USMNT

[SerenityNigh]

I'm playing my first game of the season today. If that's overweight, I'm proper fecked.

You might not make the national team, but you should still be ok.

 

[Elong]

You might not make the national team, but you should still be ok.

I'm still better than Jozy

 

[ilikecheese]

I'm convinced that this is all one massive mindf***

Talk about how you might be running a different system for every group stage match.

Intentionally play a bunch of people out of position.

Never get your full squad together for a match until the last minute.

Show no clear preferences to who's in the starting XI.

Boot the player that the rest of the world thinks is your best out of the roster.

Bring a bunch of players that everybody knows f*** all about.

This side has to be an absolute nightmare to scout. We have the very real possibility of Zusi playing left wing now. If you're Bento or Loew, where the hell are you going to find tape on that? If they've been following along with qualifying, they'd think that Evans and Beasley would be our fullbacks. Now, one isn't on the roster and the other is more likely to be subbed in as a midfielder.

I'm not convinced it goes that deep.

Initially, I was convinced that Jurgen had his sights on 2018...that was my gut reaction. Read a couple of articles shortly after that made me think I was right.

Now that I've had time to think on it, I'm thinking this is more about stamina and athleticism. Who are the best 23 players who can play footy for 90 odd minutes in sauna like conditions. Very easy to see a move away from older players when thinking about the venue. Work rate is our best attribute at the end of the day...we may not have the most technically gifted players, but we can outwork nearly everyone.

Am I giving myself the hard sell @Garrick @SerenityNigh?

 

[SerenityNigh]

I'm not convinced it goes that deep.

Initially, I was convinced that Jurgen had his sights on 2018...that was my gut reaction. Read a couple of articles shortly after that made me think I was right.

Now that I've had time to think on it, I'm thinking this is more about stamina and athleticism. Who are the best 23 players who can play footy for 90 odd minutes in sauna like conditions. Very easy to see a move away from older players when thinking about the venue. Work rate is our best attribute at the end of the day...we may not have the most technically gifted players, but we can outwork nearly everyone.

Am I giving myself the hard sell @Garrick @SerenityNigh?

Let me make it perfectly clear that I don't know what I'm talking about. Take my opinion at your own risk (you can apply that broadly). That said, I think that's a reasonable outlook, but in any case the narrative will be built in the open over the coming weeks. The story, whatever it is, won't be kept quiet for long.

 

[Kay20]

I wanted to come over here to see what the Evertonians thought.

Here's what I can tell you watching the LA Galaxy:
a) That picture is old, and biased in position. If you watch the ESPN special from this past week, hey look, 6 pack! The taker of the actual photo is the LA Galaxy reporter - who has since reported that any claims about him being fat are inaccurate. The fitness manager for the team also said that LD was having no problems with fitness in camp, and Landon himself said he was placing at the top of the tests. I can tell you in watching him play 90 for the last two months that there are zero problems with his fitness. And if you're going to tell me Brad freaking Davis can beat him in a foot race you need meds.

b) Although he has not finished in goals this year so far, he remains one of the top chance creators for the league. Something the USMNT team needs. His form in LA is good enough to at the very least make him an impact sub.

c) Don't believe me? In the last calendar year in all competitions Landon Donovan has more chances created (130+) than the entire rest of the forward corps (including Clint Dempsey) COMBINED. He has TRIPLE the next best player. #2 in goals.

d) In his last game for the LA Galaxy Bruce Arena called him "the best player on the pitch." Bruce is not one to mince words. This is proved out by the chalkboard from the game. His form has looked better and better in LA, and too much has been made of the Mexico game with a tendonitis knee. His form was improving - and his passing was still class.

He should be in the 23. This is bullsh*t.

If you haven't watched Jurgen's rah rah speech after the roster go check out the video on ESPN. Never seen a glummer bunch. The next two weeks are going to be fascinating.

Personally, I want Jurgen gone yesterday for his utter lack of man management skills. I hated him months ago, and this cemented it. And it's not just LD. Julian Green? Give me a break. One for 2018. You don't throw away your world cup year in favor of a mythical 2018 experience.

************************

I haven't been on the forums in ages, but I've been watching (Ross Barkley!), and hello to the few of you that emailed me. Can't wait for Europa next year. Up the Toffees!

Also, congratulations to the number of Evertonians that made the World Cup - it's awesome to see.

I couldn't stay away from posting after seeing the misconceptions here.

P.S. Off topic for this thread, but one last word on Everton - love seeing how Seamus Coleman has continued to develop

 

[SerenityNigh]

Is mentality the reason for Donovan's U.S. cut?

STANFORD, Calif. -- As U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann attempted to explain his reasons for leaving Landon Donovan -- and others -- off the U.S. World Cup squad, he kept returning to the narrow margins that separated those who made the team from those who didn't.

Exactly what comprised those margins was left open to interpretation; Klinsmann stayed relentlessly on message during the 25 minutes or so that he spoke to the press on Friday. He declined to get into details about where Donovan fell short or in what areas other players proved to be superior. The senior players were not consulted as it related to Donovan's status -- which makes sense -- and it would also appear that few discussions have taken place since.

"When it comes down to player selection, that's down to the coaches," said Klinsmann.

Klinsmann denied that there was a previous deal in place to take Julian Green -- or John Brooks, for that matter -- to the World Cup in exchange for them casting their international lot in with the United States. Clearly, Klinsmann still has some convincing to do in that regard, though he spoke of how Green "didn't hide, not even for one second" over the past nine days. He also refused to compare Green to Donovan, which was understandable given the vast difference in experience.

But in teasing apart Klinsmann's comments, a few bits emerged, at least in terms of how he went about deciding the last few pieces of the roster. Experience counted for little. In talking about the entire roster, Klinsmann said, "I don't think [a lack of experience] is a factor."

Indeed. How else can one explain the omission not only of Donovan, but also of players such as Clarence Goodson and Maurice Edu? It's one thing not to "hide" in practice -- quite another to step up on the world stage.

While experienced hands like Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and Tim Howard will be on board, it still seems a dangerous way to build a team given that just five players from the 23-man roster have prior World Cup experience. Clearly, this is an area where Donovan could have benefited the team.

As for those narrow margins, Klinsmann said: "It's down to pure performance. It's down to right now. ... These last 10 days were extremely important. The ones we chose are just that inch ahead of ones we didn't choose in performance terms."

Ultimately, such phrasing gives Klinsmann lots of room to maneuver. But instead of pointing to issues like fitness and technical ability, it hints at a harder-to-quantify topic like mentality. It appears this is where Donovan fell short. He is no longer -- and might never have been -- someone Klinsmann felt he could count on.

Granted, mentality is an area where Donovan hasn't always delivered. When he was made the focal point of the U.S. attack in 2006, he crumbled. Then there was the well-documented sabbatical that he took in the first months of 2013 in the midst of World Cup qualifying.

Donovan has historically recovered well from such episodes. At the 2010 World Cup, he was brilliant. At last summer's Gold Cup -- albeit against watered-down opposition -- Donovan also performed well and went on to be a significant contributor in the World Cup-clinching win against Mexico.

Klinsmann never looked entirely convinced, however. He was certainly within his rights to hold Donovan accountable for tepid performances against Jamaica last October and in last month's friendly against Mexico. But the benefit of the doubt he seems so willing to give other players despite subpar performances wasn't bestowed on Donovan. Omar Gonzalez, Brooks, DeAndre Yedlin and Jozy Altidore have all struggled to varying degrees with their clubs and with the national team.

No doubt, each situation is different. Altidore, for example, holds a unique skill set in terms of the U.S. team's contingent of forwards given his ability to play with his back to the goal. But Donovan's treatment is still mystifying.

It appears that the two men's definition of what constitutes "mentality" is quite different. Klinsmann always talks of fighting through obstacles -- whether poor performances or a player's lack of playing time at his club -- through harder work. Donovan, who is as introspective as they come, takes more of a "new age" approach that seems at odds with Klinsmann. It's an interesting contrast -- especially given the U.S. manager's reputation for embracing alternative approaches to the game.

Klinsmann said that Donovan and the other six cuts were on standby and needed to be ready in case someone got injured, adding that he had a "strong hope" of Donovan remaining in the national team program in the future.

Given the events of the last 24 hours, the chances of that happening seem terribly remote.

 

[Garrick]

I'm not convinced it goes that deep.

Initially, I was convinced that Jurgen had his sights on 2018...that was my gut reaction. Read a couple of articles shortly after that made me think I was right.

Now that I've had time to think on it, I'm thinking this is more about stamina and athleticism. Who are the best 23 players who can play footy for 90 odd minutes in sauna like conditions. Very easy to see a move away from older players when thinking about the venue. Work rate is our best attribute at the end of the day...we may not have the most technically gifted players, but we can outwork nearly everyone.

Am I giving myself the hard sell @Garrick @SerenityNigh?

Think the Italian manager said something similar. 23 best athletes, not 23 best footballers.

 

[ilikecheese]

I wanted to come over here to see what the Evertonians thought.

Here's what I can tell you watching the LA Galaxy:
a) That picture is old, and biased in position. If you watch the ESPN special from this past week, hey look, 6 pack! The taker of the actual photo is the LA Galaxy reporter - who has since reported that any claims about him being fat are inaccurate. The fitness manager for the team also said that LD was having no problems with fitness in camp, and Landon himself said he was placing at the top of the tests. I can tell you in watching him play 90 for the last two months that there are zero problems with his fitness. And if you're going to tell me Brad freaking Davis can beat him in a foot race you need meds.

b) Although he has not finished in goals this year so far, he remains one of the top chance creators for the league. Something the USMNT team needs. His form in LA is good enough to at the very least make him an impact sub.

c) Don't believe me? In the last calendar year in all competitions Landon Donovan has more chances created (130+) than the entire rest of the forward corps (including Clint Dempsey) COMBINED. He has TRIPLE the next best player. #2 in goals.

d) In his last game for the LA Galaxy Bruce Arena called him "the best player on the pitch." Bruce is not one to mince words. This is proved out by the chalkboard from the game. His form has looked better and better in LA, and too much has been made of the Mexico game with a tendonitis knee. His form was improving - and his passing was still class.

He should be in the 23. This is bullsh*t.

If you haven't watched Jurgen's rah rah speech after the roster go check out the video on ESPN. Never seen a glummer bunch. The next two weeks are going to be fascinating.

Personally, I want Jurgen gone yesterday for his utter lack of man management skills. I hated him months ago, and this cemented it. And it's not just LD. Julian Green? Give me a break. One for 2018. You don't throw away your world cup year in favor of a mythical 2018 experience.

************************

I haven't been on the forums in ages, but I've been watching (Ross Barkley!), and hello to the few of you that emailed me. Can't wait for Europa next year. Up the Toffees!

Also, congratulations to the number of Evertonians that made the World Cup - it's awesome to see.

I couldn't stay away from posting after seeing the misconceptions here.

P.S. Off topic for this thread, but one last word on Everton - love seeing how Seamus Coleman has continued to develop

Hi Kay...good to see you! I am not surprised that this decision has brought you out of retirement.

In reading your post, it almost appears that maybe there is a behind the scenes rift we are not aware of between LD and JK.

 

[ilikecheese]

http://www.espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1831713/landon-donovan-says-deserves-going-world-cup?cc=5901

Landon Donovan: Cut was a surprise

Landon Donovan made it clear on Saturday what he thought about Jurgen Klinsmann's decision to leave him off the U.S. national team's 23-man World Cup roster. He thinks he should be going to his fourth World Cup.

Donovan spoke to reporters following a training session with his club team, the Los Angeles Galaxy, and not surprisingly, his views were in stark contrast to the U.S. manager's.

"I think if I'm being judged solely on what happened in camp, then I absolutely deserve to be going to Brazil," he said.

There have been all kinds of theories floating around about why Donovan was omitted. There have been rumors, none confirmed, that Donovan wasn't in shape, and had performed poorly in training. Donovan insisted that wasn't the case.

"Based on my performances leading up to camp, based on my preparation for the camp, based on my fitness, based on my workload, based on the way I trained and played in camp, I not only thought I was a part of the 23, I thought I was in contention to be starting," he said. "That's why this has all been pretty disappointing."

On Friday, Klinsmann, without going into details, said his decision to cut Donovanwas simply a case of other players being ahead of the Galaxy attacker. He mentioned how Donovan's game had changed in the last few years, but insisted his decision was performance-based.

"The ones we chose are just that inch ahead of ones we didn't choose in performance terms," Klinsmann said on Friday.

Donovan disagreed.

"I think I was at least as good as everybody else in camp," he said. "From that standpoint, I don't agree with it. I think you guys that know me well, know I'm pretty honest when it comes to my assessment. When I say I don't play well I didn't play well, and when I say I played well, I think I played well.

"I think I trained and played very well in camp. I think I was one of the better players. That's why it stings a little. I think at the end of the day, like I said before camp, if I think I didn't deserve it, then I can live with that. That's not the case here."

The he said/he said nature of the comments from both Donovan and Klinsmann gives further evidence to an irreparable personal rift, which would preclude Donovan from being recalled to the team in case of injury.

Much like Thursday's squad announcement, that decision lies exclusively with Klinsmann. But Donovan stated unequivocally that if he were summoned, he wouldn't hesitate to rejoin the team.

"Right now, of course I would say yes if I were called into a World Cup to represent my country," he said. "That's what I've been working for my entire life. I don't wish anyone ill will. I hope everyone stays healthy."

A tweet by Klinsmann's son Jonathan, where he gloated over Donovan's exclusion, also pointed to a personal divide.

With regard to the tweet, Donovan said, "To be honest, I don't really know his son well, I'm not really sure where that came from."

Much like his teammates said on Friday, Donovan now hopes that the focus can shift to those 23 players who are on the roster, and the performance of the team.

"They have a big task ahead," said Donovan about his erstwhile teammates. "I have a lot of friends on that team. ... I really want to focus the energy and move it towards them so we can have a successful World Cup.

 

[Garrick]

Hi Kay...good to see you! I am not surprised that this decision has brought you out of retirement.

In reading your post, it almost appears that maybe there is a behind the scenes rift we are not aware of between LD and JK.

I wouldn't be surprised if there's something to this. The behavior of Klinsmann's son had to come from somewhere.

I won't reign in hell on Jürgen just yet, but he's painted a big target on his back now. I don't know why he would leave himself open to so much criticism unless there was a very, very strong reason for doing it.

(Hi @Kay20!)

 

[Bigloco]

It's definitely taken a lot of the excitement away for me and I don't really know why. I mean, I like Donovan, but heck, I like a lot of the other guys too. It just seems like there is some ego-driven BS behind it all and it's made it harder for me to support the team.

How much pressure will be on if the US is embarrassed in the World Cup? Signing JK through 2018 is a huge mistake. As my dad always says, "A hungry dog hunts best"

 

[RaleighBlue]

I wouldn't be surprised if there's something to this. The behavior of Klinsmann's son had to come from somewhere.

I won't reign in hell on Jürgen just yet, but he's painted a big target on his back now. I don't know why he would leave himself open to so much criticism unless there was a very, very strong reason for doing it.

(Hi @Kay20!)

He's a tit?

Always has been. See diving celebration.

 

[SerenityNigh]

This reminds me of the "dressing room split" story from about a year ago. Anyone have the goods on that story?

 

[Garrick]

This reminds me of the "dressing room split" story from about a year ago. Anyone have the goods on that story?

Klinsmann faces questions of leadership
March 19, 2013

As the United States heads into critical World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico, several players are expressing concern and asking questions about coach Jurgen Klinsmann's leadership skills and whether he is fit for the U.S. national team's top job, the Sporting News reported on its website Tuesday.

Eleven players in the current national team pool as well as others connected to the program told the Sporting News that there are deep divisions within the squad, especially between the German-American players Klinsmann has brought in, and those with deeper domestic roots. More troubling for U.S. team followers, the faith in Klinsmann's methods and tactical acumen is rapidly eroding.

One player cited in the story said the support for Klinsmann has been steadily dropping for months now as more question his leadership skills, but player sniping has become even more pronounced in the wake of the team's 2-1 loss at Honduras on Feb. 6.

"Several things about the lineup didn't work," one of the players told The Sporting News about the Americans' lackluster World Cup qualifying loss . "Sometimes a coach's biggest mistake is trying to get in who he sees as the best 11 players on the field. But they don't have to be. You have to have 11 players on the field who are going to work well with each other and be good for each other."

The level of detail and broad spectrum of criticisms in the report suggest that Klinsmann is facing widespread discord in the locker room and must address that split if he is to overcome the significant injury obstacles facing the team ahead of the upcoming qualifiers. Nine players who were on the roster for last month's loss to Honduras are unavailable through injury or illness and Landon Donovan remains on sabbatical.

Klinsmann's decision to bench long-time captain Carlos Bocanegra in Honduras reportedly raised the hackles of several players, who said it left the U.S. lacking experience in the backline and exposed what they described as Klinsmann's pretty naive tactics.

"It was one of those things where Jurgen woke up the next day and wanted to try something we weren't familiar with," the Sporting News quoted a player as saying.

But, the gripes with Klinsmann go even deeper than dropping Bocanegra after 100 international appearances, with one source saying that Klinsmann may be putting too much of an emphasis on fitness and yoga and not enough on tactics.

"OK, it's good for us and it's scientifically proven. But in the end it's a round ball. The Peles and the Maradonas in the world weren't doing all these things," a U.S. player said. "I think we spend more time worrying about gyms and nutrition, and we don't do enough of what we need to do on the field."

Another source told The Sporting News that the players are "overtrained and undercoached."

Klinsmann, for his part, downplayed any rifts with his players and insisted that he remains in control of the team, saying that the critical questions are a natural outgrowth of what he described as his attempt to shake the U.S. out of its tried-and-true lineups and player-development doldrums.

"This is what we're trying to tell them. This is what we're trying to introduce to them. They're challenged," he said. "Some guys are out of their comfort zone, absolutely. It's not actually the coach that has to adjust to the players, to kind of think about it, 'How do I communicate it perfectly (and) correctly to the players?' "It's actually the players' job to take the information from the coach, with whatever personality the coach has and let it kind of sink into his own system. ... Now, I have to implement it in my own way. It's a learning process, and that's fine.

"It's never going to happen if you don't start doing it."

One player said Klinsmann might do better to take greater charge of the team's tactical preparation and do more specific training drills because taking a let-them-play approach with players doesn't always work.

"Bob was better at getting his message across. There was more of an identity," a player said, referring to former coach Bob Bradley. "We're still coming to terms with that (under Klinsmann). ... Sometimes the message they're trying to get across isn't relayed the best, or as players we don't apply it. It's just different."

When one source was asked whether it bothered him that Klinsmann's tactical formations don't always succeed in allowing his squad to damage opponents and play to its strengths, he did not mince words.

"They want us to play the beautiful game, but we're not a technical team like the Germans. We're not Spain or Brazil," the player told the Sporting News. "What we're good at is we work hard, we fight and we compete. We have great athletes and we're a good counterattacking team. Maybe we need to go back to what we're good at."

Klinsmann joined the U.S. on a three-year contract in 2011 and has vowed to improve the national team and figure out how to mold future American stars, not manage current ones.

Klinsmann won a World Cup title as a player and starred for elite European clubs, then coached Germany to a third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup.

Funny. Around the time that was happening, Klinsmann was in the process of booting another veteran from the squad.

 

[Kiwi]

I have a wonderful array of sparkly Team Murica gifs to use when the USMNT scores, but every time i see this thread I'm so tempted to just post them. Hurry up world cup ffs.