Soccer President

[Unregistered]

I didn't read any real specifics in this....

http://www.espn.com/soccer/club/unit...espn-questions

[Unregistered]

Inculcated

Candidate gets it right. Soccer in other cultures/countries is tribal.
We can whine all we want about "them" as if the governing powers are to blame.
No amount of system tweaking will fix the fact that our best athletes are not playing playground soccer. We have "very good" athletes playing organized soccer. Until soccer is played by urban, suburban, and rural children with equal access and heightened vigor, it will remain the case that our 2nd Tier athletes represent US Soccer (or Europeans with US passports).

I am not saying your boy is clumsy, nor am i saying soccer players are not world class athletes. I am only saying that US Soccer is not attracting the US' BEST athletes. On the boys side most of the best aspire to be "ballers", and on the girls side the poor need not apply

[Unregistered]

Candidate gets it right. Soccer in other cultures/countries is tribal.
We can whine all we want about "them" as if the governing powers are to blame.
No amount of system tweaking will fix the fact that our best athletes are not playing playground soccer. We have "very good" athletes playing organized soccer. Until soccer is played by urban, suburban, and rural children with equal access and heightened vigor, it will remain the case that our 2nd Tier athletes represent US Soccer (or Europeans with US passports).

I am not saying your boy is clumsy, nor am i saying soccer players are not world class athletes. I am only saying that US Soccer is not attracting the US' BEST athletes. On the boys side most of the best aspire to be "ballers", and on the girls side the poor need not apply

We have plenty of athletes. It's how they are trained, developed and identified where we're sorely lacking. If Iceland can cobble together a world class national team in a nation of 350,000 people surely we can too.

[Unregistered]

I didn't read any real specifics in this....

http://www.espn.com/soccer/club/unit...espn-questions

I beg to differ. I thought he was very specific in his thoughts about the domestic vs. international season calendar, national teams coaching selection criteria and equal pay issue for USWNT vs. USMNT.

[Unregistered]

We have plenty of athletes. It's how they are trained, developed and identified where we're sorely lacking. If Iceland can cobble together a world class national team in a nation of 350,000 people surely we can too.

Great point!

[Unregistered]

We have plenty of athletes. It's how they are trained, developed and identified where we're sorely lacking. If Iceland can cobble together a world class national team in a nation of 350,000 people surely we can too.

Funny how two people look at same data and draw dramatically different conclusions. I think you just made beautifully made the other poster's point. Iceland is essentially a "tribe" and proves that it's not about numbers, it's about culture. They embraced soccer and attracted their best. US is a long way from that

[Unregistered]

Funny how two people look at same data and draw dramatically different conclusions. I think you just made beautifully made the other poster's point. Iceland is essentially a "tribe" and proves that it's not about numbers, it's about culture. They embraced soccer and attracted their best. US is a long way from that

We are, but it's also about effort, vision, management. Iceland got all their coaches highly trained, from ulittle on up. The US won't embrace soccer as a top sport, at least not in our lifetimes. But we have plenty of kids who love soccer. Problem is they're trained by volunteer dad coaches at the younger ages, and club politics and money gets in the way as they get older. Our system sucks.

Not the OP

[Unregistered]

The USA is usually one of the most athletic teams at the World Cup, Gold Cup, etc...

[Unregistered]

Funny how two people look at same data and draw dramatically different conclusions. I think you just made beautifully made the other poster's point. Iceland is essentially a "tribe" and proves that it's not about numbers, it's about culture. They embraced soccer and attracted their best. US is a long way from that

Iceland is indeed a tribe.

However, Team Handball is Iceland national sport and one they have had Olympic success at both women's and men's side. Team handball gets their best athletes not soccer

[Unregistered]

Iceland is indeed a tribe.

However, Team Handball is Iceland national sport and one they have had Olympic success at both women's and men's side. Team handball gets their best athletes not soccer

different poster - since their soccer endeavor is not quite 10 years old or so I wouldn't expect much in the way of soccer success, yet their men's team has moved far up the ranks in the last few years. Other much smaller countries with fewer resources also kick our azzes - take a look at FIFA rankings. Yes I agree we don't have a soccer culture, but we do have enough athletes and certainly resources to get the job done. I'm not talking about raising the level of MLS, but having enough talented US players to form a MNT that can actually do well on the international stage. Sad. Bigly sad.

[Unregistered]

different poster - since their soccer endeavor is not quite 10 years old or so I wouldn't expect much in the way of soccer success, yet their men's team has moved far up the ranks in the last few years. Other much smaller countries with fewer resources also kick our azzes - take a look at FIFA rankings. Yes I agree we don't have a soccer culture, but we do have enough athletes and certainly resources to get the job done. I'm not talking about raising the level of MLS, but having enough talented US players to form a MNT that can actually do well on the international stage. Sad. Bigly sad.

Iceland qualified for last two World Cups from a much tougher region, UEFA, than CONCACAF

I do agree with your assertion that we have more than enough athletes.

[Unregistered]

We have plenty of athletes. It's how they are trained, developed and identified where we're sorely lacking. If Iceland can cobble together a world class national team in a nation of 350,000 people surely we can too.

Iceland went all in... the entire country, on soccer development. They built indoor facilities all over the country so players wouldn't have to travel far and could play year round. Those facilities are not "For Profit" like Forekicks and others here... the players can actually use them without having to pay $100's of dollars for an hour of field time.

Iceland also went all in on high-level licensing for all youth soccer coaches. Even the youngest kids just starting out in soccer are now developed by the equivalent of US Soccer B level coaches. 30% of Iceland's coaches are FIFA A-licensed. This ensures that even from the youngest age, coaches are competent in the teaching the game and the skills necessary to excel in the game.

[Unregistered]

How about Training pros?

Iceland went all in... the entire country, on soccer development. They built indoor facilities all over the country so players wouldn't have to travel far and could play year round. Those facilities are not "For Profit" like Forekicks and others here... the players can actually use them without having to pay $100's of dollars for an hour of field time.

Iceland also went all in on high-level licensing for all youth soccer coaches. Even the youngest kids just starting out in soccer are now developed by the equivalent of US Soccer B level coaches. 30% of Iceland's coaches are FIFA A-licensed. This ensures that even from the youngest age, coaches are competent in the teaching the game and the skills necessary to excel in the game.

"We will revamp the U.S. Development Academy, preserving what is right about the DA but eliminating the restrictions which create joyless players and are counterproductive to player development. Liberalization of the high school playing restriction will be explored."

dufus!

#1)Kids are thrilled in DA. They just need enough training time to be successful. 4.5 hrs training /week is a joke. We are 10 hrs / week behind Europe/So. America! that's 520 hrs/year and about 2000 hrs by the time kids are 18 and ready to go pro.


Simple math. Fun- Yes. Nannies driving Weston kids to practice 2 hours each way. Competitive? World class? Absolutely dismal!

#2)Kids in DA are going to college , most to become CEOs, Engineers and Doctors - not pros

Where do these ridiculous candidates get the balls to lead US soccer knowing nothing about soccer? No wonder this country is the Sh1thole of soccer

[Unregistered]

"We will revamp the U.S. Development Academy, preserving what is right about the DA but eliminating the restrictions which create joyless players and are counterproductive to player development. Liberalization of the high school playing restriction will be explored."

dufus!

#1)Kids are thrilled in DA. They just need enough training time to be successful. 4.5 hrs training /week is a joke. We are 10 hrs / week behind Europe/So. America! that's 520 hrs/year and about 2000 hrs by the time kids are 18 and ready to go pro.


Simple math. Fun- Yes. Nannies driving Weston kids to practice 2 hours each way. Competitive? World class? Absolutely dismal!

#2)Kids in DA are going to college , most to become CEOs, Engineers and Doctors - not pros

Where do these ridiculous candidates get the balls to lead US soccer knowing nothing about soccer? No wonder this country is the Sh1thole of soccer

"Joyless". He might be referring to his own kids. He said they were on the academy teams, but I don't recall this last name.

There are some major differences in youth soccer between the US and any serious soccer country....

1. First, the US is not very serious about soccer. They are getting better. The MLS salaries are slowing creeping up and the media will show 1-3 games at almost anytime. That said, college football, basketball, and hockey are still more popular.
2. Soccer/Fitness training. It was only recently that the clubs went from 2 to 3 practices per week. Valeo may have even been the earliest. Still, a serious program should practice 5-6 days per week with a game (? two). One or two days can be a two-for with one session being fitness and another being soccer.
3. ? Residence academies which will satisfy #2 more easily....as well as school.

Although these might be good ideas....someone has to pay for them. Maybe George Soros???

[Unregistered]

I didn't read any real specifics in this....

http://www.espn.com/soccer/club/unit...espn-questions

This from a guy that used and manipulated his position at the Bolts for the self interest of his own kids. Until his kid no longer was good enough and got cut. But in the meantime he insured that his kid over other kids got to go to NTC's and have a position on the team, while others where denied and kicked off with "no waivers", only to make a D3 school.

Then he shows up at GPS with his kid still wearing his BOLTs jacket.

I'll say no more.