United States Finish

Clevo2118 · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:08 am

Where does everyone think the United States will end up in Germany? Our squad is pretty inconsistent and our coach is pretty much an idiot in my opinion, not on the level with Souness, but just a little bit better. He seems to find favor on the side of age and experience rather than youth and talent. It is true that he does give loads of time to our better known players like Donovan (who is crap by the way), Beasley (a really good player), and Convey (overrated beyond imagination) but there is a lot of belief in this country that we've better players than Donovan and Convey but Bruce Arena (the US Manager) continues to play them because they are our most popular and recognized players. They were the original "Golden Children" of the American game. The sport is still incredibly small over here with Convey and Donovan pretty much the poster boys. It parallels the SWP, Beckham controversy in some ways as there are a decent amount of fans who would favor SWP over Becks. However, I feel that we will do well enough, probably make the quarters depending on our group.

Big Jono · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:35 am

I got a question. Will Freddy Adu play for the USA when he is ready? Or will he play for the country he came from, cant remember it at the moment.

Oh yea, and i would say first round, sorry.

The General · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 8:03 am

Have they qualified already - will they actually get there?

Clevo2118 · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 5:25 am

Adu will play for the United States when he is ready. He has turned out for our under 21's which if I understand correctly pretty means he is now stuck with us. However, his development seems to have slowed a bit and many around him are claiming he wants to play overseas where soccer matters as opposed to here where practically no one pays attention to it with the exception of our immigrant population. As for qualification we have not officially qualified yet but are in the drivers seat and will qualify unless we begin losing to countries like Canada or Trinidad and Tobago 10-0. From our region it tends to be the United States, Mexico, and some random Latin American team.

Caz · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 8:21 am

He can still play for another country if he has only played at U21 level.

The General · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 8:34 am

Where was he born then?

Big Jono · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 3:33 pm

Freddy Adu was born on June 02, 1989 in Tema, Ghana.

The wonders of Google eh?

The General · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 3:42 pm

Class thanks!

He should be playing alonside Essien then really!

Surely he should think on!

Clevo2118 · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 5:44 pm

Why do you feel he should play for Ghana rather than the United States?

oranjepalooza · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 6:54 pm

Well, since following the U.S. National team since the old NASL days I've seen many players and coaches come and go. I'm not ready to bash Arena as a coach, but I will say I believe he's taking the team as far as he can. I t would be nice to get a coach with a bit more knowledge of the game itself and more experience with the game world wide. But his record does speak for itself, he's done an admirable job with the players he's had. No, I won't 'have a go at him'.

I probably am in the minority with this comment, but I feel that anytime an American player has the chance to go abroad and play or be groomed that he's missing out on a big chance to improve himself. Eddie Pope turned down an offer early in his career and while he's turned out to be a good defender, one has to wonder what his game might have been otherwise. Landon Donovan, a very sore subject with me. While he never got time at Leverkusen, there might have been a good reason, like the players in front of him were as good or maybe even better? He would have benefited from possibly going to the Dutch league or EPL, where many of our players have gone and improved and refined there game. I have nothing against the MLS, it's given many players a chance to get better and play for the U.S.
But at the same time, once they have 'peaked out' it's time to move on to the next level, and many find it to comfortable being the big name players of the MLS and collecting there paychecks. Kudos� to Beasley, McBride, Howard, O'Brien, Reyna Friedel, Harkes and others who took advantage of that opportunity and improved there game. Believe me, I could go on for days about this subject, and again it's not about the MLS being 2nd rate, it's about wanting to challenge you and get better. Enough...

Lastly, Adu is nothing more 'at this time' than an exceptional highly skilled player for his young age. He finds it hard to get 90 minutes with DC United, why? Many people scratch there heads on that one. He has to better himself in being more consistent, he had a horrendous youth tourney in Holland recently and admitted it himself. One can only wonder where he would be at now if those teams (Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Ajax, Juventus, Chelsea, Internationale and Arsenal) that tried to lure him over had succeeded. PSV has there eye on him since his girlfriend is Dutch and lives there, it will be interseting to see what becomes of that. And finally, he's has always stated that he's a U.S. player and will play for the U.S.

Big Jono · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2005 12:42 am

I think playing for the USA is a good way for him to repay the kindness and hospitality of the USA which has taken him and his mother in from a country with its share of troubles, like many African countries.

Paracetamol · Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 11:17 am

Still Cobi Jones plays with the national team U.S.??
In affirmative case it would be his 5th World Cup and ties Carvajal and M�tthaus record

Responding the poll, I think USA will pass first round, but no more that quarter final (like Spain Sad

)
Actually USA is better team than USA team of Italy`90 or France`98

oranjepalooza · Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 2:45 pm

no, Cobi hasn't been chosen for awhile now. He's a bit 'long in the tooth', as they say. He still plays for the L.A. Galaxy and is very much a contributer, so he still has some gas in the tank, but not enough for International competition, and he would be limited to spot play anyway and you don't want to fill a roster spot on someone who will play 10 minutes every now and then.

I'm not sure where the U.S. will finish, I suspect some of the players currently playing in the qualifying rounds may not be in Germany, so it's hard to project. We would be delighted with a finish to match the last WC.

jamieg · Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 6:41 pm

Jesus! Freddy Adu is only 4 months and 26 days older than me! Shocked

biss_craig · Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 7:33 pm

Ive heard that Freddy Adu is not living up to his expectation, but i have seen videos of him and he looks amazing for how young he is, any of the Americans tell me how good he is?

oranjepalooza · Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 7:47 pm

He's good for his age, possesses much talent and skills, but his body needs to mature as well as his game. Sometimes he appears to be over matched; he had a terrible tourney this year for the U.S. in Holland and was far from our best player. Much pressure has been heaped upon him as the next (?) U.S. star, and he could very well be it. Still needs to play 90 minutes for his MLS team, and while he's currently got a knock even when healthy the coach seems to not start him. I for one, and I know others as well think he should have went abroad to a bigger European club and learned there at there football schools and progressing thru the ranks, but that�s just an opinion. Maybe he will be ready for Germany, but he's currently not getting picked for the National side......Time will tell.... Wink

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