John Adams Posted June 16, 2014 Author Posted June 16, 2014 Prediction: 1-1. But I expect the US to play hard as hell. Anyone watching Nigeria vs Iran? Anyone?
DC Tom Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 Anyone watching Nigeria vs Iran? Anyone? Yes. Though I have to turn it off for a conference call in half an hour. Epic dive by the Nigerian player a few minutes back.
Cugalabanza Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 Prediction: 1-1. But I expect the US to play hard as hell. Anyone watching Nigeria vs Iran? Anyone? I think the US will show well. It's just a matter of if and how many of their chances find the back of the net. I'm gonna say 2-1 USA.
Jauronimo Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 The table is set. Portugal is melting down. If we can just shock the world and beat a nation with one tenth the population and one thousandth the GDP, we might have a chance to advance beyond group play.
Johnny Hammersticks Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 Imagine if soccer was as popular here in the US as it was across the world. Think about what it would be like if our greatest athletes gravitated to soccer rather than other sports. Guys like AJ Green, Megatron, LeBron James, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Peterson...just to name a few. Would USA soccer be dominant? Hmmmm?
PO'14 Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 Enough about the States...How about that Nigeria/Iran game. Im less then 3 miles from the stadium as Im writing this. End to end action!
Johnny Hammersticks Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 Players need to be picked up by european clubs. They usually go for players in poor countries. So you're telling me that if Patrick Peterson starts playing soccer instead of football when he is 4 years old, and he develops into a world class soccer player, he would be passed over by European clubs? Why? I know it is a big hypothetical, but it is an interesting thought IMO.
BringBackFergy Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2014/06/16/essien-and-boateng-out-for-ghana-against-the-u-s/ Two high profile players for Ghana are out today. You guys may know better if this will benefit the US.
Magox Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 So you're telling me that if Patrick Peterson starts playing soccer instead of football when he is 4 years old, and he develops into a world class soccer player, he would be passed over by European clubs? Why? I know it is a big hypothetical, but it is an interesting thought IMO. If Someone of Patrick Peterson's physical and athletic ability began playing soccer even if it's here in the US at the age of 4, and dedicated himself like other pros, he most likely would be playing in Europe, I think there is little question of that.
John Adams Posted June 16, 2014 Author Posted June 16, 2014 The amateur/college thing kills soccer here as well. Most soccer stars get weeded and identified much earlier than 18 in other countries. It's a hard game and we could not compete when we had kids playing completely low level soccer until they were 18. We need our 13-17 year olds getting top training if they want to compete on a big stage. Now (last few years) the clubs and US soccer are doing a better job identifying and elevating talent. That's the point where, if the US is to improve, it has to improve. Klinsman and these workmanlike teams will do OK for the next 8 years but after that, you'll see the first generation of kids who came up through the much-improved youth system. And it's only getting better. In the 80s, soccer was just popular in the US. But no one was giving any sort of good coaching. Maybe in the 2000s, you had good coaches but only at the college level, and they were coaching subpar talent. And today, you have some really high level coaches going to higher paying youth development jobs. That's going to be key to the USMNT. If Someone of Patrick Peterson's physical and athletic ability began playing soccer even if it's here in the US at the age of 4, and dedicated himself like other pros, he most likely would be playing in Europe, I think there is little question of that. For a while...Arguably the best (Bradley) and one of the best (Dempsey) play in the US. That tide is changing.
Magox Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 http://blogs.wsj.com...gainst-the-u-s/ Two high profile players for Ghana are out today. You guys may know better if this will benefit the US. Wow! I knew Essien was coming back from an injury but Boateng is a surprising. He is an important part of that team and Essien at one time was considered to be one of the premier Central midfielders in the game.
Clippers of Nfl Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 Prediction: 1-1. But I expect the US to play hard as hell. Anyone watching Nigeria vs Iran? Anyone? Me. Rooting for Nigeria.
Magox Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 The amateur/college thing kills soccer here as well. Most soccer stars get weeded and identified much earlier than 18 in other countries. It's a hard game and we could not compete when we had kids playing completely low level soccer until they were 18. We need our 13-17 year olds getting top training if they want to compete on a big stage. Now (last few years) the clubs and US soccer are doing a better job identifying and elevating talent. That's the point where, if the US is to improve, it has to improve. Klinsman and these workmanlike teams will do OK for the next 8 years but after that, you'll see the first generation of kids who came up through the much-improved youth system. And it's only getting better. In the 80s, soccer was just popular in the US. But no one was giving any sort of good coaching. Maybe in the 2000s, you had good coaches but only at the college level, and they were coaching subpar talent. And today, you have some really high level coaches going to higher paying youth development jobs. That's going to be key to the USMNT. I think one of the encouraging signs is that league is looking to establish an official Division two league, which obviously would help develop players. Ultimately, what they will need to do is have each professional team set up their academies so that they can recruit these 13-17 year old kids, provide schooling and training much like they do in Europe and South America. That has to be the goal, and I'm sure we'll get there. In my view, within a decade of forming something along this lines, will propel us to a perennial top 8 team, year in and year out.
Clippers of Nfl Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 Enough about the States...How about that Nigeria/Iran game. Im less then 3 miles from the stadium as Im writing this. End to end action! Nigeria will never win the big mens world cup. Too selfish. Vs Iran they are bigger, stronger, faster. So what's the problem?
meazza Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 So you're telling me that if Patrick Peterson starts playing soccer instead of football when he is 4 years old, and he develops into a world class soccer player, he would be passed over by European clubs? Why? I know it is a big hypothetical, but it is an interesting thought IMO. Well to give you an idea look at england. They are considered a soccer nation yet their top clubs are filled with players from south america and africa. It's much cheaper.
Wayne Cubed Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 Well to give you an idea look at england. They are considered a soccer nation yet their top clubs are filled with players from south america and africa. It's much cheaper. Huh? Manchester City has the highest payroll of any team in the world for 2014, per player. The average pay on the team, per year, is $8.1 million per player. Of the 26 players on the squad, 20 are European, but the highest salary is from Aguero, who's from Argentina, not exactly "cheap". And even if you look at some of the lower spending teams like Crystal Palace, the majority of their players are from the UK with 1 player being from Argentina... So they can't be trying to save money by filling their club with cheap players from South American and Africa.
meazza Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 To give you an example, moratti (former inter owner) explained that it is much cheaper to develop a player from south america than an italian. The restrictions (non-eu limits) helps that from getting worse. Teams like man city simply buy the top players regardless of nationality.
Cugalabanza Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 Looks like we had our first dud game. Iran 0 - Nigeria 0.
Wayne Cubed Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) To give you an example, moratti (former inter owner) explained that it is much cheaper to develop a player from south america than an italian. The restrictions (non-eu limits) helps that from getting worse. Teams like man city simply buy the top players regardless of nationality. Right, but I just gave you an example of a lower salary team, Crystal Palace, who can't just spend money on whoever, who is filled entirely with Europeans, mostly from the UK. Or I'll give you another. Sunderland, again, majority filled with Europeans, most being from the UK. EDIT: And if you even look down in the Championship League at team like Leeds United, they are filled with Europeans, majority being English. Edited June 16, 2014 by Wayne Cubed
eball Posted June 16, 2014 Posted June 16, 2014 Good for you, and thank you for your marvelous contribution to this thread. LOL my pleasure! I like the World Cup just fine (and loved watching the Germans kick Portugal's asses) but the event doesn't hold a candle to my Bills. That's just me. I'll be watching all the same. USA! USA!
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