USMNT

[Manch.]

If heading is banned, then corner kicks are useless and players like Fellaini and Lukaku lose a big part of their game. I don't like the idea of making a rule that heading is only good inside the 18. I agree that NFL like collisions in soccer, especially in the older generations have caused more damage than heading the ball.

It's called football for a reason, but keepers can handle the ball inside the 18 with their hands.

I'm from Manchester, NH, so I can't really ask a random UK fan their opinion.

 

[funksouljon]

I played some as a kid, we moved to Italy for a while and one of the kids I went to HS with moved from the US to play for the Fiorentina U19 team. No clue how it turned out for him, but we do lose good kids to European development.

We used to play pick up games everywhere in Florence. Just in the middle of streets, plazas, anywhere. My folks have pictures of me playing in the Piazza de St Croce with tourists all around. They play everywhere all the time, I destroyed dozens of balls playing on pavement, not something you would see here so I would agree there is a thousands of reps that US kids just don't get. I left the US a scrub and returned being able to play on my HS team.

But for those who think that it is our development, not playing pickup, etc, etc (I agree) how do you explain the difference between the US Men and Women's results?

 

[funksouljon]

I stick with my blood lines -> England & Italy

Me too for Ireland and England and Italy since thats were I really got exposed to good ball.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

But for those who think that it is our development, not playing pickup, etc, etc (I agree) how do you explain the difference between the US Men and Women's results?

Fewer women playing sports in other countries. Just not something they do to the degree they do here.

 

[FSUdawg]

But for those who think that it is our development, not playing pickup, etc, etc (I agree) how do you explain the difference between the US Men and Women's results?

A lot of other countries don't have women playing at the level the US Women play at because more money is spent here in the US. However, other countries are starting to catch up and are challenging the US Women for the top spot in the world. My guess is that in the next 4-6 years the US won't be considered the best in the world anymore, and they may never get it back after that.

 

[FSUdawg]

I don't agree with banning heading, and I am not a fan of having it 100% banned at the youth level until U13. For younger kids there is no harm allowing heading on throw-ins, and even after the ball hits the ground once. I actually think it is going to cause issues with U13 - U15 kids because they aren't being properly taught how to head the ball.

Are headers needed on goal kicks, or other long passes? Probably not, and they can probably eliminate that...similar to how goalies are still able to use their hands but not if the ball is passed back to them by a teammate with their feet. However, once the ball hits the ground most of the energy is taken out of the ball and it is not an issue to head the ball.

I think the fact US Soccer, and others have already started limiting heading at the youth level, the backlash won't be nearly as bad as it has been for football.

 

[GwinnettNole]

If heading is banned, then corner kicks are useless and players like Fellaini and Lukaku lose a big part of their game. I don't like the idea of making a rule that heading is only good inside the 18. I agree that NFL like collisions in soccer, especially in the older generations have caused more damage than heading the ball.

It's called football for a reason, but keepers can handle the ball inside the 18 with their hands.

I'm from Manchester, NH, so I can't really ask a random UK fan their opinion.

I knew that you weren't in the UK... but figured you visit the on-line forums for MU, Primer League...

If it saves the game I would be for banning heading inside the 18 (or altogether). It would force players to be creative....

 

[Gonolz]

Didn't see a mention that Bruce Arena resigned. Sunil Gulati wants to stay.

 

[kc78]

Screw Sunil Gulati. If he's voted back in then we deserve what we get.

As for heading, at the very least let's get good research going that isn't covered up like the NFL did and then make some rationale decisions. I think banning it at youth leagues is fine. I'd say that headers off of throw ins and bounces (as others have said should be completely harmless) and the only place they're really needed is on corner kicks. that's the one area that if they're truly banned then really does impact the enjoyment of the game.

Do you start making players wear some type of head gear if they want to head? Is that even possible? I remember Petr Cech wearing one as a goalie, but obviously he wasn't trying to head anything.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

If there's significant CTE research on soccer/headers, I hope it becomes public asap. Hopefully soccer doesn't act like the cowards in the NFL league office and actually addresses the problem head on (no pun intended).

Goodell woulda made a great tobacco exec in the 80s/90s.

 

[kc78]

So now that Arena is gone, who do you want to see hired to replace him? A ton are speculating that it will be Tab Ramos. He's not a terrible hire, but it doesn't excite me. What about David Wagner?

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/10/usm...e-david-wagner-manager-head-coach-replacement

 

[GoNolesTX]

So now that Arena is gone, who do you want to see hired to replace him? A ton are speculating that it will be Tab Ramos. He's not a terrible hire, but it doesn't excite me. What about David Wagner?

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/10/usm...e-david-wagner-manager-head-coach-replacement

Wagner looks like a unique choice, but honestly, it doesn't matter until Gulati's replacement (good God, better be a replacement in Feb) gets in to the office. I.e., when Jurgen got in, he kept saying how much he was relishing the opportunity to get US Soccer going from the ground up - how many of the youth squad mangers were his choice?

And again, the pay-for-play model needs to be greatly modified (more scholarships for less affluent families, pay assistance for underprivileged households, etc.) or a greater Euro club development presence here before that cart gets too far ahead of the horse.

Baffles me that there's MLB's RBI program and NFL Play 60, but no MLS/USSoccer Kick Start (might copyright that bastard).

 

[GwinnettNole]

If there's significant CTE research on soccer/headers, I hope it becomes public asap. Hopefully soccer doesn't act like the cowards in the NFL league office and actually addresses the problem head on (no pun intended).

Goodell woulda made a great tobacco exec in the 80s/90s.

See my post above that documents the issues with heading. One is a 10 minute video from National Geographic... and it interviews Dr. Omalu who discovered CTE. It's worth the watch, trust me.

The reason why I keep bringing this up is the exact reason you say-- the NFL and the tobacco companies look like complete fools. Both dug in deeply (bigly... lol) trying to convince modern science is wrong. It's become a hobby of mine to follow the science of sports. Head injuries are part of it. I don't want soccer to fall into the same camp as the focus turns there.

 

[GwinnettNole]

Did anyone see Jermaine Jones rant about what is wrong with US Soccer (below).

He is correct about a lot of things-- even calling out Jordan Morris for not going to Europe. I get it.

However, this is a chicken and an egg thing for us. If we want good players but they are being pushed to play in Europe how does the MLS ever get better? I love watching Atlanta United (and Orlando) but if the good players leave (which they will) that does nothing for the league. Thoughts?

https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2...ine-jones-lays-into-usmnt-with-15-minute-rant

 

[GwinnettNole]

Since this thread has turned into a multitude of topics look at who is playing soccer and just signed with the D.C. United youth team:

http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/09/23/barron-trump-signs-for-dc-uniteds-youth-team/

Read the article, regardless of your political perspective the fact that it mentions him playing on the White House lawn is pretty cool.

 

[GoNolesTX]

Did anyone see Jermaine Jones rant about what is wrong with US Soccer (below).

He is correct about a lot of things-- even calling out Jordan Morris for not going to Europe. I get it.

However, this is a chicken and an egg thing for us. If we want good players but they are being pushed to play in Europe how does the MLS ever get better? I love watching Atlanta United (and Orlando) but if the good players leave (which they will) that does nothing for the league. Thoughts?

https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2...ine-jones-lays-into-usmnt-with-15-minute-rant

Single entity made sense for MLS 20 years ago. A major soccer league in America needed stability and a model to sustain itself where it had failed before. However, with the development academies and resources thrown in to developing younger players, clubs are being handcuffed by MLS. Local soccer guy here in DFW wrote a great piece about the issue, i.e., FCD develops kid, too young to sign a homegrown deal per MLS guidelines, signs with Schalke 04 and FCD recoups nothing due to MLS restrictions.

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/so...-mens-national-team-fc-dallas-academy-problem

 

[GwinnettNole]

Single entity made sense for MLS 20 years ago. A major soccer league in America needed stability and a model to sustain itself where it had failed before. However, with the development academies and resources thrown in to developing younger players, clubs are being handcuffed by MLS. Local soccer guy here in DFW wrote a great piece about the issue, i.e., FCD develops kid, too young to sign a homegrown deal per MLS guidelines, signs with Schalke 04 and FCD recoups nothing due to MLS restrictions.

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/so...-mens-national-team-fc-dallas-academy-problem

Good article. America does not know how to cope with how this works when the best league is not in our backyard. This would not happen for football, bball and baseball. The example of the kid leaving FCD should be mandatory reading for the USSoccer president.

 

[kc78]

The MLS will eventually get better if we can keep up fan interest and continue money into the league. Atlanta has shown that you need to get young players with upside more so than well known has beens like Kaka (Who aside from growing interest did very little to make Orlando City better on the field).

The news about James Rodriguez potentially joining Orlando or NYCFC next year was certainly interesting. Signings like that are necessary to make the league better and better.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/10/15/could-colombia-superstar-james-rodriguez-land-mls-2018

 

[FSUdawg]

MLS is somewhat in a catch-22.

They need to bring in good young players to get the league more respect and increase the quality of play. However, in order to get the USMNT to a higher level young Americans need to go play overseas. If we want our top home grown talent to go overseas to get better why would top young international talent want to come here to play.

 

[GoNolesTX]

MLS is somewhat in a catch-22.

They need to bring in good young players to get the league more respect and increase the quality of play. However, in order to get the USMNT to a higher level young Americans need to go play overseas. If we want our top home grown talent to go overseas to get better why would top young international talent want to come here to play.

As to the latter portion of that, the young internationals coming to MLS, I see no reason that both don't work. MLS will never be the level of EPL/La Liga/Bundesliga/etc, but should definitely model itself as a stepping stone or intermediary league that capitalizes off facilities advantages. I know that's what FCD did, inadvertently, with Fabian Castillo. Acquire his rights when he's 18 from a 2nd level Colombian squad, hone his game with better training techniques and facilities, then sell him off for a good profit to a Turkish 1st Division squad. Kenny Cooper was flailing in England, we brought him back, let him re-establish himself, then sold him back to a German side. He was awful there, but that's on him at that point.

The deal is, MLS cannot continue to own all 20something teams any longer with the "owner-operator" designation for the folks that are in the owner's boxes. Yes, it'd suck from a competitive point of view with a Yankees budget vs. Rays budget standpoint, but you equal that out with selling off semi-polished products from your academy.

 

[NoleLizards]

Wagner sounds like a weiner to me!

 

[LesClaypool]

If we want good players but they are being pushed to play in Europe how does the MLS ever get better?

Why are the players for the US national team obliged to make the MLS better? I see no correlation whatsoever.

Do you think Brazil or Argentina give 2 F's that all of their best players play in Europe?

I want the MLS to succeed, if it's convenient, but not at the expense of the USMNT!

 

[GwinnettNole]

Why are the players for the US national team obliged to make the MLS better? I see no correlation whatsoever.

Do you think Brazil or Argentina give 2 F's that all of their best players play in Europe?

I want the MLS to succeed, if it's convenient, but not at the expense of the USMNT!

Why do you assume I'm just talking about players from the US? the best young players could be from various countries like Almiron from ATL Utd, who will more than likely leave Atlanta soon. So your question is shortsighted, not talking about the USMNT. Again how does the MLS get better.... chicken/ egg situation

 

[kc78]

The MLS gets better with money. When you can truly compete with the salaries of the big leagues from top to bottom then you can compete for the players, but you don't get there overnight.

 

[LesClaypool]

Why do you assume I'm just talking about players from the US? the best young players could be from various countries like Almiron from ATL Utd, who will more than likely leave Atlanta soon. So your question is shortsighted, not talking about the USMNT. Again how does the MLS get better.... chicken/ egg situation

I thought your post said as much. Forgive me if I misunderstood it.

If you just want plain old good players in the MLS, and you don't care where they're from, then yeah, money is the answer.

If you want the USMNT to be better, then sending those players abroad is the answer.

So to me, not only can the USMNT players not make the MLS better...they actually should not make it better. They should leave.

I should state that my priorities are:

1. USMNT being as great as it can be
2. USMNT players making and excelling at top flight European clubs b/c that football is more enjoyable to watch and played a much higher level.
3. The MLS

 

[West Duval Nole]

The US U17 team seems to be doing really well with George Weah's son on there.

 

[GoNolesTX]

There was once a time when the Mexican Futbol Federacion required their national team players to play for Club America if they decided to play domestically. Fairly recent too, like, within a decade ago.

Not that this point was really intended for much depth or analysis, but felt that it was relevant with the confusion over whether MLS needed to be strong for USMNT to be strong. I think the DA's need to be strong within MLS for the players to develop well enough to sign with a top flight league, which would enhance the strength of the USMNT.

 

[LesClaypool]

The US U17 team seems to be doing really well with George Weah's son on there.

Watch the screamer he had here in the 53' as part of a hat-trick vs Paraguay yesterday.

http://www.foxsports.com/west/story...s-of-the-u-17-world-cup-with-a-5-0-win-101617

 

[West Duval Nole]

Watch the screamer he had here in the 53' as part of a hat-trick vs Paraguay yesterday.

http://www.foxsports.com/west/story...s-of-the-u-17-world-cup-with-a-5-0-win-101617

Yep. Saw it. Was very nice.

 

[GoNolesTX]

Watch the screamer he had here in the 53' as part of a hat-trick vs Paraguay yesterday.

http://www.foxsports.com/west/story...s-of-the-u-17-world-cup-with-a-5-0-win-101617

Holy crap! That'll do, son. That'll do.

 

[LesClaypool]

UEFA World Cup Playoffs are out...

I don't care too much about these matches as long as Greece, the consistently most boring team in UEFA, doesn't qualify for the WC. I can't stand it when they make it into major competitions. Since they face Croatia, the strongest team not to qualify outright, this should be a foregone conclusion. Let's hope so anyway.

I got engaged in Ireland, and the people there are beyond nice AND Christian Eriksen is a filthy Spur, so I'm rooting for them to knock out Denmark too.

 

[GoNolesTX]

Couple things stick out... that Italy is in a playoff/play-in game is a statement to the Italian program dropping off, to me anyway. But also... if there was only one Ireland and not a North one, seems they'd be stronger.

 

[FSUdawg]

Italy was in the same group with Spain, so I don't see it as too much of a surprise they are in the playoff. Had Italy won the group I think people would be saying the same about Spain dropping off. They are both 2 of the top teams in UEFA and only 1 could get the auto-qualification. Now if Italy loses to Sweden, then I think we can talk about how far they have fallen.

 

[DDennis73]

There were a few warning flares going up for Italy. The got hammered by Spain 3-0 and this month drew with Macedonia at home 1-1. By no means the end of the world but they seemed to struggle in this qualifying campaign a bit and Sweden should feel good about their chances.

 

[kc78]

Now there's discussion that Landon Donovan might run for US Soccer President. He's passionate, but I'm going to go with a no on that.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

What is the most important/impactful position in US Soccer?

Is it the President, USMNT coach or something else?

 

[kc78]

What is the most important/impactful position in US Soccer?

Is it the President, USMNT coach or something else?

The President guides the entire organization, and as so much of our problems are Developmental, I'd put that near the top, followed quickly by manager.

 

[DDennis73]

The roles are probably similar though not exactly the same as Owner v. Head Coach. The HC is going to have the most impact on your current team and over the course of the next 1-3 years. The Owner(ship) has the most impact on the future of the organization long term and what type of team the HC will have 4-5+ years from now.

 

[Manch.]

Anyone follow the U17's at all? Is Tim Weah for real? If he's half as good as his father was, there might be some hope with him.

Do not want Donovan as the head of US soccer, period.

 

[Manch.]

And as to what DD and kc say, not only is the President the owner, but he is also in charge of all the minor league affiliates and all of the feeder leagues. The US needs direction, not passion or ego.