Cut The Crap CONMEBOL

Ok, I realize that the USMNT squad that is taking part in the Copa America isn't exactly the A team that won the Gold Cup. Yes there are several guys who have worn the Red, White & Blue that have under 5 caps for the squad. I understand that calling them a "B-" squad would be an accurate title.

These things aside, CONMEBOL really has no ground whatsoever to blast the USSF for sending this squad to the Copa America.

According to ESPNsoccernet.com, CONMEBOL general secretary Eduardo Deluca told The Associated Press on in a telephone interview on Wednesday -

"We like for the continent's most important competition to be respected with the best players."

Deluca needs to understand what he is saying before he says it, that or become tennis buddies with Alexi Lalas. CONMEBOL nations have been short changing the Copa America for the last 8 or so years. When was the last time a full strength Brazil actually showed up for the tournament? If I am not wrong, this is the first year that Argentina has actually sent it's first team to the Copa America in several years.

I realize that the Copa America is the championship of South America, but does Deluca realize that we aren't members of his confederation? We were invited guests. Had the CONMEBOL officials said that as per stipulation for the invite, the USSF must send it's best team to the tournament, I think that they would have done as best as they could to send the best team. However, they didn't and the USSF IMHO, did the right thing and is using this tournament just like the US Military uses live fire exercises; they are giving less experienced guys a real taste of what they will get in World Cup Qualifying and in the World Cup.

The USSF, as they are not a member of CONMEBOL actually had other reasons for not bringing Deuce, Bocanegra, Howard, and other European based players. As the Gold Cup, and not the Copa America is the USSF's regional championship, the European based players only had to be released for that tournament. Other players like Feilhaber & DeMerit play for clubs that recognized that having their guys play in the Copa will benefit their clubs, so they released them. As for the MLS based players who didn't make the squad, (Donovan for example), that has more to do with MLS and the fact that Donovan's club sucks without him, as exhibited by them finally winning once he returned to the team.

I am happy that the US has been given such a valuable oppritunity to get real world experience on the international level. Would I have honestly liked to have seen the first team play down there? You bet your ass I would. I think we would have tied Argentine, beaten Paraguay, knocked off Columbia, dropped Mexico another 2-0 score line and made it to the Semi-Finals and either faced Brazil or Argentina again. That said, considering the situation that the USSF was in with the Gold Cup, the MLS season, European based player availability and the need to get new players into the fold, I think that they made the best decision.

On a different, but same note concerning the Copa America and player selections, I think that CONMEBOL should re-examine its schedule to allow for more players to play. Namely, I think that CONMEBOL should look at trying to shift the Copa America to the same year as the European Championships. If they did that, it would give their players a chance to get a full summer off the year after the World Cup and before it, along with giving European clubs less of a complaint for releasing players. I think that the one group of people who would be able to get this done is the media.

Think of it, the South American, Mexican and US based media outlets that get the broadcast rights to the European Championships and Copa America would have a soccer bonanza on their hands. With the time differences in match scheduling, they could lock fans into their TV's for the entire day. They can start the morning with the Euro Championships matches, then have a 30/60 minute recap show. Follow that with the Copa America preview show and two Copa matches that evening. Of course, this is assuming that the two tournaments start at the same time.

Having the Copa America every 4 years on the same schedule as the Euro Championships would allow for more rest with South American players and then Brazil could have it's entire first team for the tournament. This might also lead to a change to the South American World Cup qualifying, which could be shortened to allow for the tournament.

Instead of all 10 teams playing each other, have two groups of 5, with each side playing 8 matches. The top two sides from each group advance to the World Cup and the two third place finishers face off in a home/away series that determines who plays the 4th place CONCACAF side for that extra World Cup slot.

Oh well, a guy can dream.

Just about that time...retirement?

It always sucks to come to a sad realization when you figure out that you can no longer do what it is you love. My grandfather had a really hard time accepting that right before he died, he was no longer capable of driving, his reflexes were just too slow to handle a car. It was hard for most of my family to watch him try and drive, and it was even harder once he recognized his situation.

I think Kasey Keller is in this very same type of situation and I am not alone in this thought. Keller has said that if he doesn't get the right type of job offer, that he might retire from soccer. He says this as he also says that he has received several different offers, which makes me think that he hasn't been getting any starting offers or ones that aren't in Top Flight leagues. I would not be surprised if he does retire this summer.

I am not saying this simply based on the CNN/SI article or based on Adam Spangler's piece on Keller, I am saying this after watching him have more an more trouble in the goal this summer on the national stage than I ever remember Keller ever having. Last night we saw these problems allow two goals. Keller has lost a step and in soccer, if you aren't able to pounce on a ball, especially as a goalkeeper, you are done.

The first goal, I have to believe that the Kasey Keller of two or three years ago would have been off his line faster and disrupted the play. In all fairness, had his defenders actually done their jobs (Bornstein, don't watch the ball roll bye you, kick at it son) his job would have been a little less risky in goal. However, that last goal was less of a perfect strike (it was a great free kick) and more to do with the fact that Keller's feet just weren't fast enough.

Sadly, I think that despite the fact that the USA is still technically alive and could still make the Quarter finals, I really think that Brad Guzan needs to get the start this Thursday against Columbia. If this trip to the Copa America is really a learning situation for these guys, Guzan has got to get a game. Considering the reality of the situation, Keller should be on the bench.

Match Recap: USA 1 - 3 Paraguay

Well, that sucked.

I sort of feel like I need to crouch into the corner and keep repeating to myself, "Go to a Happy Place, Go to a Happy Place."

I know that these matches are being used by Bob Bradley and the USSF to get guys prepared for World Cup Qualifying. I know that over all, these matches mean just about the same as the January match against Denmark did, in the overall scheme of things. I know that the match against Argentina was not going to be a good one for our players.

That said and done, damnit, this still sucks watching our guys go out there and fuck themselves. Paraguay didn't do anything spectacular, they didn't destroy the USA and they sure as hell didn't really impress me. They did the one thing that the USA didn't do, they converted their chances.

In the 8th minute, Ben Olsen put the ball on Kljestan's forehead right in front of the goal. What does Kljestan do with it? He watches it go bye. Eddie Johnson had so many situations where he was at the top of the 18 yard box with the ball and what did he do with the ball? He passed it back. Justin Mapp, once he was brought on, thought it was Mapp vs. Paraguay and lost possession almost every time he tried to run the ball into the net.

I really don't know. Do our guys have it in their heads that they are not allowed to take a shot at the goal? Do they think that if they have the ball in an open space more than 5 seconds, the pitch will open up and swallow them? Do they think that when they pass the ball it is ok to just roll it across the field? I believe they do, because they did these things over, and over, and over again tonight.

Jonathan Bornstein really needs to understand that if he has a break away up the left side of the field, he needs to run balls out towards the end line. If there is anyone on his team that understands that he needs assistance, they will make a run up the center of the field and once he gets up the field, he will either have the chance to cross or get a free kick. He doesn't need to stop or slow down halfway through his run and let the defender dispossess him. If he changed that of all of his plays, he will be a better left sided threat out of the back.

I know that these matches are to have these players cut their teeth in the international field of play, but when they are failing to even realize when to pass and when to not pass or even take a shot at goal, I am grasping at straws as to what they are learning.

Half of the moves, check that; 90% of the moves that Justin Mapp tried during the 20 or so minutes he was on the field, he did at too slow a pace. He was so slow when he would try and cut on a defender that the defender just stepped with him and took out the play.

I like Bob Bradley. I wouldn't have selected him as the Head Coach, but I like what he has done with the squad and I think he will do a very good job with the USMNT. That said and done, I want to know why he isn't getting his guys to react quicker? Are they incapable of realizing that something isn't working? The lone US goal was a wonderful build up through the middle of the field and one that came about when the US players moved forward and attacked the goal. Why didn't Bradley tell his guys to continue to do that? Other than the goal, we pretty much always tried to go down the sides with the attacks.

The biggest sin (if you will) was that I saw more guys get the ball about 7 yards from the 18 yards box and immediately pass the ball back towards the US side of the field. They wouldn't try and hold it for a second or even try and find a guy who might be making a run. They would do the "safe" thing and pass it away from the Paraguay players. Once they realized that the US players weren't going to really move towards goal, the Paraguayan’s just moved their entire line up towards midfield and we normally lost the ball.

Why didn't Bob yell at his guys to press the ball? Why can't EJ or Twellman understand that they would get better service if they actually made runs at the goal, instead of standing inside the 18 yard box, hands on hips, with two defenders around them?

I expected Argentina to beat us. I expected the US to beat Paraguay. I now know that we are seeing that Bob Bradley is having more trouble with lesser players than he did with the first string guys. I really can't see the USA getting any type of result here. I guess it is a learning experience.

Side Note - Can the USSF schedule a friendly against Paraguay later this year or early next year? This is the type of side we should be getting matches against. Preferably in Paraguay, but hell, if they want their Euro players to not travel as far, how about in Portugal?

Week off: Oh What a Week it was!

So right after the USMNT “got” bye the Canadian National team and booked their trip to the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final, I too took a trip. I ended up going out to Iowa for wedding related issues. While I was out in Des Moines I was able to catch the Gold Cup final at The Royal Mile (if you ever get to Des Moines, check it out, the place is awesome).

That was one helluva match. Bocanegra being a monster on the backline, Tim Howard having a great match, Donovan stepping up and not chocking on the PK, and Benny’s goal. Damn that was a good game.

I was glad to see Mexico come out firing and pushing the Americans back. The entire tournament it had been the USA storming out of the gates, but this match was different from the other five. Yes the score line was the same, but I saw a different USA come out in the second half. One that was down a goal for the first time since January and needed to recapture its lost form. They did that in the form of Ricardo Clark. His play in the second half injected a much needed presence in the midfield which woke up the Americans. Too bad we couldn’t win the game 2-0.

Hats off to the USMNT for winning their second straight Gold Cup and booking a trip to South Africa in 2009.

So right after that, or during it (I really don’t remember) I saw that Thierry Henry finally decided to make the move to Spain and join Barcelona. I honestly think that this move came one year too late and cost Barcelona the Champions League and La Liga this last season. This move also has pretty much sunk Arsenal for their 2007/08 season.

Without Henry, Wenger (if he is still around next season) has a much larger task at hand, and no real incentive to draw star players to the Gunners. Next season, pretty much as this last season went, the EPL “Big Three” will be Manchester United, Chelsea & Liverpool. Sorry Nigel.

So when I returned to DC from Iowa, I went straight into a week long Microsoft training class. Having to study for two tests in one week forced me to miss my first home DC United match of the season. Pissed me off too, it looked like a good one. I was happy to see (DVR is god) that after we went down a goal, that the entire squad stepped up their play and we were able to get a PK for our efforts. Hopefully Kpene’s injury doesn’t keep him off the field for too long. Getting the offense in gear is a good sign.

The other big United news this week was the Facundo Erpen for Greg Vanney trade that just happened. I really don’t know how to rate this one. On one hand you have a very talented, but very erratic young Argentine defender who could have become a longtime defender for the club; and on the other you have an experienced US player who instantly brings solid defensive experience to a backline that has been anything less than stable. Trading Erpen does keep the club from having to use a Senior International roster spot next year, giving the club a chance to bring in an other experienced defender or (heaven forbid) a possible replacement for either Gomez or Moreno. Trading Erpen also allows us in Blog land to retire the phrase: Erpen had his usual gaff/flub/SNAFU/…ect. I do wish him well in Colorado.

I do like the move of bringing in Vanney. Considering that he at most will stick with the club for this season and maybe next, the time he is here should be a god send for helping Boswell and Namoff as they move more and more into the USMNT spotlight. Having Vanney’s experience assist their talent should get them more playing time, as well as giving Troy a little bit less work to do over the course of the season.

Now we have the Copa America and Bradley’s first loss. You knew it was coming and you knew that if it didn’t come from Mexico, Argentina was going to serve that big L on a dish served cold. We all knew that we would loose to Argentina, the fact that we even got a goal in my mind was the surprise. Yes it was a PK, but I was shocked we even held them in the first half.

After watching the match again on DVR, I saw that Bornstein played a great match, much better than any he had in the Copa America. Ben Olsen provided the same thing that he has been doing for DC United, he was the energy bomb that the squad needed to run. Once he left the field and Argentina decided to bring on Aimar, the match was over. I had hoped for a better score line considering that we held them in the first half, but 4-1, in a match with a USA B/C team against the best Argentina has to offer…that ain’t half bad. This loss will go so much farther in getting our guys ready for World Cup Qualifying than any of the Gold Cup matches will.

CONMEBOL: Stacking the Deck?

I might be wrong about this, but I just read something regarding the Copa Libertadores that is either confusing or in my opinion, plain wrong.

CONMEBOL Executive Secretary Francisco Figueiredo stated that as in the recent past, Mexican clubs will be invited to the Copa Libertadores but will not represent the region in the FIFA World Club Cup if they win the Copa Libertadores.

I understand this as it makes sense. The Mexican clubs are not a part of CONMEBOL so if they do win, they shouldn't be the CONMEBOL representatives at the FIFA World Club Cup. CONCACAF used the same rules with it's invited guests to the Gold Cup in relation to the Confederations Cup. This I have no problem with.

The next thing that Figueiredo said I had a problem with.

Figueiredo said that the Copa Libertadore's final match cannot be played outside of South America, even if a Mexican club reaches the final. As the Copa Libertadores final is a two legged series which is played home/away, this strikes me as wrong and borderline criminal.

So if next season Pachuca reaches the finals and faces Sao Paulo, one leg would be played in Sao Paulo, but the other leg which should be a Pachuca home game will be played somewhere else? I thought the entire idea of having two legged, home/away series was to give each club a home match that would be at their advantage. How would Pachuca get any type of advantage?

Unless CONMEBOL is switching the Copa Libertadores final to a single match similar to the UEFA Champions League final that will rotate from different CONMEBOL member cities each year, I suspect that this decision is the direct result of Pachuca winning the Copa Sudamericana last season. CONMEBOL is looking at outside ways to ensure that CONMEBOL clubs always win their pre-eminent club tournament.

Something about this doesn't sit well with me. This looks like another reaction to Pachuca's victory last season. I feel that their first step was grouping the CONCACAF clubs that are taking part in the Copa Sudamericana against each other this upcoming tournament, rather than allowing them to face off against CONMEBOL clubs. Instead after the second round, half of the CONCACAF clubs invited will be out of the tournament, reducing the number of non-CONMEBOL clubs that could challenge for the title.

I don't know, but if CONMEBOL wants to have its clubs win it's tournament's championships, then maybe stop inviting outside guests?