USMNT - 2026 Cycle - "Early Days"

[degenerasian]

Go get Zidane, pay him a bazillion dollars.

[The Sybian]

Gio looks worried in first pic. Probably that GGG was gonna kick him AGAIN.

FIFY.

Didn't notice before, but I think Gio senses the way GGG is eyeing his Froot Loops.

[Rex]

That’s how I’m referring to the incident with GGG kicking his now wife. Whatever you want to call it, Earnie/USSF would look really bad if it came out later that they didn’t investigate this kind of claim, given the larger problem of USSF ignoring complaints by women’s soccer players about how they were treated by men.

Gotcha. That’s exactly what I meant by them being overly cautious after the Yates Report. As an attorney who does workplace investigations, I can’t imagine looking into an allegation from 31 years ago unless there is something else. Even with the Yates stuff.

Forgot to mention, one of the attorneys handling the investigation is BJay Pak, former US Attorney from Georgia who famously resigned when pressured by Trump to investigate election fraud.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned this, but I know BJay. Not well, but we have mutual friends and our practices overlap a little. And I have an educated guess as to what his firm would charge for this kind of representation, and it is not an amount you would spend lightly.

[Nonlinear FC]

Something pretty fucked up about the higher end of US soccer.)

YES. That. Ernie Stewart owns this. As does the process that led to GGG's hire. So tired of the insular bullshit. An outside coach (like, outside the country) really is needed to assess talent and make decisions without any of the historic entanglements.

Which is why it never happens. Klinsmann's kid was in the national program or elite club system en route to the national program (I'm not invested enough to nail it down rn) when he got hired. He's the closest to come from "outside" we've had in decades and he was living in LA and had been networking with Soccer House folks for years prior to that hire.

The last guy to truly be an "outsider" was Bora, and he was a transformational coach for the program. Since then, off the top of dome, it's been Sampson, Arena, Bradley, Klinsmann, Arena and Berhalter. (I'm probably fucking something up in the order, but the point is the same.)

It's incestuous and nepotistic. Guys like Ramos, McBride and Stewart are cut from the same cloth as Lalas. They are too prideful to admit they aren't full of answers for this program. Guys like the failed Rapids coach somehow fall into asst. coach positions due to what?

It's fucking madness.

[mister d]

Who would be our realistic best case hires?

(I guess best realistic and absolute best case can be different.)

[Nonlinear FC]

Who would be our realistic best case hires?

(I guess best realistic and absolute best case can be different.)

I'm a little shocked that The Athletic or somebody hasn't written that article. I'd need to do some research and I really feel like anybody worth their salt that gets paid to cover USMNT should have put that article out there.

I know I'm on an anti-Fed tear right now, but it sure feels like reporters seem a little afraid of pissing them off by pointing on choices other than GGG. Just sayin'.

I have an annual "Harbaugh is leaving for the NFL" and where he's potentially going article coming at me EVERY YEAR since he got there. (Not saying there's not merit, just that no one's afraid to tip that apple cart over on the reg.)

[govmentchedda]

Who would be our realistic best case hires?

(I guess best realistic and absolute best case can be different.)

Ancellotti

[mister d]

Didn't see this fan vote on stars & stripes but it confirms my type is like "Jesse Marsch or ... uh ...".

Top 10:
Jesse Marsch - 207 (17%)
Roberto Martinez - 124 (10%)
Joachim Löw - 118 (10%)
Steve Cherundolo - 98 (8%)
Jose Mourinho - 94 (8%)
Didier Deschamps - 80 (7%)
Pellegrino Matarrazo - 74 (6%)
Thierry Henry - 49 (4%)
Jim Curtin - 45 (4%)
Gregg Berhalter - 43 (4%)

[Nonlinear FC]

https://theathletic.com/4062630/2023/01 ... nal-usmnt/

I'm hoping this ongoing shitshow doesn't dissuade this guy from considering a run with the USMNT.

[HaulCitgo]

Random white man from Mr Paks firm says hello at the pizza place tonight and I cant help but look at him funny and wonder if it's rex. He is my year. And I am y'all of course.

[tennbengal]

yo! this is the appropriate type swing to be taking. Keep trying USSF...

[Nonlinear FC]

That's a REALLY good sign.

The opportunity presented by 2026 is not quite 1994, but... It could be a MASSIVE step forward for the sport. And I'm not a guy that really gives much of a crap anymore, because we've all seen this sport go from literally nothing to where it is today here.

But seize the fucking moment.

[Rex]

I'd be surprised if anyone at that end of the managerial pool would want the job right now. That means giving up two years of Champions League for a bunch of Nations League games against Honduras. Ask again after the Olympics and 2024 Euros.

[govmentchedda]

I'd be surprised if anyone at that end of the managerial pool would want the job right now. That means giving up two years of Champions League for a bunch of Nations League games against Honduras. Ask again after the Olympics and 2024 Euros.

Florentino and the Madridistas are fickle as hell. Could definitely see them sacking Carlo for no great reason. Could also see him taking on the USMNT at this point in his career.

[Rex]

Carlo is maybe my dream choice. But the timing needs to be right. I just don't think he's going to be interested in managing Gold Cup at all.

[A_B]

Carlo is maybe my dream choice. But the timing needs to be right. I just don't think he's going to be interested in managing Gold Cup at all.

Did you see citgo or not?!?!? Don’t dodge the mention!

[Rex]

Lol, definitely not me. Hope whoever it is was buying.

[Shirley]

Tuchel

[tennbengal]

this is an excellent overview of the entanglements and the general incestuousness of the USSF

[Nonlinear FC]

Here's an "interview" with Eric Wynalda. https://bolavip.com/en/soccer/Eric-Wyna ... -0017.html

Not really breaking a lot of new ground, but some insight into some generational issues with the USMNT player pool.

He also says kind of what I've been saying about GGG... He's trying to make a job that's not all that complicated and "selling" that notion to soccer media and Soccer House. Talks about how guys with PPT presentations wow the people that don't really know what the game is about and getting/keeping his job.

(Part of me lumps this in with Lalas and that generation that played when it was not very common to break out of a 442 and we lumped the ball forward for most of the time they played. It's not a complicated game, but it's a LOT more sophisticated game then when they played. That's why Lalas, Dempsey, Wynalda and those guys aren't very good at actually breaking down tactics... They don't really know what they're looking at half the time.)

[tennbengal]

PREACH

[Nonlinear FC]

Kind of beating a dying horse here, but still interesting (to me) to see this much needed backlash against the soccer culture in this country.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-stat ... ng-parents

It does dig a little deeper into why the US soccer/sport parent is a different breed than in other countries. The bottom line is that Americans are focused on themselves/their kids as opposed to collective and long-term goals. Seems about right.

[A_B]

Kind of beating a dying horse here, but still interesting (to me) to see this much needed backlash against the soccer culture in this country.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-stat ... ng-parents

It does dig a little deeper into why the US soccer/sport parent is a different breed than in other countries. The bottom line is that Americans are focused on themselves/their kids as opposed to collective and long-term goals. Seems about right.

IN other countries, don't most of the best prospects end up at a soccer academy at a very young age which handles a lot of their schooling too? The parents basically have to cede career control for hopes of making it, plus are you really going to call up the team and complain?

[mister d]

I intentionally didn't read that article because any "Reynas as parents clash with Berhalter as coach" would irritate me given that Berhalter was also a soccer parent. Am I safe or no?

[Nonlinear FC]

I intentionally didn't read that article because any "Reynas as parents clash with Berhalter as coach" would irritate me given that Berhalter was also a soccer parent. Am I safe or no?

Yeah, I honestly skimmed the couple of grafs that he burned on that, as it's really not the main point. It's the context for the article, sure, but it's not the same one linked above at all.

It's also not going to surprise anyone who frequents this or the Tammany Hall thread. There are some nuggets from some studies I hadn't seen before, and some solid and updated quotes from good sources. I think it's worth the read.

[mister d]

Thanks, I'm in as soon as the coffee dictates.

[Nonlinear FC]

Kind of beating a dying horse here, but still interesting (to me) to see this much needed backlash against the soccer culture in this country.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-stat ... ng-parents

It does dig a little deeper into why the US soccer/sport parent is a different breed than in other countries. The bottom line is that Americans are focused on themselves/their kids as opposed to collective and long-term goals. Seems about right.

IN other countries, don't most of the best prospects end up at a soccer academy at a very young age which handles a lot of their schooling too? The parents basically have to cede career control for hopes of making it, plus are you really going to call up the team and complain?

I think that's part of it, yeah. I think a huge part of the problem, and it's featured in this article, is that in other countries, you aren't paying thousands of dollars a year for your kid to play a sport. That really fucks with the dynamics.

We (my co-coach and I) were really proud that the club that we joined made keeping costs down a priority. I don't think we were thinking "gee, the parents won't feel so entitled," but we definitely used the lower costs in our pitch when trying to recruit players that were looking at us versus Potomac and Bethesda.

Looking back, we really only had 3 kids out of the 30+ that came through our two squads that presented an issue. They didn't last very long with us. Because another anamoly with us is that we weren't being paid. Kind of hard to bitch at two volunteer dads giving their kids professional-level coaching (certificates and coaches courses and all that.)

[HaulCitgo]

Kids and their parents don't get put in their place as quick in soccer as other sports. A modest amount of cash (training) or interest (parents) all the sudden catapults the kid into the top 10 percent of players. So those parents are in a position to make demands and be emboldened when those demands are rewarded. In hoops/football/baseball that isn't going to happen as readily. Those skills are more universal in the US (hand-eye coordination and running) and can be acquired organically in playgrounds so even substantial training won't lift you above your more skilled and athletic peers. In soccer you get more parents with less knowledge/experience in a position to be successful in influencing their kids coaches and more coaches who are less knowledgeable/experienced who are more susceptible to parental meddling.

[The Sybian]

The structure of soccer academies absolutely fosters this problem. It's a big business and they want to keep the parents happy (for money and keeping reputation to recruit the best players and bolster the reputation of the academy). There are just a handful of top tier academies in a region, as the top leagues are extremely exclusive in limiting to just 2 or 3 teams in a state.

These academies are constantly inviting new players to practice the teams, and sometimes they are given spots, taking away time from the existing players. It's incredibly competitive. I'm amazed at how, for the most part, the girls don't seem to let the competitiveness for playing time interfere with the their friendships and team camaraderie. The parents have been surprisingly welcoming of new families as well, but there is still a very real pitting of girls against each other to stay on the team or get playing time. The club my daughter played for 2 years ago went from one team to two in her age group. They kept all the new girls as a B-team, as COVID precluded tryouts. The two teams practiced next to each other every practice, and maybe 1/3 of the time, they combined for drills or scrimmaging. Kids who were there for years knew some of the girls would lose their spot to new girls the next season, but they were mostly welcoming, but that's a brutal environment for middle school girls. And the parents all want their kids playing in the elite leagues, especially starting in high school when there are college scouts going to games and showcase tournaments, which are entirely meant for college scouts.

I've seen on my daughter's team that a few of the pushy parents get their way. I can't be that guy, but sometimes I feel like if I don't speak up, I'm hurting my daughter's development or chances to eventually get in a position where she could get scouted.

[Nonlinear FC]

Syb, it's not pushy to ask for a 5 minutes to talk about your daughter's progress and areas to work on. If that's what you are doing, most coaches welcome it. As long as it's not constant, and more importantly, as long as you're not advocating too overtly.

I know you know this, I'm just saying... As that article points out, the coaches that understand and encourage positive communications are the ones you want to promote/celebrate.

[The Sybian]

Syb, it's not pushy to ask for a 5 minutes to talk about your daughter's progress and areas to work on. If that's what you are doing, most coaches welcome it. As long as it's not constant, and more importantly, as long as you're not advocating too overtly.

I know you know this, I'm just saying... As that article points out, the coaches that understand and encourage positive communications are the ones you want to promote/celebrate.

No, I've had those conversations, and it was extremely productive. 2 years ago when my daughter first joined an academy, she was intimidated and playing with no confidence. Had a good talk with the coach, it gave him a better understanding of how to make her feel comfortable and confident, and it worked. With her current coach, she was getting upset that he was yelling at her too much (he was) and never praising her. She wasn't wrong, I know that's his way of pushing to get more out of players. My daughter thrives on praise and positive attention, and negative attention makes her feel like she isn't good, and if she doesn't think she is good at something, she will stop trying. She was also getting a bit jealous that he would praise girls who aren't as good for small successes and not acknowledge if my daughter did the same thing. I tried explaining to her that it's a compliment, because the coach expects more out of her and isn't going to praise her for something that he expects she can do. Coach took it to heart and immediately starting being more positive and her play instantly improved. Her game is all about her confidence levels. We can tell when she walks on the field, by her body language, if she is going to play well. And if she gets a goal early, she is a completely different player. What's frustrating is the confidence doesn't carry over from one game to the next, even in a tournament when she plays the same day.

What I was talking about is parents who pressure coaches or club officials to move up, get more playing time, etc... Still frustrated with one of our goalies. She played half in goal half in the field last year. The club told her that at this age, she needs to pick one. She picked goalie. We added a second goalie to the roster (other half goalie picked field only). The mother bitched to all of the parents, most of us told her we agree with the club, she needs to pick one. I do think it hurts her play missing half of practice time to work with the goalie coach and it hurts her goaltending development worrying about playing in the field. Anyways, the mother made a loud pronouncement at practice that she bought a field uniform (actually 3), and her daughter is playing both. Coach plays her one half in goal, and gives her 10 minutes in the field. We have 19 rostered despite a supposed league limit of 18, and playing time is an issue for everyone. One game the girl didn't get field time, we were tied and she is a liability on defense. The mother chased the coach to his car and yelled at him in the parking lot for not getting her field time. I've heard that other parents called to complain about playing time and their girls got more when they complained. That's the shit I can't/won't do.

[wlu_lax6]

It is also the way US soccer has evolved. In most places the academies of pro teams existed as the sport grew. Because the US System was more grass roots, the best clubs have not traditionally been tied to the MLS teams. Outside of FC Dallas, Real, Union, and Red Bull, you are talking about areas where the clubs have a bit more reputation (DC United's academy is great for the 4 kids who have a shot at DC's roster, but Baltimore Armour, Bethesda, Olney, and several others have just as good a shot at a UMD scholarship or other Euro scouts seeing them). When I think about the classic top soccer clubs in the US the names that jump in my head are Solar, Beach, Surf, Scott Gallagher, Crossfire, PDA, Rush, Eclipse, Bethesda, Fusion, etc.

[A_B]

I think Gio is winning.

[tennbengal]

Indeed

[tennbengal]

[mister d]

The fact that all of USMNT fandom isn't lined up behind the kid who can contribute for Dortmund but somehow not the national team proves that a certain subset will always defer to authority as a default.

[Nonlinear FC]

Fucking hilarious. Brass balls on that kid.

[tennbengal]

The fact that all of USMNT fandom isn't lined up behind the kid who can contribute for Dortmund but somehow not the national team proves that a certain subset will always defer to authority as a default.

Pretty sure fandom is almost entirely aligned with Gio. The powers-that-be with the USSF is a different story...they suck out loud.

[Nonlinear FC]

The fact that all of USMNT fandom isn't lined up behind the kid who can contribute for Dortmund but somehow not the national team proves that a certain subset will always defer to authority as a default.

Word. It's one of the best examples of today's bullshit. I'd tweak it to say "some assholes just pick the other side to pick the other side." Very much a function of Twitter and other social media.

[mister d]

I'm sure its universal, but between this and Rangers Twitter, it drives me fucking insane. "If a 23 year old lottery pick wants to get top 9 minutes maybe he should score on the 4th line playing with two guys who won't be in the league in 24 months. Otherwise it proves the coach is right."