Men's National Team Stagnation - MLS to Blame?

[Unregistered]

Hey, here's an idea!

Fix the damn problem here rather than simply say that the MLS stinks so go to Europe as a 21 year old.

Klinnsman and his apologists are pitiful. His one answer is 'MLS stinks, go to Europe'.

Klinnsman should get off his lazy, know nothing butt and constantly be showing up at youth practices showing players and coaches exactly what the differences are in training that separates these 'extraordinary' European teams from the US teams.

We'll even kick in a couple more bucks to the millions you're already stealing from us.

Fix the damn problem before it's a problem rather than send the patient to the emergency room when it's too late.

MLS does stink relative to Europe and South America. If you want top players, they need to be challenged at the highest level. Maybe, maybe MLS catches up...until then, we need more players in Europe.

Iceland has less registered players than Rhode Island, less total population than Leicester. They have over 100 players in European top tier leagues. We can do the same.

[Unregistered]

Great win for Iceland. We can learn a lot from this. THe biggest is that the youth soccer system has to work together to develop youth players. That means some clube need to realize they are feeder clubs at that there are very few elite clubs. For oregon it would mean every club getting on board with the idea that all clubs are feeder clubs for the Timbers DA. What was the OPL would be the step down. Then the other clubs playing in OYSA would be feeder clubs to those clubs and so on. However this will never happen because of ego's and politics. That is where the system breaks down and I dont ever seeing it change so yes we will produce a few more top level players but probably never be a team that consistently competes for trophies

[Unregistered]

MLS does stink relative to Europe and South America. If you want top players, they need to be challenged at the highest level. Maybe, maybe MLS catches up...until then, we need more players in Europe.

Iceland has less registered players than Rhode Island, less total population than Leicester. They have over 100 players in European top tier leagues. We can do the same.

The point is:

What are the Icelands of the world doing with their youth programs that gives the players the skills to play in Europe.

We can't just 'send' players to Europe. They have to want them. The players and their skill sets need to be developed right here before even considering going anywhere. That's where we fail.

[Unregistered]

The point is:

What are the Icelands of the world doing with their youth programs that gives the players the skills to play in Europe.

We can't just 'send' players to Europe. They have to want them. The players and their skill sets need to be developed right here before even considering going anywhere. That's where we fail.

I completely agree. My response was simply to those who continue to think in such a small minded way as to think that the MLS is the objective. Again, maybe it'll get there... it's not the objective today.

[Unregistered]

Wow

These are some of the most moronic observations I've ever read here, and that's saying something.

The problem with US soccer is..............YOU.

Your endless bickering about kids needing to practice to death, complex drills with CONES, which don't exist during an actual game. Then YOU trying to explain things you have NO clue about.

You can't explain *flow* because you've never experienced it. You think you can compartmentalize the game into *tactics* and ball possession, then try and get kids to manufacture what YOU see on TV or at games......that you just started watching or playing less than 30, 20, 10.....and some of the worst of you have less than 5 years of any footballing experience at all.

So stop blaming Bradley, Klinsmann, or Gulati, take a look in the mirror and realize it's YOU. They're only able to work with the players you've spent all kinds of $ developing, while MANIPULATING the system so your kid gets to win another trophy.

For those of you that I talking about, find another hobby, and save your two-bit opinion for no one in particular.

Oh, if you're English, please stop pretending that you actually know something about the game. You might have some of the softball meatheads fooled, but the rest of us know your schtick.

[Unregistered]

Case closed

Take a look at the *Girls 02 rankings* thread for gods sake! 7,070 responses, and 356,000 + views

Girls 02 rankings....think about that for a second, ranking........02 girls.

F'ing morons.

[Unregistered]

These are some of the most moronic observations I've ever read here, and that's saying something.

The problem with US soccer is..............YOU.

.

Dumb post.

[Unregistered]

These are some of the most moronic observations I've ever read here, and that's saying something.

The problem with US soccer is..............YOU.

Your endless bickering about kids needing to practice to death, complex drills with CONES, which don't exist during an actual game. Then YOU trying to explain things you have NO clue about.

You can't explain *flow* because you've never experienced it. You think you can compartmentalize the game into *tactics* and ball possession, then try and get kids to manufacture what YOU see on TV or at games......that you just started watching or playing less than 30, 20, 10.....and some of the worst of you have less than 5 years of any footballing experience at all.

So stop blaming Bradley, Klinsmann, or Gulati, take a look in the mirror and realize it's YOU. They're only able to work with the players you've spent all kinds of $ developing, while MANIPULATING the system so your kid gets to win another trophy.

For those of you that I talking about, find another hobby, and save your two-bit opinion for no one in particular.

Oh, if you're English, please stop pretending that you actually know something about the game. You might have some of the softball meatheads fooled, but the rest of us know your schtick.

Incoherent ramblings of a very conflicted and confused individual. Jurgen, is that you? Did you spell your name wrong to throw us off?

[Unregistered]

The point is:

What are the Icelands of the world doing with their youth programs that gives the players the skills to play in Europe.

We can't just 'send' players to Europe. They have to want them. The players and their skill sets need to be developed right here before even considering going anywhere. That's where we fail.

"they", in europe, do want them, but in the 3 players that i've helped get tryouts.. the first question is, "do they have a european passport?" most of the time, 55-60%, they stop the conversation if the answer is no. however, the players also need the drive to go. and we do need to get better at development.

mostly that means realizing that even if they are the best in the state, they aren't that good. and by best in the state, i mean obviously clear, plainly evident to someone who has never even watched futbol, that they are playing a completely different game than the other 21 people out there. once you get to this point, this is only the beginning.

that's the kind of drive the players need, and that's the kind of development that is needed.

[Unregistered]

"they", in europe, do want them, but in the 3 players that i've helped get tryouts.. the first question is, "do they have a european passport?" most of the time, 55-60%, they stop the conversation if the answer is no. however, the players also need the drive to go. and we do need to get better at development.

mostly that means realizing that even if they are the best in the state, they aren't that good. and by best in the state, i mean obviously clear, plainly evident to someone who has never even watched futbol, that they are playing a completely different game than the other 21 people out there. once you get to this point, this is only the beginning.

that's the kind of drive the players need, and that's the kind of development that is needed.

The goal for many players here is college, not a pro career. A US player good enough to possibly go pro can have their pick of colleges. Awfully hard to walk away from that, especially for an MLS career without less development and $ than Europe. There's a reason JK said players need to go to Europe. Also, to an 18 year old picking up and going to Europe is an intimidating venture. Unfortunately college soccer is pretty much a dead end. DA ends at 18 as well. There's few options for 18-22 year olds who need more work

[Unregistered]

This article was posted on another thread. It is very relevant to this discussion as well

https://www.theguardian.com/football...world-football

[Unregistered]

This article was posted on another thread. It is very relevant to this discussion as well

https://www.theguardian.com/football...world-football

Really enjoyed the article and lots of excellent points. However, what is strange to me is that youth sports in general is expensive and yet they still bring in a diverse population. What does basketball do that soccer doesn't? Anyone who has had a kid play youth football knows how expensive it can be. Baseball started trying to the address the issue 25 years ago or so with programs like Reviving Baseball in Innercities (RBI) and other programs and maybe something like that would help. Even then, statistically, their hasn't been much improvement (keeping in mind that there is huge diversity in the major leagues but most of that is from outside the US). Doesn't there first have to be an interest in the sport? Is there a lack of diversity in US soccer due to a lack of interest or a lack of opportunity? What comes first?

[Unregistered]

Really enjoyed the article and lots of excellent points. However, what is strange to me is that youth sports in general is expensive and yet they still bring in a diverse population. What does basketball do that soccer doesn't? Anyone who has had a kid play youth football knows how expensive it can be. Baseball started trying to the address the issue 25 years ago or so with programs like Reviving Baseball in Innercities (RBI) and other programs and maybe something like that would help. Even then, statistically, their hasn't been much improvement (keeping in mind that there is huge diversity in the major leagues but most of that is from outside the US). Doesn't there first have to be an interest in the sport? Is there a lack of diversity in US soccer due to a lack of interest or a lack of opportunity? What comes first?

Certainly for basketball there are more inner-city programs for kids to play on that don't cost a fortune (my kids played in one that was $60 for 4 months). Also, football, basketball, track all have a strong high school component where kids can be discovered. HS doesn't play much of a role in soccer any longer; it's all about club play. Kids can play basketball in anyone's driveway, anywhere there's a hoop. Soccer needs more space. A lot of people in our town complain that our fields are always rented out and kids can't just play pick up games without adult supervision and proof of insurance.

But there is a popularity and aspirational component as well. Kids admire athletes, right?. Certainly Hispanic kids see plenty of soccer role models they want to emulate. But those kids are often never seen. African Americans see famous basketball and football players, not soccer players.

[Unregistered]

Certainly for basketball there are more inner-city programs for kids to play on that don't cost a fortune (my kids played in one that was $60 for 4 months). Also, football, basketball, track all have a strong high school component where kids can be discovered. HS doesn't play much of a role in soccer any longer; it's all about club play. Kids can play basketball in anyone's driveway, anywhere there's a hoop. Soccer needs more space. A lot of people in our town complain that our fields are always rented out and kids can't just play pick up games without adult supervision and proof of insurance.

But there is a popularity and aspirational component as well. Kids admire athletes, right?. Certainly Hispanic kids see plenty of soccer role models they want to emulate. But those kids are often never seen. African Americans see famous basketball and football players, not soccer players.

There also are lots of soccer programs that don't cost a fortune. The difference is in the higher level programs. I think football is an exception because it is so prominent in high school, but any decent basketball and baseball player needs to pay to play - AAU and the elite traveling basketball programs aren't cheap. Somehow the players and their parents and sponsors are able to do it. SI just had an article on the baseball programs - if anyone thinks soccer is bad, read that article as a starting point. Crazy! I do agree that fields are an issue, but that's an excuse not a reason. A big field is nice but not necessary, especially for technical work. Somehow other inner city kids with less space around the world are able to play. Have you seen the "fields" the kids are playing on in Central and South America.
I do agree on the popularity and aspirational component. Until that changes, it's an uphill battle.