He was just "officially" hired yesterday. I think his first coaching duty will be in October.
USA soccer
- Thread starter gobigbluebell
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Will be interesting to see outcome of Man City's "trial" over financial violations - spending more than allowed on players. I don't pretend to know what the rules are other than the winningest clubs spend the most. Reading it could get them relegated from the EPL.
Poch's first job is to create competition in the squad. We've had a chosen 11 that predates the last World Cup. The performances have dropped considerably because they're not fighting for their places.
We have plenty of talent to do better than we've done. We have plenty of talent to get out of the group stages a good portion of the time in most tournaments we enter.
I’m sure glad they got him they are paying a good price for him $6 million a year.
He doesn't throw the ball downfield enough. Run run run.... that's all these guys do on the pitch. So boring. Who cares if we make a lower tier bowl game every year.... He's overpaid
Attended US Women's National Team vs Iceland match last night at Q2 Stadium. After a 1-1 tie, USWNT closed out with 2 goals during 85' and 88' minute to win 3-1. Ladies looked great. Both teams play again Sunday in Nashville.
Attended US Women's National Team vs Iceland match last night at Q2 Stadium. After a 1-1 tie, USWNT closed out with 2 goals during 85' and 88' minute to win 3-1. Ladies looked great. Both teams play again Sunday in Nashville.
I'm looking forward to seeing them in Louisville.
Euros don't know how to do soccer for profit. They just eat each other up.
"........it might be yet another factor bringing Europe closer to the American way of doing sports.
The irony here, given the U.S.’s self-proclaimed ethos of economic laissez-faire, is that its elite competitions, such as the National Football League and the National Basketball Association, have strong mechanisms to rebalance the stakes in favor of the worst performers. In Europe, the cradle of the welfare state, clubs have been mostly unconstrained."
"........ modern American sports were top-down commercial endeavors from very early on. In 1876, the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs pioneered the for-profit, closed league granting teams exclusive rights to operate in a city or region. Franchisees invest big money with the knowledge that their team won’t get relegated, but are usually forced to split revenues from national broadcast deals equally, and often operate under some form of salary cap that benefits the weaker teams. In the NFL, players get a fixed share—roughly 48%—of the league’s revenue through a collective-bargaining agreement.
Draft systems give the worst teams first pick of promising college or high-school players. Stars can later switch clubs, but usually do so as free agents or as part of a trade for another player.
In Europe, by contrast, clubs bring youngsters up and hold players under contract until a rival pays a transfer fee. This leads the rich to hog all the talent, be it by buying it like Real Madrid or by generating it at their academy like Barcelona.
Yet European clubs often operate at a loss. In an industry of superperformers, that laissez-faire approach leads to a kind of Marxist paradise: Labor has all the power over capital, and windfalls end up in the pockets of stars and intermediaries............ financial performance in soccer comes at the expense of sporting success."
“In Europe, everyone’s priority is to win matches—there is no understanding that we are selling a unified product,” said Xavi Puyada, chief financial officer of the EuroLeague, the Continent’s top club basketball competition."
"....many American investors who have scooped up clubs across the Atlantic—including RedBird Capital Partners, Clearlake Capital and, more recently, Inter Milan’s Oaktree Capital Management—are running them in a way more akin to U.S. franchises. They fixate on profit, debt management, revenue generation and data-driven analyses of the game,"
This is why MLS will never go the relegation route. Owners in it to make money & the product quality be damned as long as it's balanced ex a few name players.
"........it might be yet another factor bringing Europe closer to the American way of doing sports.
The irony here, given the U.S.’s self-proclaimed ethos of economic laissez-faire, is that its elite competitions, such as the National Football League and the National Basketball Association, have strong mechanisms to rebalance the stakes in favor of the worst performers. In Europe, the cradle of the welfare state, clubs have been mostly unconstrained."
"........ modern American sports were top-down commercial endeavors from very early on. In 1876, the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs pioneered the for-profit, closed league granting teams exclusive rights to operate in a city or region. Franchisees invest big money with the knowledge that their team won’t get relegated, but are usually forced to split revenues from national broadcast deals equally, and often operate under some form of salary cap that benefits the weaker teams. In the NFL, players get a fixed share—roughly 48%—of the league’s revenue through a collective-bargaining agreement.
Draft systems give the worst teams first pick of promising college or high-school players. Stars can later switch clubs, but usually do so as free agents or as part of a trade for another player.
In Europe, by contrast, clubs bring youngsters up and hold players under contract until a rival pays a transfer fee. This leads the rich to hog all the talent, be it by buying it like Real Madrid or by generating it at their academy like Barcelona.
Yet European clubs often operate at a loss. In an industry of superperformers, that laissez-faire approach leads to a kind of Marxist paradise: Labor has all the power over capital, and windfalls end up in the pockets of stars and intermediaries............ financial performance in soccer comes at the expense of sporting success."
“In Europe, everyone’s priority is to win matches—there is no understanding that we are selling a unified product,” said Xavi Puyada, chief financial officer of the EuroLeague, the Continent’s top club basketball competition."
"....many American investors who have scooped up clubs across the Atlantic—including RedBird Capital Partners, Clearlake Capital and, more recently, Inter Milan’s Oaktree Capital Management—are running them in a way more akin to U.S. franchises. They fixate on profit, debt management, revenue generation and data-driven analyses of the game,"
This is why MLS will never go the relegation route. Owners in it to make money & the product quality be damned as long as it's balanced ex a few name players.
I agree that the MLS likely will never move to pro/rel......unless........
....the USL has discussed pro/rel for a while now. If the the USL and smaller leagues were to move to pro/rel.....and it were to succeed......I think you could see a trickle up effect to the MLS. Or "perhaps" a league could pass the MLS.
I think the bigger question would be, would it really matter that much? When discussing pro/rel, there are 2 very vocal extremes. There are those people who just don't think it matters a lot and those people who are FANATICAL about how important it is. I'm a rather pragmatic centrist on this topic. I think it absolutely can help elevate the sport and improve the quality of play and development. However, I don't think that it's so unbelievably important that it must occur in order for us to be relevant on the world stage.
That's the point. We have pro/rel in the youth system.....and if we get it in the tiers of the USL system.......theoretically it could filter up to MLS eventually.
The biggest current problem with MLS is the Apple TV deal. The acquisition of Messi is the best thing that has happened to MLS, possibly ever, and he has largely been hidden behind a pay wall.
Everyone knows that's how it should be...and it'd ultimately be in the interested of the MLS. Risk averse owners aren't ever gonna let it happen though.
Really, it should happen with all pro sports in America, but I dont see it.
Owners paid for their franchises & have locked in profits. Why would they ever give that up? Call it risk adverse. I call smart business - vs. the Euro pro/rel system that reduces profits - as I posted above. That's why top clubs there wan their "Super League" - no pro/rel. Me, I like the NFL/NBA/NHL/MLS socialist systems to the extent I like any pro sports.
You call it smart. I call it short sighted.
What is true is that some MLS owners might lose money. What is also true is that without grassroots interest in soccer, the MLS will remain a 2 bit league limited to niche fans.
If they actually want to grow the sport, you embrace a promotion / relegation model. That's how you take it from a cute little retirement league to a league that people care about. USL is the biggest professional league in America in terms of franchises. Imagine the interest if each of those cities were vying for a spot in the majors -- from Lexington to Phoenix to Richmond to Louisville to San Antonio to Birmingham to freaking somewhere in Montana.
Yes. that means a Chicago FC might be relegated. It also means the viewership for Miami vs Seattle goes beyond a fragment of each of those markets & penetrates a national consciousness.
I, for one, look forward to the day when the monopoly of major American cities in pro sports fails outright. I hate it. I literally protest all pro sports due to it. But NBA, NFL, MLB...okay...they have precedent for their ****** systems. Why the MLS is trying to fit a square into a circle is beyond me. You want real interest? Look at what Europe is doing with the sport.
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Yes, just in time to compete with the NFL, NBA, World Series, College Football, NHL, etc!
So you don't think MLS is growing between they number of franchises added over the last 01 years to the cost going one going from like $100M to over a $500M? Look how attendance has grown.
MLS owners don't want to lose money like clubs in Europe do. You apparently didn't read the article where Euro owners are trying to figure out how to make more, or in many cases, some money. Euro fans like their clubs while they lose money. OK for them. You apparently like the concept of MLS owners losing money.
No one gives a **** about the MLS outside of niche soccer fans in MLS markets and watching Lionel Messi. It's a traveling Messi circus.
As for the owners, as stated, yes, some could lose money, but in the bigger picture the pie grows by several magnitudes. That's why it's shortsighted. And are you saying you are in favor of a European Super League that bypasses national leagues? Why is it that the fans across all the clubs rise up in protest at the thought? The owners want to emulate the backwards model of the US pro sports. They think it's in their interest, but meanwhile, the amount of actually fans for it is like .5%.
Americans are so conditioned to this model that it's not ever challenged.
I agree vhcats. The MLS continues to grow. And it doesn't have to have pro/rel in order to be international relevant some day.......though it probably would help to some extent.
My thing about pro/rel is that it really brings out the extremists. One side views it as not being able to move the needle at all......and the other side viewing it as the answer to all our questions. It's odd how something like this can polarize people.
My thing about pro/rel is that it really brings out the extremists. One side views it as not being able to move the needle at all......and the other side viewing it as the answer to all our questions. It's odd how something like this can polarize people.
That’s because it’s bigger than sports to some degree. The beauty of an open system is that it promotes local communities and truly rewards success rather than the monopolistic mindset and talent socialism implemented by the closed pro model .
Well, yes, kinda......but there's obvious reasons for this. The MLS is an infant league who has only been around a few decades compared to juggernauts who have been around for more than a century. Plus, if you are in country *insert any country in Europe/Asia/SA/Africa* and your #1 sport is soccer, why would you tune in to the MLS over any of the other major leagues? These places just have better choices much closer to home.
As far as other countries not giving a ****.....well, that's changing as well. The MLS has risen....and continues to rise.....on the world's rankings for leagues. I was just listening to a major Spanish football podcast ranking the world's leagues and they had 2 of the 4 pundits who rated the MLS within their top 12 leagues worldwide.......the other 2 said they were top 15. They said that the MLS has definitely improved over the last 10+ yrs.
Now, with that being said, as the MLS rises the world rankings it'll run against leagues that are increasingly harder to pass.....so, there'll certainly be some hard obstacles ahead.
I agree. I too think the pro/rel system is beneficial. My only issue is that people that are passionate about it are often SUUUUUUUUPER OvER tHE ToP. As if changing this one set up will cure everything.
Being from Louisville definitely is a huge reason I feel passionate about it. We are the minor league capital of the world. Louisville City dominates the USL every season. At least for Lou City, we aren’t a development team for some major team, which makes it a little bit more enjoyable, but minor league baseball is a joke. All minor league sports are a joke. They are there to feed the major team. No player wants to be there. It’s not even about winning. What’s the point?
I want to care about pro sports, but I have zero interest in them because I have no reason to care. I think there is huge swath of the population in a similar boat.
I don't care if there's a SL in Euro or not. The owners not making money & it all going to buy players is why the owners care about it.
Like the US model or not, it works for the owners & the draft systems work for the fans of the franchises.
Been a while since we had anything to talk about with USA Soccer. Had to go back 13 pages to find this thread.
The Boys Under 20 World Cup is going on in Chile right now and today the USA spanked France 3-0. This is in the group stage and they will more than likely win the group. They play South Africa Sunday at 4pm on FS2.
Have watched both games they have played so far, and let me tell you, the future looks bright. Seeing some great one on one play, great passing, speed and toughness. I have rarely seen all of that from any American team and I have been watching soccer for 50 years. They have moves like a South American team and toughness like a European team. Very entertaining from these young men.
The Boys Under 20 World Cup is going on in Chile right now and today the USA spanked France 3-0. This is in the group stage and they will more than likely win the group. They play South Africa Sunday at 4pm on FS2.
Have watched both games they have played so far, and let me tell you, the future looks bright. Seeing some great one on one play, great passing, speed and toughness. I have rarely seen all of that from any American team and I have been watching soccer for 50 years. They have moves like a South American team and toughness like a European team. Very entertaining from these young men.
I don't doubt the future looks bright. It's always the future though.
This was supposed to be a golden age. A lot of guys never physically matured, The Aronsen's, some mentally, Reyna, some broke down and others fell by the wayside.
So turns out the South Africa game was a who gives a crap game.
How about a 3-0 win against Italy in the elimination round.
Probably 60-40 possession in favor of Italy, but the best scoring chances where by the USA. And a Roberto Carlos free kick Golazzo.
Will play the winner of Morocco and South Korea next. If they win will meet the winner of France/Norway. Very good chance to reach the finals.
How about a 3-0 win against Italy in the elimination round.
Probably 60-40 possession in favor of Italy, but the best scoring chances where by the USA. And a Roberto Carlos free kick Golazzo.
Will play the winner of Morocco and South Korea next. If they win will meet the winner of France/Norway. Very good chance to reach the finals.
People who invest in a business want to be rewarded on their investment. Franchises better protect that investment than survival of the fittest. Survival mode benefits only the richest whether they make anything or not. It's an ego thing. I don't get why those that are so hungry for such a system don't invest in such. Nothing stopping them.
Well the run ends with a 3-1 loss to Morocco. 3 flukey *** goals and a clueless goalkeeper.
Morocco sat back on defense and used a handful of opportunities to fast break and made the US pay.
Not sure what the US goalie was thinking on the third goal that put it away. He was outside the box trying to be a defender when he should have stayed in front of his goal. Terrible decision.
Still liked what I mostly saw from this young squad, but as usual, as the stakes get higher outside of CONCACAF, the team remembers it has USA on the front of their jersey.
Morocco sat back on defense and used a handful of opportunities to fast break and made the US pay.
Not sure what the US goalie was thinking on the third goal that put it away. He was outside the box trying to be a defender when he should have stayed in front of his goal. Terrible decision.
Still liked what I mostly saw from this young squad, but as usual, as the stakes get higher outside of CONCACAF, the team remembers it has USA on the front of their jersey.
Wynder or whatever his name is on defense had 2 own goals in the WC. A sure fire call-up for Pocchetino now.