which is why you can't just bring in superior athletes and expect them to dominate. try being a 4.4 guy with a ball on your foot instead of in your hands.
no and neither is ours, but they were more organized than we were and we sure as shit weren't going to out-athlete a team of blacks. We were going to need excellent personnel management and organization, both notorious repeated blunders by Bradley. Can't imagine the youth talent pool in Tuscaloosa being bountiful.
100% percent agree. The lack of quality coaching at the youth level is a hurdle we're gonna have to get over. But, some players can finish and some can't yet have good technical ability (See Ryan Babel). We need some attacking players with a nose for the back of the net. This is why I am so pissed Bradley kept starting Findley instead of Buddle/Edu/Gomes.
We've always struggled most when the guy with the ball is under pressure, we run out of ideas a lot of times. I pray from what we saw from last year's U-17 WC team in regards to calmness on the ball is a trend that continues in the U.S.
Guys I think I'm going to be a soccer coach. I'm most definitely with the local african-american population and I think I could recruit some. I would start by showing them pictures of all the hawt German/Swedish/Brazilian/Danish etc wimmenz. Where is the next WC? Brazil? Yeah, nuff said. Yeah, and at least Buddle has shown the ability to finish. Maybe the biggest was Findley over Buddle. Argh this is making me rage. The only thing I can think is that Findley was out-performing Buddle during training or Buddle's had a bad attitude or something. Just made absolutely no sense, and to do it repeatedly.
anyone who follows the USMNT will was freaking out when they saw our starting 11. I was at work and I called from the start to my store manager, Clark will be the cause of our of our goal and or will get sent off/subbed out before the half and findley will miss 3 easy chances.How is this shit so obvious to us an not to bob bradley?
Well yeah, of course but what I at least thought you were arguing was that it's okay to sacrifice technical skill for athletic ability (at least in regards to selecting a WC roster). Of course, starting at youth training, you're going to pick the more athletic players. I don't think anyone would argue that.
I don't think that has anything to do with athleticism, it's just something not focused on enough in youth development along with moving in space. Mexico is not an athletic team by any means, but they are outstanding with the ball when pressured, which is no surprise as to how Jose Torres plays.
IDK, but I texted my friend before every match that Clark was garbage and Findley couldn't finish. Both of them proved me right so so so many times.
Maybe, but that is not a long-term fix. We're not going to advance past the quarterfinals either way, and I'd rather have a long term plan than to just throw a bunch of fast players out there with relatively little technical skill. I'm still of the opinion that money in MLS will do more than anything. $$$$$ is virtually the only thing that talks these days, and if kids see that there's $$$$$$ and literally WORLDWIDE opportunities in soccer, some of them are going to start making the jump.
My point originally was just about how we struggle holding the ball and something that needs to improve on general, I wasn't even thinking of athleticism then you brought it up in regards to my point. You made it seem like only the athletic players are the ones that can make us stronger at holding the ball.
Getting rid of pay for play will help tremendously as well. I grew up well-off middle class and even then the cost was absurd.
i think mexicans are better at holding the ball and keeping cool than we are because theyre exposed to more rigorous training at an earlier age, either directly through youth academies or indirectly through pick up games with steeper competition both are equally effective at developing the cool temperament i think
and look at where Mexicans play there ball. at least in NJ, the Mexicans generally played on fields that were more dirt and pebbles than grass. learning to control a ball on that type of surface is hard work but rewarding once you move to grass and have a better feel and touch on the ball.
Same could be said for USA hockey. The Canadian kids hit the ponds much more so than the Americans. And you can see the differences.
That's more of a weather issue though, except for certain places, Americans need to go to roller if they can't get the ice time they need. I know, for me, pretty much every move I ever tried on the ice was first tried 100 times on some outdoor street hockey court. Soccer players shouldn't have that same problem. It's easy to replicate conditions needes for soccer. Just find a patch of grass or even flat dirt.
im saying roller hockey is pointless lacrosse in the offseason is ideal for hockey... it gives you the dryland training and keeps your game in tune since you are using almost the same technique and muscles
I dunno man, I had alot of fun playing roller hockey and definitely improved my game. I never played lacrosse though so it could be better, I really wouldn't know - I always played baseball during lacrosse season.
Either way, the point of "sandlot" play being extremely beneficial to the player's development is the important issue here. I made the hockey point because it came up in the documentary "Pond Hockey". Kids go to hockey practice and maybe shoot the puck 5 times each practice. That's no way to improve your skillset. The better shooters are the ones who go to the ponds and shoot for hours. They also happen to be the most creative. We need the same type of thing for soccer in America. Kids need to be playing all the time, especially in a completely casual fashion where they can perfect the tiny nuances of the game and even develop some creativity. Structured team practices alone simply doesn't do it. You need the school yards too. Hell, for soccer you can practice just about anywhere. Getting American kids to do it is the hump we need to get over.
What kind of hockey practice did you have that only shot the puck 5 times a practice? When I played it was way more then that. I also had a couple of nets and targets for them as well as targets drawn on my garage. Anyways, I agree that w/ soccer and most sports for that matter that playing one on one or in street settings definitely improves your game.
Dunno. I can't remember that when I was 6, but who knows. I played almost yr round for almost 8 years and still wish I would pick it back up. Not too much in ATL for that. Got ya.