Futbol Talk

[Hards Alumni]

I'm glad team USA lost.  It should hurry along changes to make US Soccer more successful long term.

Or they'll just do the same thing they've been doing for the last 20 years.

[Not all scoop users are created equal apparently]

Gregg Wojciechowski

[jesmu84]

I'm glad team USA lost.  It should hurry along changes to make US Soccer more successful long term.

Or they'll just do the same thing they've been doing for the last 20 years.

Definitely the latter

[Hards Alumni]

Definitely the latter

sucking at soccer

[BM1090]

I've been pretty patient with Berhalter compared to most, but it's time.

[cheebs09]

I'm a bit worried the hoops they jumped through with the investigation to keep him coach would make them hold off on firing him to save face.

[wadesworld]

Is it possible that, I don't know, the US just isn't good at soccer on the men's side?

[JWags85]

Is it possible that, I don't know, the US just isn't good at soccer on the men's side?

No, the talent isn't an issue.  It's not empty hype either. 

Pulisic got called overrated for 3 years and then just had a huge year at a major club, Serie A POTM and then essentially First Team All-Serie A.

McKinnie was a mainstay for another huge Champions League club whose performance was praised all season.

Their defenders had solid seasons in the EPL, Robinson in particular was well praised.

Balogun had an up and down club season but showed all Copa why people were excited about him and what a talent he is (and the US hasn't had a striker who is gonna score that goal against Panama consistently in years) and was the best American after Pulisic.

Tillman had a really good year for a CL club and the best club in Holland.

GGG sat Musah on the bench despite him playing big minutes for that very good Milan team.

And that's not talking Dest, the weird year Weah had playing out of position, a couple other players in top leagues, and the enigma that is Reyna.

The biggest talent issue the US has is for the first time in 10+ years, they don't have a standout keeper.  Turner has been incredibly shakey and weaknesses exposed for the last 18 months or so.

But soccer isn't a "roll out the ball" sport like basketball, especially at the international level.  This crop of standout players has had absolute garbage leading the USMNT since they were 16-20 years old.  Are the top 5 talent in the world? No.  But they are certainly FAR better than the results show. 

And it's not your intention, but the "maybe the players aren't as good as we thought" or "Americans don't know ball a and overrated their squad" line of thinking ignores their performance and ability out of a US kit and provides excuses and cover for GGG's abject failures and the complete mess that is US Soccer.

Its staggering to me that you have a manager who failed at a second tier club in Sweden for lack of offensive strategy and had a middling MLS tenure but the focus gets put on the talent of the players.  Not a bunch of plucky underdogs like 25 years ago who maybe just didn't have the skill... but players who have been at a top club level since they were 18-20 years old and magically player at a much higher level when not managed by a dope

/rant

[JWags85]

Wow, looks like they really did it.  Adios Bozo.  I'm sure he gets an MLS job within a year.

Prepare for a bunch of stupid clickbait articles about Klopp and Pep and Bielsa.  My number one realistic choice is Herve Renard, dude is an absolute wizard.  But he may want to lead another AFCON side into the 2026 Cup

[Pakuni]

But soccer isn't a "roll out the ball" sport like basketball, especially at the international level.  This crop of standout players has had absolute garbage leading the USMNT since they were 16-20 years old.  Are the top 5 talent in the world? No.  But they are certainly FAR better than the results show. 

Both things can be true here. This team hasn't lived up to its potential AND its potential has been overrated.
Most of the top international teams are loaded with players who are among the very best on their club squads. Outside of maybe Pulisic, there's not one American who is a top player for a top club. McKennie is next closest, but no one would argue he's one of the key guys at Juve (and, in fact, they seem ready to move on from him this summer). Robinson had a very nice season for a mid- to bottom-table team. Reyna got loaned out then barely managed to get any time for a weak NF team. Weah did little at Juve. Balogun had a disappointing year at Monaco. Matt Turner got benched.
And these are the team's best players.

It may very well be that Gregg was holding them back. But they also may not be as "golden" as we've been led to believe.

[lawdog77]

Both things can be true here. This team hasn't lived up to its potential AND its potential has been overrated.
Most of the top international teams are loaded with players who are among the very best on their club squads. Outside of maybe Pulisic, there's not one American who is a top player for a top club. McKennie is next closest, but no one would argue he's one of the key guys at Juve (and, in fact, they seem ready to move on from him this summer). Robinson had a very nice season for a mid- to bottom-table team. Reyna got loaned out then barely managed to get any time for a weak NF team. Weah did little at Juve. Balogun had a disappointing year at Monaco. Matt Turner got benched.
And these are the team's best players.

It may very well be that Gregg was holding them back. But they also may not be as "golden" as we've been led to believe.

My question is do they have more talent than Panama?

[Not all scoop users are created equal apparently]

My question is do they have more talent than Panama?

Absolutely yes

[tower912]

Probably not when playing down a man for 70 minutes.

[jesmu84]

Wow, looks like they really did it.  Adios Bozo.  I'm sure he gets an MLS job within a year.

Prepare for a bunch of stupid clickbait articles about Klopp and Pep and Bielsa.  My number one realistic choice is Herve Renard, dude is an absolute wizard.  But he may want to lead another AFCON side into the 2026 Cup

https://x.com/EricWynalda/status/1808651019402031550?t=PYCcyaifYZbvKTno6LJThA&s=19

[JWags85]

Both things can be true here. This team hasn't lived up to its potential AND its potential has been overrated.
Most of the top international teams are loaded with players who are among the very best on their club squads. Outside of maybe Pulisic, there's not one American who is a top player for a top club. McKennie is next closest, but no one would argue he's one of the key guys at Juve (and, in fact, they seem ready to move on from him this summer). Robinson had a very nice season for a mid- to bottom-table team. Reyna got loaned out then barely managed to get any time for a weak NF team. Weah did little at Juve. Balogun had a disappointing year at Monaco. Matt Turner got benched.
And these are the team's best players.

It may very well be that Gregg was holding them back. But they also may not be as "golden" as we've been led to believe.

How many "top clubs" are there?  15? That's 30 players, maybe 40 that are "top players at top clubs".  Most top international teams have assorted guys like McKennie, solid everyday players for CL level clubs, after their star.  Which is also what Tillman, Dest (and now Pepi) are.   

Balogun is a year removed from 20+ goals and leading Ligue 1 in scoring for most of the seasons, there is a reason he moved for $40MM.  Chalking him up to overrated is way premature.

Aaronsen has been very disappoiting, Adams form and health have been a bummer since he was a key contributor for those Leipzig CL teams.  Reyna is an odd situation who is still only 21 but needs to find the right club (Mo Salah's first big move to Chelsea fell flat on its face, sometimes even superstars struggle for fit when young).  But no disagreements on Turner or Horvath, both looked super promising and fell short.

https://x.com/EricWynalda/status/1808651019402031550?t=PYCcyaifYZbvKTno6LJThA&s=19

I'd love to hear what their sources are.  Klopp loves a challenge but is he willing to take an 85% pay cut to deal with a toxic federation?

[jesmu84]

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9ASF8usmB-/?igsh=NzcxZTNpc3dlOTNp

Klopp troll. Hilarious

[MU82]

Real Salt Lake ejected a supporter during a 3-2 win against Houston Dynamo on Wednesday evening because the man had a tattoo the team identified as violating its hate speech policy.

The person had a tattoo on his head that appeared to resemble the symbols of the Nazi "Schutzstaffel", which was a paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany. The same symbols have since been appropriated at times to represent the White Supremacy movement.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5615790/2024/07/04/real-sale-lake-mls-tattoo-eject/?campaign=5888993&source=dailyemail&userId=3738391

[BM1090]

Wow, looks like they really did it.  Adios Bozo.  I'm sure he gets an MLS job within a year.

Prepare for a bunch of stupid clickbait articles about Klopp and Pep and Bielsa.  My number one realistic choice is Herve Renard, dude is an absolute wizard.  But he may want to lead another AFCON side into the 2026 Cup

where are you seeing this? I haven't been able to find anything saying he's gone.

[Hards Alumni]

Real Salt Lake ejected a supporter during a 3-2 win against Houston Dynamo on Wednesday evening because the man had a tattoo the team identified as violating its hate speech policy.

The person had a tattoo on his head that appeared to resemble the symbols of the Nazi "Schutzstaffel", which was a paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany. The same symbols have since been appropriated at times to represent the White Supremacy movement.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5615790/2024/07/04/real-sale-lake-mls-tattoo-eject/?campaign=5888993&source=dailyemail&userId=3738391

A real shame the NYT didn't do their due diligence and find the man and talk to him about it.  They'd have found that he is a former neo Nazi who is working on getting his tattoos removed and is focused on off ramping other neo Nazis.  He has to keep his hair short so the laser removal process can be done and properly heal.

[jutaw22mu]

where are you seeing this? I haven't been able to find anything saying he's gone.

I also haven't seen anything in this regard.  All I have seen is that there is going to be some kind of USSF investigations --- the last one was 14 months in duration and we wound up with Berhalter again....

[MU82]

A real shame the NYT didn't do their due diligence and find the man and talk to him about it.  They'd have found that he is a former neo Nazi who is working on getting his tattoos removed and is focused on off ramping other neo Nazis.  He has to keep his hair short so the laser removal process can be done and properly heal.

If that's the truth, you're right about the NYT in this instance.

[Hards Alumni]

If that's the truth, you're right about the NYT in this instance.

https://x.com/myusara/status/1808759375169007842?s=46

[The Sultan]

It's probably not a good idea to remove people from public events simply because of their tattoos anyway.

[tower912]

Canada Venezuela could easily be 3-2 right now.   Both teams are creating great scoring chances.  Canada has let some opportunities get away.

[MU82]

https://x.com/myusara/status/1808759375169007842?s=46

Thanks for posting.

I will say that if I had a Nazi tattoo on my head and I was so ashamed of it that I was getting ready to get it removed, I'd always wear a hat in public. Always. Wouldn't you?