USMNT sucks

USWNT is a world-class job, agree. But Hayes also threw everything into it. I don't think the USMNT is that far off. I just think they haven't gotten anyone to do the job. Does the USMNT have top five talent? No. But they can be one of those whole-is-better-than-the-sum-of-its-parts teams with the right touch. If the new manager tries to just out-talant teams, it won't happen. But if he can get them to work together... they can do some damage.

And they hire Pochettino, who is going to remain in Europe, is still in limbo with Chelsea, and quit Chelsea after one year (probably before he was fired). While many players liked him, many in the know said Pochettino did not have a clear plan of attack but just sent players forward. That's not the style the US needs because they don't have the skill to do that with success; that style of play is what Andonovski did with the USWNT. And I just read something about the assistant coach leading the team for the Sept. 7 and Sept. 10 games.

Call me a skeptic about Pochettino's hire, but I don't think this is a good hire...

@Fandame posted:

Call me a skeptic about Pochettino's hire, but I don't think this is a good hire...

You could put Pep Guardiola or Zidane in charge of USMNT, and tallant would still be the limiting factor.

Berhalter was absolute dog shit. The only one PERHAPS worse was the short-sting Bruce Arena who took over in a pinch for Klinsmann. Poch may not "deliver," the delusional dreams of much of the fan base, but if he gets them to be #2 in the group stage, and advance to the knockouts, that is progress back to the bare minimum expectations. USMNT for all it's warts, in the WC years should be one of the top 16 teams in the world. Given our resources, that's a small ask.

If by some miracle they can win the opening game of the knockouts, then that is the greatest progress in the modern era and Poch will be the most successful USMNT HC in recent history.

Tallant is a limiting factor, but I would hope Poch could get them at least to the knockouts. I don't think the US has as terrible of tallant as you do; I don't think it's all-world or all-top 10, but it's overall a lot better than it has been.

@Fandame posted:

Tallant is a limiting factor, but I would hope Poch could get them at least to the knockouts. I don't think the US has as terrible of tallant as you do; I don't think it's all-world or all-top 10, but it's overall a lot better than it has been.

In bad years it's top 16, in good years it's top 10. Anything less than advancing to knockouts is a failure IMO in any WC year.

That Tim Ream is still their best option at CB is the joke of all jokes. You can't tell me there isn't a better option in terms of athleticism coming out of MLS at the very least? Chris Richards, Cam Carter-Vickers, Walker Zimmerman all better options...hell, old ass John Brooks is a better option, but it seems like no one but Klinsmann ever saw value in him.

I can't disagree with anything you've said.

I don't think USSF has developed a good scouting system for the USMNT. They look at names and who has stats, not who has a great feel for the game, the physical tools, and who can develop into a world-class player. USSF needs to develop a system of scouts modeled after NFL teams but build it out for the entire country.

Marcelo Balboa, former USMNT player who’s an Argentine-American, spoke about Mauricio Pochettino and the current team.

“I see relaxation in the current USMNT camp,” Balboa said in an interview with Footy Prime podcast.

“[Mauricio] Pochettino isn’t worried about pissing off Tyler Adams or Weston McKennie. He’s going there to do his job.”

“It’s not gonna be a walk in the park. You’re gonna have to come in and work hard.”

“People were biting at Jurgen [Klinsmann] and players rebelled because Jurgen had proper training sessions.”

“It wasn’t a walk-through. With Pochettino, it’s gonna be the same thing [as Klinsmann].”

“I’m Argentinian, he’s Argentinian. I’m good [laughs]. If you need a former player as an assistant, let me know.”

“The one thing I didn’t like was when the other regime was in and they were looking for a coach, they were clear that the coach has to speak English. I thought that was weird.”

“We have to hire the best coach possible that will unlock this team. You had Marcelo Bielsa sitting right there [in 2016] and he wanted the job. Because he didn’t speak English, you’re not gonna give the job to him?”

“We are at a point where we are done with ‘he has to speak English’. Hire the best coach possible.”

Born and raised in Chicago to Argentinian parents, Balboa is one of the best defenders to play for the USMNT and has 127 caps.

He played under Bora Milutinović in the 1994 World Cup, an internationally proven coach from Yugoslavia [no longer a country] who didn’t speak much English.

USMNT picking up where they left off under the previous shitty coach....

Shameful.

USMNT roster is full of unserious people, selected by unserious managers.

Wouldn't surprise me to see many of them not on future squads. That Tim Ream still gets selected tells you all you need to do. The guy, at his best, wasn't a good central defender.

Klinsy had his warts, but his vision of what US Soccer should and could be was unmatched. He was 100% correct picking from players who were playing in Europe over MLS players. He encouraged players to leave the US and challenge themselves in Europe to get better.

Where things went south for him was going all woo-woo with making players do meditation and yoga and such. He lost a bunch of players with all his new age crap. In his first WC they damn near won the group, and it took a 95th minute miracle for Portugal to tie up. And they comported themselves well again Belgium in the knockouts.

USMNT was all downhill from that game.

I remember when the Packers did yoga.....

Poch will make $6M per year...one of the highest paid international managers out there. They stepped up. Gebins and credoes to US Soccer.

This teams failings will not be because of poor management. It will be all on the players now. IMO, IMHO, JMO...

@Chongo posted:

USMNT roster is full of unserious people, selected by unserious managers.

Wouldn't surprise me to see many of them not on future squads. That Tim Ream still gets selected tells you all you need to do. The guy, at his best, wasn't a good central defender.

Klinsy had his warts, but his vision of what US Soccer should and could be was unmatched. He was 100% correct picking from players who were playing in Europe over MLS players. He encouraged players to leave the US and challenge themselves in Europe to get better.

Where things went south for him was going all woo-woo with making players do meditation and yoga and such. He lost a bunch of players with all his new age crap. In his first WC they damn near won the group, and it took a 95th minute miracle for Portugal to tie up. And they comported themselves well again Belgium in the knockouts.

USMNT was all downhill from that game.

Klinsmann did some excellent things with USMNT, but didn't help US players or fans understand what was needed to compete. He dissed MLS and ignored its players. While MLS was much further behind than today, there were still players who should/could have been selected for USMNT.  So instead of choosing some guys from MLS who could have helped, he preferred to go with guys in European leagues who were lesser players. Klinsmann wasn't satisfied with not selecting some of those guys, but he had to embarrass them by publicly saying why. He also had some baffling tactics and player positions.

That said, his honesty forced players and others to take a hard look at themselves and USSF.

And today, almost everyone is doing some version of the "new age crap" across all sports. He was one of the early ones to have individual workout schedules, personalized nutrition menus, and custom vitamin packs for players.

Poch-ball off to a rip roaring start...yeah it was just Jamaica...but this squad had issues beating Trinidad and Tobago 6 months ago.