US Gold Cup Roster: Yes that does say Freddy Adu

[OUReds]

Sort of difficult to say that accurately considering not utilizing the player pool correctly was a major criticism of Bradley.

You're going to have to be more specific then that for me. Who did Bob not play last cycle that would have been significantly better then the team they fielded. I mean, I'm sure Bornstein is finally done thank god, since I doubt Klinsmann is blind. Bob got good results given what he had to work with last cycle.

Also, "not nearly good enough" for what, exactly? To win the World Cup? Duh.

Duh indeed. Not nearly good enough to play competitive soccer with the upper echelon of footballing nations. To be even more specific, I don't mean Spain and Italy, I mean teams in the next tier like Australia, Mexico, Russia.

"Good enough" to play and compete with Mexico- YES

Going forward? Agree to disagree on that one. We might have a puncher's chance at home I guess.

"Good enough" to play an interesting style that better utilizes our strenghths?- YES
"Good enough" to actually improve?- YES
None of that was happening under BB. Not to mention he had completely lost the team with his poor decisions. I'm guessing that's what finally did him in... watching the Gold Cup, it was obvious the team has developed some serious rifts.

It's a good hire obviously. Our chances to qualify are better today then they were yesterday, though despite my earlier post, we were probably going to qualify anyway. There just seem to be unrealistic short term expectations in general from the hire. Even a fine coach like Klinsmann can only polish this crew so much IMO.

I do think/hope the real benefit to this hire is a long term overhaul of US Soccer from the bottom up. We'll see.

[WMR]

I'm sure there are a lot of specific criticisms of Bradley that are valid. There are always things that could be done better. But from the non-hyper-fan, big-picture perspective, we have not been underachieving. Comparing our results in international play against where our talent base actually stacks up (not well IMHO), we've done as well as we deserve to.

I absolutely agree with MWM that Klinsmann's biggest potential impact is in overall national player development. I'm not expecting anything magical to happen with the current age-20+ guys.

You must not have watched the Gold Cup. Train wreck.

[WMR]

You're going to have to be more specific then that for me. Who did Bob not play last cycle that would have been significantly better then the team they fielded. I mean, I'm sure Bornstein is finally done thank god, since I doubt Klinsmann is blind. Bob got good results given what he had to work with last cycle.



Duh indeed. Not nearly good enough to play competitive soccer with the upper echelon of footballing nations. To be even more specific, I don't mean Spain and Italy, I mean teams in the next tier like Australia, Mexico, Russia.



Going forward? Agree to disagree on that one. We might have a puncher's chance at home I guess.




It's a good hire obviously. Our chances to qualify are better today then they were yesterday, though despite my earlier post, we were probably going to qualify anyway. There just seem to be unrealistic short term expectations in general from the hire. Even a fine coach like Klinsmann can only polish this crew so much IMO.

I do think/hope the real benefit to this hire is a long term overhaul of US Soccer from the bottom up. We'll see.

The United States is more talented top to bottom RIGHT NOW in the Men's player pool than they have ever been before. I think a great tactician can combine with our tireless work rate/cohesion and produce a squad that can play with any team in the world.

We shall certainly get to see now.

If we're lucky Klinsmann will stay on for the next cycle and really leave his imprint on US Soccer.

[OUReds]

Here's hoping you're right and I'm wrong.

[SunDeck]

I know there are big question marks about Klinsmann's abilities as a coach given his really bad stint managing a club, but I think that's secondary to how much I think he'll revolutionize the overall US soccer program. He's the right guy for what US soccer needs right now.

Too bad Joachim Loew is signed through 2014.

[IslandRed]

You must not have watched the Gold Cup. Train wreck.

I was talking big-picture view of his tenure, not knee-jerk reaction to the last thing I saw.

Having said that, history will probably show that it was time to make the change. National team coaches seem to have short shelf lives.

[Tony Cloninger]

Man, that's cool. Klinsman transformed the German soccer program into a machine, feeding the WC squad with talent. I hope US Soccer is going to allow him to do that in the US, too.

They should do what Uruguay let Tavarez do there. Control all levels of the soccer infrastructure.

It has culminated after 4 years in 4th Place at 2010 WC, Runner Up in WC U-17 in 2011, and of course the Copa America Champions.

[reds1869]

I know there are big question marks about Klinsmann's abilities as a coach given his really bad stint managing a club, but I think that's secondary to how much I think he'll revolutionize the overall US soccer program. He's the right guy for what US soccer needs right now.

The club in question was completely dysfunctional from the top down; it was a losing battle from the start. His successful stint running the German national team interests me much, much more.

[SunDeck]

The club in question was completely dysfunctional from the top down; it was a losing battle from the start. His successful stint running the German national team interests me much, much more.

+1
The biggest problem with US soccer is that it's not played by kids in playgrounds, but rather by kids who's parents cart them around in minivans. That is severely limiting the skills of US players.
To an extent, I don't think that changes here for a long time, but aligning the goals of youth soccer with those of the national team has to help. More importantly, I believe the people who coach youth levels in the US are for the most part not very knowledgeable about soccer or about developing kids' understanding of the game. I watch organized games and the stuff I hear on the sidelines is atrocious, to the point that it doesn't seem very much better than when I played SAY as a kid thirty years ago. Soccer know how has to be spread throughout the system, and not just limited to traveling teams.

[WMR]

I was talking big-picture view of his tenure, not knee-jerk reaction to the last thing I saw.

Having said that, history will probably show that it was time to make the change. National team coaches seem to have short shelf lives.

"Knee jerk"? That's funny stuff.

If you can't tell that this team has been generally moving in the wrong direction since the last WC, I've got to wonder how much USMNT soccer you really watch... Experts and fans alike called extending BB another cycle a horrible decision. Luckily, Sunil only wasted a year, instead of an entire cycle.

And you're actually wrong about national team coaches, at least in the United States. We tend to stick with our coaches, even if they're poor ones (to our general detriment, unfortunately).

[IslandRed]

"Knee jerk"? That's funny stuff.

If you can't tell that this team has been generally moving in the wrong direction since the last WC, I've got to wonder how much USMNT soccer you really watch...

And if you still can't tell I'm talking about the entire Bradley tenure, not just the last year, I've got to wonder...

I didn't say I disagreed with the change. My point is this -- I think those who assume the last five years' results will be bettered in the next five are probably going to be disappointed. Down the road, different story.

[BuckeyeRed27]

US just released JK's first roster for next Wednesday's game against Mexico. A lot of MLS and Mexico guys. Probably didn't want to bring back to many guys from Europe with the season about to start.

GOALKEEPERS (2): Bill Hamid (D.C.United), Tim Howard (Everton)

DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Etienne), Edgar Castillo (Club America), Timmy Chandler (FC Nürnberg), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Michael Orozco Fiscal (San Luis), Heath Pearce (Chivas USA), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), José Torres (Pachuca)

FORWARDS (5): Freddy Adu (Benfica), Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Edson Buddle (FC Ingolstadt), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)

[WMR]

I'm not going to claim complete vindication after only one game, but that 2nd half is an excellent indicator of what the future holds with Klinsmann at the helm.

Astonishing how much our attitude and style of play changed once Bradley and Jones were removed.

Aguduelo is the real deal and Brek Shea was very, very good. Aggressive and strong with the ball, very heady player.

So happy to have Klinsmann. Only wish we'd gotten him sooner.

[TheBigLebowski]

I'm not going to claim complete vindication after only one game, but that 2nd half is an excellent indicator of what the future holds with Klinsmann at the helm.

Astonishing how much our attitude and style of play changed once Bradley and Jones were removed.

Aguduelo is the real deal and Brek Shea was very, very good. Aggressive and strong with the ball, very heady player.

So happy to have Klinsmann. Only wish we'd gotten him sooner.

Hear hear. I agree 100%.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Brek Shea usually drives me nuts (mostly because he plays for Dallas), but he was a dude last night. I don't know what the deal with Buddle, Jones, and Bradley was, but they would just not attack. Once Shea, Agudelo and Rogers came on the whole game changed.

Should have been a win. Two fouls in the box and that tackle on the Rogers break away was shameful.