My Take on USA- Belgium
What a ride. What an emotional, heart-wrenching, inspired performance. Thank you US Mens National Team for your effort and your heart.
That is my first reaction.
I wouldn’t say my second reaction is cynical, but it is overwhelmingly frustrated. It can be summed up in one sentence, “Boys, keep the ball.”
Our main man Jurgen has known this all along. No possession equals no chance of victory. No matter what. I am not talking Barcelona four-thousand passes possession; I am talking the basic ability to relieve pressure and switch the point of attack. It is disappointing because this technical ability leads to a much more interesting tactical game. It becomes “how” can I break down a defense as opposed to “holy shit Tim Howard please make 17 saves.”
Belgium, Ghana, and Germany all completed dominated our men. I am waiting for, no, praying for the day when the United States team can take the game to a worthy opponent and match them technically. I am not the only person to feel this way. What this train of thought always brings me to is to youth soccer development.
I grew up playing soccer at the “elite” club level in America. I lived through the days of the USYSA’s state, regional, and national championships. I participated in the amazingly inefficient olympic development program that was truly atrocious at identifying youth talent at the state level. I was very successful in these club and ODP systems and went to play division I college soccer in the ACC. I slugged through the physical college game, failed to balance my school work and my athletic commitments, and stopped playing soccer.
What amazes me about this US Men’s team is that they have managed some sort of success in spite of America’s jokingly ineffective youth development programs. This generation of players all came through this ODP/ club/ high school/ college pipeline. The lucky ones grew up in Europe, but a majority of them slugged through the USYSA. It’s amazing that any of those players can compete on the global stages against opposing athletes that have had such better training than we have.
I know this is changing. The Nike Academy has attempted to marry youth development with professional clubs. This is a huge step forwards. If MLS can expand to all parts of the country, the professional clubs could identify and develop precocious talent. As of now, way too many players are slipping through the gaps. This system could be even strengthened if the MLS develops a partnership with lower leagues, allowing smaller teams to increase the number of young players that get an opportunity.
The point is this. Our players have accomplished an amazing amount given the challenges they faced developing as soccer players, and I hope the future is bright(er) than what we have watched through America’s young soccer history. Well done lads, and may you continue to inspire a new generation of players for years to come.
