While most people will say the United States Men’s team not qualifying for the 2018 World Cup Tournament in Russia is a complete shock there were plenty of warning signs regarding the teams’ performance on the field and the US Soccer Federations performance off the field.
The end result of a broken and archaic model was the elimination of the USMNT because they were unable to win or at the very least get a tie in their 2-1 loss to Trinidad & Tobago. First the game. The U.S team did not play with urgency or
First the game. The U.S team did not play with urgency or concentration from the moment the opening whistle blew. That lack of concentration cost them in the 17minute when Trinidad & Tobago’s Alvin Jones intended pass for Shahdon Winchester went beyond his reach and the ball ricocheted off Omar Gonzalez’s outstretched foot and into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead
The home side made it 2-0 in the 36 minute when Jones right-footed a shot from 30 yards out that beat USA goalkeeper. I addition to Howard being out of position for no apparent reason, Jones was left unmarked and had all the time he wanted to tee up the game winner.
USA wonder kid Christian Pulisic gave the team hope when he narrowed the deficit to just one goal when he ripped through the T& T defense and scored on a right shot that beat T& T goalkeeper Adrian Foncette.
While the US came close to equalizing in the 69th minute and 77th minute on consecutive Clint Dempsey attempts the end result was a disappointing result for a team that had no creativity when it mattered. The US inability to play intricate, precision, possession soccer in the middle third of the field is what cost them a trip to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
While there is a cost to fielding a soccer academy or club, the pay to play model has left out the underprivileged populations. Once you are left out of an elite soccer club’s academy the door is shut for life. So those talented youth with less never get a chance to participate and the talent pool for US soccer is the same type of youth.
Once a youth is left out of an elite soccer club’s academy the door is shut for life. So those talented youth with less economic resources never get a chance to participate and the talent pool for US soccer is the same type of youth. The pay to play model had good intentions and its time to change the model by having more accessibility for all youth.
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER and US SOCCER PARTNERSHIP
The reality is that MLS is a great domestic league that has made its mark on the American sporting landscape. What MLS is not is a league where young players can horn their skills on an international level. MLS styles is more about power, force and not so much about creativity, style, and open field play. The English Premier League, LaLiga League1, and the Bundesliga are domestic leagues that promote wide open creative play by their teams.
The English Premier League, LaLiga League1, and the Bundesliga are domestic leagues that promote wide open creative play by their teams. The leagues quality of play enables homegrown players participating in these leagues to become proficient and ready to shine when they receive National team duty.
In order for MLS to join the elite leagues, MLS will need to increase each teams salary cap so more talented players will play in the league and not over the hill superstars who are looking for a nice country to live while they play a little bit of soccer. Once young creative and well-paid players participate in the MLS the
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