Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So this is where technical skill, speed of play, first touch, vision, etc becomes the differentiator.

At the highest levels, this will overcome superior athleticism way more often than not.

Kinda like how pure arm strength and size/speed mean nothing for NFL QBs if they can't read defenses and make quick decisions under duress.

I used the phrase best athletes in some of my posts along with genetically talented / gifted. That wasn't meant to say raw athleticism is the only relevant attribute that is going to guarantee dominance in a sport. What it all means is that the athletes who make it big in the lucrative sports likely have many physical and mental attributes that would be beneficial in sports like soccer as well. The development of technical skill is going to be limited by genetics also.

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Anonymous wrote:All these are symptoms and not the cause. Soccer is not in the culture here which is why there is no money for real academies and why we have parent coaches at early ages and why skills are not developed early and it’s pay to play and so on. You can call out these symptoms all you want but none them can be solved without first solving the culture problem. No governing body rule change about birth year or league structure or coaching qualifications will magically fix anything until the culture changes.

Right. So let’s revert the age cut off so it’s all about maximizing rec soccer with volunteer coaches that put the biggest bruisers and gazelles on the field and play kick and run. Because that will help.

This whole thing is just insane. Europe has a formula. It’s replicable. But it takes investment.

Investment? Who exactly should be making this investment and where does the money come from?

Money is the problem, not the solution

There are no solutions unless soccer becomes much more popular here to the level of the other big 3 sports.

More popular than millions of kids playing every weekend?

Yep. The best athletes need to pick soccer over other sports. They need to be thinking and dreaming of soccer when they aren't doing their 3 times a week team practice and weekend games.

Best athlete has nothing to do with soccer required skills and IQ

The best athletes are going to be those with the highest ceiling for execuuting those skills and doing so at a speed above their opponents.

Nonsense

Soccer is about speed of play, not speed of you.
Ball is always faster than man.

Speed of play is dictated by the speed of your decision making and execution.

Do you seen any slow players on Team USA with physical handicaps limping along?

I don't know what you're talking about here and how it relates to my comment. But what I'm saying is the US won't dominate if the most naturally gifted athletes choose other sports. The most gifted athletes are going to take learned skills to the highest level possible.

How are the most naturally gifted athletes identified and measured at a young age before placed in sports other than soccer by their parents?

Is the 300lb college Offensive Lineman a more gifted 4 year old than Pulisic was at 4 years old?

It’s not that hard. Go to any high school and all the kids can tell you who are the best athletes in their school. Those kids will be on the football, basketball, & track teams. Not soccer. Kids eventually play the sports they like not where their parents placed them at age 4.

Laughable

Tell us how the 6'10" basketball player would be a better Midfielder in soccer

Nobody is saying every single basketball and football player would make a great soccer player at every position. I guess you have to resort to these nonsensical straw man arguments because you have no better facts. The fact remains that the best high school athletes are going to be on the basketball and football teams. Have you watched a high school basketball game? Most kids are around 6 ft. Same with most on the football and track teams. These athletic kids are well suited to play any of these sports and make their choice. It ain't soccer.

Like most sports, soccer requires athleticism too. But soccer requires skills not usually associated with the specific athleticism required in other sports. You don’t have to be the fastest or jump the highest. Requires technical skills and control of the ball with the feet that is unique.

Football and basketball players are not better athletes. They are better at their sport. That’s all.

Call it however you want. The kids with the natural qualities which would have allowed them to excel in soccer the most are not choosing soccer. Also, a big part of success in sports is having the discipline and nonstop drive to excel and those kids aren’t going into soccer either.

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. Are you suggesting soccer in the US is drawing the best talent available?

Their point clearly and in an educated way showed your natural talent chatter to be hogwash

It's so obvious that achievement in soccer is way more than just developing skills. Just look at any youth soccer clubs at every age group, especially the big ones. If a club only hires qualified coaches and they emphasize all the same things, why is the top team always head and shoulders better than the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th teams? Why are the lower tier teams basically the same performance quality as rec despite all the paid coaching? The answer is the number of players with enough talent to play at a high level is limited. When you have to compete with other sports when it comes to talent distributor, you end up where the US is with soccer.

You have extra gummies?

Ah yes. When the facts don’t support your case, make personal attacks to distract from the facts.

You must mean Fax

Because you're just rambling disconnected random thoughts

There are no natural talent athletes performing at the highest levels in any sport
At the highest levels, talent is just the beginning before motivation, discipline, training and consistency in that particular sport's discipline.

Athleticism skills required in each individual sport has limited transferable properties.
In Basketball, you jump to catch or block the ball. In Soccer you jump to header the ball (except goalie)

You're way out of your depth with the knowledge required to debate this topic intelligently.

Some of the comments are me, a different person than the one you replied to. Nobody said natural talent alone is going to get someone to reach the highest levels. Every player has a ceiling that is dictated by their genetics. Despite all the skills needed in soccer, there is a ton of athleticism that goes into playing at the highest levels. The most talented players will continue improving upwards while everyone else is plataeuing.

There is simply no alternative explanation as to why US athletes dominate so many other sports but not soccer, oh except for the women who have the exact same barriers that the men have with pay to play and so on that everyone thinks is the cause.

Naive, simplistic and uneducated in youth development and professional levels performance would lead one to conclude all we need are better athletes

So France, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Germany all have superior athletes versus a true soccer culture, excellent youth coaches and academies, parents knowledgeable of the sport, high quality leagues etc

Are the Chinese better athletes why they dominate table tennis?
Australians are better athletes why they are prominent in swimming?
Norwegians and Finns are better athletes why they dominate cross-country skiing?

Should I go on?
Indians and Cricket

Look at it like this. Every country has a pool of genetic talent that is limited in supply. The best athletes (in both physical and mental attributes) are going to tend to choose sports that have a lot of cultural and financial significance. The other sports are going to get the next best athletes. So an NFL DB might not have soccer skills, but its possible they might have the physical and mental attributes to be a world class soccer player had they trained in soccer, but instead never took up the sport.

And this can apply to table tennis as well. The players in the US who take up table tennis are going to be far down the list of available talent because it has little cultural significance here, and China may have more incentive to attract top talent to play the sport there. So the less that other countries value a sport, the easier it is for a country that does to dominate in it.

And finally I'll use tennis as another example of why I think the limited supply of talent due to other sports is hindering US men more than development systems. Because just like soccer, the US women are more dominant than the men despite having the same type of development system in place.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are symptoms and not the cause. Soccer is not in the culture here which is why there is no money for real academies and why we have parent coaches at early ages and why skills are not developed early and it’s pay to play and so on. You can call out these symptoms all you want but none them can be solved without first solving the culture problem. No governing body rule change about birth year or league structure or coaching qualifications will magically fix anything until the culture changes.

Right. So let’s revert the age cut off so it’s all about maximizing rec soccer with volunteer coaches that put the biggest bruisers and gazelles on the field and play kick and run. Because that will help.

This whole thing is just insane. Europe has a formula. It’s replicable. But it takes investment.

Investment? Who exactly should be making this investment and where does the money come from?

Money is the problem, not the solution

There are no solutions unless soccer becomes much more popular here to the level of the other big 3 sports.

More popular than millions of kids playing every weekend?

Yep. The best athletes need to pick soccer over other sports. They need to be thinking and dreaming of soccer when they aren't doing their 3 times a week team practice and weekend games.

Best athlete has nothing to do with soccer required skills and IQ

The best athletes are going to be those with the highest ceiling for execuuting those skills and doing so at a speed above their opponents.

Nonsense

Soccer is about speed of play, not speed of you.
Ball is always faster than man.

Speed of play is dictated by the speed of your decision making and execution.

Do you seen any slow players on Team USA with physical handicaps limping along?

I don't know what you're talking about here and how it relates to my comment. But what I'm saying is the US won't dominate if the most naturally gifted athletes choose other sports. The most gifted athletes are going to take learned skills to the highest level possible.

How are the most naturally gifted athletes identified and measured at a young age before placed in sports other than soccer by their parents?

Is the 300lb college Offensive Lineman a more gifted 4 year old than Pulisic was at 4 years old?

It’s not that hard. Go to any high school and all the kids can tell you who are the best athletes in their school. Those kids will be on the football, basketball, & track teams. Not soccer. Kids eventually play the sports they like not where their parents placed them at age 4.

Laughable

Tell us how the 6'10" basketball player would be a better Midfielder in soccer

Nobody is saying every single basketball and football player would make a great soccer player at every position. I guess you have to resort to these nonsensical straw man arguments because you have no better facts. The fact remains that the best high school athletes are going to be on the basketball and football teams. Have you watched a high school basketball game? Most kids are around 6 ft. Same with most on the football and track teams. These athletic kids are well suited to play any of these sports and make their choice. It ain't soccer.

Like most sports, soccer requires athleticism too. But soccer requires skills not usually associated with the specific athleticism required in other sports. You don’t have to be the fastest or jump the highest. Requires technical skills and control of the ball with the feet that is unique.

Football and basketball players are not better athletes. They are better at their sport. That’s all.

Call it however you want. The kids with the natural qualities which would have allowed them to excel in soccer the most are not choosing soccer. Also, a big part of success in sports is having the discipline and nonstop drive to excel and those kids aren’t going into soccer either.

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. Are you suggesting soccer in the US is drawing the best talent available?

I thought I was being clear about the original point I was making. Every sport requires its own set of skills and athleticism. Soccer is a game of skill, and those skills sometimes nullify some athletic requirements.

Take MMA for example. Those athletes are arguably the best all around. They have to be strong, fast, agile, and have good stamina. But they are not the best in those specific attributes as athletes requiring only a few of those. Also, MMA athletes need to have a good chin which cannot be taught. Ultimately, MMA athletes have skills that can overcome stronger or faster opponents.

As for your question of whether soccer attracts the best athletes in the U.S. in younger ages- probably not. Soccer is still not as prevalent in American culture as football, baseball, or basketball. You shouldn’t consider soccer players less athletic. They just require different levels of athleticism and a whole lot of specific skills.

Who's measuring athleticism of young kids in America and where can we find the data?

Anonymous wrote:So this is where technical skill, speed of play, first touch, vision, etc becomes the differentiator.

At the highest levels, this will overcome superior athleticism way more often than not.

Kinda like how pure arm strength and size/speed mean nothing for NFL QBs if they can't read defenses and make quick decisions under duress.

Hakeem Olajuwon was recognized as one the best centers in NBA history. His footwork was arguably the best in NBA history as well. He started as a soccer player before transitioning to basketball. He actually credits his soccer background for his footwork.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are symptoms and not the cause. Soccer is not in the culture here which is why there is no money for real academies and why we have parent coaches at early ages and why skills are not developed early and it’s pay to play and so on. You can call out these symptoms all you want but none them can be solved without first solving the culture problem. No governing body rule change about birth year or league structure or coaching qualifications will magically fix anything until the culture changes.

Right. So let’s revert the age cut off so it’s all about maximizing rec soccer with volunteer coaches that put the biggest bruisers and gazelles on the field and play kick and run. Because that will help.

This whole thing is just insane. Europe has a formula. It’s replicable. But it takes investment.

Investment? Who exactly should be making this investment and where does the money come from?

Money is the problem, not the solution

There are no solutions unless soccer becomes much more popular here to the level of the other big 3 sports.

More popular than millions of kids playing every weekend?

Yep. The best athletes need to pick soccer over other sports. They need to be thinking and dreaming of soccer when they aren't doing their 3 times a week team practice and weekend games.

Best athlete has nothing to do with soccer required skills and IQ

The best athletes are going to be those with the highest ceiling for execuuting those skills and doing so at a speed above their opponents.

Nonsense

Soccer is about speed of play, not speed of you.
Ball is always faster than man.

Speed of play is dictated by the speed of your decision making and execution.

Do you seen any slow players on Team USA with physical handicaps limping along?

I don't know what you're talking about here and how it relates to my comment. But what I'm saying is the US won't dominate if the most naturally gifted athletes choose other sports. The most gifted athletes are going to take learned skills to the highest level possible.

How are the most naturally gifted athletes identified and measured at a young age before placed in sports other than soccer by their parents?

Is the 300lb college Offensive Lineman a more gifted 4 year old than Pulisic was at 4 years old?

It’s not that hard. Go to any high school and all the kids can tell you who are the best athletes in their school. Those kids will be on the football, basketball, & track teams. Not soccer. Kids eventually play the sports they like not where their parents placed them at age 4.

Laughable

Tell us how the 6'10" basketball player would be a better Midfielder in soccer

Nobody is saying every single basketball and football player would make a great soccer player at every position. I guess you have to resort to these nonsensical straw man arguments because you have no better facts. The fact remains that the best high school athletes are going to be on the basketball and football teams. Have you watched a high school basketball game? Most kids are around 6 ft. Same with most on the football and track teams. These athletic kids are well suited to play any of these sports and make their choice. It ain't soccer.

Like most sports, soccer requires athleticism too. But soccer requires skills not usually associated with the specific athleticism required in other sports. You don’t have to be the fastest or jump the highest. Requires technical skills and control of the ball with the feet that is unique.

Football and basketball players are not better athletes. They are better at their sport. That’s all.

Call it however you want. The kids with the natural qualities which would have allowed them to excel in soccer the most are not choosing soccer. Also, a big part of success in sports is having the discipline and nonstop drive to excel and those kids aren’t going into soccer either.

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. Are you suggesting soccer in the US is drawing the best talent available?

I thought I was being clear about the original point I was making. Every sport requires its own set of skills and athleticism. Soccer is a game of skill, and those skills sometimes nullify some athletic requirements.

Take MMA for example. Those athletes are arguably the best all around. They have to be strong, fast, agile, and have good stamina. But they are not the best in those specific attributes as athletes requiring only a few of those. Also, MMA athletes need to have a good chin which cannot be taught. Ultimately, MMA athletes have skills that can overcome stronger or faster opponents.

As for your question of whether soccer attracts the best athletes in the U.S. in younger ages- probably not. Soccer is still not as prevalent in American culture as football, baseball, or basketball. You shouldn’t consider soccer players less athletic. They just require different levels of athleticism and a whole lot of specific skills.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are symptoms and not the cause. Soccer is not in the culture here which is why there is no money for real academies and why we have parent coaches at early ages and why skills are not developed early and it’s pay to play and so on. You can call out these symptoms all you want but none them can be solved without first solving the culture problem. No governing body rule change about birth year or league structure or coaching qualifications will magically fix anything until the culture changes.

Right. So let’s revert the age cut off so it’s all about maximizing rec soccer with volunteer coaches that put the biggest bruisers and gazelles on the field and play kick and run. Because that will help.

This whole thing is just insane. Europe has a formula. It’s replicable. But it takes investment.

Investment? Who exactly should be making this investment and where does the money come from?

Money is the problem, not the solution

There are no solutions unless soccer becomes much more popular here to the level of the other big 3 sports.

More popular than millions of kids playing every weekend?

Yep. The best athletes need to pick soccer over other sports. They need to be thinking and dreaming of soccer when they aren't doing their 3 times a week team practice and weekend games.

Best athlete has nothing to do with soccer required skills and IQ

The best athletes are going to be those with the highest ceiling for execuuting those skills and doing so at a speed above their opponents.

Nonsense

Soccer is about speed of play, not speed of you.
Ball is always faster than man.

Speed of play is dictated by the speed of your decision making and execution.

Do you seen any slow players on Team USA with physical handicaps limping along?

I don't know what you're talking about here and how it relates to my comment. But what I'm saying is the US won't dominate if the most naturally gifted athletes choose other sports. The most gifted athletes are going to take learned skills to the highest level possible.

How are the most naturally gifted athletes identified and measured at a young age before placed in sports other than soccer by their parents?

Is the 300lb college Offensive Lineman a more gifted 4 year old than Pulisic was at 4 years old?

It’s not that hard. Go to any high school and all the kids can tell you who are the best athletes in their school. Those kids will be on the football, basketball, & track teams. Not soccer. Kids eventually play the sports they like not where their parents placed them at age 4.

Laughable

Tell us how the 6'10" basketball player would be a better Midfielder in soccer

Nobody is saying every single basketball and football player would make a great soccer player at every position. I guess you have to resort to these nonsensical straw man arguments because you have no better facts. The fact remains that the best high school athletes are going to be on the basketball and football teams. Have you watched a high school basketball game? Most kids are around 6 ft. Same with most on the football and track teams. These athletic kids are well suited to play any of these sports and make their choice. It ain't soccer.

Like most sports, soccer requires athleticism too. But soccer requires skills not usually associated with the specific athleticism required in other sports. You don’t have to be the fastest or jump the highest. Requires technical skills and control of the ball with the feet that is unique.

Football and basketball players are not better athletes. They are better at their sport. That’s all.

Call it however you want. The kids with the natural qualities which would have allowed them to excel in soccer the most are not choosing soccer. Also, a big part of success in sports is having the discipline and nonstop drive to excel and those kids aren’t going into soccer either.

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. Are you suggesting soccer in the US is drawing the best talent available?

Their point clearly and in an educated way showed your natural talent chatter to be hogwash

It's so obvious that achievement in soccer is way more than just developing skills. Just look at any youth soccer clubs at every age group, especially the big ones. If a club only hires qualified coaches and they emphasize all the same things, why is the top team always head and shoulders better than the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th teams? Why are the lower tier teams basically the same performance quality as rec despite all the paid coaching? The answer is the number of players with enough talent to play at a high level is limited. When you have to compete with other sports when it comes to talent distributor, you end up where the US is with soccer.

You have extra gummies?

Ah yes. When the facts don’t support your case, make personal attacks to distract from the facts.

You must mean Fax

Because you're just rambling disconnected random thoughts

There are no natural talent athletes performing at the highest levels in any sport
At the highest levels, talent is just the beginning before motivation, discipline, training and consistency in that particular sport's discipline.

Athleticism skills required in each individual sport has limited transferable properties.
In Basketball, you jump to catch or block the ball. In Soccer you jump to header the ball (except goalie)

You're way out of your depth with the knowledge required to debate this topic intelligently.

Some of the comments are me, a different person than the one you replied to. Nobody said natural talent alone is going to get someone to reach the highest levels. Every player has a ceiling that is dictated by their genetics. Despite all the skills needed in soccer, there is a ton of athleticism that goes into playing at the highest levels. The most talented players will continue improving upwards while everyone else is plataeuing.

There is simply no alternative explanation as to why US athletes dominate so many other sports but not soccer, oh except for the women who have the exact same barriers that the men have with pay to play and so on that everyone thinks is the cause.

Naive, simplistic and uneducated in youth development and professional levels performance would lead one to conclude all we need are better athletes

So France, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Germany all have superior athletes versus a true soccer culture, excellent youth coaches and academies, parents knowledgeable of the sport, high quality leagues etc

Are the Chinese better athletes why they dominate table tennis?
Australians are better athletes why they are prominent in swimming?
Norwegians and Finns are better athletes why they dominate cross-country skiing?

Should I go on?
Indians and Cricket

DP. Athleticism does not matter as much in the top leagues because they are all great athletes. You are talking about the top 0.5% of players. It’s a prerequisite to get there. The athletic difference between players is very small. So this is where technical skill, speed of play, first touch, vision, etc becomes the differentiator.

In Europe and South America by 18, if you are not technically skilled you are not seeing the field very much. In the US you can be a good athlete and have below average skills vs peers and you can get a lot of playing time. This is because with the pay to play and college system. These systems keep the top 30-40% of players playing. This means there is a much bigger gap in athleticism on the field. So the good athletes with subpar skill set can still play and have a positive impact. It also means a much slower speed of play which hurts development of technical players.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are symptoms and not the cause. Soccer is not in the culture here which is why there is no money for real academies and why we have parent coaches at early ages and why skills are not developed early and it’s pay to play and so on. You can call out these symptoms all you want but none them can be solved without first solving the culture problem. No governing body rule change about birth year or league structure or coaching qualifications will magically fix anything until the culture changes.

Right. So let’s revert the age cut off so it’s all about maximizing rec soccer with volunteer coaches that put the biggest bruisers and gazelles on the field and play kick and run. Because that will help.

This whole thing is just insane. Europe has a formula. It’s replicable. But it takes investment.

Investment? Who exactly should be making this investment and where does the money come from?

Money is the problem, not the solution

There are no solutions unless soccer becomes much more popular here to the level of the other big 3 sports.

More popular than millions of kids playing every weekend?

Yep. The best athletes need to pick soccer over other sports. They need to be thinking and dreaming of soccer when they aren't doing their 3 times a week team practice and weekend games.

Best athlete has nothing to do with soccer required skills and IQ

The best athletes are going to be those with the highest ceiling for execuuting those skills and doing so at a speed above their opponents.

Nonsense

Soccer is about speed of play, not speed of you.
Ball is always faster than man.

Speed of play is dictated by the speed of your decision making and execution.

Do you seen any slow players on Team USA with physical handicaps limping along?

I don't know what you're talking about here and how it relates to my comment. But what I'm saying is the US won't dominate if the most naturally gifted athletes choose other sports. The most gifted athletes are going to take learned skills to the highest level possible.

How are the most naturally gifted athletes identified and measured at a young age before placed in sports other than soccer by their parents?

Is the 300lb college Offensive Lineman a more gifted 4 year old than Pulisic was at 4 years old?

It’s not that hard. Go to any high school and all the kids can tell you who are the best athletes in their school. Those kids will be on the football, basketball, & track teams. Not soccer. Kids eventually play the sports they like not where their parents placed them at age 4.

Laughable

Tell us how the 6'10" basketball player would be a better Midfielder in soccer

Nobody is saying every single basketball and football player would make a great soccer player at every position. I guess you have to resort to these nonsensical straw man arguments because you have no better facts. The fact remains that the best high school athletes are going to be on the basketball and football teams. Have you watched a high school basketball game? Most kids are around 6 ft. Same with most on the football and track teams. These athletic kids are well suited to play any of these sports and make their choice. It ain't soccer.

Like most sports, soccer requires athleticism too. But soccer requires skills not usually associated with the specific athleticism required in other sports. You don’t have to be the fastest or jump the highest. Requires technical skills and control of the ball with the feet that is unique.

Football and basketball players are not better athletes. They are better at their sport. That’s all.

Call it however you want. The kids with the natural qualities which would have allowed them to excel in soccer the most are not choosing soccer. Also, a big part of success in sports is having the discipline and nonstop drive to excel and those kids aren’t going into soccer either.

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. Are you suggesting soccer in the US is drawing the best talent available?

Their point clearly and in an educated way showed your natural talent chatter to be hogwash

It's so obvious that achievement in soccer is way more than just developing skills. Just look at any youth soccer clubs at every age group, especially the big ones. If a club only hires qualified coaches and they emphasize all the same things, why is the top team always head and shoulders better than the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th teams? Why are the lower tier teams basically the same performance quality as rec despite all the paid coaching? The answer is the number of players with enough talent to play at a high level is limited. When you have to compete with other sports when it comes to talent distributor, you end up where the US is with soccer.

You have extra gummies?

Ah yes. When the facts don’t support your case, make personal attacks to distract from the facts.

You must mean Fax

Because you're just rambling disconnected random thoughts

There are no natural talent athletes performing at the highest levels in any sport
At the highest levels, talent is just the beginning before motivation, discipline, training and consistency in that particular sport's discipline.

Athleticism skills required in each individual sport has limited transferable properties.
In Basketball, you jump to catch or block the ball. In Soccer you jump to header the ball (except goalie)

You're way out of your depth with the knowledge required to debate this topic intelligently.

Some of the comments are me, a different person than the one you replied to. Nobody said natural talent alone is going to get someone to reach the highest levels. Every player has a ceiling that is dictated by their genetics. Despite all the skills needed in soccer, there is a ton of athleticism that goes into playing at the highest levels. The most talented players will continue improving upwards while everyone else is plataeuing.

There is simply no alternative explanation as to why US athletes dominate so many other sports but not soccer, oh except for the women who have the exact same barriers that the men have with pay to play and so on that everyone thinks is the cause.

Naive, simplistic and uneducated in youth development and professional levels performance would lead one to conclude all we need are better athletes

So France, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Germany all have superior athletes versus a true soccer culture, excellent youth coaches and academies, parents knowledgeable of the sport, high quality leagues etc

Are the Chinese better athletes why they dominate table tennis?
Australians are better athletes why they are prominent in swimming?
Norwegians and Finns are better athletes why they dominate cross-country skiing?

Should I go on?
Indians and Cricket

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are symptoms and not the cause. Soccer is not in the culture here which is why there is no money for real academies and why we have parent coaches at early ages and why skills are not developed early and it’s pay to play and so on. You can call out these symptoms all you want but none them can be solved without first solving the culture problem. No governing body rule change about birth year or league structure or coaching qualifications will magically fix anything until the culture changes.

Right. So let’s revert the age cut off so it’s all about maximizing rec soccer with volunteer coaches that put the biggest bruisers and gazelles on the field and play kick and run. Because that will help.

This whole thing is just insane. Europe has a formula. It’s replicable. But it takes investment.

Investment? Who exactly should be making this investment and where does the money come from?

Money is the problem, not the solution

There are no solutions unless soccer becomes much more popular here to the level of the other big 3 sports.

More popular than millions of kids playing every weekend?

Yep. The best athletes need to pick soccer over other sports. They need to be thinking and dreaming of soccer when they aren't doing their 3 times a week team practice and weekend games.

Best athlete has nothing to do with soccer required skills and IQ

The best athletes are going to be those with the highest ceiling for execuuting those skills and doing so at a speed above their opponents.

Nonsense

Soccer is about speed of play, not speed of you.
Ball is always faster than man.

Speed of play is dictated by the speed of your decision making and execution.

Do you seen any slow players on Team USA with physical handicaps limping along?

I don't know what you're talking about here and how it relates to my comment. But what I'm saying is the US won't dominate if the most naturally gifted athletes choose other sports. The most gifted athletes are going to take learned skills to the highest level possible.

How are the most naturally gifted athletes identified and measured at a young age before placed in sports other than soccer by their parents?

Is the 300lb college Offensive Lineman a more gifted 4 year old than Pulisic was at 4 years old?

It’s not that hard. Go to any high school and all the kids can tell you who are the best athletes in their school. Those kids will be on the football, basketball, & track teams. Not soccer. Kids eventually play the sports they like not where their parents placed them at age 4.

Laughable

Tell us how the 6'10" basketball player would be a better Midfielder in soccer

Nobody is saying every single basketball and football player would make a great soccer player at every position. I guess you have to resort to these nonsensical straw man arguments because you have no better facts. The fact remains that the best high school athletes are going to be on the basketball and football teams. Have you watched a high school basketball game? Most kids are around 6 ft. Same with most on the football and track teams. These athletic kids are well suited to play any of these sports and make their choice. It ain't soccer.

Like most sports, soccer requires athleticism too. But soccer requires skills not usually associated with the specific athleticism required in other sports. You don’t have to be the fastest or jump the highest. Requires technical skills and control of the ball with the feet that is unique.

Football and basketball players are not better athletes. They are better at their sport. That’s all.

Call it however you want. The kids with the natural qualities which would have allowed them to excel in soccer the most are not choosing soccer. Also, a big part of success in sports is having the discipline and nonstop drive to excel and those kids aren’t going into soccer either.

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. Are you suggesting soccer in the US is drawing the best talent available?

Their point clearly and in an educated way showed your natural talent chatter to be hogwash

It's so obvious that achievement in soccer is way more than just developing skills. Just look at any youth soccer clubs at every age group, especially the big ones. If a club only hires qualified coaches and they emphasize all the same things, why is the top team always head and shoulders better than the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th teams? Why are the lower tier teams basically the same performance quality as rec despite all the paid coaching? The answer is the number of players with enough talent to play at a high level is limited. When you have to compete with other sports when it comes to talent distributor, you end up where the US is with soccer.

You have extra gummies?

Ah yes. When the facts don’t support your case, make personal attacks to distract from the facts.

You must mean Fax

Because you're just rambling disconnected random thoughts

There are no natural talent athletes performing at the highest levels in any sport
At the highest levels, talent is just the beginning before motivation, discipline, training and consistency in that particular sport's discipline.

Athleticism skills required in each individual sport has limited transferable properties.
In Basketball, you jump to catch or block the ball. In Soccer you jump to header the ball (except goalie)

You're way out of your depth with the knowledge required to debate this topic intelligently.

Some of the comments are me, a different person than the one you replied to. Nobody said natural talent alone is going to get someone to reach the highest levels. Every player has a ceiling that is dictated by their genetics. Despite all the skills needed in soccer, there is a ton of athleticism that goes into playing at the highest levels. The most talented players will continue improving upwards while everyone else is plataeuing.

There is simply no alternative explanation as to why US athletes dominate so many other sports but not soccer, oh except for the women who have the exact same barriers that the men have with pay to play and so on that everyone thinks is the cause.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are symptoms and not the cause. Soccer is not in the culture here which is why there is no money for real academies and why we have parent coaches at early ages and why skills are not developed early and it’s pay to play and so on. You can call out these symptoms all you want but none them can be solved without first solving the culture problem. No governing body rule change about birth year or league structure or coaching qualifications will magically fix anything until the culture changes.

Right. So let’s revert the age cut off so it’s all about maximizing rec soccer with volunteer coaches that put the biggest bruisers and gazelles on the field and play kick and run. Because that will help.

This whole thing is just insane. Europe has a formula. It’s replicable. But it takes investment.

Investment? Who exactly should be making this investment and where does the money come from?

Money is the problem, not the solution

There are no solutions unless soccer becomes much more popular here to the level of the other big 3 sports.

More popular than millions of kids playing every weekend?

Yep. The best athletes need to pick soccer over other sports. They need to be thinking and dreaming of soccer when they aren't doing their 3 times a week team practice and weekend games.

Best athlete has nothing to do with soccer required skills and IQ

The best athletes are going to be those with the highest ceiling for execuuting those skills and doing so at a speed above their opponents.

Nonsense

Soccer is about speed of play, not speed of you.
Ball is always faster than man.

Speed of play is dictated by the speed of your decision making and execution.

Do you seen any slow players on Team USA with physical handicaps limping along?

I don't know what you're talking about here and how it relates to my comment. But what I'm saying is the US won't dominate if the most naturally gifted athletes choose other sports. The most gifted athletes are going to take learned skills to the highest level possible.

How are the most naturally gifted athletes identified and measured at a young age before placed in sports other than soccer by their parents?

Is the 300lb college Offensive Lineman a more gifted 4 year old than Pulisic was at 4 years old?

It’s not that hard. Go to any high school and all the kids can tell you who are the best athletes in their school. Those kids will be on the football, basketball, & track teams. Not soccer. Kids eventually play the sports they like not where their parents placed them at age 4.

Laughable

Tell us how the 6'10" basketball player would be a better Midfielder in soccer

Nobody is saying every single basketball and football player would make a great soccer player at every position. I guess you have to resort to these nonsensical straw man arguments because you have no better facts. The fact remains that the best high school athletes are going to be on the basketball and football teams. Have you watched a high school basketball game? Most kids are around 6 ft. Same with most on the football and track teams. These athletic kids are well suited to play any of these sports and make their choice. It ain't soccer.

Like most sports, soccer requires athleticism too. But soccer requires skills not usually associated with the specific athleticism required in other sports. You don’t have to be the fastest or jump the highest. Requires technical skills and control of the ball with the feet that is unique.

Football and basketball players are not better athletes. They are better at their sport. That’s all.

Call it however you want. The kids with the natural qualities which would have allowed them to excel in soccer the most are not choosing soccer. Also, a big part of success in sports is having the discipline and nonstop drive to excel and those kids aren’t going into soccer either.

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. Are you suggesting soccer in the US is drawing the best talent available?

Their point clearly and in an educated way showed your natural talent chatter to be hogwash

It's so obvious that achievement in soccer is way more than just developing skills. Just look at any youth soccer clubs at every age group, especially the big ones. If a club only hires qualified coaches and they emphasize all the same things, why is the top team always head and shoulders better than the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th teams? Why are the lower tier teams basically the same performance quality as rec despite all the paid coaching? The answer is the number of players with enough talent to play at a high level is limited. When you have to compete with other sports when it comes to talent distributor, you end up where the US is with soccer.

You have extra gummies?

Ah yes. When the facts don’t support your case, make personal attacks to distract from the facts.

You must mean Fax

Because you're just rambling disconnected random thoughts

There are no natural talent athletes performing at the highest levels in any sport
At the highest levels, talent is just the beginning before motivation, discipline, training and consistency in that particular sport's discipline.

Athleticism skills required in each individual sport has limited transferable properties.
In Basketball, you jump to catch or block the ball. In Soccer you jump to header the ball (except goalie)

You're way out of your depth with the knowledge required to debate this topic intelligently.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are symptoms and not the cause. Soccer is not in the culture here which is why there is no money for real academies and why we have parent coaches at early ages and why skills are not developed early and it’s pay to play and so on. You can call out these symptoms all you want but none them can be solved without first solving the culture problem. No governing body rule change about birth year or league structure or coaching qualifications will magically fix anything until the culture changes.

Right. So let’s revert the age cut off so it’s all about maximizing rec soccer with volunteer coaches that put the biggest bruisers and gazelles on the field and play kick and run. Because that will help.

This whole thing is just insane. Europe has a formula. It’s replicable. But it takes investment.

Investment? Who exactly should be making this investment and where does the money come from?

Money is the problem, not the solution

There are no solutions unless soccer becomes much more popular here to the level of the other big 3 sports.

More popular than millions of kids playing every weekend?

Yep. The best athletes need to pick soccer over other sports. They need to be thinking and dreaming of soccer when they aren't doing their 3 times a week team practice and weekend games.

Best athlete has nothing to do with soccer required skills and IQ

The best athletes are going to be those with the highest ceiling for execuuting those skills and doing so at a speed above their opponents.

Nonsense

Soccer is about speed of play, not speed of you.
Ball is always faster than man.

Speed of play is dictated by the speed of your decision making and execution.

Do you seen any slow players on Team USA with physical handicaps limping along?

I don't know what you're talking about here and how it relates to my comment. But what I'm saying is the US won't dominate if the most naturally gifted athletes choose other sports. The most gifted athletes are going to take learned skills to the highest level possible.

How are the most naturally gifted athletes identified and measured at a young age before placed in sports other than soccer by their parents?

Is the 300lb college Offensive Lineman a more gifted 4 year old than Pulisic was at 4 years old?

It’s not that hard. Go to any high school and all the kids can tell you who are the best athletes in their school. Those kids will be on the football, basketball, & track teams. Not soccer. Kids eventually play the sports they like not where their parents placed them at age 4.

Laughable

Tell us how the 6'10" basketball player would be a better Midfielder in soccer

Nobody is saying every single basketball and football player would make a great soccer player at every position. I guess you have to resort to these nonsensical straw man arguments because you have no better facts. The fact remains that the best high school athletes are going to be on the basketball and football teams. Have you watched a high school basketball game? Most kids are around 6 ft. Same with most on the football and track teams. These athletic kids are well suited to play any of these sports and make their choice. It ain't soccer.

Like most sports, soccer requires athleticism too. But soccer requires skills not usually associated with the specific athleticism required in other sports. You don’t have to be the fastest or jump the highest. Requires technical skills and control of the ball with the feet that is unique.

Football and basketball players are not better athletes. They are better at their sport. That’s all.

Call it however you want. The kids with the natural qualities which would have allowed them to excel in soccer the most are not choosing soccer. Also, a big part of success in sports is having the discipline and nonstop drive to excel and those kids aren’t going into soccer either.

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. Are you suggesting soccer in the US is drawing the best talent available?

Their point clearly and in an educated way showed your natural talent chatter to be hogwash

It's so obvious that achievement in soccer is way more than just developing skills. Just look at any youth soccer clubs at every age group, especially the big ones. If a club only hires qualified coaches and they emphasize all the same things, why is the top team always head and shoulders better than the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th teams? Why are the lower tier teams basically the same performance quality as rec despite all the paid coaching? The answer is the number of players with enough talent to play at a high level is limited. When you have to compete with other sports when it comes to talent distributor, you end up where the US is with soccer.

You have extra gummies?

Ah yes. When the facts don’t support your case, make personal attacks to distract from the facts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are symptoms and not the cause. Soccer is not in the culture here which is why there is no money for real academies and why we have parent coaches at early ages and why skills are not developed early and it’s pay to play and so on. You can call out these symptoms all you want but none them can be solved without first solving the culture problem. No governing body rule change about birth year or league structure or coaching qualifications will magically fix anything until the culture changes.

Right. So let’s revert the age cut off so it’s all about maximizing rec soccer with volunteer coaches that put the biggest bruisers and gazelles on the field and play kick and run. Because that will help.

This whole thing is just insane. Europe has a formula. It’s replicable. But it takes investment.

Investment? Who exactly should be making this investment and where does the money come from?

Money is the problem, not the solution

There are no solutions unless soccer becomes much more popular here to the level of the other big 3 sports.

More popular than millions of kids playing every weekend?

Yep. The best athletes need to pick soccer over other sports. They need to be thinking and dreaming of soccer when they aren't doing their 3 times a week team practice and weekend games.

Best athlete has nothing to do with soccer required skills and IQ

The best athletes are going to be those with the highest ceiling for execuuting those skills and doing so at a speed above their opponents.

Nonsense

Soccer is about speed of play, not speed of you.
Ball is always faster than man.

Speed of play is dictated by the speed of your decision making and execution.

Do you seen any slow players on Team USA with physical handicaps limping along?

I don't know what you're talking about here and how it relates to my comment. But what I'm saying is the US won't dominate if the most naturally gifted athletes choose other sports. The most gifted athletes are going to take learned skills to the highest level possible.

How are the most naturally gifted athletes identified and measured at a young age before placed in sports other than soccer by their parents?

Is the 300lb college Offensive Lineman a more gifted 4 year old than Pulisic was at 4 years old?

It’s not that hard. Go to any high school and all the kids can tell you who are the best athletes in their school. Those kids will be on the football, basketball, & track teams. Not soccer. Kids eventually play the sports they like not where their parents placed them at age 4.

Laughable

Tell us how the 6'10" basketball player would be a better Midfielder in soccer

Nobody is saying every single basketball and football player would make a great soccer player at every position. I guess you have to resort to these nonsensical straw man arguments because you have no better facts. The fact remains that the best high school athletes are going to be on the basketball and football teams. Have you watched a high school basketball game? Most kids are around 6 ft. Same with most on the football and track teams. These athletic kids are well suited to play any of these sports and make their choice. It ain't soccer.

Like most sports, soccer requires athleticism too. But soccer requires skills not usually associated with the specific athleticism required in other sports. You don’t have to be the fastest or jump the highest. Requires technical skills and control of the ball with the feet that is unique.

Football and basketball players are not better athletes. They are better at their sport. That’s all.

Call it however you want. The kids with the natural qualities which would have allowed them to excel in soccer the most are not choosing soccer. Also, a big part of success in sports is having the discipline and nonstop drive to excel and those kids aren’t going into soccer either.

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. Are you suggesting soccer in the US is drawing the best talent available?

Their point clearly and in an educated way showed your natural talent chatter to be hogwash

It's so obvious that achievement in soccer is way more than just developing skills. Just look at any youth soccer clubs at every age group, especially the big ones. If a club only hires qualified coaches and they emphasize all the same things, why is the top team always head and shoulders better than the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th teams? Why are the lower tier teams basically the same performance quality as rec despite all the paid coaching? The answer is the number of players with enough talent to play at a high level is limited. When you have to compete with other sports when it comes to talent distributor, you end up where the US is with soccer.

You have extra gummies?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are symptoms and not the cause. Soccer is not in the culture here which is why there is no money for real academies and why we have parent coaches at early ages and why skills are not developed early and it’s pay to play and so on. You can call out these symptoms all you want but none them can be solved without first solving the culture problem. No governing body rule change about birth year or league structure or coaching qualifications will magically fix anything until the culture changes.

Right. So let’s revert the age cut off so it’s all about maximizing rec soccer with volunteer coaches that put the biggest bruisers and gazelles on the field and play kick and run. Because that will help.

This whole thing is just insane. Europe has a formula. It’s replicable. But it takes investment.

Investment? Who exactly should be making this investment and where does the money come from?

Money is the problem, not the solution

There are no solutions unless soccer becomes much more popular here to the level of the other big 3 sports.

More popular than millions of kids playing every weekend?

Yep. The best athletes need to pick soccer over other sports. They need to be thinking and dreaming of soccer when they aren't doing their 3 times a week team practice and weekend games.

Best athlete has nothing to do with soccer required skills and IQ

The best athletes are going to be those with the highest ceiling for execuuting those skills and doing so at a speed above their opponents.

Nonsense

Soccer is about speed of play, not speed of you.
Ball is always faster than man.

Speed of play is dictated by the speed of your decision making and execution.

Do you seen any slow players on Team USA with physical handicaps limping along?

I don't know what you're talking about here and how it relates to my comment. But what I'm saying is the US won't dominate if the most naturally gifted athletes choose other sports. The most gifted athletes are going to take learned skills to the highest level possible.

How are the most naturally gifted athletes identified and measured at a young age before placed in sports other than soccer by their parents?

Is the 300lb college Offensive Lineman a more gifted 4 year old than Pulisic was at 4 years old?

It’s not that hard. Go to any high school and all the kids can tell you who are the best athletes in their school. Those kids will be on the football, basketball, & track teams. Not soccer. Kids eventually play the sports they like not where their parents placed them at age 4.

Laughable

Tell us how the 6'10" basketball player would be a better Midfielder in soccer

Nobody is saying every single basketball and football player would make a great soccer player at every position. I guess you have to resort to these nonsensical straw man arguments because you have no better facts. The fact remains that the best high school athletes are going to be on the basketball and football teams. Have you watched a high school basketball game? Most kids are around 6 ft. Same with most on the football and track teams. These athletic kids are well suited to play any of these sports and make their choice. It ain't soccer.

Like most sports, soccer requires athleticism too. But soccer requires skills not usually associated with the specific athleticism required in other sports. You don’t have to be the fastest or jump the highest. Requires technical skills and control of the ball with the feet that is unique.

Football and basketball players are not better athletes. They are better at their sport. That’s all.

Call it however you want. The kids with the natural qualities which would have allowed them to excel in soccer the most are not choosing soccer. Also, a big part of success in sports is having the discipline and nonstop drive to excel and those kids aren’t going into soccer either.

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. Are you suggesting soccer in the US is drawing the best talent available?

Their point clearly and in an educated way showed your natural talent chatter to be hogwash

It's so obvious that achievement in soccer is way more than just developing skills. Just look at any youth soccer clubs at every age group, especially the big ones. If a club only hires qualified coaches and they emphasize all the same things, why is the top team always head and shoulders better than the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th teams? Why are the lower tier teams basically the same performance quality as rec despite all the paid coaching? The answer is the number of players with enough talent to play at a high level is limited. When you have to compete with other sports when it comes to talent distributor, you end up where the US is with soccer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are symptoms and not the cause. Soccer is not in the culture here which is why there is no money for real academies and why we have parent coaches at early ages and why skills are not developed early and it’s pay to play and so on. You can call out these symptoms all you want but none them can be solved without first solving the culture problem. No governing body rule change about birth year or league structure or coaching qualifications will magically fix anything until the culture changes.

Right. So let’s revert the age cut off so it’s all about maximizing rec soccer with volunteer coaches that put the biggest bruisers and gazelles on the field and play kick and run. Because that will help.

This whole thing is just insane. Europe has a formula. It’s replicable. But it takes investment.

Investment? Who exactly should be making this investment and where does the money come from?

Money is the problem, not the solution

There are no solutions unless soccer becomes much more popular here to the level of the other big 3 sports.

More popular than millions of kids playing every weekend?

Yep. The best athletes need to pick soccer over other sports. They need to be thinking and dreaming of soccer when they aren't doing their 3 times a week team practice and weekend games.

Best athlete has nothing to do with soccer required skills and IQ

The best athletes are going to be those with the highest ceiling for execuuting those skills and doing so at a speed above their opponents.

Nonsense

Soccer is about speed of play, not speed of you.
Ball is always faster than man.

Speed of play is dictated by the speed of your decision making and execution.

Do you seen any slow players on Team USA with physical handicaps limping along?

I don't know what you're talking about here and how it relates to my comment. But what I'm saying is the US won't dominate if the most naturally gifted athletes choose other sports. The most gifted athletes are going to take learned skills to the highest level possible.

How are the most naturally gifted athletes identified and measured at a young age before placed in sports other than soccer by their parents?

Is the 300lb college Offensive Lineman a more gifted 4 year old than Pulisic was at 4 years old?

It’s not that hard. Go to any high school and all the kids can tell you who are the best athletes in their school. Those kids will be on the football, basketball, & track teams. Not soccer. Kids eventually play the sports they like not where their parents placed them at age 4.

Laughable

Tell us how the 6'10" basketball player would be a better Midfielder in soccer

Nobody is saying every single basketball and football player would make a great soccer player at every position. I guess you have to resort to these nonsensical straw man arguments because you have no better facts. The fact remains that the best high school athletes are going to be on the basketball and football teams. Have you watched a high school basketball game? Most kids are around 6 ft. Same with most on the football and track teams. These athletic kids are well suited to play any of these sports and make their choice. It ain't soccer.

Like most sports, soccer requires athleticism too. But soccer requires skills not usually associated with the specific athleticism required in other sports. You don’t have to be the fastest or jump the highest. Requires technical skills and control of the ball with the feet that is unique.

Football and basketball players are not better athletes. They are better at their sport. That’s all.

Call it however you want. The kids with the natural qualities which would have allowed them to excel in soccer the most are not choosing soccer. Also, a big part of success in sports is having the discipline and nonstop drive to excel and those kids aren’t going into soccer either.

I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. Are you suggesting soccer in the US is drawing the best talent available?

Their point clearly and in an educated way showed your natural talent chatter to be hogwash

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are symptoms and not the cause. Soccer is not in the culture here which is why there is no money for real academies and why we have parent coaches at early ages and why skills are not developed early and it’s pay to play and so on. You can call out these symptoms all you want but none them can be solved without first solving the culture problem. No governing body rule change about birth year or league structure or coaching qualifications will magically fix anything until the culture changes.

Right. So let’s revert the age cut off so it’s all about maximizing rec soccer with volunteer coaches that put the biggest bruisers and gazelles on the field and play kick and run. Because that will help.

This whole thing is just insane. Europe has a formula. It’s replicable. But it takes investment.

Investment? Who exactly should be making this investment and where does the money come from?

Money is the problem, not the solution

There are no solutions unless soccer becomes much more popular here to the level of the other big 3 sports.

More popular than millions of kids playing every weekend?

Yep. The best athletes need to pick soccer over other sports. They need to be thinking and dreaming of soccer when they aren't doing their 3 times a week team practice and weekend games.

Best athlete has nothing to do with soccer required skills and IQ

The best athletes are going to be those with the highest ceiling for execuuting those skills and doing so at a speed above their opponents.

Nonsense

Soccer is about speed of play, not speed of you.
Ball is always faster than man.

Speed of play is dictated by the speed of your decision making and execution.

Do you seen any slow players on Team USA with physical handicaps limping along?

I don't know what you're talking about here and how it relates to my comment. But what I'm saying is the US won't dominate if the most naturally gifted athletes choose other sports. The most gifted athletes are going to take learned skills to the highest level possible.

How are the most naturally gifted athletes identified and measured at a young age before placed in sports other than soccer by their parents?

Is the 300lb college Offensive Lineman a more gifted 4 year old than Pulisic was at 4 years old?

It’s not that hard. Go to any high school and all the kids can tell you who are the best athletes in their school. Those kids will be on the football, basketball, & track teams. Not soccer. Kids eventually play the sports they like not where their parents placed them at age 4.

Laughable

Tell us how the 6'10" basketball player would be a better Midfielder in soccer

That guy probably won't excel at soccer. What about baseball players and NFL receivers and defensive backs?

What are the athletic (not sport related) skills of a DB that a soccer player doesn't have?

Big Pappi couldn't play soccer and be a star