Kolek planning to go pro
He largely built his reputation on what he did at Swansea right? Is the fact that they are chugging along just fine without him show that maybe it was management more than him?
Whoa. Swiss and US authorities really getting after it. FBI/IRS involved. Also sounds like CONCACAF officials involved as offices raided. I'll be interested to see if those execs arrested plea down in exchange for testifying against sepp
Wow....just a few days later and Sepp is going to resign.FBI must have been closing in. It really is the only reason that I can think he chose this course.
I never thought of #3. That does make some sense.Another thought is that there was some consensus building among the UEFA powers about removing themselves from FIFA, although every indication was that wasn't happening.
I think that's the move they are going to try. This is a good step, but in no way should we convince ourselves that the reformers have one.I'd also predict as further "cover", Qatar will lose the 2022 WC....PR move to say "see, we changed"
It'd be more than just a PR move. It would be a humanitarian move considering the plague of death that the Qatar committee has imposed upon countless Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi, etc. slave laborers. Truly horrific events have taken place.
So...did anyone else watch that? USA went into halftime level 1-1 with Holland. Controlled much of the first half, though the level scoreline was fair. Then the second half started, within 15 minutes the Dutch put two in the net and led 3-1.Then...wow. USA gets a counter attack goal when John Brooks runs box-to-box, loses his marker, and pokes one in to make it 3-2. Then in the 89th minute, Reading FC midfielder Danny Williams blasts in his first international goal to make it 3-3. I barely got done celebrating when the Dutch came right back down and blasted a ball off the post. It was quickly turned around and Michael Bradley made an amazing, absolutely amazing, world-class run. Dribbled by guys, dribbled over a guy (literally slid the ball under the defender and hurdled him simultaneously), dribbled past more guys, made a quick cut to free up Yedlin, who took the ball, crossed, and found Bobby Wood in the 90th minute who scored the winner as the USA escaped Amsterdam with a 4-3 victory over the Dutch.I know...only a friendly, but the USA had never beat the Dutch in 4 previous tries and had scored only 1 goal in those 4 games combined. The team looked legitimately dangerous throughout much of the first half, and while there were some defending miscues, they kept attacking and kept after the Dutch. Guzan made some nice saves (though Huntelaar largely abused our CBs) and all in all it was a very well played game.The second half, especially the last 20 minutes, was incredible fun as a USA fan, going from thinking we were beaten, to getting a sliver of hope, to thinking we'd actually come away with a draw, to HOLY CRAP WE'RE GONNA WIN! And all that against the Dutch A team and us without Jozy, Clint, Bedoya, or Howard in the lineup.
Here's my critique (and many other high-level analysts have noticed this trend too..): under Klinsy, the US typically plays well in first halves, then comes out in the second and struggles after adjustments made by opponents. Today, US played very well first half. In the second half, while the starters were still in, it was obvious the Dutch had made adjustments and were dominating the game. It was also pretty obvious the Dutch quit on the game once up and the subs started to come in. So, while there were positives, and yes, the final score said the US won, I still have many concerns about the US in second halves.I will commend the youth/subs for not quitting and playing well/taking advantage of their time on the field.And there shouldn't be any more needed evidence that the Dutch had given up than them subbing in Sneider.Also, I'm totally okay with us moving forward as an organization without Howard and Dempsey. They won't be there in 2018, so might as well start now.