U17 World Cup

[Anonymous]

It wouldn’t be a big deal if the US won it, and it’s not a big deal that they didn’t get out of the group. This tournament tells you absolutely nothing long-term.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It wouldn’t be a big deal if the US won it, and it’s not a big deal that they didn’t get out of the group. This tournament tells you absolutely nothing long-term.

It isn’t a big deal if we didn’t get out of the group. It should be a big deal how hapless we look. It should be a big deal that the coach might now be getting promoted. It’s symptomatic of the way US Soccer has been running things from top to bottom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s only the worst performance we’ve had in our history of playing in this competition, no big deal

Ha! Exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s only the worst performance we’ve had in our history of playing in this competition, no big deal

Ha! Exactly.

The segregation of a select few onto these 'elite academy teams' funneled directly from the friendly coach network yields mediocrity. We don't even look at 99% of the US youth soccer pool after age 15 or so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It wouldn’t be a big deal if the US won it, and it’s not a big deal that they didn’t get out of the group. This tournament tells you absolutely nothing long-term.

It isn’t a big deal if we didn’t get out of the group. It should be a big deal how hapless we look. It should be a big deal that the coach might now be getting promoted. It’s symptomatic of the way US Soccer has been running things from top to bottom.

+1 I’ve rarely seen a group with so little hustle and (seemingly) no chemistry. Many of those kids are very talented, or they wouldn’t be on impressive pro contracts, but man they didn’t play well as a group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It wouldn’t be a big deal if the US won it, and it’s not a big deal that they didn’t get out of the group. This tournament tells you absolutely nothing long-term.

It isn’t a big deal if we didn’t get out of the group. It should be a big deal how hapless we look. It should be a big deal that the coach might now be getting promoted. It’s symptomatic of the way US Soccer has been running things from top to bottom.

US Soccer continues to select for all the wrong things, but then that problem exists throughout the US youth soccer machine.

[Anonymous]

So I watched an Elite youth game this weekend. One team was head and shoulders above the other from a soccer IQ and technical skills perspective. However, they often appeared to over pass and have no real sense of urgency in scoring, almost playing to look good vs to win. The other team was direct and created more scoring opportunities per possession even though they were thoroughly out possessed. The game ended up being decided by 1 goal scored in the last minute by the more technically sound team. But it should have never been that close. It reminds me of the men’s teams against some of the lesser opponents. We appear to be going thru soccer motions without a real purpose. No urgency and missing the big picture while we waste time overly concerned with style. In a low scoring sport this is a recipe for underperforming results. So while the men’s team is more technically sound than we’ve ever been, we are having poorer results than we’ve ever had. We may have missed the forest for the trees. The US women on the other hand have figured out the proper balance between aesthetic beauty and sheer brute athleticism and competitiveness. The men have not grasped this, or maybe we simply don’t have access to the top tier of athletes like the women do. Whatever the case the men will not win anything significant anytime soon at any age level from what I can see. We cannot out soccer the top Soccer countries and we cannot out athlete the countries who send their best athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The attention being paid to the results from this tournament is ridiculous, these kids are 16 and 17. The number of players from the U-17 WC that make it (from any country) is extremely low, the results tell very little about a country’s future prospects. But I guess it’s something good to complain about for those inclined to do so.

So you are saying we can rule out all those kids on the US side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I watched an Elite youth game this weekend. One team was head and shoulders above the other from a soccer IQ and technical skills perspective. However, they often appeared to over pass and have no real sense of urgency in scoring, almost playing to look good vs to win. The other team was direct and created more scoring opportunities per possession even though they were thoroughly out possessed. The game ended up being decided by 1 goal scored in the last minute by the more technically sound team. But it should have never been that close. It reminds me of the men’s teams against some of the lesser opponents. We appear to be going thru soccer motions without a real purpose. No urgency and missing the big picture while we waste time overly concerned with style. In a low scoring sport this is a recipe for underperforming results. So while the men’s team is more technically sound than we’ve ever been, we are having poorer results than we’ve ever had. We may have missed the forest for the trees. The US women on the other hand have figured out the proper balance between aesthetic beauty and sheer brute athleticism and competitiveness. The men have not grasped this, or maybe we simply don’t have access to the top tier of athletes like the women do. Whatever the case the men will not win anything significant anytime soon at any age level from what I can see. We cannot out soccer the top Soccer countries and we cannot out athlete the countries who send their best athletes.

The women side just does what they want. The coaching was not strong, the player mix was wrong but they over came that because they were that much better from top to bottom vs everyone else. I am tired of the talk about possession and technical players do not look to score and the only way that works is direct play. The high level teams do both in the same game. The US players are just not on the level of the best national teams players....it’s that simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It wouldn’t be a big deal if the US won it, and it’s not a big deal that they didn’t get out of the group. This tournament tells you absolutely nothing long-term.

It is a big deal that we did so bad. Tournaments like this are an opportunity for young players to be scouted and recruited by European clubs. Our team made it to the quarterfinals in 2017. This generated interest in and opened doors for players like Sargent, Gloster and Dest and perhaps even for WeaH. This does not guarantee long term success, but it certainly creates new opportunities that could contribute to long term development and success. The same age group reached quarters of U20 world cup. Same players, minus Sargent because of Berhalter's incompetence, plus players like Mendez, Ledezma, Soto, Richards, De La Funte, Llanez, Keita, etc. Many of these players are trying to make it in Europe and doing well in youth world cups creates opportunities.

[Anonymous]

I just think it’s a symptom of a much larger long term malaise at US Soccer. Yes, we made quarterfinals the time before this edition, but that was sandwiched by another bounce from the group stages in the edition before that one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I watched an Elite youth game this weekend. One team was head and shoulders above the other from a soccer IQ and technical skills perspective. However, they often appeared to over pass and have no real sense of urgency in scoring, almost playing to look good vs to win. The other team was direct and created more scoring opportunities per possession even though they were thoroughly out possessed. The game ended up being decided by 1 goal scored in the last minute by the more technically sound team. But it should have never been that close. It reminds me of the men’s teams against some of the lesser opponents. We appear to be going thru soccer motions without a real purpose. No urgency and missing the big picture while we waste time overly concerned with style. In a low scoring sport this is a recipe for underperforming results. So while the men’s team is more technically sound than we’ve ever been, we are having poorer results than we’ve ever had. We may have missed the forest for the trees. The US women on the other hand have figured out the proper balance between aesthetic beauty and sheer brute athleticism and competitiveness. The men have not grasped this, or maybe we simply don’t have access to the top tier of athletes like the women do. Whatever the case the men will not win anything significant anytime soon at any age level from what I can see. We cannot out soccer the top Soccer countries and we cannot out athlete the countries who send their best athletes.

The women side just does what they want. The coaching was not strong, the player mix was wrong but they over came that because they were that much better from top to bottom vs everyone else. I am tired of the talk about possession and technical players do not look to score and the only way that works is direct play. The high level teams do both in the same game. The US players are just not on the level of the best national teams players....it’s that simple.

That was my point. The highest level teams do both in the same game. It is balanced. We’ve gone too far the other direction now. Also, yes our players are not good enough. You just reiterated everything I said. Also, on the women’s side it is too bad they didn’t name you national team coach, since you’re so wise (sarcasm).