The "Best Athlete" myth in US Soccer Development

[Unregistered]

Great article.

http://thecoachingjourney.org/2015/0...r-development/

[Unregistered]

Great article.

http://thecoachingjourney.org/2015/0...r-development/

Ya, I guess, but if we could get our best athletes to play soccer the US would dominate.

[Unregistered]

I disagree. I think the article is on point. Technical skill and tactical intelligence is where the European/South American soccer player is where they are outpacing the U.S. player. Having a ball at their feet all the time. Not because they are fitter, bigger and stronger or better athletes. That's just the US style. Now if we could get the best athletes in the US to grow up in a similar soccer obsessed culture and focus on their technical skills and tactical intelligence (instead of just sprints and weight reps) then I do agree that the U.S. would dominate. That is unrealistic, so we could definitely change the focus of our development to at least compete more regularly on an international stage.

[Unregistered]

I disagree. I think the article is on point. Technical skill and tactical intelligence is where the European/South American soccer player is where they are outpacing the U.S. player. Having a ball at their feet all the time. Not because they are fitter, bigger and stronger or better athletes. That's just the US style. Now if we could get the best athletes in the US to grow up in a similar soccer obsessed culture and focus on their technical skills and tactical intelligence (instead of just sprints and weight reps) then I do agree that the U.S. would dominate. That is unrealistic, so we could definitely change the focus of our development to at least compete more regularly on an international stage.

Meant to say I disagree with the poster. I agree with article.

[Unregistered]

Great article, and the Iniesta example is spot on. For me he is one of top 3-4 players in world.

Let us be serious here: Would Iniesta have a chance in our NT if he was born in US? What about Marta from Brazil?
You know the answer and perhaps you also know why our national teams are not that good. Please don't say that if they are skilled and blah blah blah they would make it. There are a lot Iniestas and Martas out there that don't get invited to the NT camps because they:
1. are not tall and physical.
2.don't bench press 400 lbs.
3.are not robotic fast
4.Can't boot it 100 yds
5.are poor.

[Unregistered]

Meant to say I disagree with the poster. I agree with article.

I agree with the article too. If we could get LeBron and Kobe and Michael Bradley to play soccer the US would whoop Brazil and Germany.

[Unregistered]

Great article, and the Iniesta example is spot on. For me he is one of top 3-4 players in world.

Let us be serious here: Would Iniesta have a chance in our NT if he was born in US? What about Marta from Brazil?
You know the answer and perhaps you also know why our national teams are not that good. Please don't say that if they are skilled and blah blah blah they would make it. There are a lot Iniestas and Martas out there that don't get invited to the NT camps because they:
1. are not tall and physical.
2.don't bench press 400 lbs.
3.are not robotic fast
4.Can't boot it 100 yds
5.are poor.

Agreed. Listen to Klinsmann moan about fitness, since he knows we have nothing else to offer.

[Unregistered]

Impressive resume from the author...

He's coached for 5 whole years.

[Unregistered]

Impressive resume from the author...

He's coached for 5 whole years.

He's also logged 1,200 hours on FIFA 2013 and recently stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

Give me the NFL and NBA all-star teams as a player pool and 2 years to teach them soccer. US wins the world cup.

[Unregistered]

Impressive resume from the author...

He's coached for 5 whole years.

And your point? The article reflects the opinions of a lot experts out there. You don't need to be a doctor to know if someone is sick.

[Unregistered]

He's also logged 1,200 hours on FIFA 2013 and recently stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

Give me the NFL and NBA all-star teams as a player pool and 2 years to teach them soccer. US wins the world cup.

Tell me that you are joking, please.

[Unregistered]

This experiment is already being run on the women's side. Let us see what wins the world cup. Soccer is the preeminent female sport in the US so our best "athletes" are there. Can they triumph over countries with a deeper soccer culture and team selection and training methodology?

[Unregistered]

And your point? The article reflects the opinions of a lot experts out there. You don't need to be a doctor to know if someone is sick.

Being a doctor is helpful when trying to figure out what the sickness is. And the only cure. Is more cowbell.

[Unregistered]

He's also logged 1,200 hours on FIFA 2013 and recently stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

Give me the NFL and NBA all-star teams as a player pool and 2 years to teach them soccer. US wins the world cup.

Clarify that to wide receivers, running backs, safety's, and cornerbacks from NFL and 1 and 2 guards from NBA and have them from their youth with a decent coach and THEN we compete in the World Cup.

[Unregistered]

I agree with the article too. If we could get LeBron and Kobe and Michael Bradley to play soccer the US would whoop Brazil and Germany.

What makes you think Lebron James would make a better player than Neymar? He might, but it would be because of his technical skill on the ball - not his height or strength. I'll give you that Lebron has vision and could probably transfer it from the basketball court to the pitch, but I'm not convinced that he'd have the agility to match Neymar (he's but one example and I cited him only because you referenced Brazil) let alone the sublime technical skill. Being strong, tall and fast are all very nice attributes that confer advantages, but it's means nothing if you can't control the ball and it does not follow that just because a guy is spectacular with a basketball in his hands that he'd be equally skilled with a ball at his feet.

The whole "we don't have our best athletes playing the game and that's why we haven't won a World Cup" argument is a red herring. The athletes are not the problem, it's their skill on the ball and tactical astuteness. That, girls and boys is why we haven't won a World Cup. It's coming though and don't let anyone tell you differnt, because we're getting better.