The [Horribly Unpopular] Soccer Thread

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Reno - my impression of the list though is that it's MLS heavy because of the ongoing european league play. How else to explain the lack of Howard, Dempsey etc? Good roster I agree, but I don't think Sepp would be swayed as he would see right through it.
 
Yeah it's most definitely due to European league play. But I think they can get it done for the first couple qualifier matches.
 
My understanding is that this is just a "camp" for the friendly against Canada, and that we should expect between 3-5 players from European leagues to join the team against Honduras in Feb.

I noticed Landycakes isn't included in the camp....
 
I love Klinsmann, a lot of people hate him cause he's change. But he engineered Germany's return to power and I hope he makes the US a superpower too
 
Obliviousbrew said:
4th consecutive FIFA Ballon d´Or for Messi... where is this guy limit?
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I'd say his limit is once his body starts falling apart but that isn't going to be for another 10-15 years pending good health. I guess it really helps to mark yourself as the best player in the world before you even start getting car insurance discounts.


Also, good article from MLSsoccer.com (I know, crazy right?) :D It details the chances of getting a WCQ call-up for the 25-man camp. Here's the link. Personally, if roughly 1/4 of the camp were to get an official call-up, here's who I'd pick:

GK: Tally Hall (or D - Matt Besler pending a good showing, and Besler had some out-of-his-mind matches in 2012)
D: Omar Gonzalez, Steven Beitashour
MF: Kyle Beckerman, Graham Zusi
F: Eddie Johnson

- Hall will likely be a 3rd stringer if he makes it (with Timmy Tim and Guzan as #1 and #2)
- Omar might start, especially if Bocanegra and Gooch have bad showings (hey it can happen... they aren't young pups anymore and WC is a young-mans game)
- Either Beckerman or Zusi will start, but I don't think both will since USMNT has no shortage of talented middies
- Eddie Johnson miiiiight start unless JK decides to run a 4-5-1, in which case the target man will almost certainly be Hercules Gomez.
 
I hate Kyle Beckermann, he's a total bum, he's pretty solid at being a defensive midfielder but he turns the ball over more than any player on the Klinsmann rosters. I hope Brek Shea works his way back into favor, If they do we could have a fun WC midfield and forward.
 
Shea could still get the call-up in February. He's just got some nagging injuries to deal with.
 
Ozzie Alonso is a US citizen now, just a few steps and he's cleared to suit up for the US. Pair him with Bradley and you have a great central midfield. Those two would be like releasing wild dogs on the world.
 
lgilmore said:
Ozzie Alonso is a US citizen now, just a few steps and he's cleared to suit up for the US. Pair him with Bradley and you have a great central midfield. Those two would be like releasing wild dogs on the world.
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Yes! This!
 
Alonzo has been a citizen since the Summer. They're awaiting on permission for a one time transfer from FIFA as he played meaningful Matches for Cuba. I think he'd be a quality addition though I don't know if he'd be better than Jermaine Jones. Certainly would improve the depth and that's never bad.
 
FlyDoctor said:
More on Blattermouth

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110...-was-out-of-touch-out-of-line-in-disparaging-
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I don't 100% disagree with Blatter, if the American game was more competitive I think the youth would be more into it. But I think that it's slowly changing, and I think at the very least the overall interest in soccer is growing since on FSC you can watch La Liga, Serie A or BPL matches which are higher quality matches. I think the fact that (yes I know they play less games) an MLS match draws about as well as an NBA or MLB game shows how well the game has grown.
 
hoppyhoppyhippo said:
I don't 100% disagree with Blatter, if the American game was more competitive I think the youth would be more into it. But I think that it's slowly changing, and I think at the very least the overall interest in soccer is growing since on FSC you can watch La Liga, Serie A or BPL matches which are higher quality matches. I think the fact that (yes I know they play less games) an MLS match draws about as well as an NBA or MLB game shows how well the game has grown.
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I tend to ignore most anything that Blatter comes out with.

As said in the article he tends just to be a walking contradiction so who knows what he truly believes. I doubt even he knows.

If he expects the MLS to be top dog of US sports in 18 years then, frankly, he's delusional.
 
Well yeah. Considering it competes with sports that have been around for nearly a century. Though I think MLS will grow and if it can become the 3rd or 4th most popular sport in America that would be a huge gain. If we could get just one LeBron James or Calvin Johnson type of player to play for the US team we'd be set.

Of course it doesn't help that the US has had some guys born here or who played youth ball here (aka lived here for several years) or had one american parent and then chose to play elsewhere like Neven Subotic, Brede Hangeland, Seb Hines, and Guiseppe Rossi. Now it's true we've lucked out by keeping some dual nationality guys (Howard, Bocanegra, Holden, Jones) we've also been equally screwed as well. Oh well such is the annoying game of international football.
 
hoppyhoppyhippo said:
Well yeah. Considering it competes with sports that have been around for nearly a century. Though I think MLS will grow and if it can become the 3rd or 4th most popular sport in America that would be a huge gain. If we could get just one LeBron James or Calvin Johnson type of player to play for the US team we'd be set.

Of course it doesn't help that the US has had some guys born here or who played youth ball here (aka lived here for several years) or had one american parent and then chose to play elsewhere like Neven Subotic, Brede Hangeland, Seb Hines, and Guiseppe Rossi. Now it's true we've lucked out by keeping some dual nationality guys (Howard, Bocanegra, Holden, Jones) we've also been equally screwed as well. Oh well such is the annoying game of international football.
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I said it before, but MLS needs to stop being a footballers retirement home. I appreciate what Becks did to up the face of the game, but paying him and the other "has-been" players enormous sums of money to play over here seems counter-intuitive. The US is actually starting to churn out some good youth, but why stay here when you can go to Europe and make loads more because all the wages are being hoovered up by 'past their prime' big names.
 
That will help but they have to do it naturally. if they try to force Americans to play in MLS you wind up with a Guiseppe Rossi situation. You should offer quality salaries and not force players to stay if they don't want to. It will eventually lead to organic growth.
 
Yep. I think MLS is at the point where big names aren't going to do much more in terms of elevating the league. They need to focus on upping the quality of the rest of the players in the league by attracting talented youth. It doesn't even have to be local youth either...
 
Yup. I bet a lot of African, South Americanm and Mexican kids who're passed over in Europe wouldn't mind coming here. If you treat MLS like college football I think it will be best, and when the interest in the league grows higher and higher that players can stay for a high price and the stadiums are packed with 40K+ fans every game then you can get the awesome players to say and sign some of the best international players.
 
There's been a well backed rumor that Chivas USA scouts passed on Javier Hernandez shortly before his move to Manchester.
Maybe the teams just need better staff?
 
If I remember correctly, Ian Darke said the trasnfer fee was rumored to be around 9 million USD paid to Guadalajara.
I know MLS teams aren't real keen on paying transfer fees, and I don't know what kind of wages he agreed to at Utd.
 
aygov said:
I tend to ignore most anything that Blatter comes out with.

As said in the article he tends just to be a walking contradiction so who knows what he truly believes. I doubt even he knows.

If he expects the MLS to be top dog of US sports in 18 years then, frankly, he's delusional.
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If it doesn't benefit Germany or France, he is against it. Quite simple. really.
 
hoppyhoppyhippo said:
Though I think MLS will grow and if it can become the 3rd or 4th most popular sport in America that would be a huge gain. If we could get just one LeBron James or Calvin Johnson type of player to play for the US team we'd be set.
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It's already the third highest attended league in the country. Just because we don't pay our athletes way too much doesn't mean they aren't top caliber.
 
Reno_eNVy said:
It's already the third highest attended league in the country. Just because we don't pay our athletes way too much doesn't mean they aren't top caliber.
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There are some excellent talents for sure, but no physical freaks in our team yet. Closest we have are Shea and Altidore. I'm talking about having someone like a Ronaldo type of physical talent come out, someone with size, strength, and pace. I know that isn't required to make a great league or national team, but it would help generate interest.

Though I think what will be really interesting is watching the growth of Ben Lederman, he was good enough for Barca to take a shot at him hopefully he has the kind of talent it takes to play for Barca then he'll for sure be the best American ever.
 
hoppyhoppyhippo said:
Though I think what will be really interesting is watching the growth of Ben Lederman, he was good enough for Barca to take a shot at him hopefully he has the kind of talent it takes to play for Barca then he'll for sure be the best American ever.
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How old is that dude now?
Last time I saw him, his balls hadn't even dropped yet.
A lot can change between now and when he turns 18.
Considering his family has moved to Spain, or so I've heard, I wouldn't be suprised if his professional & international career is spent elsewhere.
 
He's I think 12 now, you're right a lot can change, and maybe he flips allegiances (like Rossi) but I'd be kinda shocked if he did. Most kids who come up through Barca's farm leave the system at some point because the pickings to get to the top club are small. Even Cesc Fabregas left the lower levels to get top club playing time for several years. If Lederman keeps developing I could see a currently youth focused club like Arsenal or Liverpool going after him. Arsene Wenger has said that he thinks that the USA and Asia are the 2 most under utilized markets.
 
So the National Women's Soccer League allocated players from national teams to their teams. Here's how it shook out



Boston Breakers
Sydney Leroux (USA)
Heather Mitts (USA)
Heather O'Reilly (USA)
Adriana Leon (CAN)
Rhian Wilkinson (CAN)
Anisa Guajardo (MEX)
Cecilia Santiago (MEX)

Chicago Red Stars
Shannon Boxx (USA)
Amy LePeilbet (USA)
Keelin Winters (USA)
Erin McLeod (CAN)
Carmelina Moscato (CAN)
Maribel Dominguez (MEX)
Dinora Garza (MEX)

FC Kansas City
Nicole Barnhart (USA)
Lauren Cheney (USA)
Becky Sauerbrunn (USA)
Desiree Scott (CAN)
Lauren Sesselmann (CAN)
Renae Cuellar (MEX)
Marylin Diaz (MEX)

Portland Thorns FC
Rachel Buehler (USA)
Tobin Heath (USA)
Alex Morgan (USA)
Luz Saucedo (MEX)
Marlene Sandoval (MEX)
Karina LeBlanc (CAN)
Christine Sinclair (CAN)

Seattle Reign FC
Megan Rapinoe (USA)
Amy Rodriguez (USA)
Hope Solo (USA)
Kaylyn Kyle (CAN)
Emily Zurrer (CAN)
Jenny Ruiz (MEX)
Teresa Noyola (MEX)

Sky Blue FC
Jill Loyden (USA)
Kelley O'Hara (USA)
Christie Rampone (USA)
Sophie Schmidt (CAN)
Melanie Booth (CAN)
Monica Ocampo (MEX)
Lydia Rangel (MEX)

Washington Spirit
Ashlyn Harris (USA)
Ali Krieger (USA)
Lori Lindsey (USA)
Robin Gayle (CAN)
Diana Matheson (CAN)
Alina Garciamendez (MEX)
Teresa Worbis (MEX)

Western New York Flash
Carli Lloyd (USA)
Abby Wambach (USA)
Bryanna McCarthy (CAN)
Jodi-Ann Robinson (CAN)
Veronica Perez (MEX)
Pamela Tajonar (MEX)


Since I live all of like 5 minutes from where Sky Blue play I'll probably check them out a few times, especially when Portland is in town since one they have Alex Morgan who is a stone cold fox, and then also I'm fairly certain they'll be the best team since even if they don't have anything in defense, midfield, or goal, having Morgan and Sinclair upfront is pretty unfair. Kinda bummed Carli isn't on Sky Blue since she's from NJ as well (and probably played a match against my old high school woo) but I guess that's the draw, women from bigger soccer states like NJ and Cali will get split around outside of their home area.
 
Yeah Seattle and Portland both look solid, should make for more great rivalry matches.
 

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