The Soccer Thread

[brinoch]

I've been missing for a while, so that doesn't surprise me... given that I'd be one of the first and most vocal to celebrate. =D>

 

It's about time. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike Bradley; I wish him well and hope he finds a good gig. It's just that there are so many better coaches to choose from for a National side.

[USSoccer]

-Bradley's tenure will ultimately be viewed as positive. 2nd cycle coaches are too risky....

 

-No to Klinsmann...please no.

 

-Rumors abound about Marcelo Lippi.

[Mark Priors Calves]

I'd love Martin O'Neill.

[USSoccer]

I know it's a fait accompli that its going to be Juergen, but I'm very wary of him.

[brinoch]

I know it's a fait accompli that its going to be Juergen, but I'm very wary of him.

 

I think you should be. Joachim Loew was just as important, if not more, than Klinsy for the German team's play in 2002.

[shnsajax]

The timing really throws me off. Making me think that they have already begun negotiating with someone. I'm not sold it's Klinsmann as long as Gulati is President.

[Guest]

I'm much more focused/hopeful about what Klinsmann could do to overhaul our development and give our team's play an identity than how much marginally better/worse he is as a tactician than the alternatives.

[shnsajax]

Is Guus an option at all, is he still signed on with Turkey? He would be the perfect bridge for Kreis in 3 years. Plus bring some of his Total Football that Reyna is making his mission.

[shnsajax]

-Bradley's tenure will ultimately be viewed as positive. 2nd cycle coaches are too risky....

 

-No to Klinsmann...please no.

 

-Rumors abound about Marcelo Lippi.

 

Cantor tweeted it's Lippi too.

[wolf stansson]

I'm much more focused/hopeful about what Klinsmann could do to overhaul our development and give our team's play an identity than how much marginally better/worse he is as a tactician than the alternatives.

His tactical shortcomings are easily masked on the international stage with a competent assistant. I also hadn't considered, but really like what you said about how he'll approach playing inferior CONCACAF teams.

[Guest]

Some guy named Michael Lewis(no, not that one) who writes at bigapplesoccer.com is saying Klinsmann is a done deal.

[Guest]

And now Wahl saying it's done too, with the added note "he'll have more control than any US coach before him". I'm a happy camper.

[Guest]

Some guy named Michael Lewis(no, not that one) who writes at bigapplesoccer.com is saying Klinsmann is a done deal.

 

Haha, I like how you had to clarify on Michael Lewis.

 

What are the negatives on Klinsmann? There seemed to be a lot of interest in him before Bradley got the job but that interest has definitely waned, at least here.

 

ETA: Sounds official for Klinsmann.

[wolf stansson]

What are the negatives on Klinsmann?

His biggest managerial success was the '06 German team's 3rd place finish in the World Cup on home soil when they weren't expected to contend, but the credibility of that accomplishment is undermined by the fact that Joachim Lowe was his top assistant/tactical guru and the team has only gotten better since Germany replaced Klinsy with Lowe full time (second place in Euro's/3rd in South Africa though they were by far the second most impressive team and one of the clear favorites for Euro 2012 and Brazil 2014).

 

Also, his stint at Bayern was really, really bad. How much of that was due to the dysfunctional front office nonsense between Ruminegge, Beckenbauer and Hoeness is unclear, but some of his tactical decisions (especially his use of Landon Donovan which is obviously troubling from a US perspective) were inexplicably awful.

[wolf stansson]

Btw, not that anyone cares, but I've totally talked myself into the Juergen Klinsmann era.

 

Also, I just want to watch Clint Dempsey play soccer and Derrick Rose play basketball again. Baseball is getting really boring. Two weeks until the EPL kicks off?

[Mark Priors Calves]

Btw, not that anyone cares, but I've totally talked myself into the Juergen Klinsmann era.

 

Also, I just want to watch Clint Dempsey play soccer and Derrick Rose play basketball again. Baseball is getting really boring. Two weeks until the EPL kicks off?

August 13/14.

[USSoccer]

 

What are the negatives on Klinsmann?

 

-I think he's a cheerleader and a salesman, not a tactician. Low did the heavy lifting in Germany 2006, and if it weren't for Jose Pekerman outcoaching himself they don't get past Argentina in 2006. His stint at Bayern was tactically horrible. Wolf once mentioned they tossed out a 0-8-2 in a game. Yeah, FC Hollywood's management is godawful and somewhat a mitigating factor, but he wasn't good there.

 

This move probably succeeds or fails based on who his assistants are.

 

It's also going to be interesting to see who is named the captain.

[Guest]

Real nice article on the pros and cons of Klinsmann. To sum it up, he's a better GM than manager, and because of that International coaching probably suits him better than club ball.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/raphael_honigstein/07/30/klinsmann/index.html

[wolf stansson]

Klinsy presser live stream: http://www.ussoccer.com/Klinsmann-Live-Press-Conference.aspx

[wolf stansson]

Soccer style as cultural identity is a cheesy old trope that I don't cotton to most of the time, but he's very concerned with finding the American style or identity. That's a waste of time. We already play an American style. The team under Bob Bradley was relentless and always fighting to come back. Obviously what he's talking about isn't that simple, it's about instilling the style at the youth level on up, but the deficit is in the talent, not the style. I am excited about his ideas regarding finding and promoting latino players.

 

Like USS said, his assistants are crucial. He's a great motivator, has great ideas and has the charisma and track record to command the team's respect, but we need a tactical guy for sure.

[wolf stansson]

One thing is for sure, this isn't a Bob Bradley press conference. He likes to talk.

[shnsajax]

Here are the 2014 Euro WC Groups:

 

Group A: Belgium, Croatia, Macedonia, Scotland, Serbia, Wales

Group B: Armenia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Malta, Italy

Group C: Austria, Faroe Islands, Germany, Kazakhstan, Ireland, Sweden

Group D: Andorra, Estonia, Hungary, Netherlands, Romania, Turkey

Group E: Albania, Cyprus, Iceland, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland

Group F: Azerbaijan, Israel, Luxembourg, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Russia

Group G: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Slovakia

Group H: England, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, San Marino, Ukraine

Group I: Belarus, Finland, France, Georgia, Spain

 

Some interesting groups (A, E, G, and H). Holland got a pretty good draw, and Germany should have no problems.

[wvcbxl]

That group A is about as wide open as it gets - any one of those teams could go through, imho.

 

No prizes for guessing which one I'm hoping for. :wink:

[bukie]

Here is the 2014 CONCACAF WC Qualifying setup:

 

Second Round (group winners advance):

A - El Salvador, Suriname, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republica

B - Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Barbados, Bermuda

C - Panama, Dominica, Nicaragua, Bahamas

D - Canada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia

E - Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, Curacao, US Virgin Islands

F - Grenada, Guatemala, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize

 

Third Round (Top two in each group advance):

A - USA, Jamaica, Round 2 E/F winners (Haiti, Grenada)

B - Mexico, Costa Rica, Round 2 A/B winners (El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago)

C - Honduras, Cuba, Round 2 C/D winners (Panama, Canada)

[USSoccer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-r6FKjNryU&feature=player_embedded

 

Hahahahaha