Okay, if you’ve been inside CaptainU you know that Mike P, our technology guru is an outrageously good programmer. So what do 1 and 0 crushers do in their free time? How about hacking your Tivo to record HD video directly onto your Mac?!
There I was today, minding my business and making a few calls when a file comes across Skype from Mike. I accepted the file transfer only to find that it was a 210 MB, 30-second clip of Oguchi Onyewu’s goal against Mexico last night. A mere twenty minutes later, the file transfer was complete and I was looking at the most high-def video I’ve seen on my computer. Mike was deliriously giddy. I was pretty stoked too. It was a nice, if somewhat bizarre goal. Above is a screen shot (click on it for glorious high def.)
Watching the game today made me remember how much I love Clint Dempsey. So here’s a goal compilation in tribute to him. Read this excellent article from the Guardian newspaper to know how Deuce developed.
The Superbowl is over. Now we can talk about more pressing matters like the US national team’s new jerseys and the upcoming game against Mexico.
Every couple of years the folks at Nike dream up a new kit for the national team. The anticipation becomes overwhelming. Is it going to be horizontal stripes this time? Or perhaps they’ll be really bold and go with — gasp! — vertical stripes. Or for special occasions, we might even be lucky and get some pinstripes.
The problem with this goofy, capricious approach is that it creates a new identity for the US team every couple of years. If you look at the great clubs and national teams of the world, they have kits that are basically the same year in and year out. AC Milan will always have vertical black and red stripes, Brazil always has the familiar yellow, blue, and white color scheme, River Plate has the red diagonal sash, and so on. The US doesn’t even have the same color scheme from kit to kit. White appears to be our primary color, with navy blue, sky blue, royal blue, and red making occasional appearances.
The lack of kit consistency for the US seems to mimic the fact that the team is always grasping for a distinctive style on the field. The question of national team identity will face further scrutiny on Wednesday when the US takes on its bitter rival in Houston. More to come on that…
The sizzling, white hot, thrilling, enthralling debate about whether David Beckham will get his 100th cap for England…sizzles on, continues to be thrilling, , and a whole list of superlatives, etc., etc., etc.
The no-nonsense Fabio Capello era really got underway today as he named his first England squad. Included were the likes of Aston Villa’s on-form striker Gabriel Agbonlahor and Blackburn’s torrid winger David Bentley. The better known winger David was left out of the side because he’s not match fit, though Capello emphasized that Beckham is still very much in consideration.
This is a notable and pragmatic departure from Steve McClaren’s knee jerk decision to shake up the “culture” of the England team by leaving Becks out right after the World Cup. History serves well — Capello gave Beckham a second chance at Real Madrid, which proved to be a wise decision. I suspect that in short order history will repeat itself.
Eddie Johnson to Fulham! Okay, not that much of a shock, as the rumor mill has been churning for the last few weeks. That takes Fulham’s American contingent to five. FIVE! Dempsey, Keller, Bocanegra, McBride, and now EJ.
This is great news for American players, though it’s slightly undermined by the fact that Fulham is, oh, languishing in the relegation zone. You can hardly blame the Americans though. McBride and Keller have both been injured. And Deuce has arguably been Fulham’s best player. As one would expect, Bocanegra is up to his normal tricks — outrageous, career-ending tackles and the such.
I predict an EJ goalscoring tear that not only lifts Fulham out of the relegation zone, but also lands the team a Champions League berth. Okay, maybe not. But hopefully it will be a huge growth opportunity for Johnson, who has had his share of ups and downs since he burst onto the scene. And the opportunity to team up with his chum Dempsey could translate into a mouthwatering partnership for Fulham fans.
It was hardly surprising to see England crash out of Euro 2008 yesterday — 8 months before the tournament even begins. After all, this is a team that has been spluttering along for the last five years. (Who knows, maybe it’s more like 40?). The only exciting thing about England teams over the last few years has been the names on the roster. Despite the stratospheric quality and international superstardom, these guys get onto the field and play like a men’s league team.
As of this morning, the FA announced that it will sack manager Steve McClaren, which is no surprise but is unlikely to solve the squad’s endemic problems. Everyone had high hopes when McClaren came in — that maybe he could transform England’s losing team culture. His first move, to not recall David Beckham, was very symbolic and indicated that the status quo may not be tolerated any longer. Ironically, when the situation became desperate and it was clear that there was a leadership vacuum, McClaren had no choice but to bring Beckham back into the picture. And Becks has been England’s most consistent player ever since.
Again, substituting Beckham in yesterday at halftime invigorated England, culminating in his assist to Peter Crouch on the spectacular tying goal. Yet in spite of regaining the momentum, England somehow managed to capitulate — they basically found a way to lose.
Replacing the coach may make a difference, but certainly won’t fix everything. Jose Mourinho appears to be the top candidate, but even a charismatic leader may not be enough. The coach is an easy scapegoat, but it’s the players who are ultimately responsible when they get on the field. And the fact of the matter is that this group — which includes the likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, John Terry, Michael Owen, etc., etc., etc. – grossly underperforms.
One thing that is never discussed is the insanely intense pressure these guys are under. Every minor mistake is replayed time and again across the country and world, so it’s no wonder that they get out on the field and, like poor Scott Carson yesterday in goal, are incredibly tentative. Anyone who’s ever played tentatively knows that your touch immediately gets bad, gimme goals become near misses over the crossbar, and goalkeeping blunders become the rule.
Shock of all shocks: US Soccer “opted not to renew Greg Ryan’s contract,” which is a gentle euphemism for the phrase that Donald Trump has trademarked. Sunil Gulati’s quote was:
“At the conclusion of each world championship cycle, every national team’s performance is closely analyzed. There are many factors considered in this analysis, and it certainly isn’t just about one loss or one particular coaching decision. In this case, after looking closely at the last six weeks and the team’s performance at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, we have made a decision to change leadership of the U.S. Women’s National Team.”
The fact that this decision was made based on the last six weeks of Ryan’s tenure is indicative of how performance in the World Cup trumps all in terms of importance. The soccer community in this country often laments the fact that the general public only thinks of soccer as a once-every-four-years sport, kind of like rhythmic gymnastics. But perhaps it’s the signals coming from on high that are leading people to that conclusion.
The blogosphere is abuzz this morning with the news that Sunil Gulati has called a press conference for this afternoon at 4 pm EST to discuss Greg Ryan’s future with the national team. One can only hope that if Gulati decides that indeed it is time to part company, that US Soccer does it more gracefully than last summer’s debacle with Bruce Arena.
Alas, in the only-thing-that-matters-is-the-World-Cup paradigm that American soccer operates, our collective memory is extremely short. Forgotten are the 50+ wins in a row that Ryan racked up before the World Cup, just as Bruce Arena’s sterling record with the MNT was largely ignored after the team’s failure in Germany.
US Soccer plans to host its first US Soccer Youth Development Academy Winter Showcase in Dallas. I will most certainly be there. Any latitude south of Chicago during February is very appealing. I fondly remember a bike ride last February on a -5 degree day. Anyhow, if you’re not familiar with the US Soccer Youth Development Academy — whew, that’s a mouthful — it’s the federation’s attempt to streamline and improve the youth development system. Here’s how they describe it:
“In a broad move designed to improve the development environment for players throughout the country, the U.S. Soccer Federation has taken the initiative in formalizing the nationwide development academy. Created to provide players with the best possible opportunity to develop, the U.S. Soccer Development Academy was initiated after a comprehensive review of player development systems in the United States and around the world.
“The showcase matches are part of a nine-month season in which 122 teams will compete in more than 1,800 matches in conference play. With 2,440 players, 244 coaches and more than 200 referees participating in individual conference games, travel partner weekends and showcase weekends, the Academy boasts the most comprehensive platform for youth competition in U.S. Soccer history.”
As with everything of this ilk, there have been a wide range of opinions. And here and here. While I’m all for a system that builds American talent and continues our takeover of the Premiership there are some red flags:
1) Cost: The costs associated with youth soccer are already exorbitant. I’ve heard of families spending tens of thousands of dollars each year between club fees, ODP, and travel. That’s just an outrageous amount. Are people going to have to dig even further into their pockets? And what are the implications for families that are less well off?
2) Adult Involvement: We can’t ever forget that youth soccer is about young people. It’s not about parents, coaches, or US Soccer. It’s not about grown ups living vicariously through youth players. It’s about the kids themselves. Everything that’s done should be done in their best interest.
3) High School Soccer: This issue always creates a firestorm of controversy. People have been trying for years to dismantle the high school system, but isn’t playing for your school and your friends an integral part of growing up as an athlete? Emphasizing high school soccer isn’t going to win us the World Cup, but perhaps undermining it will really undermine the youth soccer experience at large.
there are some red flags:
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