USMNT - ‘23 and beyond (3 Viewers)

[Beast]

Excited to see what he can do. Seems like he was building something at Chelsea, with all of the issues that exist there, in the last half of last season. We have a mostly young squad entering their primes. I’m looking forward to this.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

Excited to see what he can do. Seems like he was building something at Chelsea, with all of the issues that exist there, in the last half of last season. We have a mostly young squad entering their primes. I’m looking forward to this.

Yeah if it wasn’t Chelsea I would have been shocked they let him go after it seemed like he had the going in the right direction

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

This is what I’m saying, the long and indirect game

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

It’s a fair point to consider

 

[efil4stnias]

It’s a fair point to consider

Wouldn't surprise me in the least to hear CPC and Baston et al helped him come to a choice of Berhalter.

It fell so flat on their faces, they lost leverage over him. Sweeet.

 

[efil4stnias]

Finally- Donovan dropping truth bomb.

Unfortunate its only on a Pod Cast- this needs to grow legs and make its way up into USSF- change must come for us to become an international power in FIFA.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

I suppose the Canada match didn’t bear mentioning
But I mention it anyway
Boy do we not have a lot of depth - esp in the mids and back
eek

 

[efil4stnias]

I suppose the Canada match didn’t bear mentioning
But I mention it anyway
Boy do we not have a lot of depth - esp in the mids and back
eek

Pochettino has a LOT of work to do.

A lot

 

[DaveXA]

Pochettino has a LOT of work to do.

A lot

Yeah, gotta start somewhere.

 

[efil4stnias]

Yeah, gotta start somewhere.

Start by scrapping this insane possession at all cost game. Both Canadian goals came off misplayed ball while trying to play out the back.

 

[Saintslfc13]

Finally- Donovan dropping truth bomb.

Unfortunate its only on a Pod Cast- this needs to grow legs and make its way up into USSF- change must come for us to become an international power in FIFA.

The bottom line really is that Soccer isn't the sport of the people here in America, it's Basketball with Baseball and Football tied for 2nd or 3rd depending on how you look at it (I actually believe organized baseball is more ubiquitous than organized basketball but you can't play baseball pick up style like you can basketball). The problem with Basketball for the general public is that height is such a factor so once it becomes clear that a particularly child won't be at least 6 feet tall it's late in there development to shift to another sport. Soccer has trash infrastructure here for sure but it's not because of competitiveness of the coaching it's because to play soccer at a level that actually develops good players you need a bunch of money to fund it. Parents, being American themselves, usually aren't willing to do so. Obviously there's money involved in Little League Baseball and Pop Warner or whatever your local tackle football league is but as "American" sports there is also a lot more outside funding for it as well as spaces involved to let kids be kids, not to mention parental buy in. Soccer doesn't have the exposure so kids don't necessarily want to play pick up and the good organized leagues are pay to play, plus parents treat soccer like they treat Golf, if you aren't into it largely you don't care if your kid plays it.

 

[sfidc3]

Start by scrapping this insane possession at all cost game. Both Canadian goals came off misplayed ball while trying to play out the back.

Same, the strength is in the mids/forwards.....we don't have the adequate dominating CB's to play out of the back well....

Parents, being American themselves, usually aren't willing to do so.

Soccer doesn't have the exposure so kids don't necessarily want to play pick up and the good organized leagues are pay to play, plus parents treat soccer like they treat Golf, if you aren't into it largely you don't care if your kid plays it.

Sorry, both these statements are demonstrably false, having been involved in youth soccer as a parent, manager, and AC I can tell you that there are plenty of parents willing to pay large sums of money for their kids to be on a travel/elite team.....where the US system fails is it shouldn't be the parents funding the team's it should be established Soccer clubs....because a lot of those kids aren't really good enough to ever play in a game but it's become a "status" thing among wealthy parents....

And, I'm not sure where you live, but in many of the larger metro areas around the country there are tons of pickup leagues, indoor/outdoor, mixed leagues, age determined leagues, etc.....my son who will turn 30 soon plays in 3 different leagues....

We have no idea how to develop players in this country because the current structure of youth soccer is an abject failure.....

I remember when a few of the elite clubs in our area established what they called "Academy teams" and they initially advertised that if your kid is good enough to make this team then it was free.....which was total and utter BS, they wound up costing parents thousands a year and folded, now they call them MLS next teams....it's a money grab/con......

 

[Saintslfc13]

Same, the strength is in the mids/forwards.....we don't have the adequate dominating CB's to play out of the back well....




Sorry, both these statements are demonstrably false, having been involved in youth soccer as a parent, manager, and AC I can tell you that there are plenty of parents willing to pay large sums of money for their kids to be on a travel/elite team.....where the US system fails is it shouldn't be the parents funding the team's it should be established Soccer clubs....because a lot of those kids aren't really good enough to ever play in a game but it's become a "status" thing among wealthy parents....

And, I'm not sure where you live, but in many of the larger metro areas around the country there are tons of pickup leagues, indoor/outdoor, mixed leagues, age determined leagues, etc.....my son who will turn 30 soon plays in 3 different leagues....

We have no idea how to develop players in this country because the current structure of youth soccer is an abject failure.....

I remember when a few of the elite clubs in our area established what they called "Academy teams" and they initially advertised that if your kid is good enough to make this team then it was free.....which was total and utter BS, they wound up costing parents thousands a year and folded, now they call them MLS next teams....it's a money grab/con......

I wasn't talking about it being a status symbol for wealthy families, I was talking about people in America in general. It's too expensive, and I stand by my point that there aren't built in 5-a-side courts or mini-pitches for anyone, regardless of the money their family has to just play the game having fun. Just about every public park with the space for it has at least one basketball court. School gyms and recess/lunch areas - Basketball courts. Even corporate gyms here build in basketball courts (nicer ones generally have raquetball/squash rooms as well). I also know of plenty of adult leagues and places for 16+ (unsupervised) to play pick up indoor/futsal but they aren't free to play and I don't know that it's particularly relevant to the concept of youth development. 23 is relatively old in top level soccer, not old as in your best days are behind you but old as in if you're not breaking in a top level team by then the chances that you ever will are diminishing by the week. There are of course some exceptions to that but they're rare.

I also wish we had a genuine academy system like other countries but I don't see it happening any time soon. I'll also say that I doubt the MLS/US Soccer system has enough clubs for it to make as big of an impact as it does in other well developed countries, even in the countries with the best clubs/leagues most of the talent still isn't developed at the top clubs academies but rather through smaller clubs or even a league or two down the pyramid. We have 29 MLS clubs and I'm not sure how many teams the "lesser" league has but I'm not convinced they have the money (or are willing to prioritize money toward it) to fund a professional style academy either.

 

[efil4stnias]

We have 29 MLS clubs and I'm not sure how many teams the "lesser" league has but I'm not convinced they have the money (or are willing to prioritize money toward it) to fund a professional style academy either.

Hence, play for pay model.

An acquaintance of ours, his son was accepted to IMG Academy as GK ( few years back ) no scholarship, no outside funding and it was over $60,000/yr

THEY PAID IMG. For son to attend as GK- who actually ended up out the game due to injuries.

So why in the world would teams form academies, taking on players and funding their development AND education ( i use that term lightly lol ) in hopes they either become 1st team player or sold off for profit? Its too late to convince owners. This should have been set up from DAY ONE of MLS - but they got spooked by all the "tryin to be like baseball/minors" talk.

 

[sfidc3]

I wasn't talking about it being a status symbol for wealthy families, I was talking about people in America general. It's too expensive, and I stand by my point that there aren't built in 5-a-side courts or mini-pitches for anyone, regardless of the money their family has to just play the game having fun. Just about every public park with the space for it has at least one basketball court. School gyms and recess/lunch areas - Basketball courts. Even corporate gyms here build in basketball courts (nicer ones generally have raquetball/squash rooms as well). I also know of plenty of adult leagues and places for 16+ (unsupervised) to play pick up indoor/futsal but they aren't free to play and I don't know that it's particularly relevant to the concept of youth development. 23 is relatively old in top level soccer, not old as in your best days are behind you but old as in if you're not breaking in a top level team by the end that chances that you ever will are diminishing by the week. There are of course some exceptions to that but they're rare.

I also wish we had a genuine academy system like other countries but I don't see it happening any time soon. I'll also say that I doubt the MLS/US Soccer system has enough clubs for it to make as big of an impact as it does in other well developed countries, even in the countries with the best clubs/leagues most of the talent still isn't developed at the top clubs academies but rather through smaller clubs or even a league or two down the pyramid. We have 29 MLS clubs and I'm not sure how many teams the "lesser" league has but I'm not convinced they have the money (or are willing to prioritize money toward it) to fund a professional style academy either.

I wasn't either......My point is it's money (and often wealthy families) that drive youth soccer as a whole....Paid coaches, expensive travel tournaments, travel/elite league fees.....is the crux of the issue.....I'm quite certain a lot of players that could have been great never got the chance.....because....folks didn't have the funds......are you familiar with Clint Dempsey's story (before Pulisic probably the best US player ever)?

Also as far as resources....fields, goals, available places to play varies wildly depending on where you live.....I can tell you that in the DMV there is absolutely no shortage of fields and other places to play pick up soccer as both my sons and their friends still do so.....

I do too, but it will never happen....MLS just doesn't have the monetary resources that the big clubs in other places do.....and once a player is recognized (as early as 12-13) you better believe a big club will snatch him up.....

And a big part of the problem is the win now at any age mentality, I know at least in some countries they work on developing the player and training is way more stressed than actual game play....at the early ages.....