The Greg Ryan Watch

[FSM]

I didn't want to keep bashing Ryan in the Hope Solo thread, so I have started his own. :D

An example of another dumb Ryan decsion: Does anyone know who Marci Jobson is? This is who she is:

At age 31 she was the 4th oldest player on the World Cup roster, behind Scurry (36), Lilly (36), and Rampone (31). She earned her first cap in 2005 at the age of 29 making her the second-oldest American player to earn her first cap. By being chosen to the U.S. Women's World Cup squad, she became her the oldest U.S. player by four years to be named to a first World Cup roster.

Now ask yourself why a coach would waste a roster spot to a player of this age instead of bringing along a younger, up and coming player, particularly with the Olympics a year away. Well, maybe here's the answer: http://niuhuskies.cstv.com/sports/w-soc ... rci00.html

After having benefited from their tutelage as a player, Jobson has coached alongside two of the game's best in Greg Ryan and Brett Hall. Ryan, now the boss of the U.S. Women's National Team, added Jobson to his staff at SMU.

Another example of the cronyism that exists in US Soccer?

[Dad&Driver]

Sometimes you make a decision, and if it doesn't work out, you get fired. There is no explanation to be made, no excuse to consider.

If Ryan figured he could make the decision he did, in the way he did it, and he WOULDN'T be fired for it if the team lost then he's too stupid to be a head coach and should be fired for that.

I can't believe I'm typing this but Ryan made a bigger blunder than when Grady left Pedro in against the Yankees in 2003.

R yan and many other coaches suffer from the dreaded disease Herb- Brooksitis. In it you fail to understand that the 80 hockey model simply fails to work in almost all contemporary settings including women's soccer. This is partly because we are closer aligned to the USSR of '80 then those scrapping over-achieving American college boys. US women's soccer has the deepest talent pool of any county. It may be deeper than almost all other countries put together. We fail because that talent isn't properly identified or utilized. End of story.

[MASC]

The topic is further developed/explained here:

http://www.talking-soccer.com/region...ic.php?t=12284

[FSM]

Here's something I've been thinking about as a result of the Solo vs Scurry video and now the information on Jobson. If I were to compare my 2 daughters who are 8 years apart, there is a huge difference in the game of soccer that the younger one plays as compared to her older sister. There were things the younger one's U10 teams were doing that weren't even introduced to my older daughter's teams until they were high school age - one of the most notable would be the use of the keeper as an 11th field player. And the difference is as a result of the training each received. So I'm wondering the difference between 36 year olds, 26 year olds and 16 year olds. It's got to be huge. To quote Solo, "This isn't 2003" and it isn't 1993 either.

So did anyone think to look up the odds in Vegas on the USA not making in into the finals? :twisted:

[FSM]

Here are the final statistics for this weekend's game against Mexico. It was reported that the US came out flat for the first 30 minutes. which is what the halftime stats reflect (also shown below).

The first goal was scored by Mexico in the 3rd minute on a deflection. Although it has been reported that no keeper could have saved that goal (much like the second goal in the North Korean game), that would mean Scurry has given up 6 goals in three games.

Halftime stats:

USA ------ Mexico

1___Goals___1
7___Shots___2
2___SOG___2
1___Corners___6
1___Offside___0
1___Subs___0
0___Yellows___0
0___Reds___0


Final Game Stats;

USA / MEX
Shots: 30 / 5
Shots on Goal: 14 / 3
Saves: 2 / 9
Corner Kicks: 2 / 6
Fouls: 7 / 12
Offside: 5 / 0

Obviously the US dominated in the second half. So here's what's interesting. Once again Ryan's subbing is bizarre. He made 5 subs in this "friendly" and basically subbed the subs.

1-Briana Scurry; 2-Marian Dalmy (5-Lindsay Tarpley, 33, 6-Natasha Kai, 75), 8-Tina Ellertson, 4-Cat Whitehill, 3-Christie Rampone; 7-Shannon Boxx, 12-Leslie Osborne (10-Aly Wagner, 33, 11-Carli Lloyd, 81), 17-Lori Chalupny (16-Angela Hucles, 84); 9-Heather O’Reilly, 20-Abby Wambach, 13-Kristine Lilly – Capt.
Subs not used: 15-Kate Markgraf, 18-Hope Solo, 21-Nicole Barnhart.

When WILL he be fired? Nearly everyone thinks it's a foregone conclusion, so what are the next steps?

His contract comes up the end of the year. They may have decided that rather than firing him, they will just not renew it. However, with the Olympics in 2008, the fact that they haven't done anything may suggest they don't intend to do anything and keep him through the Olympics.

Anyone have any thoughts on who would make a good coach?

Should it be a man? Should it be a woman?