World Cup 2014

[notredomer23]

Brazil hasn't looked solid all tournament, and now they'll be facing their first real test in Germany-- probably the best team in the world-- without their two most important players; Neymar was their offensive engine, and Thiago Silva the lynchpin of their defense. Brazil hasn't lost at home in nearly 40 years, and the officiating will likely be in their favor again, but this game just has "Brazil Exposed!" written all over it.

You're preaching to the choir man. I hope it happens!

 

[Emcee77]

Argentina's defense is arguably the most suspect of the four remaining teams.

True, but they looked better against Belgium. Not sure if that's a mirage or not. Could be due to Sabella's changes (putting in Demichelis and Biglia). Could also be due to the fact that they had an early lead to nurse and/or that Belgium never really threatened at any point until the last 20 minutes of a game--as they did against Argentina. All that young talent on Belgium just hasn't quite gelled.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

True, but they looked better against Belgium. Not sure if that's a mirage or not. Could be due to Sabella's changes (putting in Demichelis and Biglia). Could also be due to the fact that they had an early lead to nurse and/or that Belgium never really threatened at any point until the last 20 minutes of a game--as they did against Argentina. All that young talent on Belgium just hasn't quite gelled.

Probably all of the above. But I'd put most of it on Belgium's inconsistency in attack. They were unable to generate consistent pressure against much weaker teams than Argentina.

 

[Emcee77]

England have always failed in international football - ESPN FC

I'm interested in some opinions on why England always underperforms in World Cups.

When I look at that roster, I don't see why they can't be as good as Germany.

But I guess that was true of Spain for a long time, until the 2008-2012 golden years. Maybe England will get there.

 

[Cackalacky]

England have always failed in international football - ESPN FC

I'm interested in some opinions on why England always underperforms in World Cups.

When I look at that roster, I don't see why they can't be as good as Germany.

$$$$$. All those lucrative EPL contracts.... just sayin.

Also , IMO, there are just not any technical players on England's roster. DEmpsey looks more technically sound than most midfielders from England. Tactics from the recent coaches have been horrible as well. Capello and Hodges have been brutal to watch, even in the Euros.

If anyone caught Russia's performance this WC, Capello's choices of lineups and lack of tactics were pretty bad (likewise when he coached England). Even I noticed his inability to adapt and poor lineups. Likewise, Hodges tried to ride Liverpool's momentum and put square pegs (Rooney and Welbeck) in round holes (wide positions). You can't just grab a group of guys and play the way Liverpool were, even with 5 Liverpool people on the roster.

I know it goes further back than that, but I think their passion for the WC, both from the players and the country as a whole is severely lacking. I think it is cultural to be honest.

 

[Irish YJ]

One of my buddies in the UK says simply that England is a bunch of individuals, some (but not all) lack the work ethic required.

Being a huge fan of Die Mannschaft, I'd say that nobody has the depth of Germany. They always have a crazy good mix of young and old/experienced players. The way they develop their young guys is incredible. Also, the German work ethic is about a strong as can be while the national pride (in their team) is huge.

 

[aubeirish]

Anyways, I'm going with Germany to win it all. I really enjoy watching them play.

I going to stand behind my prediction. I very much like Argentina and Brasil, but the constant excess of theatrical on the field makes it unbearable to watch. I was raised in a world where concussions did not exists and where you would go to the box in great shame if ever you dove on purpose. How quickly things change.

 

[notredomer23]

Zelalem is ours, it's just a process to get him here. He's a 5* recruit for the US. I've said it before, we are gonna be very very good for the 2018 World Cup. We are going to have 4 more years to build on a great Round of 16 run while incorporating top talent from across the world. Our youth programs are generating tons of studs that will be folded into the mix as well. The talk around the offices is that we are ready to take this thing to the next level. Semifinals, top 7 in the world

This is a quote in reference to Gedion Zelalem from a poster on the main board who used to play for the USMNT and is still very close with them and was actually with the team in Brazil(he is very reputable).

 

[zelezo vlk]

Excellent. Irish Envy meet up in Russia 2018?

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[gkIrish]

Excellent. Irish Envy meet up in Russia 2018?

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I'm strongly considering it. Esp. if USA/Greece are both in it again.

 

[zelezo vlk]

I'm strongly considering it. Esp. if USA/Greece are both in it again.

Cheap vodka and borscht?

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[NDohio]

Agreed, Rhode. I think there needs to be a hybrid system where a kid can sign with a youth program and get paid and still retain eligibility for college. I know NCAA hockey and baseball have sort of hybrid models, and then there is the outright Olympic model which allows athletes compensation.

I don't know enough about soccer to know what the current regulations are with professional affiliated youth programs (i.e. what Harrison Shipp came through with the Chicago Fire, much less a European affiliated program with the likes of EPL, Serie A, etc.



Hold on though, one thing I brought up in post #2280 is that the big issue IMO is that soccer ISN'T a scholarship sport in the traditional sense... it's an equivalency sport. So for a full team of soccer players there aren't enough scholarships to go around.

As such, middle and upper middle class kids are the ones excelling in tennis/soccer/lacrosse/golf/etc. because the superior athletes coming from poor backgrounds are basically forced to chase basketball/football for that full scholarship that will allow them to go to college.

If soccer started offering completely full rides AND worked out something allowed kids to sign with/get paid by professionally affiliated youth programs at a young age, you'd see a drastic increase in the amount of superior athletes who give soccer a longer look.

Just to use an example:

Yeldin was playing developmental leagues by age 11. He signed with Seattle in 2011 then went on scholarship to Akron for 2 years and then came back to Seatlle.

This is fairly common. It is this way because the youth system is not set up to identify young talent early on line in European countries. 10 year olds are not able to join and pursue club level soccer. They have to play travel teams which is very expensive.

Only recently are there opportunities to try out for major clubs. Liverpool is holding tryouts in South Carolina this summer. Its getting bigger but it will take some time. I think it is more an academy issue than scholarships IMO. Most clubs want you in the system by 17, not 22.

Before moving to SC I coached my daughter's Cincinnati United team. We were affiliated with the Columbus Crew. It really didn't get us much. We were able to have summer camps run by Crew staff/players and we got discount tickets for games. There was not much to it unfortunately. Now, there may have more opportunities for the boys to showcase their talents for the Crew staff. I wasn't on the male side at all.


My daughter played on a Liverpool team last year and will play for them this year as well. There have been, and will be, some growing pains. Hopefully it will be a better run organization in the near future. We only stayed with it because the coach is great(even though he is an arrogant Brit - LOL). Liverpool does bring staff from England over to run summer camps and that's great. They also have some local college(Columbia) coaches on staff to help the parents with the recruiting process if you desire to play at the collegiate level. Plus, because I helped coach, I got ton of free Liverpool swag - that was awesome!

It's coming - slowly. I grew up playing in the eighties and I can tell you it is immensely better today than what it was back then.

 

[Cackalacky]

Before moving to SC I coached my daughter's Cincinnati United team. We were affiliated with the Columbus Crew. It really didn't get us much. We were able to have summer camps run by Crew staff/players and we got discount tickets for games. There was not much to it unfortunately. Now, there may have more opportunities for the boys to showcase their talents for the Crew staff. I wasn't on the male side at all.


My daughter played on a Liverpool team last year and will play for them this year as well. There have been, and will be, some growing pains. Hopefully it will be a better run organization in the near future. We only stayed with it because the coach is great(even though he is an arrogant Brit - LOL). Liverpool does bring staff from England over to run summer camps and that's great. They also have some local college(Columbia) coaches on staff to help the parents with the recruiting process if you desire to play at the collegiate level. Plus, because I helped coach, I got ton of free Liverpool swag - that was awesome!

It's coming - slowly. I grew up playing in the eighties and I can tell you it is immensely better today than what it was back then.

Seeing you are a Spurs fan, you should ship that swag to me. Just sayin.

 

[gkIrish]

Cheap vodka and borscht?

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Not a huge fan of either lol.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Not a huge fan of either lol.

Yeah neither am I. That's four years away go. Maybe Russia will learn to BBQ by then.

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[Irish YJ]

Excellent. Irish Envy meet up in Russia 2018?

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I'll be there travelling with German buddies. Was suppose to go this year but my friends cousin (who lives in D backed out). Definitely going for either the group stage or the knockout stage.

 

[zelezo vlk]

I'll be there travelling with German buddies. Was suppose to go this year but my friends cousin (who lives in D backed out). Definitely going for either the group stage or the knockout stage.

I like it. Three people have said they wanna do it. No backing out. Blood pact, go.

 

[ACamp1900]

I like it. Three people have said they wanna do it. No backing out. Blood pact, go.

No Bitch-ass-ness.

 

[ACamp1900]

I am with everyone on the development thing... but here's the thing... we don't need ALL of our top athletes playing soccer... the USMNT as it stands now just needs one or two Lebron James/Mike Trout type athletes to grasp the sport and carry what is already a top 15 or so team talent wise... picture this year's squad with a Messi and Oscar on it... they're right in the thick.

Question is can we get those type of athletes to play soccer? I think we can... eventually.

 

[notredomer23]

Well Freddy Adu got a trial this week at AZ Alkmaar. As crazy as it sounds he is only 24. There is plenty of time for him to still be a really good player for the United States. If I recall, he was really good for Philadelphia last year, but not good enough that he get DP status type of pay which is what he wanted. That is why no MLS team is touching him.

Personally, I don't think we have seen the last of Freddy Adu on the USMNT. Will he ever be our Messi? Definitely not. But he can definitely be a good, attacking player for us. Or he can crash and burn how he has been.

 

[nlroma1o]

Marco Rodriguez is the official refereeing the match today. Can't wait to see how the match fixer will propel Brazil to a victory! #fukFIFA

 

[notredomer23]

Is he the dracula looking referee?

 

[Cackalacky]

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Freddy Adu is way older than 24. He's lied about his age.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Something that would interest ACamp and the other Celtic fans around here: Celtic are looking at signing Mix Diskerud. That would be interesting. The SPL is kind of shit right now though with Hibs, Huns, and Diet Huns relegated.

 

[ACamp1900]

I've been thinking there is no way I'm playing with Celtic this year in FIFA...

1.) I hate the current home jerseys... we're the Hoops, not the Stripes...

2.) No Rangers, Hibs OR Hearts in the SPL... now you can add Rangers, but I highly doubt they'll add Hibs or Hearts to the "Rest of the World"

3.) I'm tired of taking them to England every year

I'm thinking of rolling with an MLS team... but that all depends the addition of CONCACAF CL, or something like it.

 

[STLDomer]

Something that would interest ACamp and the other Celtic fans around here: Celtic are looking at signing Mix Diskerud. That would be interesting. The SPL is kind of shit right now though with Hibs, Huns, and Diet Huns relegated.

I've been thinking there is no way I'm playing with Celtic this year in FIFA...

1.) I hate the current home jerseys... we're the Hoops, not the Stripes...

2.) No Rangers, Hibs OR Hearts in the SPL... now you can add Rangers, but I highly doubt they'll add Hibs or Hearts to the "Rest of the World"

3.) I'm tired of taking them to England every year

I'm thinking of rolling with an MLS team... but that all depends the addition of CONCACAF CL, or something like it.

You could do what I did 5 days ago. In the month transfer window before the season starts for Newcastle I managed to sell every worthwhile player (and loan the younger guys) and buy an All American squad. Johnson, Yedlin, Donovan, Diskerud, Johannsson, Jones, Guzan, Green, Zelelam, Gil, Trapp etc. I was shocked I actually managed to pull it off. There are some I couldn't buy yet like Altidore but I managed. I quoted Title also because Diskerud is a boss for me in the game.

 

[ACamp1900]

Joshua Gatt kills it for me... I usually take Celtic or Newcastle (Usually Celtic) and transfer a lot of American's in... Bradley, Jozy, Sean Johnson, Gatt and Stuart Holden are all staples for me over the past two/three seasons...

obviously Green and Yedlin will be added to that this season.

Maybe I'll just kill it with Newcastle... they can be transformed from a team that takes nothing but middling French players to a team that takes nothing but top flight Americans.



Really, I wish you could manage two teams at once... one MLS, one Euro.

 

[tko]

High steppin

 

[ACamp1900]

I'm telling you guys though... Joshua Gatt is a must get. Such Speed.

Víctor Ibarbo and Mario Gotze are two must gets internationally... Gotze is becoming more like Hazard (a young player who was under the radar a couple years ago, now with a huge price tag) but Ibarbo is still fairly cheap and KILLS it in that game...

Jozy and Ibarbo up top... ruthless.