USA Soccer?

Question

Why does a lot, note how I said a lot, of the world think that the US team is not "ready" or "not good enough" to play against, and beat the rest of the world. I think you all need o relize that we can compete, and we can win.

Answer 1

As a foreigner (and a big soccer fan) I have to admit it's hard to look at the US team and see them as ready to beat "the rest of the world". I know it's hard for Americans to accept the fact that this is one sport US will never be the top of. I give them props for the 2002 WC - they played very well. However, if we assume all other countries keep playing as they have, it's hard to see how the US could beat them. It's a cliche, but soccer is indeed a way of life for many countries. We're talking about going against teams that have a long soccer history. Brasil, for example, has been a part of every single WC since it began in 1930. The MLS began in 1996. That's a lot of catching up to do!

I think before the rest of the world takes US soccer seriously, the US needs to take their team and leagues seriously. Here are my suggestions.

1) Make more effort to get kids interested at an early age. When I moved here I was in 6th grade, and the one sport I learned there was baseball.

2) Show more games on TV. Seriously...most league games are not even shown on regular channels. I don't think I even get the cable channels they are shown on. People are not going to pay extra to get cable channels to watch a sport they are not that into.

3) Why are the tickets to see a live match so expensive? I was checking out prices for the LA galaxy...the cheapest one I found was $90! Once again....people who are not huge fans will not pay that much to watch soccer (I'm a fan and wouldn't even pay that much to see Beckham play). Just to compare - I was in Brasil last summer, and payed $5 to watch a game. Granted it was a midweek game, but a weekend one is not more than $20 (of course I'm talking the cheapest ones up in the stands)

4) Take time to nurture your own players. Beckham won't be playing for the US team once the next WC rolls around, so why are we spending so much money to have him play here? How many players could we have been recruiting and training for $250 million? How many HS and college teams could be using this money for their soccer programs?

Bottom line: I don't think the US soccer team is a priority here, not yet anyways. And the US will only be prepared to go up against the top teams until it becomes a priority.

Answer 2

It is because of the reputation of the US not being a soccer nation. Everyone in the world relizes that Football and Baseball are the top sports in this country and because soccer doesn't get any support then there is no motivation in winning. Our league is nothing compared to the ones in Europe and the whole world realizes that. Our world cup performances have been horrible apart from 2002. The World Cup was held in the US in 1994 and not even that was good enough for this country to even have the slightest intrest in soccer. Most of our players derive from the MLS which doesn't give our team the near experience or World Class level to compete with other nations. The European nations play competitive soccer year round meaning they are more then prepared when the internation teams play. One win over Mexico is not going to boost US soccer on the map. The US needs to win all tournaments from now until the 2010 World Cup to even be noticed at this point. The biggest being winning the Gold Cup, which ain't gonna be easy.

Answer 3

The USA isn't ready or not good enough because the teams they go up against in the world cup are people who have been playing only soccer from when they were little and until now. That is all they know over there is soccer meaning that the USA has no chance unless they step up there game. They can will it is just whether or not they are ready for it.

Answer 4

The US is pretty good for the conference they are in. I am from Costa Rica, and sadly, I know for a fact that my country could never compete with teams like Brazil or Germany. In the last two WC, these teams have creamed us. Our team played the best I had seen them play against these teams, but they couldn't compete. It is not a bad thing to face reality. No matter how the US improves, which they will, the rest of the world i.e, the Brazils, Argentinas or Germanies, will also improve. Yes the US doesn't get a lot of respect among the football community, but respect is earned, and when you have players like Landon Donovan or Eddie Pope representing the country, they will never earn the respect of others. After all, one has to show respect and sportsmanship on the pitch as well as outside the pitch to get some kind of recognition.

Answer 5

i'm english and i realise just how good the U.S national team are.
You have some great players ...Freddy Adu is sure to be mazing in time given the right coaching, also Nick Besagno will be an amazing player too... you alos have the already legend of Landon Donavan.... good players such as demarcus beasley, tim howard, eddie pope, josh wolff, brian mcbride, eddie johnson... and lots more... soccer in the u.s is is looking very, very good for the future and i'm sure they can compete even now... but in the future there's no doubt that the u.s.a will be one of the best football(soccer) nations in the world... especially now your getting david beckham over there with the galaxy... and even zidane could be coming over to the states... hope that's a good enough answer for you!

Answer 6

Soccer has no true history in the US and it's not played year round in the US like in most countries.

Most people don't feel the US can't compete with countries that are just the opposite.

Most of the time it's nothing personal. It's just the way they view it.

Answer 7

The USA team can do better than what they play. If you saw the game againts Mexico the US team was playing scared. The only one who wasnt was Dempsy and near the end of the game Donovan. In the game near the end Eddie Johnson could've scored by beating the defender in speed, but he was dribbling slowly looking for a pass instead of taking the defendor by himself. Convey plays in Europe and didnt do anything. He missed a goal 1 on 1 with the Goalie. All the USA team needs is confidence. DAMN!! i just wrote an essay!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

I had a lot of hope after 2002, Oliver Kahn singlehandedly kept us out of the quarterfinals. But we looked pretty pathetic in Germany, typical of how we do in Europe. Here's hoping we qualify and surprise the world in South Africa, but I'm sure not putting any money on it.

Answer 9

I think the USA National Team is pretty ok. There are some huge talents in the national team (Donovan,Dempsey,Onyewu,Howard). But the MLS just isnt right. Because they have no fans in here. American Football Basketball and Baseball rules America. ;/ Gotta quit that s*** yo.

Answer 10

i don't give a sh*t about soccer, i'm just here to check la8kermans green card. how did you get past border patrol, son? i've alerted the INS about you.