US National Team and US Soccer in the toilet....

[Unregistered]

I agree with your points, especially #1. And I'll add a third that will keep us in the back of the pack for years to come:
Jurgen Klinnsman.

We need a charismatic leader that will find ways to bring more children and parents into the sport from a young age, especially inner city kids who go on to become great cornerbacks, wide receivers, and point guards. And someone with a passion to, God forbid, win. Klinnsman has already said that his goal for 2018 is to make the semi-finals. I realize that odds are great for the US to win a WC anytime soon but why would you say something like that? I can only speak for myself and I would not want to play for a coach with that attitude.

I contrast that with the attitude of one of our best players (who I would also consider making a player/manager of the WC team), Jermaine Jones. I am writing from Mass. where the Revolution soccer team has gone 10-1-1 since Jones joined the team. His leadership and energy is palpable. He has brought the team to another level and when asked a convoluted question about what he brings to the team, he simply answered, "All I want to do is win". He has flair and personality and would inject a whole new level of energy into US soccer, something akin to what Tiger Woods did for golf that spurred youngsters everywhere to start playing, and striving to play great.

So far Klinnsman's best solution seems to be telling young players to go to Europe if they want to advance. If that happens, everyone suffers as the MLS would falter, public interest will decrease, and the circular pattern of mediocrity in the US would continue.

Jermaine Jones developed in Germany:) Maybe JK has a point...hahahaha

[Unregistered]

I agree with your points, especially #1. And I'll add a third that will keep us in the back of the pack for years to come:
Jurgen Klinnsman.

We need a charismatic leader that will find ways to bring more children and parents into the sport from a young age, especially inner city kids who go on to become great cornerbacks, wide receivers, and point guards. And someone with a passion to, God forbid, win. Klinnsman has already said that his goal for 2018 is to make the semi-finals. I realize that odds are great for the US to win a WC anytime soon but why would you say something like that? I can only speak for myself and I would not want to play for a coach with that attitude.

I contrast that with the attitude of one of our best players (who I would also consider making a player/manager of the WC team), Jermaine Jones. I am writing from Mass. where the Revolution soccer team has gone 10-1-1 since Jones joined the team. His leadership and energy is palpable. He has brought the team to another level and when asked a convoluted question about what he brings to the team, he simply answered, "All I want to do is win". He has flair and personality and would inject a whole new level of energy into US soccer, something akin to what Tiger Woods did for golf that spurred youngsters everywhere to start playing, and striving to play great.

So far Klinnsman's best solution seems to be telling young players to go to Europe if they want to advance. If that happens, everyone suffers as the MLS would falter, public interest will decrease, and the circular pattern of mediocrity in the US would continue.

Jermaine Jones has incredible energy and pace. He is non-stop box to box energy. Great player.

I think both 1 and 2 are very important. Here's why; in modern soccer you need both amazing athletes with otherworldly pace and energy (Jermaine Jones, for example) and players whose mental quickness and technical abilities put them 3 steps ahead of the action (Pirlo, Iniesta). To me, it's not either/or. You need both. We are developing really neither. Our best athletes do not play this sport. That's no.1. and our talent ID system is not set up to identify player type no. 2 from a young age. Who knows how many iniestas we have lost because they were placed on the B team as too small or slow. We are not producing either no.1 or no.2 type players despite a population of 350million people half of which are sports fanatics.

[Unregistered]

Jermaine Jones has incredible energy and pace. He is non-stop box to box energy. Great player.

I think both 1 and 2 are very important. Here's why; in modern soccer you need both amazing athletes with otherworldly pace and energy (Jermaine Jones, for example) and players whose mental quickness and technical abilities put them 3 steps ahead of the action (Pirlo, Iniesta). To me, it's not either/or. You need both. We are developing really neither. Our best athletes do not play this sport. That's no.1. and our talent ID system is not set up to identify player type no. 2 from a young age. Who knows how many iniestas we have lost because they were placed on the B team as too small or slow. We are not producing either no.1 or no.2 type players despite a population of 350million people half of which are sports fanatics.

Yup, 'nough said.

[Unregistered]

DA system in Florida is just the same good ol boy system as before, like ODA, only its had the unintended consequence of severely hurting numerous clubs ,and HS soccer , making soccer less desirable sport for US children to participate in. Its ironic that probably the worst player currently in the US men's team is also the former coaches son-there u go . need I say more-the system is corrupt and will continue to produce same bad results

[Unregistered]

Really? Womens soccer? Nobody cares. Seriously, half of their tickets are given away for free just to get people there. Pro League sucks as well.

Like that MLS stuff is good soccer? The MNT coach thinks it's a joke! Look I never said who watches which National team play, or how many. I only said that the WNT players and their programs for development work. US women's soccer is arguably the best soccer in the entire world. Foreign women players flock to our universities to hone their skills with other US women. The women's ECNL program is the best youth soccer program in the world! Sorry friend but it is hard to argue with success! You keep turning out "average" male soccer players with the same old programs for development that have never worked on their side, while the US female soccer players are standing in line like "Next person up" because they are so deep!

You may not like old Klinsmann but he knows talent and he knows it is not being produced in the US. Therefore, he goes overseas to find players that have an ounce of US blood in their bodies and begs them to play for the US MNT.