ChristianTroy Posted June 13, 2006 Report Share Posted June 13, 2006 USA, lol. I am afraid that our newly converted american football fans will stop watching it after they got the reality check tonight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 DEUTSCHLAND! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 after teasing i made an edit: Who? i don't know exactly, but NOT Brasil! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Unfortunately, I think America's commitment to having a truly world class football team will be like how it developed into an ice hockey power. The team of 'underdogs' will have to prove itself first. The '80 Olympic team did it for ice hockey here. Before that we were no where close to being big in ice hockey and not many players in the NHL. Now we are a thriving power in that sport. Football will have to go the same way I think. The national team will need to make a semi or final before the powers that be put some money into it. Unlike just about every other country in the world cup, America's best athletes are in other sports. We're in the competition with players who for the most part couldn't or wouldn't make it in our 4 main sports (american football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey). If we had even 10% of the quality of athletes that the 4 big sports had playing football, we'd be legitimately a top 4 or 5 team. I can't think of too many sports where America puts its money behind and doesn't do well in. Anyway, I'm enjoying the competition and think the Netherlands and Argentina may meet again after their group stage match. There are other countries that look dangerous to make it but I still think one of them or perhaps both will make it to the semis if not the final. Just a hunch. c'mon you yanks beat italy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belem Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Look at the talent on the US team. Donovan couldn't get any playing time in the German Bundesliga and went back to the MLS with his tail between his legs. McBride is a hard worker but not a gifted striker in the Henry or Van Nistelroy mold. Beasely plays for PSV Eindhoven, but is not a premier player. Casey Keller got beat out for the starting goalkeeper spot at Tottenham by Paul Robinson and went to play for an average Bundesliga squad. Backup goalkeeper Howard couldn't beat out Van der Sar at ManU and was loaned out to Everton. Reyna is a solid but unspectacular player for Man City. Convey plays for Reading. Oguchi Onyewu is a physical specimen for a defender and is 6-4 and has an offer on the table from Middlesborough. Eddie Johnson plays in the MLS, and will be the next American player to go to Europe. Teenage phenom Freddie Adu was not ready to contribute to the national team or Arena would have had him on the team. Carlos Bocanegra plays for Fulham. Brad Friedel from Blackburn is retired from international competition. The rest of the players play in the MLS. On paper, this is not the number 5 team in the world. They achieved their ranking by playing teams like the Faroe Islands, Grenada, El Salvador, Panama, etc. Coach Bruce Arena coached at the University of Virginia and won five national championships, and then coached DC United in the MLS to two Major League Soccer Cups, a US Open Cup, a CONCACAF Champions Cup, and an Interamerican Cup. Interesting that a contract extension was offered to Arena by the US national team before the World Cup but he has not signed the extension because his agent was whispering in his ear about jobs in Europe becoming available if the US has a good showing in the World Cup. For the US national team, the sum is definitely greater than its individual parts. The Czech Rep really did a good job of preparing for the US team and made sure they didn't jump on them early like they did Portugal in 2002. The American media was hyping the US number 5 ranking going into the World Cup, and after getting humiliated by the Czech Rep, they now have to face a tough defensive team in Italy. I don't think the US is as bad as they showed against the Czechs, but they are really a borderline top 20 team, certainly not a top 5 team. Be interesting to see which team shows up tomorrow against Azzurri. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristianTroy Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Casey Keller was voted as the 2nd best Goalie in The Bundesliga! Just saw that on TV! Paul Robinson is the best english goalie in the last 25 years! If he doesn't get injured he will keep his job at the national team untill he retires because after him are only Seaman copies or worse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belem Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 When Keller lost the starting goalkeeper job at Tottenham to Robinson, he was scrambling to find a team where he could start so he could maintain his starting spot on the national team. No team in the EPL would guarantee that. The only team in Europe at the time who could guarantee him first team football was Borussia Moenchengladbach in the German Bundesliga, otherwise he would have had no choice but to play for an MLS team. He has really picked up his game and has made some spectacular stops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristianTroy Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 I dont know too much about Gladbach, what I know is that they have been in the top 5 in December because of him! It is a shame that a goalie like him has to struggle Actually i belive it is a great honor to play as a foreign goalkeeper in the Bundesliga since they usually have the best keepers in the world. like Meier, Schumacher, Stein, Illgner, The ALMIGHTY Kahn and now Lehmann! There are a few others younger ones! I think if Keller can beat his goalie collegues hes gotta be a good one! Gladbach has a huge tradition, a new Arena, I am sure he wasn't the only one who wanted this job! I like him! (professionally of course ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belem Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 Lehman plays for Arsenal, but he played in the Bundesliga before he got to Highbury unless a potential transfer to a Bundesliga team is on the horizon? Borussia Moenchengladbach was the only club in Europe who guaranteed Keller first team football or he would have been in the MLS. This was all over the sports pages here in America. I'm sure Keller was the best choice available from among other candidates when Moenchengladbach was looking to fill their void at keeper. Keller has made the biggest strides in his development SINCE he left Tottenham. He was behind Friedel and Howard on the goalkeeper depth chart on the US team at one time after the last World Cup, but Friedel retired, and he got the start in some matches with Howard out and has never relinquished the starting spot because of his improved play. We kind have gotten off track. The US has no players like Ronaldinho, Kaka, and even Rooney on their team, but they play together, and Bruce Arena has maximised what he has to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belem Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 Tim Howard was voted top keeper in the EPL when he started for Manchester United, but we know what happened after that. He lost his job to Roy Carroll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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