The Soccer Thread

[shnsajax]

Now Adebayor says they are leaving the country and the tournament. This whole thing is a mess. I almost wish more countries would follow or they would just cancel the tournament all together.

[bukie]

In actual African cup action, host Angola held a 4-0 lead on Mali in the 79th minute, only to let up 4 goals in 11 minutes to draw.

 

Also, WC entrant and fellow Group C squad Algeria got waxed 3-0 by Malawi.

[shnsajax]

In actual African cup action, host Angola held a 4-0 lead on Mali in the 79th minute, only to let up 4 goals in 11 minutes to draw.

 

Also, WC entrant and fellow Group C squad Algeria got waxed 3-0 by Malawi.

 

Good to see that from Algeria.

[wolf stansson]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FmWfayiHQ98/S0u_zEe6jtI/AAAAAAAABRQ/sbM0GserreQ/s1600-h/1.jpg

 

Holden followed Coyle to Bolton.

[Jon]

You've got to be kidding me.

 

Trib[/url]"]First the Olympics snub, and now this: Chicago is not on the list of 18 cities that U.S. Soccer's bid committee will submit to FIFA in its efforts to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.

 

After an eight-month host city selection process, the committee Tuesday announced the list of cities that will be included in its official bid book to FIFA on May 14. The cities chosen were Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa and Washington, D.C.

Rejected along with Chicago were Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Jacksonville, Oakland, Orlando, St. Louis and San Francisco. Four of those cities (Chicago, Detroit, Orlando and San Francisco) were chosen when the United States hosted the World Cup in 1994.

 

"The United States is equipped and ready to offer FIFA the opportunity to host a passionate and successful World Cup where fans, teams, partners and media can experience the beautiful game at its highest level while allowing the world soccer family to focus on the utmost mission of the game that benefits the world as a whole," said Sunil Gulati, the chairman of the USA Bid Committee and president of U.S. Soccer.

 

FIFA's will select the host nation for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups on Dec. 2.

[Mark Priors Calves]

that's [expletive] and quite inexplicable.

[Jon]

Just look at the list. They have SD when LA and Phoenix are already there. DC AND Baltimore!? KANSAS CITY!?

[shnsajax]

Curious to hear an exact reason. I understand the other cities that didn't make the cut, but Chicago seems to have everything needed to handle such an event. Also I wouldn't consider Indy or Nashville either.

[Jon]

Curious to hear an exact reason. I understand the other cities that didn't make the cut, but Chicago seems to have everything needed to handle such an event. Also I wouldn't consider Indy or Nashville either.

Apparently Chicago submitted a terrible bid after being too consumed by the olympics, but does Chicago seriously need a bid? It's the biggest city with a centrally located stadium. US Soccer is based here. They play in Soldier Field all the freakin' time.

[brinoch]

I'm pretty sure that the size of Soldier Field's surface doesn't meet the FIFA standards for the sideline and endline.

[shnsajax]

Curious to hear an exact reason. I understand the other cities that didn't make the cut, but Chicago seems to have everything needed to handle such an event. Also I wouldn't consider Indy or Nashville either.

Apparently Chicago submitted a terrible bid after being too consumed by the olympics, but does Chicago seriously need a bid? It's the biggest city with a centrally located stadium. US Soccer is based here. They play in Soldier Field all the freakin' time.

 

And its not like that list is finalized, as all 14 cities won't host matches. Then again nothing the USSF does surprises me anymore. I would blame Gulati even if its not his fault.

[Jon]

What is happening to this city. Spent all this time on the Olympics, didn't get it, didn't spend any time on the World Cup bid, didn't get it, losing a huge chunk of its convention business, etc.

[shnsajax]

Sol Campbell intends to signs with Arsenal today. They need healthy bodies, and help in the back but we will see how much he can actually help them.

[UMFan83]

What is happening to this city. Spent all this time on the Olympics, didn't get it, didn't spend any time on the World Cup bid, didn't get it, losing a huge chunk of its convention business, etc.

 

I'm depressed about this slap in the face, but I personally don't think the USA will win the bid to host anyways.

[UMFan83]

Chicago, beaten by Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics in October, has virtually no chance of getting back in consideration. That was a major surprise, given that Soldier Field hosted the 1994 World Cup opener.

 

''I think there's a little Olympic fatigue. I think the Park District had a tough time wrestling with FIFA requirements in short order after the IOC decision,'' U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said.

 

Gulati also cited the 61,000 capacity of renovated Solider Field for World Cup soccer.

 

''It would have been by about 10 percent the smallest stadium,'' Gulati said.

 

The stupid stadium capacity always works against us. I'm satisfied with the renovated Soldier Field from a Bears standpoint, but in terms of having a stadium equipped to host a multitude of international events, it sucks. The Olympic plan would have been much easier if Soldier Field was built to accommodate an Olympic Opening ceremony, and now this goes against us partially because of the stadium size.

 

Again, I love Soldier Field for football. It's small, and somewhat intimate for football at least. The seats are over the field for the most part, the luxury box crowd is accommodated and best of all the sound travels pretty well there compared to some other cavernous stadiums in the NFL. But seeing as how the city built this park, it surprises me that they didn't concern themselves with Soldier Field being a multi-use facility, or at least more of one than it is.

[shnsajax]

What is happening to this city. Spent all this time on the Olympics, didn't get it, didn't spend any time on the World Cup bid, didn't get it, losing a huge chunk of its convention business, etc.

 

I'm depressed about this slap in the face, but I personally don't think the USA will win the bid to host anyways.

 

I think they will get 2022 with England getting 2018. Its just way to much money for Fifa to pass up.

[USSoccer]

I'm pretty sure that the size of Soldier Field's surface doesn't meet the FIFA standards for the sideline and endline.

 

This is the answer. There wouldn't have been enough room for the FIFA reg'd field dimensions, signage and photogs. In 1994 FIFA let us cut corners on the stadia for the sake of market penetration. No reason to do it this time.

 

Also, the fact that the Park District was considering putting field turf onto the surface, and I can see why we were left out.

 

KC was added due to Lamar Hunt's lingering influence on the USSF.

[USSoccer]

Curious to hear an exact reason. I understand the other cities that didn't make the cut, but Chicago seems to have everything needed to handle such an event. Also I wouldn't consider Indy or Nashville either.

Apparently Chicago submitted a terrible bid after being too consumed by the olympics, but does Chicago seriously need a bid? It's the biggest city with a centrally located stadium. US Soccer is based here. They play in Soldier Field all the freakin' time.

 

Nashville holds the record for attendance for WCQ'ing. It's one of the biggest, non Disney tourist destinations for Europeans for some reason. It's a market that deserved a host game. Indy has a new stadium that meets FIFA standards and its located in between the Ohio & Illinois markets.

[shnsajax]

Curious to hear an exact reason. I understand the other cities that didn't make the cut, but Chicago seems to have everything needed to handle such an event. Also I wouldn't consider Indy or Nashville either.

Apparently Chicago submitted a terrible bid after being too consumed by the olympics, but does Chicago seriously need a bid? It's the biggest city with a centrally located stadium. US Soccer is based here. They play in Soldier Field all the freakin' time.

 

Nashville holds the record for attendance for WCQ'ing. It's one of the biggest, non Disney tourist destinations for Europeans for some reason. It's a market that deserved a host game. Indy has a new stadium that meets FIFA standards and its located in between the Ohio & Illinois markets.

 

I had no idea it was that popular for Europeans. Makes more sense now.

[UMFan83]

I'm pretty sure that the size of Soldier Field's surface doesn't meet the FIFA standards for the sideline and endline.

 

This is the answer. There wouldn't have been enough room for the FIFA reg'd field dimensions, signage and photogs. In 1994 FIFA let us cut corners on the stadia for the sake of market penetration. No reason to do it this time.

 

Also, the fact that the Park District was considering putting field turf onto the surface, and I can see why we were left out.

 

KC was added due to Lamar Hunt's lingering influence on the USSF.

 

I can't see why. This wasn't the final cuts or anything. Give Chicago time to get their crap together after the Olympics and see if our leaders can figure something out that would work for FIFA. If it can't, then drop them later in the process. Chicago has been pretty good to the USOC over the years in terms of hosting well attended soccer matches, and it's also the nation's 3rd largest city and former host of the World Cup opening ceremonies, so I feel like it deserves a little leeway considering the city just got screwed over for the Olympics. I can't believe they would hold a World Cup on US soil and not include one of the largest and most important cities in the country.

[wolf stansson]

The USSF would prefer to have Chicago as a host city. Whatever happened, I doubt it's their fault. I'm sure the city is culpable somehow for being left out. There's no scenario where you wouldn't want it there other than facilities not being up to spec. From airports to public transit to hotels to tourist destinations to international fan bases to local interest to money available to build additional infrastructure like fan zones, Chicago SHOULD be one of the crown jewels of the bid. It's the best city to host an international event in a down town area in our country.

[CubInOK]

Player quits Algerian team, others threaten to do the same

[chuckywang]

I'm pretty sure that the size of Soldier Field's surface doesn't meet the FIFA standards for the sideline and endline.

 

This is the answer. There wouldn't have been enough room for the FIFA reg'd field dimensions, signage and photogs. In 1994 FIFA let us cut corners on the stadia for the sake of market penetration. No reason to do it this time.

 

Also, the fact that the Park District was considering putting field turf onto the surface, and I can see why we were left out.

 

KC was added due to Lamar Hunt's lingering influence on the USSF.

 

What about the Chicago Fire stadium in Bridgeview?

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm pretty sure that the size of Soldier Field's surface doesn't meet the FIFA standards for the sideline and endline.

 

This is the answer. There wouldn't have been enough room for the FIFA reg'd field dimensions, signage and photogs. In 1994 FIFA let us cut corners on the stadia for the sake of market penetration. No reason to do it this time.

 

Also, the fact that the Park District was considering putting field turf onto the surface, and I can see why we were left out.

 

KC was added due to Lamar Hunt's lingering influence on the USSF.

 

What about the Chicago Fire stadium in Bridgeview?

 

I'm sure that's way below capacity.

[USSoccer]

Toyota Park has a max capacity of like 24,000 or so. It's a beautiful park but about half the size needed for a World Cup match.