Woz Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 52 minutes ago, The LBC said: With that in mind, on sheer caliber (at least my belief of the caliber) of manager, Martino would still be my first choice because I have a lot of belief in that Bielsa system and in its ability to succeed on the international stage. My worry had always been that I didn't know where a decent chunk of our personnel fit into that, but if we're embracing the youth movement and development, the talent there are still malleable enough to grow into the system rather than trying to fit square pegs in round holes or having to make compromises in the system to accommodate players who aren't great fits for it. In that case, why wait until after the WC? Get the young guys working in that system now. Yes, you essentially write off anyone under the age of 27-28 (maybe 25 if you want to be cruel) and focus on the young guys to build to 2022. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr LBC Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 2 hours ago, Woz said: In that case, why wait until after the WC? Get the young guys working in that system now. Yes, you essentially write off anyone under the age of 27-28 (maybe 25 if you want to be cruel) and focus on the young guys to build to 2022. It's what I feel like we should be doing - it's a model that worked for France, among others. The nut-cutting time will come next Gold Cup and what-not, if/when guys like Jozy, Corona (probably not as much an issue), Omar, Villafana, Nagbe, and Bradley get left off the squad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heimdallr Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 USA needs to throw ALL the money at Zidane. Make him the highest paid manager/president in the history of sports, twice over. Give him full control of everything. Make it happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalvadorsDeli Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, Heimdallr said: USA needs to throw ALL the money at Zidane. Make him the highest paid manager/president in the history of sports, twice over. Give him full control of everything. Make it happen. That would probably work out terribly tbh, and that's leaving aside the fact that he will have far more prestigious options to choose from when he does return to coaching. Zidane's obviously a good tactician to have won 3 Champions Leagues in a row but his greatest quality and why he fit Real Madrid so well is that he has an innate understanding of how the best players in the world tick and his man-management and ability to command the most egotistical dressing room in the world was basically unparalleled. The USMNT job is... not that. He's not going to know the first thing about how to mold a team that relies on former college players and MLS grinders, and he would take one look at our pay-to-play setup and be completely baffled. He's a guy whose only ever drove Ferrari's in his life and he's not gonna want to or even really know how to handle a Honda Civic after that. Edited May 31, 2018 by BaltimoreTerp 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEvans Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 Big draw for the youngsters against the French in France. Julian Green gave us the lead in the first half and Mbappe equalized in the 78th minute. Hugely impressive result for the group against a team who is one of the favorites for the World Cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddyboy Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 Check out the Roger Bennett 12 part podcast American Fiasco. Brilliant stuff. The 1990's GM for the USMNT estimated that the debacle of 1998 cost America $1 billion in lost opportunities and revenues. Hire the wrong guy and America cannot miss two WCs. Zidane would be a wildly bad pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddyboy Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 The American draw with France was pure gold for us and pure trouble for France. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woz Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 (edited) Just now, Buddyboy said: Check out the Roger Bennett 12 part podcast American Fiasco. Brilliant stuff. The 1990's GM for the USMNT estimated that the debacle of 1998 cost America $1 billion in lost opportunities and revenues. Hire the wrong guy and America cannot miss two WCs. Zidane would be a wildly bad pick. http://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/american-fiasco Edited June 12, 2018 by Woz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddyboy Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 The American mens team needs a wise old owl that can command respect from veterans and rookies. The national system is fouled up with Ernie Stewart as the new GM. Stewart has stated he wants significant control. Lack of clear lines of authority will be a recipe for turmoil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddyboy Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 America has a surprisingly complicated soccer landscape. America is a pay to play environment. 300+ colleges and universities field mens and women's soccer. Most players receiver school funds. Most colleges host summer soccer camps. Several thousand American high schools field soccer teams. Over 1,000 private traveling teams grade school to high school. Every state has Olympic Development Program teams (ODP). High school age boys/girls. America has a complicated relationship with Hispanic communities. Most teams listed above are white suburban upper middle class. Many Hispanic players are not interested/made to feel unwelcome. American soccer has not found black communities welcoming. Hiring the wrong coach can cause big problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woz Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 Just now, Buddyboy said: America has a surprisingly complicated soccer landscape. America is a pay to play environment. 300+ colleges and universities field mens and women's soccer. Most players receiver school funds. Most colleges host summer soccer camps. Several thousand American high schools field soccer teams. Over 1,000 private traveling teams grade school to high school. Every state has Olympic Development Program teams (ODP). High school age boys/girls. America has a complicated relationship with Hispanic communities. Most teams listed above are white suburban upper middle class. Many Hispanic players are not interested/made to feel unwelcome. American soccer has not found black communities welcoming. All of these are true, but ... Just now, Buddyboy said: Hiring the wrong coach can cause big problems. ... I'm not sure how this last statement follows all of the lead ins. Even if the USMNT was able to get Alex Ferguson, I don't think it would change any of the above problems. While making the 2022 World Cup is crucial for the experience, the 2026 and probably the 2030 WCs (maybe even 2034) are the ones that will determine the long term path of soccer/football in the US. If what you identified above are still issues in the mid 2020s, the USA will likely be a permanent 2nd/3rd tier player on the international stage. Fixing pay to play and making the leagues more inclusive of poorer communities, regardless of race, would go a long way to boosting the US into top contention. I've said it before: 320M people -> (assuming 50:50 M:F) -> 160M men -> (assuming 10% of right age) -> 16M males in 18-27 cohort -> (assuming 1 in 10K has gifts to be a professional athlete) -> 1600 potential pro athletes (assuming 1% of them go into soccer) -> 16 potential professional soccer players to fill the mainstay of the squad If you adjust that last term, it becomes much easier. That's on US Soccer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddyboy Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 3 minutes ago, Woz said: All of these are true, but ... ... I'm not sure how this last statement follows all of the lead ins. Even if the USMNT was able to get Alex Ferguson, I don't think it would change any of the above problems. While making the 2022 World Cup is crucial for the experience, the 2026 and probably the 2030 WCs (maybe even 2034) are the ones that will determine the long term path of soccer/football in the US. If what you identified above are still issues in the mid 2020s, the USA will likely be a permanent 2nd/3rd tier player on the international stage. Fixing pay to play and making the leagues more inclusive of poorer communities, regardless of race, would go a long way to boosting the US into top contention. I've said it before: 320M people -> (assuming 50:50 M:F) -> 160M men -> (assuming 10% of right age) -> 16M males in 18-27 cohort -> (assuming 1 in 10K has gifts to be a professional athlete) -> 1600 potential pro athletes (assuming 1% of them go into soccer) -> 16 potential professional soccer players to fill the mainstay of the squad If you adjust that last term, it becomes much easier. That's on US Soccer. America needs a coach who understands the nuance of our culture. Coaches such as Zidane and Ferguson while tactically brilliant would be lost in the USA. Klinsmann was great. So was Bora M. The appointment of Ernie Stewart as GM is a red flag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woz Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 45 minutes ago, Buddyboy said: America needs a coach who understands the nuance of our culture. Coaches such as Zidane and Ferguson while tactically brilliant would be lost in the USA. Klinsmann was great. So was Bora M. The appointment of Ernie Stewart as GM is a red flag. Hiring Ernie Stewart, a guy who grew up in that culture (for better or worse), is a red flag but guys who were came in from outside of the US (Klinsmann, Bora) are okay and would understand it? I don't follow. I also am not sure I would say Klinsmann was great as a manager. Matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't say that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddyboy Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 What are Ernie Stewart's qualifications? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woz Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 Just now, Buddyboy said: What are Ernie Stewart's qualifications? After his playing career, but prior to being named the GM? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earnie_Stewart Quote He was named technical director of NAC Breda of the Dutch Eredivisie on May 14, 2006. Earnest Stewart was appointed as AZ’s Director of Football Affairs in June 2010. The 41-year-old American succeeded Marcel Brands, who left AZ for PSV. Stewart left his post as Technical Director at NAC Breda by mutual consent.[1] Stewart stated in the past that he had a long-term goal of returning to United States soccer in an executive role: "One ambition I do have is to go back to the United States and to be of importance to soccer."[2] Stewart accomplished just that when, on October 26, 2015, the Philadelphia Union officially announced that Stewart would take on the role of Sporting Director for the club.[3] Whether that is good enough, I'll leave to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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