FIFA World Cup 2014

[placedesjardins]

I did not expect Costa Rico to have made it this far. I thought they were going to come in dead last in their group. I'm more impressed by their team than team USA.

 

[Gaolee]

With the departure of Costa Rica, it's official. I don't care what happens in the rest of the World Cup.

 

[matante]

It just seems to me that you think whilst you make your baby steps, the front runners aren't also moving forward too.

It's a perpetual game of catch up.

Of course those nations are further ahead than they were 10, 20, 30 years ago, but they - like the US - are still a million miles from putting out the best eleven footballers in the world.

Not "those" nations. I wasn't saying Austria or Estonia are any better now than they used to be. Austria is certainly worse. Japan and the US are improving in terms of their competitive position. These are two countries which only recently adopted the sport.

If it were a perpetual game of catch up, the two best teams would be England and Scotland. Your argument is that the best teams now will always be the best teams and that there's no way that can ever change. Nonsense.

 

[matante]

Matante I can't quite understand your insistence on trying to make this discussion about football a cultural difference debate.
It's not about cultural diferences: You have an opinion which is a guess about future performance, Titus and others have an opposing guess about future performance.
It's all clairvoyance and nothing to do with cultural differences - YMMV, IMHO etc.
However, if you apply a business perspective to this, a common perspective would be that past performance and behaviour is the best predictor of future performance - I wouldn't invest in an average performing business because it's supporters told me they believed it will be the best.
Get a track record of achievement, show me progress and development on a consistent basis and then I'll look at it.

The US didn't qualify for the World Cup between 1950 and 1986. (In 1950, they qualified by losing one and drawing one against Cuba.) Since 1990, the US has qualified for every World Cup, and each qualification has become progressively "easier" in the sense of results.

20 years ago the US did not have a professional league. It now has one which is growing and expanding, as well as a second division which is expanding.

20 years ago, American children who played "soccer" did not know there was such a thing as professional soccer leagues. They thought pro soccer was the World Cup every four years. Today, American kids start from the early stages dreaming of playing for Barcelona or Man U. They want to be the next Messi. 20 years ago, they would not have known that Messi or Man U existed.

"Pro Soccer" is the second most popular sport among young people in America, with only American football ahead of it. 20 years ago anyone would have laughed in your face for saying that would be the case in 20 years.

Now I never said I predicted a US victory any time soon. I only said it could happen, one day and everyone suddenly pounced on me like a was delusional.

The Dutch were nothing up to and through the '60s. They were arguably the best team of the '70s. The French, fed up with mediocrity, decided to get organized and become good at the sport in the '70s, when the government started a national academy system and mandated that every first division club had to run a youth system, and by 1986 they had one of the best teams. You know what's happened since then.

I don't think you appreciate just how much of a fringe sport football has been in this country. Our federation couldn't even pay the rent for their office or pay for players' uniforms at times. This is a country of over 300 million (sports crazy) people, who up until very recently did not care a rat's ass about football and who now do. And their children care more. And their children will care even more. I know my country and I know what's going to happen. We're going to get good.

 

[foal30]

Martin , I am away (coaching football!!)
so early bird

Germany 2-0
Argentina 2-0
thanks

 

[foal30]

Matante

nice post. USA is already good at football and yes will continue to improve markedly.
I like parts of the college system and very much like the proper focus put onto Women's / Girls football.

2 WC games today were not much cop
hopefully next 2 are a big step up.

 

[placedesjardins]

The US didn't qualify for the World Cup between 1950 and 1986. (In 1950, they qualified by losing one and drawing one against Cuba.) Since 1990, the US has qualified for every World Cup, and each qualification has become progressively "easier" in the sense of results.

20 years ago the US did not have a professional league. It now has one which is growing and expanding, as well as a second division which is expanding.

20 years ago, American children who played "soccer" did not know there was such a thing as professional soccer leagues. They thought pro soccer was the World Cup every four years. Today, American kids start from the early stages dreaming of playing for Barcelona or Man U. They want to be the next Messi. 20 years ago, they would not have known that Messi or Man U existed.

"Pro Soccer" is the second most popular sport among young people in America, with only American football ahead of it. 20 years ago anyone would have laughed in your face for saying that would be the case in 20 years.

Now I never said I predicted a US victory any time soon. I only said it could happen, one day and everyone suddenly pounced on me like a was delusional.

The Dutch were nothing up to and through the '60s. They were arguably the best team of the '70s. The French, fed up with mediocrity, decided to get organized and become good at the sport in the '70s, when the government started a national academy system and mandated that every first division club had to run a youth system, and by 1986 they had one of the best teams. You know what's happened since then.

I don't think you appreciate just how much of a fringe sport football has been in this country. Our federation couldn't even pay the rent for their office or pay for players' uniforms at times. This is a country of over 300 million (sports crazy) people, who up until very recently did not care a rat's ass about football and who now do. And their children care more. And their children will care even more. I know my country and I know what's going to happen. We're going to get good.

There was the NASL.They even had Pelé on the New York Cosmos. That would be the equivalient of sending Wayne Gretzky to a Nicaraguan ice hockey league in the 80s. Soccer's popularity never quite caught on

 

[foal30]

I think that growing up with the game here probably means that Titus has forgotten more about football than any American will ever know, but on this occasion I'm going to agree to some extent (so it's a mere difference of opinion, rather than a cultural one). Greece won the Euros in 2004. Any team can win any tournament. That's what makes sports great.

I remember the shock when Boris Becker won at Wimbledon in 1985. All the experts were saying at the start of the championships that he'd stand a chance of winning it in the next three or four years. It took him two weeks.

I'm only posting this because the Holland CR game is so dull. Typical World Cup - there's so much to lose in the later stages that teams just stop playing with any flow or momentum.

Bill, I firmly disagree that because Titus (or anyone) is "growing up with the game here" means they have any better knowledge than anyone else due to the geographical quirks of their birth place. I'd offer at least 50 reasons why but not really WC specific so I'll save for another day.

 

[foal30]

Placedesjar

No that is not a realistic or accurate comparison.


Back on topic, who has done enough this tournament to ensure a big money move?

 

[matante]

There was the NASL.They even had Pelé on the New York Cosmos. That would be the equivalient of sending Wayne Gretzky to a Nicaraguan ice hockey league in the 80s. Soccer's popularity never quite caught on

That was then. This is now. As I said, "professional soccer" is the second most popular sport in the US among young people. It has caught on in a huge way.

 

[foal30]

So where are all the world class English, Scottish, Irish players - if it's about structures we should have been producing them for years?

Effective and working structures

England (for example) is only just starting on a Whole of Football pathway for it's juniors. The biggest resistance to this is from Parents because it "takes away" the focus on Saturday Morning winning the game as being the sole bench mark for progression and success.

For sure it met with similar issues here in NZ but now we can see players from my little club in basically the arsehole of the world get pro-contracts in Europe and College scholarships in the USA. As Matane points out it's these 'baby-steps' that will improve the 'totality' of the football experience.

 

[jrthebassguy]

There was the NASL.They even had Pelé on the New York Cosmos. That would be the equivalient of sending Wayne Gretzky to a Nicaraguan ice hockey league in the 80s. Soccer's popularity never quite caught on

The NASL at one point had Pele, George Best, and Franz Beckenbauer. But, America just wasn't ready for it back then. We are closer now than we were then.

 

[chuck norriss]

Brazil game: Brazil played some of the most disgusting, cynical football I've ever seen. They went out with the intention of intimidating Rodriguez out of the game and cynically fouling Colombia at every turn - youd almost think they knew they weren't getting booked. Colombia were getting no protection from the ref and resorted to the same ugly brand of football.
Whatever about interpretation of the rules - and that in itself is an example of how corrupt and morally bankrupt this FIFA shower are-those officials stand out as way worse than any others and put players in danger, Neymar was the biggest on field victim - the bigger victim was the game.
Disgusting.

disgraceful

 

[chuck norriss]

Matante I can't quite understand your insistence on trying to make this discussion about football a cultural difference debate.
It's not about cultural diferences: You have an opinion which is a guess about future performance, Titus and others have an opposing guess about future performance.
It's all clairvoyance and nothing to do with cultural differences - YMMV, IMHO etc.
However, if you apply a business perspective to this, a common perspective would be that past performance and behaviour is the best predictor of future performance - I wouldn't invest in an average performing business because it's supporters told me they believed it will be the best.
Get a track record of achievement, show me progress and development on a consistent basis and then I'll look at it.

no one believed in the interwebs either now it's one of our few products.

 

[chuck norriss]

It just seems to me that you think whilst you make your baby steps, the front runners aren't also moving forward too.

It's a perpetual game of catch up.

Of course those nations are further ahead than they were 10, 20, 30 years ago, but they - like the US - are still a million miles from putting out the best eleven footballers in the world.

I smell piss & vinegar

 

[chuck norriss]

Well, we´ll have great semi finals games (or names at least)
I believe that both European teams will reach the final.

I hope it's good no more fractured vertebrae

 

[chuck norriss]

Oh and lads, I'll put up the official semi-final predictions and a table update tomorrow, too many glasses of wine tonight to risk making a mistake at this stage!

ha thanks brah

 

[chuck norriss]

I understand what you're saying. The USA could conceivably win it, but it could just as easily be Japan or Australia or Nigeria.

(Or even,on this showing, Costa Rica.)

the good thing is everyone's into it; it's not just brazil italy & germany any more
damn only four matches remain
61. BRA 2-1 GER
62. NED 0-1 ARG

 

[Tituscrow]

You're overthinking it. All I'm saying is that just because you've suddenly realised that it's a good game, then throwing everything you've got at it won't make you world champions.

Population size is irrelevant, by the way.

But have the last word, by all means. I shall continue to watch you dream big and achieve small.

Piss and vinegar? Nah...just a huge amount of meh at more "we are Americans and we can do anything".

I'm bailing on this particular aspect of the thread.

Anyway....

Brazil 0 - 2 Germany
Argentina 1 - 2 Holland

 

[MartinG1957]

You're overthinking it. All I'm saying is that just because you've suddenly realised that it's a good game, then throwing everything you've got at it won't make you world champions.

Population size is irrelevant, by the way.

But have the last word, by all means. I shall continue to watch you dream big and achieve small.

Piss and vinegar? Nah...just a huge amount of meh at more "we are Americans and we can do anything".

I'm bailing on this particular aspect of the thread.

Anyway....

Brazil 0 - 2 Germany
Argentina 1 - 2 Holland

Agreed, can we close on this aspect lads, it's not going anywhere...

New player? (To me at least)
Rodriguez of Colombia is the one who caught my eye.
Big defender for Chile - Gonzalez?
The young left back for the USA, Yedlin, made a great impression when he came on, didn't get long but he certainly impressed me with skill to back up his enthusiasm.