So on soccernet.com the countdown to the World Cup stands at 30 days, 22 hours and whatever minutes and seconds have just passed while I typed this. Are we fired up? The US national squad, with the hopes and fears of an entire nation on its back, was announced one week ago. Not many people cared, and even fewer saw reason for hope this summer. Myself? I think I mumbled something about how hot Landon Donovan is and passed out.
It's not that I don't like the US national squad, or soccer, I'm really into soccer, I probably wouldn't be typing this if I wasn't, but I'm just not feeling Team USA. I've tried the MLS, I can't get into it. There's a few reasons for this. One, the quality of play is nowhere near the top levels of European soccer that I am accustomed to watching. Two, the star quality is severely lacking. In Europe, you have the world's best players on the world's biggest stage. Ronaldinho, Henry, Rooney, Totti, Messi, Lampard, Kaka, Shevchenko, Ronaldo, Ballack, etc. The list is endless. The MLS has Landon Donovan, who proved he couldn't hack it in Europe a couple years ago, Taylor Twellman (actually, I like watching him play, but, alas, he won't be going to Germany for the cup, and he'll probably be in Europe soon enough anyway.), Brian Ching, Jovan Kirovski, Terry Cooke and Dwayne De Rosario. Most of the better players on the national team (Convey, Keller, Howard, Beasley, McBride, Reyna,) are playing in Europe at the moment, and sadly, this trend will have to continue if the US wants to advance in to the upper echelon of soccer nations. There simply isn't the competition or coaching or resources available for US born players to thrive only by playing in the US. That last statement is almost laughable, saying the US doesn't have the resources or competition in anything is akin to saying there aren't enough people using myspace, but it's the truth. Three, even if I really wanted to get into the MLS it would be next to impossible because of the lack of media coverage the league is given. Although, the MLS has games on ESPN, and the NHL doesn't, so maybe this argument doesn't hold as much water as it used to. I can't really get into how to fix the game domestically because I don't ever think it will be done. The media and the general public simply will never let it get as big as it needs to/should be.
So, if Team USA is leaving me unsatisfied, do I root for other nations during the cup? Well, the first priority is the US, for blood and pride and jingoistic purposes, but whom else gets my attention this summer? Well, I think just based on the fact that I've grown quite close to the league and the players in the last 5-10 years, England should be my second favorite squad. I know way more about the innerworkings of their team, manager and players then I could ever hope to know about the US. They haven't won anything since 1966, which makes them underdogs/underachievers in a way, which I always seem to be drawn to, and their squad includes Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, all favorites of mine, and the 17 year old Theo Walcott, who hasn't even played a top-flight league game, but was chosen simply based on pure skill. Ballsy move.
A lot of drama with England as well, as their Swedish coach was totally busted a few months back talking a bunch of shit about his players to a man who claimed to be a sheik, but turned out to be a reporter in disguise. Needless to say, the shit hit the fan, and he announced his resignation effective as soon as the World Cup is over. Their most dynamic player, Wayne Rooney, or Rooonaldo to some, broke his foot in the second to last game of the season for Manchester United and may have also broken the chances of England at the same time. Manchester United has even purchased some sort of oxygen chamber to help his foot heal quicker. Madness.
As for squads I will not be rooting for? Brazil and Mexico come to mind right away, Brazil simply because everyone expects them to win, giving them the whole Yankees vibe, and Mexico, well, just because it's Mexico. How could I ever root for them?
If you're seeking some inspiration for the hours of action this summer, look no further than ESPN on Wednesday, May 17th for the European Champions League Final between Barcelona of Spain and Arsenal of England. Should be a cracker.
However the Cup ends up this year, it can't be worse than when MnRaul and myself stayed up all night in hopes of seeing the US v Poland in World Cup 2002, only to pass out shortly before kickoff. We lost anyway. Memories abound.
It's not that I don't like the US national squad, or soccer, I'm really into soccer, I probably wouldn't be typing this if I wasn't, but I'm just not feeling Team USA. I've tried the MLS, I can't get into it. There's a few reasons for this. One, the quality of play is nowhere near the top levels of European soccer that I am accustomed to watching. Two, the star quality is severely lacking. In Europe, you have the world's best players on the world's biggest stage. Ronaldinho, Henry, Rooney, Totti, Messi, Lampard, Kaka, Shevchenko, Ronaldo, Ballack, etc. The list is endless. The MLS has Landon Donovan, who proved he couldn't hack it in Europe a couple years ago, Taylor Twellman (actually, I like watching him play, but, alas, he won't be going to Germany for the cup, and he'll probably be in Europe soon enough anyway.), Brian Ching, Jovan Kirovski, Terry Cooke and Dwayne De Rosario. Most of the better players on the national team (Convey, Keller, Howard, Beasley, McBride, Reyna,) are playing in Europe at the moment, and sadly, this trend will have to continue if the US wants to advance in to the upper echelon of soccer nations. There simply isn't the competition or coaching or resources available for US born players to thrive only by playing in the US. That last statement is almost laughable, saying the US doesn't have the resources or competition in anything is akin to saying there aren't enough people using myspace, but it's the truth. Three, even if I really wanted to get into the MLS it would be next to impossible because of the lack of media coverage the league is given. Although, the MLS has games on ESPN, and the NHL doesn't, so maybe this argument doesn't hold as much water as it used to. I can't really get into how to fix the game domestically because I don't ever think it will be done. The media and the general public simply will never let it get as big as it needs to/should be.
So, if Team USA is leaving me unsatisfied, do I root for other nations during the cup? Well, the first priority is the US, for blood and pride and jingoistic purposes, but whom else gets my attention this summer? Well, I think just based on the fact that I've grown quite close to the league and the players in the last 5-10 years, England should be my second favorite squad. I know way more about the innerworkings of their team, manager and players then I could ever hope to know about the US. They haven't won anything since 1966, which makes them underdogs/underachievers in a way, which I always seem to be drawn to, and their squad includes Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, all favorites of mine, and the 17 year old Theo Walcott, who hasn't even played a top-flight league game, but was chosen simply based on pure skill. Ballsy move.
A lot of drama with England as well, as their Swedish coach was totally busted a few months back talking a bunch of shit about his players to a man who claimed to be a sheik, but turned out to be a reporter in disguise. Needless to say, the shit hit the fan, and he announced his resignation effective as soon as the World Cup is over. Their most dynamic player, Wayne Rooney, or Rooonaldo to some, broke his foot in the second to last game of the season for Manchester United and may have also broken the chances of England at the same time. Manchester United has even purchased some sort of oxygen chamber to help his foot heal quicker. Madness.
As for squads I will not be rooting for? Brazil and Mexico come to mind right away, Brazil simply because everyone expects them to win, giving them the whole Yankees vibe, and Mexico, well, just because it's Mexico. How could I ever root for them?
If you're seeking some inspiration for the hours of action this summer, look no further than ESPN on Wednesday, May 17th for the European Champions League Final between Barcelona of Spain and Arsenal of England. Should be a cracker.
However the Cup ends up this year, it can't be worse than when MnRaul and myself stayed up all night in hopes of seeing the US v Poland in World Cup 2002, only to pass out shortly before kickoff. We lost anyway. Memories abound.
posted by f theb at 12:24 PM
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