Germany v USA

[Golden Bear]

Good game on BT Sport. 1-1 nearing half time. The Americans are becoming a force to reckon with in world football.

[KWJ]

Definitely. They will always have a large portion that doesn't take it seriously but there's more than enough committed fans and professionals alike. Good bit by the bbc the other day. It's taken over NHL, which is surprising but it'll be different across the country.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32956824

[Dashing Bob S]

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Good game on BT Sport. 1-1 nearing half time. The Americans are becoming a force to reckon with in world football.

They will never be a serious force in football. They are fit and organized but don't understand the poetry of the game. They will qualify as a weak team from a weak region and fight valiantly in the finals, but are incapable of taking the step up in class to serious challenge.

[HibeesLA]

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They will never be a serious force in football. They are fit and organized but don't understand the poetry of the game. They will qualify as a weak team from a weak region and fight valiantly in the finals, but are incapable of taking the step up in class to serious challenge.

Yet they have progressed further in the World Cup than Scotland, unfortunately.
The U.S. is starting to understand the game. It is obviously a desirable place for immigrants, and many of those bring with them the passion for the game that may be missing from many older generation Americans. That is being translated to the kids who are now following the English Premiership on NBC, the Champions League on FOX, as well as Italian, French games on other networks, not to mention the central and South American games on offer.
It will take a while yet, but through organizations like the AYSO (American youth soccer organization) that has parent/coaches from all over the world, that passion and poetry is slowly being ingrained in the U.S.

[mikewynne]

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They will never be a serious force in football. They are fit and organized but don't understand the poetry of the game. They will qualify as a weak team from a weak region and fight valiantly in the finals, but are incapable of taking the step up in class to serious challenge.

Now there is an easy generalisation of 320M plus people in one of the most diverse countries in the world.

[weonlywon6-2]

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They will never be a serious force in football. They are fit and organized but don't understand the poetry of the game. They will qualify as a weak team from a weak region and fight valiantly in the finals, but are incapable of taking the step up in class to serious challenge.

Beating Holland and Germany is a good start.
If England had just done that can you imagine the media

[Bay Area Hibees]

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They will never be a serious force in football. They are fit and organized but don't understand the poetry of the game. They will qualify as a weak team from a weak region and fight valiantly in the finals, but are incapable of taking the step up in class to serious challenge.

Seriously?
So assume you judge Scotland as not being a serious force, perhaps never have been?
usa have reached round of 16 several times, theyll get to at least quarters in next 2 WC.
already 4th best supported domestic league in the world, albeit tint compared to big 3.
wish we had chance to be anything as strong but 5m vs. 300m it will never happen.

[PeeJay]

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They will never be a serious force in football. They are fit and organized but don't understand the poetry of the game. They will qualify as a weak team from a weak region and fight valiantly in the finals, but are incapable of taking the step up in class to serious challenge.

The "weak" team has just deservedly beaten the world champions in Köln and it also beat Holland in Amsterdam 4-3 recently ... they played some decent football last night too, Bradley in particular ...

[Sylar]

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They will never be a serious force in football. They are fit and organized but don't understand the poetry of the game. They will qualify as a weak team from a weak region and fight valiantly in the finals, but are incapable of taking the step up in class to serious challenge.

What does that even mean?!

All every coach, fan and player wants is athletic fitness, good organisation, an ability to do the basics and win football games. We pass the ball well, chase well, create chances and score some great goals.

I agree that we're in a weak qualifying region but we would qualify from a European equivalent group IMO. The available facilities are amongst some of the best in the world and it's a growing sport - it'll never outstrip the big 4 in terms of popularity but it continues to grow and as a result & so does the team.

[easty]

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They will never be a serious force in football. They are fit and organized but don't understand the poetry of the game. They will qualify as a weak team from a weak region and fight valiantly in the finals, but are incapable of taking the step up in class to serious challenge.

You've had quite a few bites to this one DBS.

[Golden Bear]

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You've had quite a few bites to this one DBS.

Sometimes I wonder what happened to the real DBS who used to post on here.

[calumhibee1]

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What does that even mean?!

All every coach, fan and player wants is athletic fitness, good organisation, an ability to do the basics and win football games. We pass the ball well, chase well, create chances and score some great goals.

I agree that we're in a weak qualifying region but we would qualify from a European equivalent group IMO. The available facilities are amongst some of the best in the world and it's a growing sport - it'll never outstrip the big 4 in terms of popularity but it continues to grow and as a result & so does the team.

This. If USA played in the European qualifying groups they'd be in pot 1 IMO.

[nellio]

Klimsmann has done a great job and they are a very decent side these days. A lot of their players are from Germany where I believe the Americans have a few milirary bases so they were prought up with German football as teenagers and are now good quality internationbal players.

As for "not understanding the poetry of the game" you will probably get American NFL fans saying the same thing about the NFL going for a London franchise. "they dont understand the art of "football" the game they like is soccer" is probably the equivalent comment where as in reality a lot (literally thousands and thousands) of NFL fans un the UK watch and enjoy the game and a very knowlegable about it so a pretty narrow minded comment in my view. I would certainly be offended if an American suggested I didnt undertand american football.

[essexhibee]

That Michael Bradley is a player

[Phil MaGlass]

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They will never be a serious force in football. They are fit and organized but don't understand the poetry of the game. They will qualify as a weak team from a weak region and fight valiantly in the finals, but are incapable of taking the step up in class to serious challenge.

Thats what people used to think about France.

[Brightside]

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They will never be a serious force in football. They are fit and organized but don't understand the poetry of the game. They will qualify as a weak team from a weak region and fight valiantly in the finals, but are incapable of taking the step up in class to serious challenge.

The European influence at junior levels will improve that. Loads of Europeans are coaching in the states. Plenty money for well badged coaches in the states.

[Deansy]

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They will never be a serious force in football. They are fit and organized but don't understand the poetry of the game. They will qualify as a weak team from a weak region and fight valiantly in the finals, but are incapable of taking the step up in class to serious challenge.

Sorry but I disagree. I had the chance to take in some games over there 4-5 years ago. One was an u-17_final (can't remember the teams but the competition covered all the teams in USA) and the standards\levels were better than what I've witnessed here. The Yanks WILL become serious contenders in international football but if TV gives in (currently their football, baseball and basketball have the hold over TV) then their time will come even quicker.

[GreenCastle]

Posters must be deluded if they can't see the continued rise in american football (soccer).

The game in the US continues to grow rapidly - people participating, money involved, soccer specific stadiums, TV coverage etc.

They have already proved they can compete with the best teams and the product is on the rise.

Other sports in America will always be there but the landscape has been changing and the viewing figures and attendances for matches has proved this.

I would love to be where they are with league set up - good stadiums - atmosphere at stadiums - watching players like Villa and Kaka play with up and coming youth players.

You will see in the next 10-15 years the talent coming through and they will continue to qualify for tournaments and get out the group stages and furthur.

[Dashing Bob S]

Interesting responses, but ultimately futile. (Star Trek omnipotent alien/Roman centurion Hollywood voice.)

USA sport is centred on the notion of athletic performance measured statistically, dominated by sports science and the college system. Messi or Ronaldo would probably have been binned by that system as youths, 'too small, not team players' etc by the coaching staff. Flair is heavily proscribed by such a system, thus the cultural limitations manifest themselves on the playing field.

The other point is that soccer is far behind American football, baseball, basketball and hockey as a prestige professional sport in America. Kids play it, but as they develop, the more naturally gifted are hived off into those sports.

The USA has had some encouraging results against big teams, but those I liken to organised minnows playing in their personal cup final, after the dross of the North & Central American set up.

The only truly world class performances I have ever seen from American players have been from goalkeepers.

As hard as it is for those mother*****in as*holes to take, they are goddam losers at the only game that counts on the world stage - the beautiful game.

[Haymaker]

Having coached in the US I reckon they will be a decent top-8 side but I doubt they will ever win it. They will always develop decent standard of players that will be organised, strong and technical yet missing that vital spark.

Part of me thinks it is to do with the development system over there and the league set up structure. But at the same time I am not convinced.

[Dashing Bob S]

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Having coached in the US I reckon they will be a decent top-8 side but I doubt they will ever win it. They will always develop decent standard of players that will be organised, strong and technical yet missing that vital spark.

Part of me thinks it is to do with the development system over there and the league set up structure. But at the same time I am not convinced.

Agreed. You can't coach the vital spark, but you can coach it out or filter it out the system. They do not have the collective mindset to excel at association football. If they ever did win the World Cup (which they won't) it would be like Greece winning the Euro Nations, a one-off victory for freaky boresville.

[Haymaker]

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Agreed. You can't coach the vital spark, but you can coach it out or filter it out the system. They do not have the collective mindset to excel at association football. If they ever did win the World Cup (which they won't) it would be like Greece winning the Euro Nations, a one-off victory for freaky boresville.

To some extent yes, it can be coached out. However I saw some very talented young players who had "it" yet they went off to play Football or basketball at HS. One even went to play Lacrosse!

Still, they will become a very strong team, just not strong enough IMO.

[Gus]

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Beating Holland and Germany is a good start.
If England had just done that can you imagine the media

WOW we got to the 6th post before England was mentioned

[Golden Bear]

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Posters must be deluded if they can't see the continued rise in american football (soccer).

The game in the US continues to grow rapidly - people participating, money involved, soccer specific stadiums, TV coverage etc.

They have already proved they can compete with the best teams and the product is on the rise.

Other sports in America will always be there but the landscape has been changing and the viewing figures and attendances for matches has proved this.

I would love to be where they are with league set up - good stadiums - atmosphere at stadiums - watching players like Villa and Kaka play with up and coming youth players.

You will see in the next 10-15 years the talent coming through and they will continue to qualify for tournaments and get out the group stages and furthur.

Couldn't agree more. If Uncle Sam has the desire to win the World Cup then one day they surely will. The progress that they have made in the last 15-20 years has been astounding and there is absolutely no reason to think that they have already "peaked."

[JohnStephens91]

I think a lot of people underestimate the difficulty of qualifying from CONCACAF for the World Cup. Sides such as Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras and even the smaller nations such as Trinidad and Tobago, are all serious obstacles to overcome. The USA and Mexico are essentially the big fish in that pond, thus their achievements are unfairly dwarfed.

The USA have been improving. In my lifetime they have played in every single World Cup. 94, 98, 02, 06, 10 and 14, they of course qualified for 90 as well. They have also reached the quarter-finals, and advanced out the group stages - something Scotland have never done, so I don't understand Scottish folk giving the side a hard time.

I was fortunate to be at both games, interviewing Jurgen Klinsmann and for players I spoke to Aron Johannsson, Gyasi Zardes, DeAndre Yedlin and Michael Bradley in the process. Each of these players would undoubtedly get into the Scotland side - especially Yedlin and Bradley.

Here is my report from the game on Friday evening for anyone interested, it was obviously a 4-3 win against the Dutch, my one from Cologne should be up soon: http://www.howlermagazine.com/a-daring-escape/

[iwasthere1972]

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They will never be a serious force in football. They are fit and organized but don't understand the poetry of the game. They will qualify as a weak team from a weak region and fight valiantly in the finals, but are incapable of taking the step up in class to serious challenge.

Another post to reel them in.

I wouldn't be surprised if you photocopy fifty pound notes and leave them in strategic places, stand back and watch the innocent public thinking it was Christmas while they looked around to see if anybody was watching them before picking up the Wonga and realising that's it's a dud.

[Glasgow Hibee]

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Another post to reel them in.

I wouldn't be surprised if you photocopy fifty pound notes and leave them in strategic places, stand back and watch the innocent public thinking it was Christmas while they looked around to see if anybody was watching them before picking up the Wonga and realising that's it's a dud.

If this is a wind up, it's pretty pathetic way of anyone getting their jollies . And if it's not a wind up then it's bordering on racism - categorizing all the diverse people of huge country as the having the same traits.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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if it's not a wind up then it's bordering on racism - categorizing all the diverse people of huge country as the having the same traits.

Dearie me.

I hope thats a wind up in response to a previous wind up.

[easty]

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If this is a wind up, it's pretty pathetic way of anyone getting their jollies . And if it's not a wind up then it's bordering on racism - categorizing all the diverse people of huge country as the having the same traits.

Racism? You must be German....everyone German is very literal, with nae sense of humour.