it was an exciting game considering that we had two mediocre teams playing.
True, but you see, the passion with which you play is a very important ingredient to eventually become competitive.
Besides, from the show and spectacle perspective (important for the masses), it was a good game, and do not forget, it was a clean game.
watching a world class team against a bad team, like USA against Germany or Yugoslavia against Iran is boring.
Half true, Germany did not play as a champion, and as to being world champion material this year.. I doubt it as the game Vs Yugoslavia proved it.
let's face it USA has a long way to go before it can become a descent contender, all the players have is some will power but that's about it.
No question about it, but will power as with passion is yet another asset that the U.S. DID NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT, let alone HAVE, a few years ago.
i heard that the us wants to be the world champion by 2010. i think that is a joke that is only three world cups away. the rest of the world has been playing competitively for ever and only about six teams have become soccer world champions.
Not a joke, it is a real possibility, at least to become a serious contender.
There are now an entire generation trained and in addition, that they know that soccer is a viable sport, of course it takes time, but the talent, the resources, and indeed the influence from our newly, wired unified world economy, will no doubt influence enough youngsters to really come through and produce the needed athletes to produce a first class team.
In fact, I am convinced that athletically, you now have one of the best teams, I also thought (prematurely so), that the US had the skills.
What I found however, is that these fine athletes were trained by an MBA in Moronic studies and strategies, only surpassed by the even more moronically brilliant U.S. bankers of the 70's and 80's that loaned all that money to Latin American Politicos.
Had you had a Trainer with a winning attitude and not so fancy "formations", less clipboard rubbish and a "can do" attitude, as in "THE OBJECT OF THIS GAME IS TO SCORE GOALS" (usually one or more than the opponent)
You have no idea the advance that the U.S. has had over the last few years, the U.S. used to be the "laughing stock" of soccer, particularly of the Latin American teams...
Any game -Vs- the US used to be a picnic and a caricature to watch these tall blondies, made a complete fool of themselves. They would be compared to a giraffe trying to hit the ball, let alone be a serious threat.
On a bad day, a 3 x 0 was a bad day for the Latin American team, it would be considered that a 5 x 0 was a sign that the team was doing poorly.
Today, the US is thought of as a team that you can not relax with and you should play seriously against.
You yourself said it, only a few nations have achieved winning the World Cup, its importance and competitive nature makes it so that in MOST countries the World Cup is a good excuse to re-schedule work hours...
You have the Olympic games (a collections of sports), every four years, you also have the World Cup, (a single sport), every four years. To become competitive in this sport is not an easy task.
However, the USA has made the commitment, and the progress so far has been indeed impressive.
Think in terms that in 1970 everyone in the US would ridicule soccer players.... not any more, particularly when you consider that soccer, from a purely athletical point of view is a sport FAR, FAR, FAR, superior to Football (the one played with your hands), and certainly baseball, which it is more or less a savage form of cricket, but just as boring. Basketball.... hmm it is ok (certainly better than baseball), but..... (IMO)
I do believe that a competitive US soccer team by 2010 is feasible, and possibly before then, as to being World Champion....
Let's first figure this year World Cup winner and then we will worry about 2010... or whatever.
Z.
Later..... |
