No, it is transcendental in this particular situation.
Transcendental number - Wikipedia
en.m.wikipedia.org
Stop making stuff up.
2022 World Cup - USA team thread
- Thread starter Tom McAndrew
- Start date
Stop making stuff up.
How Good Can the USMNT Be by the Next World Cup?
The USMNT needs to make one major decision that'll shape the next four years.
What’s next for the USMNT?
When might we see Pulisic, McKennie, and company playing together again?
deadspin.com
Here Is A Fascinating Thread About How Gregg Berhalter Used Nepotism To Become The Head Coach Of Our Beloved USMNT
The dust has settled on this run for the United States at the World Cup. I think most people were happy that the United States navigated its way through the group and performed extremely well against ...
There's a lot of misinformation in the info used and the comments. For one, most folks don't consider "winning percentage" to be wins over losses *and* draws. He did win a trophy with the Crew--the Eastern Conference trophy before playing Portland in the 2015 final (I was there for both). Not a big trophy, but how would Phils Phans react if they were told that the NL pennant didn't count? And, of course, the reason a lot of MLS players have played a lot of game with the Nats--even in Klinsmann's era--is not because there was a quota (though MLS officials are happy to see it) but for two other factors: First, many of our games are continental games, so it is a lot easier for US players to make those tournaments than European based players, especially in early rounds. Second, European teams would often figure out ways not to release players for games in the US, like an "injury", or because some games were friendlies. The truth about MLS now is that, oddly enough, they were sixth in sending players to the World Cup. That's not bad--and that's not all US players either. See the slideshow (in German but easy to figure out).Here Is A Fascinating Thread About How Gregg Berhalter Used Nepotism To Become The Head Coach Of Our Beloved USMNT
The dust has settled on this run for the United States at the World Cup. I think most people were happy that the United States navigated its way through the group and performed extremely well against ...www.barstoolsports.com
Link
Perhaps, but those things are really besides the point. I mean, I don't really considering winning a division to be a trophy, but fair play. In regards to picking European based players, it really depends on the tournament. The gold cup or even the Copa America coming up might not require the European teams to allow their players to play since it isn't a FIFA tournament, but World cup Qualifications they certainly are. And thats the thing that Klinsmann would have a problem with.
I don't think any of that takes away from the point. Berhalter wasn't qualified and got the job because of his brother.
I think that is provable by the fact that more qualified candidates weren't even considered.
Also, two term national team managers never work out.
Teams left in the world cup. 75% of the teams left in the final 8 have 2 term managers.
Brazil - same manager
Croatia - same manger
England - same manager
France - same manager
Netherlands - same manager from 2014, missed out on 2018
Argentina - new manger
Morocco - new manger
Portugal - same manager
Brazil - same manager
Croatia - same manger
England - same manager
France - same manager
Netherlands - same manager from 2014, missed out on 2018
Argentina - new manger
Morocco - new manger
Portugal - same manager
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So this year is an aberration. This idea that two term managers generally don't work out isn't something that I made up. It is something that has been out there and has been our there for a reason.
And again, it is dancing around the point.
Dancing around what point? Some US fans were never sold on GB because he was a US coach and had ties to the US system and they were never going go give him a fair shake no matter what. He basically reached every milestone put in front of him and you still have people acting as if he were a complete failure because they didn't like some subs along the way or a call up or two. That isn't going away no matter the coach or country.
It would be one thing if he flopped, but he didn't. Instead of some people recognizing that they talk in hypotheticals or move the goal posts. It would be one thing if I saw your posts as even remotely objective with GB, but I don't. If they move on from him, great, as maybe it will stop some of the nonsense. If they keep him, hopefully he moves the bar even further out for the team and program as a whole. I don't have an obsession with the guy either way. He basically did everything which was required. Beat Mexico...check, check, check. Win a trophy...check, check. Qualify for the CUP, check. Advance out of group, check. This was a rebuild from the last roster for the most part and a young squad...talented, but not internationally as seasoned as some other squads. He wasn't perfect, but he is far from the disaster his detractors try to portray.
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The author's point was that Klinsi was forced to take MLS players and in a quota. Simply not true. It's much more complex.
BTW, while we can debate the value--there actually was a trophy for the division (which was equivalent to an NL or AL pennant as opposed to a modern division). I've seen it.
Different perspective on second term coaches.
sports.yahoo.com
The 2022 World Cup has busted a common coaching myth
The question now facing U.S. Soccer: Should coach Gregg Berhalter be brought back for another crack at the World Cup?
sports.yahoo.com
I've heard a lot of discussion of this the past couple days. I suppose I'm not fully convinced by the "myth busting" claim of the article. These teams in the quarterfinals with "second-cycle" managers also just so happen to have elite rosters full of the kind of quality (and depth) you expect quarterfinal teams to have. The US is not in a similar position, unfortunately. We have several fantastic players who are breaking through and reaching levels in club soccer we are not accustomed to, but it still remains that we don't have the class in depth throughout a roster that the top-ten teams do possess. You need that class in depth to get through a difficult tournament like that World Cup that comes at you in rapid fire speed. The drop-off in quality from starters to several of the subs we used was apparent.Different perspective on second term coaches.
The 2022 World Cup has busted a common coaching myth
The question now facing U.S. Soccer: Should coach Gregg Berhalter be brought back for another crack at the World Cup?
A better metric for evaluating the relative success rate of a second-term manager for the US would be...the US. All three previous times we have tried it, it has not gone well. We are not blessed yet with world class depth for the manager to choose from. Managing at our level and selecting rosters requires a lot of interpolation—you have to think long and hard, and even be creative, about how you fill in the roster spots between the obvious autostarters. A lot of our choices are between marginally different players who tend to be limited in what they offer at the international level. As such, it can be easy for a manager to stick with those he's most comfortable with instead of experimenting when it would be more appropriate. In fact, even in this cycle, Berhalter should have not waited until the knockout stages of the World Cup to finally experiment with Gio Reyna being thrown out there up top along with Pulisic and Weah. In addition to the Reyna situation, I think there were also other missed opportunities to tactically experiment with attacking players in the many months prior to the World Cup. Would that trend be magnified even more so in a second tenure?
Average-wise, the ceiling for the USMNT seems consistently to be the Round of 16. It is my hope that our young, developing crop of players will go from strength-to-strength and break that ceiling into the quarters in three-and-a-half years. However, I also think they will need a manager who can help them grow in an area they have been very weak in this entire cycle: knowing what to do once they get into the final third of the field. Over the course of Berhalter's managerial career, offensive ineffectiveness has been a repeating theme even going back to his club stint in Sweden. I think he's been really strong in getting this program off the floor of 2018, instilling a positive attitude and belief in our players on the pitch, recruiting dual-nationals, and beating our arch-rivals. But, I think with the lack of chance creation being a long-term attribute of this team, the program could probably use another voice, another mind to help take these players to that next step of going from a dominant team in the middle-third to a threatening team in the final third.
The real test of success for these second-cycle coaches, by the way, comes now and in the semifinals because, for the most part, they were reasonably expected to be here. Folks in their countries will judge them on what they do now.
You cannot really hold him accountable for the lack of offensive threat when it's not a hidden secret that US lacks a legit world class finisher. There is nobody on that squad any decent team remotely fears as a world class finisher. A new coach isn't making one magically appear. The best we can hope for is there is some 16 year old ready to just take off in the next 3 years or some dual citizen comes on our radar. Unless he or the next HC finds an answer up top, this team will continue to struggle to find an offensive output against any decent squad.
The past US squads were also no where near as young as this squad so the comparisons aren't really apples to apples when talking second term managers. If they move on from GB, great, but I think some are a little naive to think the manager change will somehow elevate this squad into the next tier. Our CB's are old and and there is no striker, so there is work to done no matter the manager. US fans in general seem to think this team is more talented than they are internationally.....and for the US they are more talented in some spots compared to the past teams. That being said, they have no where near the class of the remaining teams not named Morocco. I honestly think quite a few US fans finally see our guys in Europe and think we arrived, but there are still some holes. We do have a group of US fans that have hated on GB from day one and they tend to be very vocal, but he did check every box without a striker thus far. It will be interesting to see what direction they go....decent core is there, but there are some holes to plug for sure.
First of all, I think US Soccer is probably limited with who they can get as manager. However, that doesn't mean they have no options that could potentially improve on what Berhalter has done.
I agree the glaring weakness at striker is massive. However, I am not 100% convinced that we fully know what the best of Sargent, et al. even looks like yet at the international level because they rarely are served the ball in the final third. Sargent and even Wright score at a decent rate with their club teams (I get it, it's not the same level, but my point is that they find themselves in dangerous areas and they do finish chances teammates provide). Would a manager who can tactically get the best out of his attacking players at least increase the xG? I certainly think that's possible. So, yes, I would put some blame on Berhalter and not entirely on our dearth of forward talent.
Our issues don't start with a lack of 9's, our issues begin from transitioning from the middle third to the final third. The 9 only adds to it.
Been thinking a lot since the team were sent home what is wrong with the squad and US soccer.
What do the players on Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, France, Spain, Morocco, Netherlands etc have in common that our squad appears to lack? Toughness.
Toughness that comes from being born into a family, neighborhood, city etc where you had to be tough and from the moment you could walk soccer was your world. Sure the great ones get discovered pretty early and directed toward academies for development where they are immersed in soccer but coming in, even at an early age, they can scrap.
I just don’t see the US ever closing the gap with all youth activities in this country for the most part organized, highly organized. Travel to other countries, cities, rural areas and look down an alley or in the dirt street and you will see kids scraping all day long playing the worlds game.
Our squad substitutes a “ system” for experience and grit.
PSA over back to drinking and watching Sanford vs NDSU.
What do the players on Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, France, Spain, Morocco, Netherlands etc have in common that our squad appears to lack? Toughness.
Toughness that comes from being born into a family, neighborhood, city etc where you had to be tough and from the moment you could walk soccer was your world. Sure the great ones get discovered pretty early and directed toward academies for development where they are immersed in soccer but coming in, even at an early age, they can scrap.
I just don’t see the US ever closing the gap with all youth activities in this country for the most part organized, highly organized. Travel to other countries, cities, rural areas and look down an alley or in the dirt street and you will see kids scraping all day long playing the worlds game.
Our squad substitutes a “ system” for experience and grit.
PSA over back to drinking and watching Sanford vs NDSU.
48 years old and died of bronchitis? Sad, regardless. R.I.P.
www.espn.com
U.S. soccer journalist Wahl dies at 48 in Qatar
Grant Wahl, a prominent US soccer writer, died early Saturday while covering the World Cup match between Argentina and the Netherlands.
www.espn.com
48 years old and died of bronchitis? Sad, regardless. R.I.P.
U.S. soccer journalist Wahl dies at 48 in Qatar
Grant Wahl, a prominent US soccer writer, died early Saturday while covering the World Cup match between Argentina and the Netherlands.
something weird here. Yeah, perhaps just something natural, but he was in conflict with Qatar over their censorship and it seems crazy for someone so young to die like that.
Crazy USMNT drama I wasn’t expecting on this fine Sunday evening.
A couple thoughts: Gio has a lot of maturing to do professionally and personally and I hope he learns; and Berhalter has absolutely no business publicly sharing sensitive locker room dealings regarding a player.
A couple thoughts: Gio has a lot of maturing to do professionally and personally and I hope he learns; and Berhalter has absolutely no business publicly sharing sensitive locker room dealings regarding a player.
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People ask why he wasn't on the pitch, now they know. He probably didn't need to say anything really, but this is squarely on Reyna. He is young enough where he could see 4 WC's and he pissed one away. Hopefully that message got through to him as even with a new HC, you need to understand what the world cup is and what an honor it is to represent your country. You see how much this means to the greatest players on the planet and for anyone to loaf at a WC is just crazy. It's what anyone who has ever stepped foot on a pitch dreams of....not sure how you can just mail it in. Even more so with a father who played for a decade or so in Europe and even being a captain of the US squad and some of his club teams.
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This is Berhalters side and there is another side to this story. I agree with Cypha, this is a reason not to bring back Berhalter. It is completely unprofessional to air this in public.
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As a BvB fan, I knew that Reyna had some maturing to do. Sounds like Berhalter does as well.
Posted this elsewhere. A different take on the situation. No way this should have gotten out, but how bad was he slacking off to have both this team and staff approach him and or him to apologize to all. This may be the kick in the *ss Gio needed and will be better for him long term than if they ignored it or rewarded it. I've seen two coaches in one year do this to Ronaldo (different though, as he is finally losing to father time), but if your the HC and you don't call it out, you do lose the rest of the team long term.
Not sure how or why anyone would think anything is "off the record" in 2022, but I respect the team and staff as a whole for stepping up. If you read Yedlin's tweet a few days back about not worrying, the proper culture is now in that place about working hard and being accountable....pretty sure this was a big part of it. I still think they move on from GB, but this staff did the right thing other than discussing it anywhere outside the lockerroom. Rewarding lazy or bad behavior will eventually bring your team down regardless of the sport.
www.sportingnews.com
Not sure how or why anyone would think anything is "off the record" in 2022, but I respect the team and staff as a whole for stepping up. If you read Yedlin's tweet a few days back about not worrying, the proper culture is now in that place about working hard and being accountable....pretty sure this was a big part of it. I still think they move on from GB, but this staff did the right thing other than discussing it anywhere outside the lockerroom. Rewarding lazy or bad behavior will eventually bring your team down regardless of the sport.
If McKennie matter didn't convince you Gregg Berhalter is ideal USMNT coach, then Reyna row should | Sporting News
As coach of the United States men's national team, Gregg Berhalter has shown he won't risk collective success to accommodate a talented player's misbehavior
www.sportingnews.com
Posted this elsewhere. A different take on the situation. No way this should have gotten out, but how bad was he slacking off to have both this team and staff approach him and or him to apologize to all. This may be the kick in the *ss Gio needed and will be better for him long term than if they ignored it or rewarded it. I've seen two coaches in one year do this to Ronaldo (different though, as he is finally losing to father time), but if your the HC and you don't call it out, you do lose the rest of the team long term.
Not sure how or why anyone would think anything is "off the record" in 2022, but I respect the team and staff as a whole for stepping up. If you read Yedlin's tweet a few days back about not worrying, the proper culture is now in that place about working hard and being accountable....pretty sure this was a big part of it. I still think they move on from GB, but this staff did the right thing other than discussing it anywhere outside the lockerroom. Rewarding lazy or bad behavior will eventually bring your team down regardless of the sport.
If McKennie matter didn't convince you Gregg Berhalter is ideal USMNT coach, then Reyna row should | Sporting News
As coach of the United States men's national team, Gregg Berhalter has shown he won't risk collective success to accommodate a talented player's misbehavior
He knew it wasn’t off the record. He was getting heat so decided to throw a kid under the bus to protect himself.
Hernández: U.S. soccer must maximize Gio Reyna. That's why Gregg Berhalter has to go
The strife that has ensnared Gio Reyna and the U.S. men's soccer team isn't solely Gregg Berhalter's fault, but the coach is expendable — and Reyna isn't.
Hernández: U.S. soccer must maximize Gio Reyna. That's why Gregg Berhalter has to go
The strife that has ensnared Gio Reyna and the U.S. men's soccer team isn't solely Gregg Berhalter's fault, but the coach is expendable — and Reyna isn't.www.yahoo.com
Franklin to USMNT.
Gio was obviously not putting in the effort he should have been. How much of that was concern over his fitness issue and how much of that was him doggin' it because he was upset with his role is something none of us know. But with the players being unhappy about it, that says the behavior was bad enough. How exactly Gregg addressed Gio's role with him prior to the tournament and how that conversation even came about is also something we don't know: how typical is that and how appropriate is it? We don't know. Berhalter clearly had a difficult situation to deal with and I don't even it. He may have tried to cover for his player to the media and the player sort of did not follow along. It seems Gio apologized and repented to the team, so none of this should have come to light in public. That's the big issue I have with Gregg on the information we do have.
The fact that Yedlin and Long were having to talk to him prior to this and he still didn't do much is pretty crazy. People can hate on GB all they want to, but had he and his staff let him continue to pout while the players were already calling him out it would have been much worse in the long run. Some of this started with a scrimmage against a Qatari club apparently where he was dogging it and the US players on the field were upset with him. When you dog it so bad that the other subs are calling you out and you have to apologize to everyone at a WC, that is just crazy to me. It's the world cup and you have guys who have won it all breaking down over a W and L because it means so much to them. The other thing is when he didn't sub in against Wales apparently he tossed his shin guards in the air and that was what kind of broke the camels back and had him confronted yet again.
In terms of giving a guy a heads up that he may not play, I think it's absolutely common and usually a reason why is given for fringe staters. Formation changes, individual matchups....whatever reasons as to keep the player engaged as to why. As you said though, what words were spoken...we have no idea other than we know GB went to him ahead of time. These guys know when they are on the training ground who the starting 11 will be for the most part when they are walking through things on the pitch days prior. You aren't mixing and matching lineups usually a couple days before a match, you have an idea who your 11 will be, formation, and why. I notice the people that hated on GB no matter what are blaming him, yet overlooking Gio's part in all of this.
The babbling about tossing him under the bus is just stupid BS....it shouldn't have gotten out, but you should never have to tell a pro to step it up at the actual WC. The best thing about this like I said was Yedlin, Long, and the internal leaders(assuming Adams, McKennie, Pulisic here) of that team calling him out.....that is a good team environment addressing the issue. It's sets the bar and the expectations so that is in place whether or not they move on from GB. So kudos to that team and it's leaders most importantly. They all know now you have to tow the line no matter the name on your shirt. I have completely tuned out the irrational GB haters at this point, because any decent coach knows what a cancer this can be. Look at how Hag at MU and Santos for Portugal sat the ego known as Ronaldo down. You either nip it in the bud or you don't....but not doing anything is much worse.
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So this is where the story just doesn’t add up to me. He wasn’t going to play him because he was lazy, but all examples of laziness are after he was told he wasn’t going to play.
I’m not really defending Reyna, because he is immature. He is also just 20.
Further, I don’t care what Yedlin and Long have to say. Of course they love Berhalter, he put them in the team when they shouldn’t have been.
So if he told him that he was limited for whatever reason at all, it was ok or a reason for him to loaf. Got it...that's a brilliant take. When you --ck off so badly that your teammates are all calling you out at a World Cup in addition the staff (not just GB), that is on the player. Yes he is only 20, but he has been playing professionally for 3 years at the highest level and not always starting. He was brought up under a Dad who captained the US and Man City at one point....he knows better so stop with that nonsense. Yes 20 year olds have some growing up to do for sure, but this was the World Cup. Your comments about Yedlin and Long basically sum you up....total lack of class when it comes to anything GB related. They were barely going to play, knew that, and still had expectations of how to prepare like a professional. No need for me to try and discuss anything with someone so unhinged over GB. If they move on, great, but I have no need to discuss anything with you on this.
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Jimmy Conrad and Charlie Davies, as former national team players, spoke on this. They said that it would be unusual to see such conversations about a player's "limited" role prior to the tournament. Along the lines of what you wrote, they speculated that what may have happened was that Gio noticed something was a little off in the reps during training (which groups he was or was not placed in) and perhaps that led to a conversation of some sort. Again, speculation. But, they seemed surprised that a conversation as stated by Gio's camp occurred.
Personally, I find fault with the young player allowing his emotions to grip a hold of his disposition so much that it affected the way he carried himself on the training pitch and how he failed to see the bigger picture of the team (a large enough problem for teammates to address and for conversations to occur about sending him home). Player egos causing a stir on a team is nothing new, though, and he is young enough to learn and grow from this. I do feel bad for him, however, that what seemed like a situation that was dealt with privately within the team got leaked to the public—and how the manager was a part of the leak vector. That is also quite disappointing. Two things can be true at once: the player's poor attitude and actions started this all and continued to cause a problem within the team for a time, and the manager did not handle the situation well after their WC was over.
I have vouched for a new manager to take over the next cycle before (even if we have to wait until 2024), and now I'm even more so in that camp after this all came to light.
This has no bearing on him going or staying with me. If you follow any major Euro club, leaks and BS always gets out when something isn't right. It's not supposed to, but it does so that is why I said nothing is ever off the record.
If those in power are sending our feelers and feel they have a better or more mature option for HC, hopefully they do go that route. The one thing I pump the breaks on is some US fans in particular over value our team 10 fold and the pool of HC's that they imagine will come knocking down the door may not be what they like or think it would be. Maybe since the team is young and the core of it will be back more options will be there, but I'm not so positive the list out there will be as deep as many think for the US job.
Speaking of Davies, here is his take on this.
“No matter how talented an individual is, if they have this attitude, if they walk around and huff and puff and treat people with disrespect and don’t work hard, it’s a big message if this coach play this player. It takes away from his quality on the pitch.”
“If he carries himself like that, every player is going to be like ‘man this kid is entitled as sh*t, I’m not playing with this guy’ and it’s a trickle down effect. That’s how you lose [the locker room].”
“From talking to people there, I can tell you this. Gregg Berhalter earned a lot of respect from the guys because he didn’t play Gio Reyna.”
That last little bit would be the biggest reason he does come back. You have some ex-players in power there and I imagine they will reach out to the core players through the back channels to at least feel them out on a move either way.
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The same issue was discussed last cycle in regards to the limited pool US Soccer could choose from. However, US Soccer by many accounts also artificially limited the pool even further on their own criteria. The Klinsmann Experience™ really made a big impact on the philosophy behind hiring the next guy.
We're not getting the world's elite (in fact, almost no national teams do because it's not the pinnacle of the coaching world), but there are more options to look at if US Soccer has a broader approach than they evidently used last time. The journalists who wrote The Athletic article on this, who are obviously connected through their sources, felt that this incident does not help Gregg's chances for re-hire, though it may not be damaging to the point of preventing it either. Personally, I want new ideas and a fresh perspective on player pool evals, but if I had to bet right now I would say US Soccer will retain Berhalter.
