Talent hasn't really been the problem. Getting that talent to perform as a team has. At least for CONCACAF qualifying.Talent is available right now. Kyle Scott (19yr old) made the Chelsea game day roster and may start this weekend.
Whoever we sign for the cycle should challenge the players to earn their spot.
He had qualified the USA for the WC twice before. He was only gonna be a stop gap. I would have tried to find someone else (and maybe they did??), but I understand why he was chosen.Wasn't he bad for the club the first time around? I can't believe he had such (comparatively) overwhelming support when JK was let go.
Talent hasn't really been the problem. Getting that talent to perform as a team has. At least for CONCACAF qualifying.
But I agree, time to start looking for/at the next cycle players.
Wasn't he bad for the club the first time around? I can't believe he had such (comparatively) overwhelming support when JK was let go.
Subjective poor oversight, perceived dubious leadership, etc., likely equal reaches for removal as USSF President. Wishful, but likely based on a quick perusal of the USSF by-laws. Fortunately, Gulati's in the last several months of his 3rd and final term as USSF President. Unless surprisingly removed as USSF President, Gulati will unfortunately remain on the USSF board for another 4 years as the USSF's Immediate Past President. Wholesale house cleaning? Unlikely!Bruce Arena resigns ... That's a good start. Don't think Sunil will step down. Can't replace him until the elections in the beginning of the next year.
We're not going to get Pro-Rel. So upstart clubs will never upstart and absorb/include as much local talent as possible to push for spots in MLS. And MLS clubs will in turn protect their USMNT 'stars' as seat sellers. Whatever.
Goofy tactics, player selection, formation, etc is the narrative MLSers push on Klinsmann's term in the States. But the truth is he got us through the group of death, final 4 at Copa (which some say wasn't enough? LOL), etc etc. Compare that to Bruce's most recent player selection (MLS all stars) the quote about European 'hot shots' and who looks better over the last couple years? It isn't close. The players helped push JK out. They were sick of earning their spot and tough training days - that goes back to their club environment and their cushy MLS gigs.
The culture needs to change, again. Jurgen was on it, but the USA wasn't ready, despite the upward trend in results and players moving to higher-level club teams.
I don't care if the next coach is an American or the moon. What matters is if they can navigate the minefield of self-serving SUM and MLS ownership and get as many players in the best leagues as possible, whether it's MLS, LigaMX or wearing the 10 shirt at Barcelona. Once we field players that would line up for sides in top 5-10-20 countries, we aren't doing anything. We must get rid of the American exceptionalism, pompous attitude and push the envelope. The next generation will be good enough. There are guys age 16-20 excelling and working their way at top Euro clubs. We'll be fine for the 2022 WC, but after that, who knows?
Will anything change? Probably not. The best thing we have going for USMNT has been broadcasting Champions League and PL on weekends.
The answer to your first question is emphatically no. Only bad to those who like throwing unrealistic expectations on how they judge other people.
This. This was our least individually talented team in a few cycles. Having said that, there is no question there was much, much more individual talent on our team than on Honduras or Panama.
Should have never been given the job and Sunil should be next.
Tab Ramos in as interim.
Who do we go after to shepherd in the new generation?
Wasn't he bad for the club the first time around? I can't believe he had such (comparatively) overwhelming support when JK was let go.
The answer to your first question is emphatically no. Only bad to those who like throwing unrealistic expectations on how they judge other people.
He's not a great coach, he's not even a very good coach, but he remains the most successful coach in the history of USMNT. At the time we needed someone with experience to step in and turn things around.Wasn't he bad for the club the first time around? I can't believe he had such (comparatively) overwhelming support when JK was let go.
He's not a great coach, he's not even a very good coach, but he remains the most successful coach in the history of USMNT. At the time we needed someone with experience to step in and turn things around.
People excuse JK's Hex record because of who we lost to, but they don't talk about the fact JK also lost to Guatemala in WC qualifying prior to the Hex. Based on that loss, other head scratchers, and his 0-2 start, JK had to go.
Arena was always a stop gap. Had we qualified, he more than likely would have been out immediately after the WC.
I liken to the Arena hire to Edsall's return. Each was the safe choice. Some hated it, some liked it, most leaned toward begrudgingly accepting the reasons behind the hire, while eagerly anticipating his replacement.
So you'd have to agree the team regressed from 2013 to 2016.He finished at the top of the hex in 2013.
Likening Arena to Edsall is silly. Arena didn’t take over a destroyed program.
So you'd have to agree the team regressed from 2013 to 2016.
2015: Lost to Jamaica in the Gold Cup semifinals on US soil. (Followed that up with a loss to Panama in the 3rd place game also on US soil).
2016: Lost to Guatemala in a World Cup Qualifier
Started out 0-2 in the Hex, and showed that he wasn't capable of getting the team to put forth consistent performances against powerhouse teams like Jamaica, Honduras, Panama, and Guatemala.
So yeah, good on him for winning the Hex in 2013. A lot of good that did us this time around.
You misunderstood the context of the comparison. I wasn't comparing the state of the programs, I was comparing the reaction to the hiring, which was the point of the post I was responding to.
And it's not silly in any way. Both Arena and Edsall are polarizing, mediocre to above average coaches, who for all their warts, are the two most successful coaches at the jobs they returned to.
FIFY.Omitted the Copa America? That’s more recent than the dopey Gold Cup. Pretty convenient on your part.
JK probably bit off more than he should have tried to chew, but he was a step in the right direction.
Anyways the seeds of this failure were planted long before Jurgen or Arena.
ASN article: The Missing Years: U.S. Soccer’s Development Gap
FIFY.
The Copa where we our final record was 3-3, and only one of those wins came against a team that would later qualify for the World Cup?
Yes, we looked great against Costa Rica (more on this later).
Let's not throw a parade for beating Paraguay and Ecuador, losing to Colombia twice (0-3 aggregate) and Argentina (0-4) and finishing in 4th place while playing all of our games on home soil.
It was a good showing, but it preceded the losses to Jamaica, Guatemala, Mexico, and a 4-0 loss to Costa Rica that led to his firing.
So yes, I ignored the Copa, because we clearly regressed from the Copa to the continuation of WCQ.
You don't need to fix it.
Bruce was manager back when the US was missing on that age group.
Yes let's throw a parade over beating better competition than a Gold Cup and only losing to teams that were much, much better than us.
We basically had to play Argentina with most of our midfield on suspension. And besides it's ARGENTINA. Good grief man.