Running, all-purpose World Cup thread

[Cristiano_Ronaldo]

What I like about Klinsy is that he's not going to pull players on the team just because they are big names in MLS or abroad. He's going to take players that can help the seleccion win. Then again, he showed a lot of loyalty to a tired, slow and injured Michael Ballack. Did anyone notice that the two games that Germany played without Ballack, they scored 7 goals. The other five....7.

 

[Pastor]

And Twoback comes in to shatter all hopes and dreams. :'(

I kid, of course. Twoback, you make an excellent point. I didn't put too much thought into it before.

What I will say is that Klinsmann has a well known and respected name. His coaching really pushed forward the German attack. This is something the US desperately needs. If you look at the prospective roster for the next World Cup, offense is the one aspect that the team seems lacking in depth.

Defense: Pearce, Spector, Gooch
D Depth: Gibbs, Dunivant, Wynne (?), Albright
Midfield: Convey, Dempsey, Bradley, Beasley, Donovan
Forwards: ?

The US could get another WC cycle out of Cherundolo, Conrad and Mastroeni. Add Adin Brown and Quentin Westburg in goal; Bobby Boswell, Bocanegra, Nat Borchers, Chad Marshall, Danny Califf, Robbie Russell, Frankie Simek, Michael Parkhurst, Jay DeMerit and Zak Whitbread in defense; Rico Clark, Brian Carroll, Brad Davis, Eddie Gaven, Justin Mapp, Peter Philipakos and Benny Feilhaber in midfield; Conor Casey, Brian Ching, Kenny Cooper, Eskandarian, GAM, Pat Noonan, Chris Rolfe, Taylor "Empty Net" Twellman, Brian West, Herculez Gomez, Chad Barrett, Nate Jaqua, Lee Nguyen and that Adu kid up front.

That's a good pool to start with. Get those friendlies lined up, Klinsy!

While those guys are definitely in the pool, I was referring more to those that are significant locks at earning a spot.

 

[poindexter]

26 miles from H.B to Home Depot Center.

25-45 minutes depending on the traffic.

Do-able!!

 

[Starman]

FIFA may strip Zidane of the Golden Ball.

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5776646

As it certainly should.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

I don't think they should strip him of the Golden Ball. I just think those who voted him first should have gone with Cannavaro or Buffon, instead of being seduced by his (admittedly great) old-warrior story.

But at least he has his "honour" according to his mommy.

 

[Pastor]

Why should he be stripped? FIFA set the voting at halftime of the World Cup Final. As such, the award is set to that time frame. Unless FIFA has some rule about making inelligable any and all receivers of red cards, he should not lose it.

I look at it the same way many view the MLB MVP award. A player receives it and then goes into a slump in the playoffs. Suddenly there are calls for that player not being the MVP. With that being a regular season award.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

JK on reports he's been approached to take over the USMNT...

“There is absolutely no interest on my side and no contact,” he said.

 

[Twoback]

Why should he be stripped? FIFA set the voting at halftime of the World Cup Final. As such, the award is set to that time frame. Unless FIFA has some rule about making inelligable any and all receivers of red cards, he should not lose it.

I look at it the same way many view the MLB MVP award. A player receives it and then goes into a slump in the playoffs. Suddenly there are calls for that player not being the MVP. With that being a regular season award.

Crass: My understanding is that voting actually concluded at midnight following the final, accounting for the Monday release of the results. So it is different. (And I still can't figure out how anyone could justify voting for him after what happened).

 

[Starman]

Why should he be stripped? FIFA set the voting at halftime of the World Cup Final. As such, the award is set to that time frame. Unless FIFA has some rule about making inelligable any and all receivers of red cards, he should not lose it.

I look at it the same way many view the MLB MVP award. A player receives it and then goes into a slump in the playoffs. Suddenly there are calls for that player not being the MVP. With that being a regular season award.

Say you're an ace pitcher with a 23-5 record, 1.93 ERA. Your team is tied for the division lead on the last day of the season. 0-0 tie in the ninth inning.

Bases loaded with 2 outs. The opposing batter steps out of the box, shouts out to the mound, "Your mother sucks cocks in heck."

You step back on the mound, and drill him in the head, forcing in the winning run.

Should you be voted the MVP??

 

[Pastor]

Starman, I never endorsed what he did. I think it is pretty forked and certainly impacted the game. However, it didn't force a goal and it didn't definitely cause France to lose. They could have lost anyway.

I will also point out that there are plenty pitchers that do throw at opposing batters for a variety of reasons, some of which include the batter simply hitting a home run in their previous plate appearance.

There was lots of nasty play. This was just the most blatant.

Additionally, like others, I don't really think he should have been MVP to begin with. However, it is what it is.

 

[TrooperBari]

As for the rest . . . Klinsmann is probably the best overall candidate out there. If we wanted to make a safe hire based on proven coaching ability over time, ability to deal with the U.S.' unique rules in the NCAA and MLS right off the bat, and proven ability to win with American players, then either Bob Bradley or Sigi Schmid are the answer. Either of those hires would be a good, solid pick to continue the work Arena has done, and continue the steady process of getting better. And I would suport either one, as they are good guys, class acts, and yeah, they treat the media well.

Klinsmann is a sexy hire, a name hire, a guy that will turn heads both here and abroad. A hire that says we're starting to get impatient, and we expect to contend before Donovan and friends are finished playing World Cups. Can he fail? Sure. But if U.S. Soccer feels it needs to make a splash with a foreign coach and yet get a guy who has some respect for our country, our system, our national team and the way we do things, Klinsmann is the obvious choice. Plus, based on his reputation as a player, he can teach us to dive properly in big compeittions.

Bob Bradley is straight off the Arena coaching tree ... doubt he'd get the gig, especially after how his Metrostars stint blew up near the end. Fat Sigi could work, and he has a history of giving young'uns a chance.

Klinsmann would, if nothing else, show a step forward in ambition and expectations at Soccer House.

 

[TrooperBari]

And Twoback comes in to shatter all hopes and dreams. :'(

I kid, of course. Twoback, you make an excellent point. I didn't put too much thought into it before.

What I will say is that Klinsmann has a well known and respected name. His coaching really pushed forward the German attack. This is something the US desperately needs. If you look at the prospective roster for the next World Cup, offense is the one aspect that the team seems lacking in depth.

Defense: Pearce, Spector, Gooch
D Depth: Gibbs, Dunivant, Wynne (?), Albright
Midfield: Convey, Dempsey, Bradley, Beasley, Donovan
Forwards: ?

The US could get another WC cycle out of Cherundolo, Conrad and Mastroeni. Add Adin Brown and Quentin Westburg in goal; Bobby Boswell, Bocanegra, Nat Borchers, Chad Marshall, Danny Califf, Robbie Russell, Frankie Simek, Michael Parkhurst, Jay DeMerit and Zak Whitbread in defense; Rico Clark, Brian Carroll, Brad Davis, Eddie Gaven, Justin Mapp, Peter Philipakos and Benny Feilhaber in midfield; Conor Casey, Brian Ching, Kenny Cooper, Eskandarian, GAM, Pat Noonan, Chris Rolfe, Taylor "Empty Net" Twellman, Brian West, Herculez Gomez, Chad Barrett, Nate Jaqua, Lee Nguyen and that Adu kid up front.

That's a good pool to start with. Get those friendlies lined up, Klinsy!

While those guys are definitely in the pool, I was referring more to those that are significant locks at earning a spot.

So Pearce and Spector are locks over guys like Cherundolo and Bocanegra, who have actually done the job? Whitbread, at least, saw consistent playing time when he went out on loan.

No one should be a lock for a spot right now, especially after that collective bed-shatting.