Post by meput on Jul 2, 2014 17:41:19 GMT -7
LP, glad that you will continue to watch the FIFA WC. All of the group of 16 matches were a good watch. The quality of play will only go up for the remaining games. Old football rivalries and geopolitical rivalries will be coming up like the Germany/France, Brazil/Colombia match. The rest of the tourny should be fun.
Do you think the USA effort was aimed at winning this year, our about getting buy-In for his system for the coming years leading back to the world cup.
I have to say that the American effort was admirable, but the best athletes on the field weren't American.
Jim, as I said before, soccer is a step child sport in the US. The level of development and coaching in the US is just not there (starts to sound like skiing, there are similarities).
Soccer (like many other team sports: basketball, hockey, lacrosse, rugby, etc.) is just a sophisticated game of "keep away". Given the length of play and the size of the field (pitch), soccer is a very ameboid game. Strategy is constantly changing depending on player fatigue, substitutions, score etc. The subtleties of the game are carried out on a much higher level in Europe. Analogy time: a good orchestra will always sound good. Add a great conductor and the good orchestra now sounds great without a change in the musicians. That is where Klinsmann comes in. His resume as a player and coach is at a much higher level than prior US national team coaches (Bradley, Arenas, etc). His ability to shape the team and respond to subtle changes in the game as it evolves is levels above what US produced coaches can currently do.
Did Klinsmann expect to win this year? He is on record as not expecting to win this FIFA WC. Will the team's respectable showing help him develop future US national teams? Absolutely. Will a good showing in the FIFA WC help the US develop future players? Absolutely. Any good player that chooses to continue playing soccer vs another sport is a win. As long as soccer is a step child sport in the US, the best athletes on the pitch will not be American. I think Klinsmann elevating the level of play by the US national team will help recruit US athletes to the game of soccer.
...In your opinion, did Klinsman take the best players to the World Cup, or the best core of players aimed at the NEXT world cup, or players that were willing to be coached and to play his system.
Do you think the USA effort was aimed at winning this year, our about getting buy-In for his system for the coming years leading back to the world cup.
I have to say that the American effort was admirable, but the best athletes on the field weren't American.
Soccer (like many other team sports: basketball, hockey, lacrosse, rugby, etc.) is just a sophisticated game of "keep away". Given the length of play and the size of the field (pitch), soccer is a very ameboid game. Strategy is constantly changing depending on player fatigue, substitutions, score etc. The subtleties of the game are carried out on a much higher level in Europe. Analogy time: a good orchestra will always sound good. Add a great conductor and the good orchestra now sounds great without a change in the musicians. That is where Klinsmann comes in. His resume as a player and coach is at a much higher level than prior US national team coaches (Bradley, Arenas, etc). His ability to shape the team and respond to subtle changes in the game as it evolves is levels above what US produced coaches can currently do.
Did Klinsmann expect to win this year? He is on record as not expecting to win this FIFA WC. Will the team's respectable showing help him develop future US national teams? Absolutely. Will a good showing in the FIFA WC help the US develop future players? Absolutely. Any good player that chooses to continue playing soccer vs another sport is a win. As long as soccer is a step child sport in the US, the best athletes on the pitch will not be American. I think Klinsmann elevating the level of play by the US national team will help recruit US athletes to the game of soccer.