(10-11-2017 09:45 AM)DefCONNOne Wrote:  

(10-11-2017 12:18 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(10-10-2017 10:17 PM)DefCONNOne Wrote:  

(10-10-2017 10:15 PM)PurpleReigns Wrote:  

(10-10-2017 10:09 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  It is amazing that the world’s richest and third most populated country with diverse demographics failed to make soccer’s premiere event. From a non soccer fan perspective, it is evidence that soccer has not yet caught on in the USA to the extent the sport produces sufficient talent to enter the event without drama (assuming talent matters in soccer). It looks to me that USA soccer regressed today.

And from a soccer fan you are talking out of your ass. We probably have the most talented athletes in the world but they are funneled into Football, basketball, and baseball because of our country’s pay to play system for soccer. You have to be rich in this country if you want to become a top soccer prospect where as the other three sports you can just play no matter what. Until we scrap pay to play instances like this will likely start to increase.

Nope sorry it's all "that damn MLS's" fault!!

The blame lies at US Soccer's feet almost entirely (Well, a heaping portion goes at the feet of the current players, who looked disinterested tonight) but MLS is not completely innocent here.

MLS has done an amazing job overhauling the rosters of Panama and Honduras. I will give them that. Unfortunately what MLS didn't do was come to an agreement with US Soccer to end this ridiculous pay to play concept. Instead they saw money and worked a deal to funnel top players into their own academies. US Soccer in turn makes zero attempt to encourage young players to move to Europe when the opportunity is given to try and improve their level. Instead we get to here hogwash about how its better to play in MLS than it is to sit on the bench in the Bundesliga or Premier League. We criminally ignore the 2nd tier of English Football, which is still better than MLS and provides at worst regular chances in cup matches to play against Europe's elite.

Think about this. The best player on this team BY FAR, had to leave the US at the age of 15, move to Germany, finish High School in Germany, and train there to improve to where he is now. And he's really only playing Soccer because his parents had the money and access to put him on a soccer field at a young age.

Until we provide the same opportunity for poor players to learn and play the game as the rich and elite do, US Soccer's only hope at growth will be a once in a generation player who we then have to hope is willing to move overseas at a young age and develop and train with similarly talented athletes so he is tested against the best of the sport, and learns.

Want to win a World Cup? Hell, want to be competitive against freaking Mexico again? We have to blow US Soccer the hell up, and start all over.

The thing is, is that 99.7% of the reasons I've seen for missing the WC falls at the feet of MLS...and only MLS. Sure there have been some shots at Gulati and Arena (mostly Gulati), but to a man it's that damn MLS's fault!

Personally, I think the MLS academy structure is helping the talent pool in a way that USSF simply won't do because they like money more than making progress...well now that they don't have the WC revenue they're used to specifically because of the pay-to-play issues that we've talked about for years, maybe they'll make a change. I put way more of this on USSF, Arena's dependency on tactics that were killed off in the last decade, the USMNT players showing no desire and thinking things should be handed to them, and Gulati's desire to increase the coffers over the talent of US Soccer.