Monthly Archives: January 2012

US Result Mixed Bag For Klinsmann

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The US Men’s National Team capped off a successful training camp by earning their second win last night by defeating Panama 1-0 in Panama City. The evaluation for Jurgen Klinsmann continues as he looks set to call in some ‘B’ teamers to the next training camp with the ‘A’ team regulars.

The result Wednesday night might not have been the best sampling of talent at JK’s disposal but the adversity desired by the coaching staff was ever present.

Some players may have been tested early on but overall the composure of the squad was quite mature. Graham Zusi opened his National Team account by slotting home an early goal from inside the penalty box and set the team up early on with a 1-0 lead.

Panama proved to be a wily bunch always looking to attack and fending off the advances by Bunbury and Wondolowski, who proved widley ineffective for the most part.

But the game took a turn in the second half with centerback Geoff Cameron being sent off for a tackle on Blaz Perez from behind. As the last defender, the player earned a straight red.

I can’t say the referee made the incorrect call, but it was definitely harsh. Cameron did come from behind on the player and he was the last defender, the harshness of the penalty might have warranted a yellow, but certainly a foul was committed.

Overall the performances for some players were more about building consistency, and a level of familiarity has been developed with the talent pool at JK’s dispense.

I will say, however, that I would like to see Brek Shea being played as a center forward more often. It just feels sometimes that his involvement in the game is sporadic because of his lack of service in the wide positions.

The down side to Shea is that, he sometimes looks like he has no concept of controlling the ball at his feet and sometimes gets hurried into making desperate runs with no real aim.

It’s safe to say, that the art-form of true wing play in America has been lost with the retirement of Eddie Lewis. Shea has no desire or just doesn’t consider a cross from the wide position as a viable option.

I think the defense may have given Jk pause for thought, at least he can consider bringing in depth at critical positions, Parkhurst, being the natural choice for selection.

The midfield is still under inspection and the forward position continues to be a huge blight on the US set up.

Time is fast approaching for CONCACAF Qualifying begins, but before that, Italy and Mexico. The honeymoon is coming to a close for Jurgen Klinsmann, at least he can hang his hat on two wins with a largely domestic based squad and a successful training camp.

Let us know what you think about the two recent results and leave a comment below.

Richie Williams Appointed U-17 Head Coach

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US Soccer announced today that Richie Williams will be appointed head coach of the US U-17 Men’s National Team. This comes after the recent dismissal of Wilmer Cabrera who managed the head coaching duties for this position over the past five years.

Richie Williams has been involved with the US set up for a greater part of his professional career. A UVA graduate and MLS champion with DC United, Williams was capped 20 times for the senior side as a player. More recently, Williams was named by Klinsmann to be the head coach of the US U-18′s, which is the position he currently holds and is vacating for the U-17 job.

With qualifying in CONCACAF for the U-17 World Cup in 2013 quickly approaching this critical position was finally filled by Jurgen Klinsmann and US Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati.

“His experience as a player and coach at the highest levels will allow him to continue to provide a professional environment for the players in our U-17 Residency Program,” said Sunil Gulati.

FOR THE COMPLETE ARTICLE CLICK THE LINK TO VISIT USFUTBLOG.COM

U-17s Crash Out of Aegean Cup

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The US U-17 Men’s National Team’s first foreign competition of the year ended with a 4-0 defeat to the Czech Republic Friday. This loss puts the US toward the bottom of the table in this two group competition and sees Wilmer Cabrera’s last tournament as head coach end in disappointment.

FOR THE COMPLETE ARTICLE CLICK THE LINK TO VISIT USFUTBLOG.COM

Jermaine Jones: Captain Controversy

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For 90+ minutes Jermaine Jones appeared to be the strongest piece in the midfield for the US against Venezuela in an international friendly on Saturday in Phoenix, AZ in preparation for the qualifying stages to Brazil 2014.

His inclusion to the squad was merely weeks after being sentenced to an eight game suspension received from the Bundesliga for violent conduct during a German Cup match.

Jones, who plays for Shalke, received scrutiny after the match against Borussia Moenchengladbach where he allegedly stomped on midfielder Marco Reus.  The referee did not notice the incident but upon further review by a disciplinary panel a “grave misconduct” charge was filed.

The suspension included six Bundesliga Matches and two Europa League ties but did not exclude him from international competition.

Some reports have surfaced that Klinsmann was rewarding a player who was suspended for violent conduct by bringing him into the national setup and handing him the captaincy.  There is some fear that this sets a precedent that a players conduct will not be considered when given a leadership role on the national team.

As I stated before, one of – if not the, strongest players for the US was Jermaine Jones and it was his cross from a corner kick that ultimately found Ricardo Clark in the box for the game’s only goal against Venezuela.

The United States has had a share of professional sports misfits across the spectrum.  Charles Barkley, Dennis Rodman, PacMan Jones.  Unprofessional behavior, whether on the field or off, has always been a central theme in pro sports in America.

Although I do not condone his behavior and I feel his punishment was just I don’t see a major precedent being set by making him captain during this period.

Jermaine Jones may not be a role model, he has a history of ill tempered tackles, so much so that he has been dubbed, “the nastiest player in Germany.”  Then again, how many people in America knew that?  How many people stateside even knew he was suspended?  Further more, how many people even knew he played for Shalke 04 in the German Bundesliga?

Enough for some concern to be brought out by a few national sports writers and fans who follow the sport outside of this country.  I don’t want to look at the lesser of two evils, but at least he wasn’t being arrested in connection with kidnapping and extortion.

I feel the player is a good enough option to shepherd the national team through a few meaningless friendlies [for him at least] while there really isn’t a clear cut captain on the squad.

Giving him the captaincy was a reaffirmation from Jurgen Klinsmann, effectively showing support when the player needs it the most.  I’d like for Jones to realize the importance of being captain for the US and I believe it is fair to bring up the issue of his appointment.  However, a player in his position on the field, does need to be a little nasty, and I feel this brings an edge to the USMNT that might prove useful during qualifications and beyond.

What do you think, should Jones have been left out of the captaincy?  Should he have even been added to the squad?  Does his appointment to captain have greater implications?

Let us know what you think and leave a response below.

US Squad Earns Well Deserved Victory

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For ninety minutes the US squad put into practice everything they had been learning for the past two weeks.  With Jurgen Klinsmann coming out early on referring to this group as a “glorified B team” one didn’t know what to expect from a group of mostly MLS players and first time debutants.

After a few nervous interchanges, the US looked poised to compete with the Venezuelans almost to the point of totally dominating the run of play.

It was clear Jurgen Klinsmann had put in extensive work during the training camps to establish not only his own philosophy but the player’s awareness of each other.  This was evident in the shape and interchange between the back four and midfield who tirelessly worked to spurn the attack.

A.J. DeLaGarza looked very comfortable on the righthand side and even was involved with the attack when needed and the two center backs, Parkhurst and Geoff Cameron, also looked very comfortable with each other.  In the midfield, Jermaine Jones looked very focused and energetic, and was the best player through ninety minutes in my opinion.

Another player to improve his World Cup selection chances was Benny Feilhaber, who after an up and down career, was just what this squad needed, a creative and deft touch in the final third.  His through ball to Brek Shea early in the first half split two defenders and was placed right in the path of the wide man to create the first of many dangerous opportunities.

Teal Bunbury, who was a pleasant surprise in the loan striker role throughout much of the match also made a case for selection.  His fierce competitiveness tired out the back four of Venezuela and he remained a serious threat when he combined with Feilhaber through the midfield.  If the goal wasn’t going to come from Brek Shea, I thought surely Teal would score.  I hope his form continues during this round of friendlies as he looks to be a solid option off of the bench come 2014.

Still, one did get the feeling that the ‘B’ team was going to suffer the inevitable fate the ‘A’ team knew all too well.  Late on in the second half the US squad seemed to lose concentration and get distracted giving you the feeling that a goal from La Vinotinto was on the way.

Give some credit to JK, not only for the hard work put in with the boys the prior two weeks but also for making in-game adjustments that ultimately proved to impact the match.  His decision to move into a 4-4-2 formation and make a few key substitutions was an indication that he wanted to win.

And win he did.  Further justifying the message he has been preaching since his arrival but, to a certain extent, proved that JK does care about winning and will do what it takes to ensure success.

This win does more than just legitimize his style of play, it turns the public’s perception of his tenure so far ever so slightly in his favor.  If your a fan of the red, white and blue, you were screaming in joy from Ricardo Clark’s late goal in stoppage time.  Jurgen may not have the boys, ‘A’ side or ‘B’ side, playing the way he wants for 90 minutes, but he’ll always have set pieces and like Germany, this is an area we excel.

US Leave It Late In Win Against Venezuela

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The US Men’s National Team beat Venezuela 1-0 on Saturday night in Arizona to start the new year off on a positive note for Jurgen Klinsmann.

The starting lineup for the yanks consisted of Bill Hamid in goal,

A.J. DeLaGarza         Michael Parkhurst          Geoff Cameron           Heath Pearce

Jeff Larentowicz        Jermaine Jones            Graham Zusi

Brek Shea                               Benny Feilhaber                                     Teal Bunbury

The match started off nervy for both sides but the US quickly became comfortable possessing the ball for much of the early stages of the game.  Brek Shea had an early header go wide and Teal Bunbury sent one over the bar with a beautiful bending shot from outside the eighteen yard box early on.

Much has been made about the new 4-3-3 system but when the game started, it appeared that Jermaine Jones quickly slotted alongside Jeff Larentowicz in what appeared to be a 4-2-3-1 formation.  Where Benny Feilhaber moved into the attacking midfield/withdrawn striker role and Graham Zusi moved out wide left and Teal Bunbury was playing centrally as the loan striker.

A.j DeLaGarza             Michael Parkhurst            Geoff Cameron                    Heath Pearce

Jeff Larentowicz                               Jermaine Jones

Graham Zusi                                     Benny Feilhaber                                          Brek Shea

Teal Bunbury

Having seen this formation before widely used in the Premier league and exclusively utilized by the German National Team, it is not surprising to see JK try this formation out.  It’s hard to blame him either, the squad worked flawlessly and kept La Vinotinto in their own half for much of the game.

Toward the end of the second half JK moved the formation to a 4-4-2 with substitutes Zach Loyd, C.J. Sapong, Chris Wondolowski, Brad Evans and Ricardo Clark.

The match wasn’t an entirely interesting one in terms of player performances.  Benny Feilhaber most likely made the strongest case to be included in the senior side moving toward World Cup qualification.  Teal Bunbury also had a very solid performance with other established first teamers, Brek Shea and Jermaine Jones putting in workman like efforts.

The back four also did a very good job and DeLaGarza put in a positive performance on his debut and didn’t seem at all unable to handle international play making some tough tackles early on.  Cameron and Parkhurst performed wonderfully and never showed any glaring signs of weakness.  Parkhurst is a solid and competent defender and the more confidence Cameron gains moving forward into the attack the more consideration for first team football he’ll receive from JK.

Brek Shea was dangerous coming in from wide positions and nearly slotted home the opener in the 22nd minute with a cross from Zusi on the right hand side.  Feilhaber was noticeably present and under his direction from the center of the park came much of the attack for the US.  The relationship between Feihlaber, Bunbury and Shea was often at the heart of Venezuela’s discomfort for much of the first half.

The second half, however, began to degenerate into what seemed like a CONCACAF Champions League game.  The referee was resolute in letting the players sort it out on the pitch with many calls blown and/or ignored.

The US had 15 shots, with 5 on goal and if you look at the statistics you will see a dominating performance by the men in white but the game remained scoreless during regulation time.  The officiating staff added 4 extra minutes during which an injury to Venezuela’s goalkeeper added more time.

In the end a late injury time goal from Ricardo Clark sealed the first victory of the year and capped a less than exciting match for the US MNT.

I would point toward positive performances all around and overall felt the US defended well and looked dangerous on their attack for most of the game.

SAISD Scupper SS&E Soccer Bid

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The decision has been made from the Board of the San Antonio Independent School District to continue redevelopment of Alamo Stadium.  The Board, however, has elected not to rezone Alamo Stadium effectively ending any bid to establish a pro soccer franchise by Spurs Sports & Entertainment.

The original deed for the stadium states that the use of the facility will not be for private benefit thereby guaranteeing the public interest is the prime beneficiary.

This ends the more than three and half year saga between SAISD and SS&E to bring pro soccer to San Antonio.  In a rather odd and abrupt twist to the story the timing of the decision directly coincides with the beginning of the inaugural season for San Antonio’s other pro soccer team, the San Antonio Scorpions FC.

The Scorpions FC are scheduled to begin play in April and look set to corner the market for bexar county supporters.  The grassroots marketing for the team and recent plans to build a soccer specific stadium have been met with great reception from local patrons.

While SAISD seem to have little interest in hosting a pro soccer club in Alamo Stadium SS&E have yet to make their intentions clear.  SAISD, it seems, needs to work toward getting their house in order rather than being distracted by what SS&E want and by extension, what soccer fans what.

If SS&E would like to commit to establish a world class football club, they need to show more faith in the public.  They need only look at what small success Gordon Hartman is having with the Scorpions FC.

While it remains to be seen whether the Scorpions FC will be competitive in the long run, the steps taken by Gordon Hartman and company have placed faith in an idea that soccer is profitable.  However, the faith of soccer in San Antonio now hinges on whether or not soccer for a cause can be a success.

Let us not forget that success on the pitch directly translates to success off of the pitch.  The more games you win, the longer you stay around.  Can Scorpions FC turn their first season into a winning one?  Will SS&E continue to keep their soccer dream alive?

Let us know what you think and leave a comment below.

U-23s Hang Tough With “Senior Team”

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The US U-23 Men’s National Team scrimmaged the Senior Team twice over the last week before a crucial stretch of friendlies in Costa Rica. The 2012 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying begins in March and Caleb Porter will use these upcoming friendlies to evaluate key elements of his young and ambitious system.

The U-23s lost the first contest 4-0 with goals from the senior side by Wondolowski, Feilhaber, Bunbury and Zusi. Much of the second half, however, was dominated by the U-23s and the final score was not representative of the entire match.

Two days later the stern test continued for the U-23s, but this time they managed a 1-1 tie vs. the senior squad. Goals came from Zusi and McInerny respectively, as this match resembled more of what Caleb Porter had been working to implement during his time in Los Angeles with the Olympic hopefuls.

FOR THE COMPLETE ARTICLE CLICK THE LINK TO VISIT USFUTBLOG.COM

San Antonio Struggles To Find Soccer Identity

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Pro soccer is on the way to San Antonio and long time soccer fans might be getting two teams to support.  But, will this cause a crisis in soccer identity?

The San Antonio Scorpions FC are scheduled to begin play in April later this year.  Their home opener will occur April 15th at Heroes Stadium on the Northeaset side of town against the Puerto Rico islanders.

Heroes Stadium holds 11,000 and is owned and operated by the Northeast Independent School District specifically for high school sports and athletics.  The Scorpions FC have plans to build a 6,000-seat stadium to begin hosting NASL league matches in 2013.

Meanwhile, Spurs Sports & Entertainment, parent company of the NBA San Antonio Spurs, have been locked in a battle with the Southside Independent School District over the eventual use of Alamo Stadium.  The SAISD recently allocated $35 million dollars from a bond to renovate Alamo Stadium with the focus on expanding the grounds to accommodate a FIFA regulation sized soccer field.

With a vote in favor of expanding the field and preserving the track for high school track and field, the door for SS&E has been opened to proceed with their plans to establish San Antonio’s second pro soccer franchise.  The SS&E pro soccer team will compete in the USL and will play their home games in the 23,000-seat Alamo Stadium.

If SS&E are successful in establishing a pro soccer team and the SA Scorpions FC build their new stadium, soccer supporters might face a dilemma.  Do they choose to remain loyal to the Spurs franchise or do they continue to support ‘soccer for a cause?’

For some clarity perhaps, one might want to ponder a few things before making any snap judgements.  Both teams will be competing in two different leagues considered by US Soccer as Division 2, one step removed from Major League Soccer.

The Scorpions will compete in the NASL (North American Soccer League) and SS&E will compete in the USL (United Soccer Leagues).  Both leagues have a significant history with each other and were once one league.

Although the USL has been operating for 30 years and boasts 12 teams expanding into San Antonio has long been talked about.  The NASL, however, has a more colorful past and will infamously be remembered for the wild ride it took us on in the ‘70s and bringing Pele to America.

The leagues these two teams compete in is a minor detail, although, it is a fact that the USL will offer more league matches per season than the NASL, which only has 9 teams including the Scorpions.

What I’m wondering is, which team will make an easier transition into the MLS?

By all indications the Scorpions FC and Gordon Hartman have all the intention in the world to move forward with establishing a pro soccer franchise in San Antonio.  They are very close to making that dream a reality.  So I ask, how much longer will it take for them to get into the MLS?

As much as I hate using school district funded stadiums for professional sports, when I make the comparison between organizations, it does appear that SS&E have taken the fast track to becoming an MLS expansion team.

Don Garber, MLS Commissioner, has already indicated that San Antonio is a viable option, recently stating that a minor league team “might be good prospects to virtually promote up into MLS.”  This coming from a man who we already have a rocky history with, given our last dealings with the commissioner.

That being said, SS&E’s final direction has yet to be discovered and a team has yet to be announced.  Should there be an announcement in the near future, I would like both clubs/organizations to remember the original focus of the supporters in San Antonio, and that is Major League Soccer.

Gonzalez Season Ending Injury Causes Controversy

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There has been a lot of frustration lately with the season ending injury sustained by LA Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez. News came early in the transfer window that Gonzalez, along with George John, had left a US Men’s National Team camp taking place in Arizona for “club related reasons.” News came shortly there after that Gonzalez, 23, had signed a loan deal with Bundesliga side, FC Nuremberg.

Yet, in a sad twist of fate, reports emerged swiftly from Germany that Omar Gonzalez had suffered a season ending injury to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament. In a bizarre twist, the injury occurred when Gonzalez collided with US International, and FC Nuremberg teammate, Timothy Chandler.

Gonzalez is now back in California undergoing surgery where he will spend the next few months undergoing serious rehabilitation.

Many are upset for missing out on the chance to see, what has been perceived, as the future of the US central defense. Prompting some to point their anger toward the player and questioning his decision to go on loan in the first place.

With the impending friendlies against Italy, Venezuela and Panama, and the upcoming schedule of World Cup qualifiers in the next year, Gonzalez looks set to experience quite a bit of time watching US Soccer on TV.

I can’t imagine how bad he must feel, when it seemed like the entire country was eager just to see him represent the red, white and blue; his career has taken an unexpected direction. Such is football, or how the manager of Nuremberg put it, “that’s football.”

In my opinion the frustration from US fans is warranted, but let’s not forget, Omar Gonzalez is still among the living. It’s almost as if we were treating it otherwise and blaming the player for testing himself in a top league. Before we go off the deep end, there are a couple of things we all must consider first:

1. Everyone agrees the timing was a little suspect, but Gonzalez was the victim not the
perpetrator. Why did Nuremberg only agree to a loan, when they manager even came out and admitted they had intended to sign him before the MLS season began. This appears to be actions from a club who were noncommittal to the players potential. I’m wondering why they didn’t immediately negotiate a permanent deal after the MLS season commenced. Had they done so, his integration into the squad would have been drawn out in the past few months and not the whirl-wind the poor boy went through.

2. There was no guarantee that Gonzalez was going to receive playing time in preparation for the World Cup Qualifiers. Although I would say that the next six months was the time for Gonzo to prove his spot in the back four. There are only three friendlies scheduled before qualifying begins in June and this was the defenders first invitation to a training camp for the National Team under Klinsmann. This tells me the player hardly had adequate time to prepare against international competition to be selected during qualifying. Compounding that, I ask, was Klinsmann going to trust the young untested center back to help him finally win some games, when it really mattered? I don’t think so, which would place the player in the same situation he currently is in, on the sidelines. I know, at least he wouldn’t be injured.

Lastly, we should not forget that Omar Gonzalez is still very young. We have seen this type of injury before with Gooch Onyewu, and he was able to make a successful return at a top level. All signs still point to this year as the year Gonzo gets his European contract and begins a meteoric rise as the future center back for the US National Team. I just have one piece of advice for the player ….. stay away from the lower half of the German Bundesliga. Personally, I’d rather see you in a Championship side in England or a mid table League 1 side in France, rather than experiencing a brutal fight to stay in the German top flight. Considering that you didn’t sign a permanent deal, this could be a blessing in disguise.