Potential versus actuality

I realize that it's probably bad form for me to write this since:

Writing a disparaging post when a team is near bottom is generally an overreaction
I can't call myself anything more than a casual fan (i.e. never played)

The current USMNT is the best collection of potential players we've ever had, but they seem to be heading for problems in the WC. Some opinions (for what they're worth)

1. Comparing this team to past teams is fraught with dangers since other than a succession of GKs) few,if any, Americans have ever been in the top 33 players in the world. As I said, Keller/Friedel/Howard provided top notch quality. Some of our mainstays (Donovan and Altidore come to mind) were generally unsuccessful in top flight leagues (excepting Landon's last loan to Everton and Jozy's one season in the Dutch league). McBride and Dempsey were successful in the EPL and I'm sure I've left out other.

2. Supposedly impartial lists of best players under 21 have some US players, but fewer (and not as highly-ranked) as other perennial powers

3. FIFA loves money and gifts a WC spot to the US to grab more TV money. Some of the European and South American non-qualifiers would probably embarrass the CONCACAF non-qualifier

4. The US friendly schedule seems motivated to make money, rather than testing the squad. We play home games (and even televise some of them) against squads that draw immigrants. Our "successes" are tainted by our Swarbrick-style schedules

5. I'm not qualified here, but I wonder if the USMNT playing style and the style the players use for their home clubs are too different. Germany with Bayern Munich certainly benefits here.

6. Are too many US players sitting on the bench with big-money clubs?

7 Who is a goal scorer now and in the future with the USMNT. We seem to move and pass the ball well and would do in a style-points score

re: No. 3

Do you want a World Cup with all Europe and South America teams and one team each from the rest of the confederations?

The bids seems fairly distributed to me.

I don't see how the US was gifted a WC spot.

3 CONCACAF bids will usually go to US, Canada, and Mexico

given the huge disparity in size. I understand your point about making it a world-wide tournament. (In 2026 with a 64 team tourney, my point goes away). On the other hand, the US has a much easier path to the WC than countries in Europe, South America, and Africa + CONCACAF has had relatively little success in the WC (at least outside El Tri and a couple of magical runs by US teams).

USSF is a lot like Schembechler Mich

The USSF has sat back and is confortable being in the best chance to win the Gold Cup and CONCACAF Nations Cup each year. Nothing more. Competing at the top level is just not crucial to the higher-ups at USSF. That was clear when USMNT didn't make the 2018 World Cup and major changes were absent.

France after a 2010 bottom group finish, their entire structure had a plan for the next 8 years. France succeeded. But US will not so long as their primary goal is to simply host Tournaments and grab cash.

The soccer media is of course complicit as well. Fox has neutered all criticism and Rob Stone can't find his way out of a paper bag. When the Fox coverage was spotty I went over to UniMas and at least they were banging the drum asking questions, why is this the best the US can do. At least they are asking questions, no one at USSF seems to be.

Of couse, to extend the Michigan metaphor, our manager's name reminds me of LLLoyd Carr. Seems like every time we play like Garbage, he adds another G to his name. Running on GGGGreggg so far it seems, ugh!

The coach sucks.

It's hard to draw too many other conclusions because that dickbag is a huge anchor on the team.

It was a poor hire. I know this might not go over well

but I would never have gotten rid of Klingsmen. The guy may be a hardliner but he is a winner with the right mentality. Hiring this guy with very little achievement in his resume has proven exactly what many thought...a failure.

Jurgen wasn't the guy

Not a great tactician or game manager, and showed that at Bayern.

That said, they should have put him in charge of US Soccer. And listened to what he had to say.

This is correct *

Agree. I was referencing more of the strategic

elements of how you run a soccer organization end to end. I do not know much about him as a manager other than the few stints he has had which have all been tumultuous (Hertha Berlin being the last disaster). Still, you could do a lot worse (and the US has) than Jurgen as your model builder.

That's been the argument...

Jurgen was right in the approach to developing youth talent in the system. That's changed and now the senior level players need to step up and take that next step.

Given this team's youth, it's that range of age 26-30 in your prime this team is missing. That age bracket would be team leaders, driving the team to great results. Needless to say, '22 probably will not go well and this 22-26 bracket will be in prime for '26.

But Triple G does suck, so coaching needs to be addressed yet.