USA's grit not enough to hang with World Cup elite

[asu66]

Yesterday's "secondary" sports news--taking a back seat to a new university chancellor and a new athletics conference--was the USA National Team's disappointing manhandling by the Belgium Nationals. Grit and determination can only carry a side so far. In the end, the good guys have to have talent on par with the opposition. This, of course, is where US teams always come up short against the best of the world's best.

In a different reality, where elite US athletes put soccer ahead of American football, baseball and basketball, our teams would be "up there." In actuality, we're still a long, long way from the top of world class soccer.

This article sums it up pretty well...

SALVADOR, Brazil – The assault was relentless. The pressure was unrelenting. Shot after shot, attack after attack, these Belgians just coming and coming at Tim Howard, just teeing up until they could eventually break through.

Howard had been amazing but in the end it was not enough, the United States' World Cup dream ending here Tuesday in a 2-1 defeat to Belgium. The story of the night was how Howard's greatness – "absolutely amazing" Jurgen Klinsmann put it – combined with a roster full of signature heart and unrelenting effort forced extra time and then made the Belgians white-knuckle their way into the quarterfinals.

Continued... http://sports.yahoo.com/news/u-s--s-gri ... 04887.html

[DaphneUrquhart]

Tim Howard played an amazing game in goal. I'm glad he's on our side!

[newtoasu]

In a different reality, where elite US athletes put soccer ahead of American football, baseball and basketball, our teams would be "up there." In actuality, we're still a long, long way from the top of world class soccer.

I wonder if we will start to see parents shift their young kids away from football with all of the concussion news? While there are just as many, if not more concussions in soccer, especially at the elite levels, I think most Moms see the game as much more safer for their kids.

Just curious.

And, I second Daphne's praise of Tim Howard. He was great. If we could just get a good offensive midfielder and a world class (non-biting) striker, we might go farther.

[asu66]

Tim Howard played an amazing game in goal. I'm glad he's on our side!

I've been around the game for 5 decades and have been involved as a player, as a coach, as an official and/or as a ticket-holding fan in the stands in what seems like a zillion matches from youth rec soccer all the way to the Premier League. I've never, ever seen a performance by a keeper at any level approach the play of Tim Howard yesterday. His goal was under siege for 128+ minutes--and he nearly pulled it off. Unbelievable. He just didn't get enough skilled help from his midfield and back line.

Howard is 35 years old. He'd be a 39 year old keeper in World Cup 2018. I dunno if his body will hold up that long to play at that level. As they say, Father Time is unbeaten. It's clear that Howard has overcome Tourette syndrome and countless spine and hand injuries during his career. He has an uncanny and completely selfless ability to play in pain--uncommon to his profession. He's under contract with Everton in the Premier League through 2018--so I wouldn't want to count him out.

[Maddog1956]

In a different reality, where elite US athletes put soccer ahead of American football, baseball and basketball, our teams would be "up there." In actuality, we're still a long, long way from the top of world class soccer.

I wonder if we will start to see parents shift their young kids away from football with all of the concussion news? While there are just as many, if not more concussions in soccer, especially at the elite levels, I think most Moms see the game as much more safer for their kids.

Just curious.

And, I second Daphne's praise of Tim Howard. He was great. If we could just get a good offensive midfielder and a world class (non-biting) striker, we might go farther.

No so much from football, etc but just into soccer (both are growing, soccer just faster).

Besides the fact that most parents do see it has a non-contact/safer sport, soccer has a lot to offer parents and kids. It's takes very little equipment, very young players can have fun without a lot of skills, and most of all, just about all the kids are involved and active the whole game. Most of the kids I have worked with in many sports like soccer as good or better than any when younger, but change more to the high profile sports if they have talent as they get older.

What I don't see as much in the US as other countries is "pick-up" soccer games. Everything here is still pretty much organizational. In other countries, you're much more likely to see kids kicking a soccer ball than anything else even by his/her self.

[Rick0714]

A couple of points. In NC HS's soccer is a fall sport, so there is direct scheduling competition with football for athletes, and to some extent, basketball. Second, follow the $. Most elite athletes from the middle school years up are looking (at least the parents are) at where their best chance to get a free college education is. What is saving the family money? Then, for the elite of the elite, where do they have a chance of becoming a professional. Its a tough road in the US, but Soccer has already made huge strides since I was in school (80's). To be honest, the influx of hispanic children locally has been the biggest difference. If your Dad is big into a sport, then, chances are you will too. We are just getting there in the caucasian USA, and its still very regional (St Louis, Seattle,etc).

So many of the opponent's goals in the WC came after turnovers in the midfield. Bradley caught the biggest brunt of the blame, but hopefully the next generation will be better handlers.

[appgrad]

Howard is 35 years old. He'd be a 39 year old keeper in World Cup 2018. I dunno if his body will hold up that long to play at that level. As they say, Father Time is unbeaten. It's clear that Howard has overcome Tourette syndrome and countless spine and hand injuries during his career. He has an uncanny and completely selfless ability to play in pain--uncommon to his profession. He's under contract with Everton in the Premier League through 2018--so I wouldn't want to count him out.

Brad Guzan should be the guy in goal for the US in 2018. Shutout Mexico in Azteca in the qualifiers, and has been keeping Aston Villa in the Premier League for the last 2 seasons. A very different keeper from Howard - who is a great shot stopper, and distributor. Guzan, to me, commands the penalty area better than Howard, is more proactive on coming out to squelch attacks, and better at catching.

He'll bring something new - and I am a big fan - but I think we'll miss Howard's distribution as much as anything...see our winning goal vs. Algeria in 2010 as an example of what Timmy can do to start a break.

As for the rest of the team - these next 2 World Cups are where I think you'll really see the US take the next step. All MLS teams are now running their own academies, and kids are being admitted to them, free of charge, based on ability - not on if Daddy is a coach or has money to pay for it. They also have instituted a Home Grown Players program where MLS teams can sign kids from their Academy without having to go through a draft. This puts major focus on talent development at the local level..and we'll soon have 24 of those throughout the US.

Deandre Yedlin - for example - was a HGP for Seattle, even though he went off to play college at Akron.

By 2022 - you'll have a gaggle of 20-25 year olds who came through those sorts of systems, along with kids who went overseas to European academies. By 2026 (maybe a WC hosted by USA?), I would venture that 75% of our team will be composed of kids who've been playing professional soccer since they were 17-18 years old. That's what the rest of the world has...and we don't yet. Despite that - we've come this far. Very exciting times are ahead, in my opinion.