaus 41666

236

<div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/06/18/us-brazil.ap/oguchi-onyewu.jpg" alt="Double Click to select a Photo" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">The U.S. had few answers during its 3-0 blowout by Brazil. AP</div> </div> PRETORIA, South Africa -- U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard looked and sounded shell-shocked after Brazil's 3-0 demolition of the U.S. here Thursday at the Confederations Cup. He had reason to be. The U.S. was never in the game, giving up a sixth-minute strike to Felipe Melo (on a headed free kick) and a 20th-minute counterattack goal to Robinho after a grade-school give-away by DaMarcus Beasley on a U.S. corner kick. "Sometimes you just come up against Goliath," said Howard, "and David doesn't win." Fair enough, but the talk around the U.S. heading into this tournament was that it was time for the Yanks to show that they weren't David anymore, that they could compete and push against Italy and Brazil in their first two games. That happened during the first half against Italy (before the floodgates burst in a 3-1 loss). But in the three halves since then? Not so much. Asked to sum up the first two games, the U.S. players were uniformly (and deservedly) downbeat: "Frustration," said Clint Dempsey, who has provided little offensive spark here. "This hasn't been a great two games for us," said Howard. "If we can take this into the Gold Cup and World Cup qualifying and apply some of the lessons we learned here and not be so naïve in certain instances, in a way it could be successful. But that's only if we apply it, not if we talk about it." "We had to play two pretty perfect games to get a result out of these two games, and we didn't do that," said Landon Donovan. Three other thoughts after postgame interviews following the game: • U.S. coach Bob Bradley called his team "nervous" and "tentative" to start the game. If you're going to have any chance to get a result against Brazil, you have to go for it from the start. But the U.S. players were strangely demure. What happened to the reputation for balls-out effort and why-not-me brashness that Americans are known for? "We had a very nervous, tentative start to the game," Bradley said. "The early goal off a set piece put us in a difficult situation right from the start." Whether it's through better leadership or preparation, the U.S. players need to believe they can win against any team in the world whenever a game starts. That has to change in the year that remains before World Cup 2010. • Sacha Kljestan got a strange red card. The U.S. picked up its second red card in as many games here when Kljestan took out midfielder Ramires and (after a long-delayed reaction) got sent off. "I lost the ball in a bad spot, and I tried to win it back right away," said Kljestan. "He played the ball off before I got there, and I got him in the foot. I don't know if it's a red or not, but I'm devastated that I let my team down." Like Ricardo Clark three nights earlier, Kljestan was surprised when the card was red. "It surprised me because the game played on and he took a few minutes," he said, "so someone must have talked in his ear." • Bradley explained the rationale behind his lineup decisions. I was surprised that Kljestan (and not José Francisco Torres) started for the U.S. in the absence of the suspended Clark. But Bradley felt Dempsey was better-suited to be the man in the center of the U.S. midfield, with Michael Bradley playing in a deeper-lying role than usual to deal with the movement of Kaká, Robinho and Ramires. "We tried to not have Clint all the way in the center, but have him tilted a little bit to the left," Bradley said, "give him freedom to find the spaces and use DaMarcus to help because we know that the ability of whether it's Daniel Alves or Maicon to come forward is going to be a major part of the threat. We felt DaMarcus' qualities in terms of giving us the width and ability to help out there would give Clint a little more freedom to find the game and give us a little bit deeper presence in midfield. But when the game starts and you're tentative, now it turns out DaMarcus was deeper than we would have hoped." Bradley added that he thought Benny Feilhaber wasn't fit enough to play 90 minutes, and he went with Kljestan shaded to the right because he'd had some success in that position in previous 4-3-1-2 and 4-3-3 formations. "From his season and everything else, he had the fitness coming into the game to do a good job," Bradley said. To hear Howard afterward, though, this blowout had nothing to do with tactics or coaching, and it had everything to do with the Brazilian and American players. "We just simply didn't execute," Howard said. Any additional thoughts on the Confederations Cup and the U.S. team? Any light to shed on these postgame comments? Please post your thoughts below. Grant Wahl's new book, The Beckham Experiment, comes out on July 14. You can pre-order it <a href="http://tinyurl.com/layry6" target="_blank">here</a>. You can also find him now on <a href="http://twitter.com/GrantWahl" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.   67861 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/194/315/thumb/wahl_grant.jpg 11 MD

Grant Wahl

Baltimore 194615