US Men's Soccer Team Extravaganza!
Vein of Form has been inundated with emails begging to know if we are taking time off for the international break. The readers apparently think this publication is some one-trick pony that only pontificates on the domestic league competition. Fear not readership, we have plenty to say about the international matches being contested over the next week. The thing is, we are stationed in America which means we have little or no use for Euro qualifiers. Wake us in '08 when the Andorras, Icelands and Latvias are eliminated.
As an American, it is my duty to provide the most thorough and professional analysis of the upcoming US National Team friendlies. You could say I am thoroughly professional. Indeed, it is time to focus on the upcoming Gold Cup where the mighty US will take on the likes of Haiti, Cuba, Panama and Mexico. It is my understanding they even let Canada compete, but that is more as a foreign policy make-good than anything else. I doubt Canada even has a national squad.
The coming week will see the Americans compete against Guatemala and Ecuador. While Guatemala isn't the heftiest of opponents, Ecuador shouldn't be taken lightly. They made it to the knock out round of the most recent World Cup and despite having arguably the easiest draw, managed to blow a golden opportunity to make a name for themselves. These matches are to serve as a warm up for this summer's Gold Cup. Or to CONCACAF dwellers - our European Championships!
So, it is a relief that coach Bob Bradley has called in the big guns from overseas, some of them for the first time. Jay DeMerritt (Watford), Frankie Simek (Sheffield Wednesday) and Benny Felihaber (Hamburg) should be greeted with open arms by their US teammates and fans as they make their debut at the international level. Meanwhile, the likes of Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Tim Howard (Everton), Gooch Oneywu (Newcastle) and Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham) ought to take these two matches as an opportunity to assert themselves as the leaders of the squad. It would make for a more interesting scenario if the US were playing on foreign soil in a hostile environment, and against more skilled competition. Playing in front of roughly 20,000 docile (ok, near comatose) US "soccer fans" isn't exactly going to test the mental strength of the squad or force them to work on communicating on the pitch in the face of such an obstacle.
I'm not going to be discouraged by the recent World Cup results, nor will I let the MLS detractors prevent me from firmly believing the league is on the rise. There is not a Euro-snob on the planet that can convince me domestic leagues in the Czech Republic, Belgium, Norway or even Scotland are playing football at a higher level than MLS simply because they're in Europe.
So, ridicule me if you choose.
All I can say is that if you think the US Men's National soccer team will not be a threat to win the World Cup in 2010: "Yer havin' a larf!"
As an American, it is my duty to provide the most thorough and professional analysis of the upcoming US National Team friendlies. You could say I am thoroughly professional. Indeed, it is time to focus on the upcoming Gold Cup where the mighty US will take on the likes of Haiti, Cuba, Panama and Mexico. It is my understanding they even let Canada compete, but that is more as a foreign policy make-good than anything else. I doubt Canada even has a national squad.
The coming week will see the Americans compete against Guatemala and Ecuador. While Guatemala isn't the heftiest of opponents, Ecuador shouldn't be taken lightly. They made it to the knock out round of the most recent World Cup and despite having arguably the easiest draw, managed to blow a golden opportunity to make a name for themselves. These matches are to serve as a warm up for this summer's Gold Cup. Or to CONCACAF dwellers - our European Championships!
So, it is a relief that coach Bob Bradley has called in the big guns from overseas, some of them for the first time. Jay DeMerritt (Watford), Frankie Simek (Sheffield Wednesday) and Benny Felihaber (Hamburg) should be greeted with open arms by their US teammates and fans as they make their debut at the international level. Meanwhile, the likes of Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Tim Howard (Everton), Gooch Oneywu (Newcastle) and Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham) ought to take these two matches as an opportunity to assert themselves as the leaders of the squad. It would make for a more interesting scenario if the US were playing on foreign soil in a hostile environment, and against more skilled competition. Playing in front of roughly 20,000 docile (ok, near comatose) US "soccer fans" isn't exactly going to test the mental strength of the squad or force them to work on communicating on the pitch in the face of such an obstacle.
I'm not going to be discouraged by the recent World Cup results, nor will I let the MLS detractors prevent me from firmly believing the league is on the rise. There is not a Euro-snob on the planet that can convince me domestic leagues in the Czech Republic, Belgium, Norway or even Scotland are playing football at a higher level than MLS simply because they're in Europe.
So, ridicule me if you choose.
All I can say is that if you think the US Men's National soccer team will not be a threat to win the World Cup in 2010: "Yer havin' a larf!"
posted by Anonymous at 6:34 PM
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