The United States of America got off to a great start at the Beijing Olympics, getting a great opening result in a 1-0 win over Japan. Stuart Holden scored for the US, who needed this win badly before playing the other 2 teams in its group, Nigeria and the Netherlands. Lets take a look at some key points, both good and bad for the US.

1. Brian McBride Did Exactly What He Needed To Do

McBride was brought in to this Olympic squad for two reasons. 1. To mentor Jozy Altidore and co. and 2. Be the target man the United States has desperately needed since he retired in 2006. Although he did not score, McBride drew several fouls for the US, and played 75 minutes. This effectively gave Jozy Altidore the night off, as Altidore only played 15 min. While McBride still needs to get back to peak fitness, this speaks well for the US scoring chances against future opponents.

2. Maurice Edu scares me at Center Back.

Maurice Edu will one day be one of the most talented midfielders to ever put on a USA shirt. But as a center back, while he has great ball skills, he leaves something to be desired. He played well, but towards the end of the game, his play got extremely sloppy, and he was lucky to have not cost his team 2 points, after clearly fouling a Japanese player in the box. Edu will have to be better if the US hopes to advance.

3. Freddy Adu Played Well Today.

Adu had a great game. He was generally dangerous and ran at players, something most US players are loathe to do. he drew fouls, and was consistently double teamed by Japan. He’ll need to do a better job of finding the open man in the future, but he put in a good performance today.

4. The Ref Was Terrible.

The Ref today missed 2 penalties, 1 for each squad, and let Freddy Adu get basically manhandled by Japan. The US drew a few stupid yellow cards (Michael Bradley and Adu) but for the most part, he let things go and then called certain things. I’m hoping this does not become a tournament-wide issue.

In the end, the US was honestly lucky to walk out with the 3 points. While they performed well, they have a lot more to work on. Edu’s foul could have easily made this a tie, and if not for Japan’s missed chances, especially late, this could have been a terrible loss for the team.

All in all, 3 points is 3 points, but the US will have to be better against the Netherlands and Nigeria, otherwise they’ll be going home earlier than they expect to.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

If you’re a US soccer fan, I’m going to ask that you take yourself back to a dark time in our nation’s soccer history. Don’t worry, I feel your pain. On June 22nd, 2006, Ghana ended any US hope of advancing to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. While many US fans point to a dubious penalty called against Oguchi Onyewu, it should be noted that the US had only scored one goal before this game, and it was an own goal at that. So it’s not as if the US had torn it up and was just the victim of a bad call. We stunk, and we were deservedly going home.

Sunil Gulati was elected President of the USSF in March 2006, but his reach and commitment to the program spanned many years before this. But it has been his time as the leader of US soccer that has come under the most scrutiny and in turn, the most ridicule and applause.  There have been good moments (winning the Gold Cup in 2007 and getting into the Confederations Cup in 2009) and bad (the Copa America debacle). But there has been one moment, a defining moment in US soccer history perhaps, that may well decide whether Sunil Gulati’s time in charge of US soccer is indeed a tragedy or a triumph.

The failure to hire Jurgen Klinsmann as coach of the USMNT to me stinks as a decision made by someone who did not want to give up control of this growing empire in the United States. Let’s face it, 10-15 years from now, US soccer in the United States will be much bigger than it is now. It’s becoming more marketable, the team is getting better, and the brand is reaching out to more people.

That being said, the idea that Klinsmann wanted to change the culture of US soccer is both innovative and intelligent on his part. For too long, we were ready and willing to settle for secondary opponents, meaningless friendlies, and a complete lack of  motivation. How many times have you seen us beat up on El Salvador since you’ve begun following the USMNT? Probably more times than you’ve ever wanted to.

This all brings us to today. Bob Bradley, an American, is our coach. As we watch the world evolve with international coaches, US soccer took the safe approach with someone we knew and who knew us. Will this be Sunil Gulati’s tragedy or will it be his triumph?

The tragedy of the situation could be unfolding in front of our very eyes. Who here was happy with our performances against England and Spain? Bob Bradley took this team to Europe, armed it with players like Eddie Johnson, and then sent it into battle with the idea that we should respect and fear the teams in front us. Do you think Klinsmann would have had that attitude? No way. He would have sent the players into this game with a simple message: Go for it. Bradley will not crack the whip with these players. I would never question the motivation of players, but when Eddie Johnson misses clear sitters and then looks up and smiles like it’s okay, Bradley gives him another start. You don’t fix anything by rewarding failure. Klinsmann would have seen this and sat Johnson down for the rest of the game.

How will Gulati’s decision play out in the end? I don’t know. What I do know is that this is the moment that the United States Soccer Federation cannot pass up. Bob Bradley has shown that while he is a decent coach, he does not seem to motivate the players well, and he lacks the tactical nuance needed to overcome the deficiencies of this team. This is the most talent a United States squad (except perhaps 2002) has ever had. The opportunity to do something big for soccer is today, not 5 years from now. In the end, will US soccer be a victim of Gulati’s poor judgment? Or will his judgment be right, as Bob Bradley guides us to bigger things than this country has ever seen?

Personally, I think Gulati made a terrible mistake. It’s a mistake that he will realize in 2010, as the United States goes home after the group stages again. There’s more to this game than just talent. Our coaching staff is severely limited in this aspect, and I feel that just like Bruce Arena before him, Bob Bradley will be a victim of his own lack of coaching skills. Would Klinsmann have done any better? I like to think so. For those who hate Landon Donovan, imagine him under the wing of Klinsmann. I think Donovan is our best player now, imagine if he would have Klinsmann’s words in his head.

The thing that bothers me most about this situation is that Klinsmann wanted this job. If we’re honest with ourselves, nobody in Europe respects US soccer. The players might, but coaches and the media do not. If you lose to the US, you could lose your job! Against Spain, when it was nil nil at the half, the Spanish fans were actually booing their home team because they had not beaten us already. And what do we go out and do? Lay an egg in the second half and lose the game. And Klinsmann wanted to change that attitude. Bob Bradley represents that attitude. The attitude that “It’s OK, we’re just here to give you guys a run out. We’re not actually looking to win.” Its garbage and I’m sick of it.

Do you think Klinsmann would be keeping Freddy Adu on the bench? Or putting Eddie Johnson in the lineup when he clearly doesn’t deserve to be there? I doubt it. One can only dream of where Klinsmann would have taken this team. But dreams are just that. Just a part of the imagination. The reality is US soccer is in danger of being in the exact same place it was in 2006. And it will be all Sunil Gulati’s fault. Tragedy or triumph? We shall see.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Quick. Name a soccer player. David Beckham’s name is generally the first name that comes to mind to the average American followed by Ronaldinho in most cases. Sometimes Pele will be named, but for the most part, its Beckham.

Becks has been playing with the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer for almost a year now, and needless to say, he has made an impact with that team, as they sit in first place, in large part because of his play (also thanks to the play of Landon Donovan, who is despised by his own countrymen, but that’s for another day).

But can anyone remember the quotes of made about Beckham as he sat next to a glowing Alexi Lalas on the day he was introduced to America as the Galaxy’s new superstar?

“David Beckham will have a greater impact on soccer in America than any athlete has ever had on a sport globally.” — Timothy J. Leiweke, president and CEO of AEG, the owners of the Galaxy.

Nearly a year later, how is this progression going?

To be honest, I took part in Beckhamania last summer, when the Galaxy came to face my hometown DC United on a rainy August evening. But since then, I personally have become less interested in what he brings to the table when it comes to his play on the pitch, because I know the guy can still bring it.

Now I’ve become more concerned about what Beckham is actually doing to raise the profile in America. He has had some camps, made appearances, and taught Snoop Dogg’s kids how to take free kicks, but what has that really done?

I’ve been disappointed with the Beckham agenda so far. His arrival peaked interest in his first few months here, but since then, he has just been a player, at least in the eyes of myself, and people I’ve talked to. His teammates like him, and his opponents seem to hate him, due to the number of hard and unnecessary tackles during his time in America. But he has yet to raise the profile of soccer here in the way that we hoped he would. Ask your kid…who would he rather be. Tom Brady…or David Beckham? Most kids will say Brady. Beckham, for all of his exposure, is getting the wrong kind of exposure.

I wrote at this time last year that Beckham would be a walking billboard. I was wrong. Beckham is what I wanted him to be, a player first and foremost. I did not take into account that as a player playing in MLS, that would not be enough. His time here has bene great, and I am happy to see him playing, and playing well. The fact that he is still earning callups to the English National Team are not only a sign of his great play, but of the overall quality of MLS. The English press can say what it wants about MLS, but the play has improved since the league’s inception over 10 years ago.

I’m afraid that it will not be possible for David Beckham to raise the profile of American soccer here by himself. Much like Pele in the 1970′s, he doesn’t have the support, nor the Gatorade, needed to climb the mountain and put soccer on the same summit as football and baseball.

There’s only one way for soccer in America to raise its profile, and that lies with the US National Team. Sunil Gulati knows it, Bob Bradley knows it, and we as fans know it. Americans love their winners. Look at the 3 major sports in America. All of them have winners that people look up to. In football, Brett Farve, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning. Baseball, Derek Jeter, The Boston Red Sox. Basketball: Michael Jordan, arguably the ultimate winner. US Soccer needs to win something, and something big. The opportunity is here though. Beijing awaits.

Ah, the Olympics. The time when the world comes together, and they compete against each other in the name of competition. In a time where politics dominates the world, the Olympics are a great reminder of what is good in this world. For Americans, the Olympics are a time to show what we can do. What better way to raise the profile of American soccer than to win the gold at the Olympics? A gold medal win would draw attention to the US Soccer program. It would be the best thing to happen to US soccer in a very long time. Is it possible? You better believe it. The US will send one of the strongest squads its ever sent, and I like their chances. But that’s for another day too.

The fact of the matter is, US soccer’s profile is still where it was when Beckham signed a year ago. It won’t change because of Beckham, because Beckham can’t do it by himself. The responsibility of raising US soccer’s profile lies with the US and the US alone.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The parallels surrounding the United States Men’s National team are striking when you compare them to the same group in 2004.

As qualifying began, the US was ranked very highly in the FIFA World rankings, as high as fourth(!) in 2006, a few months before the World Cup. As qualifying begins this year, US Soccer will again be faced with having to dispatch the minnows of CONCACAF, something that has been extraordinarily easy for the US in the past. But I see a pattern setting up, one that if it continues will doom US Soccer again come 2010.

If The US is serious about moving up in the world of football/soccer, they need to do a few things. Important changes will need to be made, and tough decisions will have to be made as well.

First and foremost, the mistake of not scheduling tough friendlies can’t be made again. The US Soccer federation did an excellent job of scheduling games against England, Spain, and Argentina over the least few weeks, and the results told us a lot about US Soccer. Namely, this team needs Landon Donovan(Landon Donovan haters out there..enough. Stop with the nonsense about Donovan this, Donovan that. You look and sound ridiculous.)

Also, I think the argument can and should be made as to whether Bob Bradley is the right man to lead this team. For me, I’d say he is not. He is a good coach, but the United States lacks the technical capabilities to comepete with the world’s best. The fact is, Bradley hasn’t shown me anything that makes me think he can guide this team any further then Bruce Arena did in 2006. I’m sorry I just don’t see it.

If it were up to me, I would let Bradley go and make signing Guus Hiddink my number one goal. Hiddink may be the best manager in the world today. He guided South Korea on their amazing run at the 2002 World Cup, and is guiding Russia during their Euro 2008 run. I think Russia and the US are fairly similar on skill level, so imagine what Hiddink could do with us?

Finally, player development has to improve. Situations like Giuseppe Rossi are unavoidable when it comes to the players desire to play for another country, but we have to continue to develop our own players and getting them to the national team. We have good young players in Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley, etc. Continue to blood them. They’re grown men, they can handle it. Give them opportunities. Don’t be afraid to lose.

Against England and Spain, we played like we were afraid, and we lost because of it. To me, that falls on the coach. There’s no way you can send your troops out to battle with fear in their hearts. We can’t continue to make the same mistakes again. Improvement is needed.

Can all of this be done by 2010? It’s possible. But it has to start now.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Originally published on 19 December 2007.

According to The Daily Mail, Major League Soccer has approached Liverpool FC in an attempt to get the English giants to play against the MLS All-Stars next summer. The report also proposes the idea of Liverpool playing Italian giants Juventus in Montreal to gauge the interest in Canada.

As much as I like seeing European teams come to the US to play against MLS clubs and all stars, I don’t see the point, besides making money, and possibly raising the profile of soccer in the States. If MLS wins, people view them as being that much closer to the EPL. The reality is that when European teams come over (Celtic and Chelsea recently), they are generally in preseason form, and therefore that much easier to beat. If MLS were to lose, the media in Europe can sling even more mud at MLS, especially if the game is a blowout.

When it comes to raising the profile of the game here, why do we need European sides to do that? I’ve long believed in the idea that if soccer is to become one of the big 4 sports in America, then it will need to do so from within. While players like David Beckham and Cuauhtemoc Blanco are nice, the fact is they are not Americans, so they can only do so much for MLS.

I’ll never understand why so much emphasis is placed on David Beckham when we have future American stars such as Jozy Altidore in MLS as well. We live in a country that thrives on the idea of an American hero. David Beckham can’t be our American hero, but Jozy Altidore can be. Right now, MLS cannot hold onto its stars, and many of them leave for the greener pastures of Europe (Clint Dempsey, Freddy Adu, etc.)

Instead of focusing on spending money on big name players from Europe who are on the downside of their careers, focus that money into building up youth programs and MLS in general so players won’t want to leave. The fact is, I feel as though these players have to leave, because they are wasting both their time and talent by staying in MLS right now.

It is high time for MLS to take the next step in becoming a bigger and better league. For the youth, we only have to look to the streets of Brazil to see how the young kids there are doing tricks and having fun. Youth soccer is too structured, too English if you will. Let the kids have fun, and chances are you’ll have more imaginative Ronaldinho’s (not the Ronaldinho of today, 2 years ago) instead of robotic players.

Granted, I understand that many people in America could care less about soccer. But these same people are probably turned off by the idea of seeing David Beckham 134 times in one game too. Fans love a winner, but how can MLS become a winner when they depend on Europe for exposure?

Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing the Euro teams come over and play. But while seeing them is nice, MLS needs to soon realize that Europe can’t make MLS bigger, only we can do that.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Before anyone condemns this article, I’m not trying to say that USA National Team Coach Bob Bradley is doing a bad job. That’s not what this is about. This is about an opportunity. If US Soccer really wants to become a world power, then it needs to finally do what every other major national team has done. Hire a major international coach to handle things for the team.

Simply put, the US has not won enough to be considered a national power. We tried to get a big name coach in Jürgen Klinsmann, but we would not cough up the money that it took to land him. How this could happen after we were embarrassed in Germany that same year, I’ll never understand. Now here is an opportunity for US Soccer to right that wrong, and fix things before 2010. Lets examine this situation.

Under Bob Bradley, the US has won the Gold Cup, but they have failed more than they have succeeded. Terrible losses in the Copa America,(although these weren’t really his fault, see the lesser players on this one.) and against the likes of Sweden and Brazil, one has to take a step back and question whether Bradley is the right man for this job. How much better would we be if say we had landed Klinsmann? Would we have taken such a terrible team to Copa? I don’t think that would have been the case.

So what would Mourinho bring to US Soccer? Well for one thing, a winning attitude. At FC Porto, he won the Champions League. At Chelsea he won numerous Premier League titles, and he put Chelsea back on the map as a club. The idea of him doing the same for the US has me incredibly excited. His swagger is something that this team needs as well. Outside of Clint Dempsey, can you name any US player that has the swagger that Mourinho has? I can’t think of a single one. Mourinho would have this team believing that it can beat anyone, anywhere, at any time. This something the US team lacks terribly.

And finally, could you just imagine him interacting with the US media? Most people are in the mindset that David Beckham is the best for soccer in the United States. I disagree. I think Mourinho would be loved by the media from the start. He speaks his mind, he doesn’t mince words, and he’s good for a quote at all times.

I hope this happens. It probably won’t, but if it did, US Soccer would take the biggest step it has taken in quite some time. And that has me more excited than anything else.

Brian Lomax writes at the US soccer blog, StateSideFooty.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

With the start of the new EPL season just around the corner, people are beginning to speculate on which teams will move up and down, who will be relegated, and who the team to beat is. These discussions occur everywhere, starting with the game’s biggest pundits, all the way down to the pubs around the world.

While we shouldn’t be naive enough to think that the players themselves don’t have these types of discussions, is something along the lines of this really something that you should talk to the press about? Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher seems to think so:

‘United may be the champions but Chelsea are really the ones you have to use as your yardstick,’ he said. ‘With Petr Cech being back at his peak there is no better keeper and John Terry in front of him is going to give Chelsea a real chance again. ‘The team which finishes above Chelsea will win it this season. ‘United are a great side and have strengthened again. Carlos Tevez would make a big difference to their chances. Hopefully, they won’t get him,’ Carragher quipped.

Now, that being said, all of these are valid points. While Manchester United was the better side last year, the argument could be (and has been) made that Chelsea were not at 100% season, and because of this, they lost the title. That’s not what this is about though.

My question is, why is Jamie Carragher not out saying that the team to beat is his own, Liverpool?

To me, this sends a bad message before the first whistle has even blown. I for one, being a Manchester United fan, would be appalled if Rio Ferdinand told the press that Chelsea were the team to beat in the upcoming season. It may be true, but it shows a lack of confidence in your own side, and it could possibly carry onto the pitch. After seeing Liverpool spend tons of money on players like Fernando Torres to upgrade its squad in hopes of winning the Premiership, for Jamie Carragher to say this is both shocking and questionable. Surely Rafa and company can’t be too happy about this. If Steven Gerrard were asked the same question, do you think his response would be Chelsea? I’m not so sure it would be.

So what say you Liverpool fans? How do you feel about Jamie Carragher’s comments?

[Source: Soccernet]

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

FCBNews blogger Nig recently posted an article stating that he thinks there should be less international play, because it affects many clubs in Europe and it generally isn’t the same quality of play that you would see in a game between EPL heavyweights Manchester United and Liverpool, or La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.

However, as an American, I see international play differently. I look at it as not as an encroachment on my favorite clunb team, but an opportunity for players to represent their countries.

In the US, international games are not seen as a problem for 2 reasons. One, because international games only really affect a handful of teams, as most of our players play in Europe and not MLS. The second reason is because as Americans, we root for a national team that has done a lot of losing over the years, and to me, each time our guys suit up in the red, white, and blue, it represents another chance of moving towards our ultimate goal, which is winning the World Cup. Every game is a chance to try something new, give a new player a chance, and hopefully, find something that can help get us to where we need to be in 2010 and beyond.

So play more games. Play as many as the schedule will allow. Its great to see the players represent their clubs and win trophies with them, but even the players will tell you, the ultimate goal is to win the World Cup, and you can only do that with your country.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Still down in the dumps after the USA debacle at Copa America? Forget about it. Instead, check out our u-20 team playing in the FIFA 2007 u-20 World Cup in Canada this year. If you’re looking for heart, passion, and skills, then this is the place you need to be. And all of these traits were on display during the USA 2-1 win over world power Brazil.

The thing to me that is most impressive about this win is not who it was against, but how it was done. Crisp passing, good defense, timely saves, and great attack. You haven’t been able to say great attack when talking about the US in quite a while these days.

While Jozy Altidore is still in need of training and growth, at 17, he reminds me of Eddie Johnson at this age. The difference is what Altidore can do with the ball. He can control it, and control it well, something Johnson still cannot do consistently. At 17, it is a bit premature to expect him to lead the attack in 2010, but rest assured, he is now breathing down the necks of both Johnson and Taylor Twellman.

Chris Seitz is making a case for the senior national team with his performance so far. He has been everywhere, making save after save, and some of them have been rather amazing. It’s a shame that the Copa America was wasted on Kasey Keller, because Seitz could have learned from the experience, which was the whole point right? I’m glad he is with the u-20 team, as he is keeping them in this tournament with his play so far.

And then of course, there’s our favorite teen phenom, Freddy Adu. Adu has been outstanding, and he’s doing it at the best possible time, with all the European scouts watching. Is it possible that he is dogging it at MLS because he doesn’t really care? It might be. He plans on leaving MLS anyway, so I could see that being the case. In any event, he is definitely catching the eye of many people, and is showing that he deserves to be captain of the u-20 team.

I think the US can win this tournament, and I’m not saying this because I am a fan. They have the talent, and they have to drive to pull off the feat, and winning the u-20 World Cup would be a huge boost to the US National Team program. All of these players have the European scouts watching them, and more European based players means better success for the senior national team.

The future is bright folks, and I for one cannot wait to see what lies ahead for USA Soccer.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Another day, it happens the same way. Team USA was handed its second loss of Copa America last night, this time at the hands of Paraguay.

It’s almost comical to watch at this point. The US clearly had more opportunities to win this game, and yet time and time again, these chances were flubbed by the terrible finishing of Eddie Johnson and Taylor Twellman, among others. It is pretty near impossible to win with strikers who are pass first, shoot second.

While Eddie Johnson has world class speed, once he actually touches the ball, he seems to lose all skill and poise, and either passes the ball backwards, or just plain blows a golden chance to score. It’s even sadder to see because we all see the skills he displays when he plays for his MLS team, Kansas City. Is the international game too fast for him to catch up to? Perhaps. But the only way to fix that is to keep playing. But he is killing this team right now. At 23, he still has plenty of time to make the adjustment and translate his skills from MLS to international play. But it needs to happen soon.

Taylor Twellman is a different story. He can’t seem to finish for this team, and his overall game seems to hinder the attack. His cleats are always top of the line and cool looking, so he does get style points. Too bad those don’t count for anything. In Copa, and in the Gold Cup, he had many opportunities to do something with the ball, only to either flail at it or get off a weak shot. He’s another that is terrible for the national team, yet tearing it up in MLS.

To me, that has to raise a few questions, namely, just what is the quality level of MLS? It is certainly not Premier League quality, even though you’ll have a hard time convincing Alexi Lalas of that. Is it the skill of Johnson and Twellman that allows them to score in MLS or are they just the product of shoddy defense and sometimes, luck?

Hopefully we get an answer to that question in the near future. I’d love to see both guys succeed, because their success translates to success for the national team. But right now, they are just liabilities out there, and it can’t stay that way if the US plans to compete for world glory.

It’s funny. This might not have been an issue if the US had convinced Giuseppe Rossi to not go to Italy and instead play for America. I understand that it was up to the player, but imagine how much better the national team would be if it had a go to forward it could count on. Johnson and Twellman can make us forget about Rossi, they have the talent to do so. Here’s hoping they can do it for us.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News