Soccer Thread V1: Klinsmann for Gold?

[Bshelton]

A struggling third tier club no less.

[Stinez]

Originally Posted by Bshelton

Cant believe they tied with Utd. That point may have been worth the Dempsey fee!!

I'm a Man U and a Dempsey fan so I was OK with the draw simply because of who tied it up.

[Josephvman]

Why is it that someone asked why there weren't more soccer threads around here? It's because you might as well put them in politics and religion, since they usually degrade into name calling, etc., just like gun control and abortion.

The USA v. Canada match tomorrow night is in my Houston Dynamo home stadium, but I'm pissed because I couldn't get my Dynamo season ticket club seats for it, since the tickets sales were handled through a different channel. Three of the Dynamo players were called up for our national side, two of which are from my hometown of St. Louis, so it makes it a bit more interesting for me.

Originally Posted by Mercury264

What a fucking terrible point of view. I pity you...I really do.

[Stinez]

Originally Posted by Josephvman

Why is it that someone asked why there weren't more soccer threads around here? It's because you might as well put them in politics and religion, since they usually degrade into name calling, etc., just like gun control and abortion.

The USA v. Canada match tomorrow night is in my Houston Dynamo home stadium, but I'm pissed because I couldn't get my Dynamo season ticket club seats for it, since the tickets sales were handled through a different channel. Three of the Dynamo players were called up for our national side, two of which are from my hometown of St. Louis, so it makes it a bit more interesting for me.

You only have "my Houston Dynamo" because you took them from folks like me at the height of their game.

We've replaced them but that still doesn't make it right.

[mancunian]

Originally Posted by Bshelton

A struggling third tier club no less.

That is a very dignified answer I am impressed.

[Bshelton]

Originally Posted by mancunian

That is a very dignified answer I am impressed.

I'm not a very confrontational guy. I just get frustrated when people have a holier than thou attitude.


On another note, Balotelli may be going back to Italy. As a neutral fan of him I would rather see him stay as he is hilarious. Anyone see that video of him trying to put the bib on for 2 mins?

[Josephvman]

I know how you feel! I grew up in St. Louis and was crushed when the football Cardinals moved to Arizona, and stopped following football for a decade.

You guys had a great season in '12 though. The Dynamo continue to overachieve in the playoffs, only to fold when it matters. I'm looking forward to hosting San Jose at the end of March. Wondo is a joy to watch; just a natural goal scorer. I would be very surprised if some of the Premier League teams don't start sniffing around to draw him away. Stoke City has to be thrilled to pieces with the theft of Geoff Cameron from the Dynamo, and top MLS players are an absolute bargain compared to what those teams have to pay to find EPL-level talent elsewhere. I have mixed feelings about the top players leaving MLS for EPL, but ultimately you could argue that most of the world's leagues are feeders to EPL for the top players, and if young talented players feel like MLS is a good stepping stone to the top leagues then maybe we'll attract more young talent here. I think it's also fantastic to see players like Keene, Henry, and Nesta playing in MLS. They may be past their prime but these are still brilliant athletes.

Originally Posted by Stinez

You only have "my Houston Dynamo" because you took them from folks like me at the height of their game.

We've replaced them but that still doesn't make it right.

[Stinez]

Originally Posted by Josephvman

I know how you feel! I grew up in St. Louis and was crushed when the football Cardinals moved to Arizona, and stopped following football for a decade.

You guys had a great season in '12 though. The Dynamo continue to overachieve in the playoffs, only to fold when it matters. I'm looking forward to hosting San Jose at the end of March. Wondo is a joy to watch; just a natural goal scorer. I would be very surprised if some of the Premier League teams don't start sniffing around to draw him away. Stoke City has to be thrilled to pieces with the theft of Geoff Cameron from the Dynamo, and top MLS players are an absolute bargain compared to what those teams have to pay to find EPL-level talent elsewhere. I have mixed feelings about the top players leaving MLS for EPL, but ultimately you could argue that most of the world's leagues are feeders to EPL for the top players, and if young talented players feel like MLS is a good stepping stone to the top leagues then maybe we'll attract more young talent here. I think it's also fantastic to see players like Keene, Henry, and Nesta playing in MLS. They may be past their prime but these are still brilliant athletes.

I'd hate to lose Wondo but if Europe calls then I wouldn't hold that kind of move against him. Although his age (30) may be something that would exclude him from that bit of consideration.

IMO - The problem with many American MLS players is that they are good moving forward but they don't have the skill needed to compete in Europe because they don't hold the ball well enough (Pass accuracy and vision) and they don't appear to have the patience needed to wait for and pounce on the limited opportunities that happen in the course of a game.
They tend to try to force their way through which rarely works against top talent.

[mancunian]

It is now official news in England, Mario is on his way back to Italy sad news for man utd fans.

[JNRobert]

Originally Posted by wxwax

You saw all there was to see in Sturridge yesterday.

It seems that maybe Liverpool suits him. A corker of a goal against Man City today and he and Suarez are developing a good understanding. I always liked him at Chelsea but that club is dysfunctional, imho.

Madrid lost again (Jose's days are numbered but when was the last time you saw a club of this stature play so badly in their league?). They're still in Europe which must be why Mourinho hasn't been given the boot (or is it only Chelsea that fires their manager during the season ).

And talking of dysfunction, I see the British Parliament has given EPL one year to get their financial house in order or they'll do it for them. Way overdue.

[Josephvman]

I didn't realize Wondo was 30, but you're right. It's really hard to predict how well a top american in MLS will do over there. Donovan never seemed to find his game in Germany, but then Dempsey goes to europe and tears things up!

I took a Scottish buddy of mine who through the years has coached one of Houston's very top amateur teams (Rangers, go figure!) to his first MLS game a couple of seasons back, and ten minutes in he asked me what in the hell Geoff Cameron was doing playing in MLS. At that point he only had a few touches, but it was the vision and ability to handle the ball under pressure while looking down the field rather than the ball or the defender in front of him that he focused on. I don't think there's much question that he has been Stoke's most solid player this year and the biggest reason they're mid-table and not at the bottom where they usually live. I was excited to see Stoke sign another from MLS, Brek Shea, right at the transfer deadline last week, and wonder how the fans will receive a second american over there.

Originally Posted by Stinez

I'd hate to lose Wondo but if Europe calls then I wouldn't hold that kind of move against him. Although his age (30) may be something that would exclude him from that bit of consideration.

IMO - The problem with many American MLS players is that they are good moving forward but they don't have the skill needed to compete in Europe because they don't hold the ball well enough (Pass accuracy and vision) and they don't appear to have the patience needed to wait for and pounce on the limited opportunities that happen in the course of a game.
They tend to try to force their way through which rarely works against top talent.

[Stinez]

Originally Posted by Josephvman

I didn't realize Wondo was 30, but you're right. It's really hard to predict how well a top american in MLS will do over there. Donovan never seemed to find his game in Germany, but then Dempsey goes to europe and tears things up!

I took a Scottish buddy of mine who through the years has coached one of Houston's very top amateur teams (Rangers, go figure!) to his first MLS game a couple of seasons back, and ten minutes in he asked me what in the hell Geoff Cameron was doing playing in MLS. At that point he only had a few touches, but it was the vision and ability to handle the ball under pressure while looking down the field rather than the ball or the defender in front of him that he focused on. I don't think there's much question that he has been Stoke's most solid player this year and the biggest reason they're mid-table and not at the bottom where they usually live. I was excited to see Stoke sign another from MLS, Brek Shea, right at the transfer deadline last week, and wonder how the fans will receive a second american over there.

I think Stoke will be VERY happy with Shea and if that happens I think it could open up opportunities for more American' to play in the various European leagues.

And it could give more of our younger kids an opportunity to join some of their Soccer Academies. That IMO should be our primary desire if we want to eventually become a soccer power.

[wxwax]

Originally Posted by Josephvman

I didn't realize Wondo was 30, but you're right. It's really hard to predict how well a top american in MLS will do over there. Donovan never seemed to find his game in Germany, but then Dempsey goes to europe and tears things up!

Don't forget that when Donovan went to Everton he was a smash hit. They loved him and wanted to keep him. Horses for courses, I guess.

The game in England is so international that I doubt there's a prejudice against American players. Howard, Donovan and Dempsey have all played at a high level there.

There is a prejudice against MLS, and I share it. After watching Prem games, I find it really hard to watch MLS. Everything about it is a big step down. I'd guess the level of play hovers somewhere between 2nd and 3rd division in England. Some good players emerge, but overall the players' technical ability is pretty bad and although I'm no soccer strategist, I'd say their awareness and understanding is as well.

Let's hope Altidore finds his scoring boots on Wednesday. The US needs to assert itself. So far Klinsmann has scarcely been an improvement on his predecessor. Good news that Timothy Chandler has finally given up on his dream of playing for Germany will be formally tied to the united States from now on.

Everybody cringe, FOX is forcing an American with no soccer background to be its lead commentator for World Cup soccer. It's the excitable Gus Johnson. And to make us suffer even more, they're going to saddle him with Warren Barton for the Champions League match between ManU and Real Madrid. Barton's bearable in studio, but my god he sucks as a match commentator.

[Bshelton]

I hate Man Utd, but Gary Neville is the best pundit I've ever heard.

[Stinez]

USA, Klinsmann fall short to Honduras

If World Cup qualifying in the CONCACAF region is a marathon, the US men’s national team started off the fourth and final phase of the process at a saunter, suffering an ugly 2-1 loss to an eminently beatable Honduras on Wednesday.

There were mitigating circumstances to be sure. In a heaving stadium assaulting all the senses – the incessant thrum of drums and hum of air horns, the deafening howls and cries of some 30,000 Hondurans, the humid 90-degree air, the smoke and smell of burning meat, the permanent hive of activity all around you – the field appeared to play heavily, quickly sapping the Americans’ energy.


*snip