2014 World Cup

[thrill]

Thanks Trill. You are a patient dude.

That academy model, very far from being a reality, no? Requires deep pockets from sometimes fledgling MLS teams. Need koch bros,or, george soros if you will, to take liking to it.

Most teams have academies already. DeAndre Yedlin was the first MLS academy player to play in the World Cup. Next World Cup will have a bunch.

The challenge, as you noted, is casting the widest net possible. As MLS becomes more profitable, they'll be able to cast bigger nets. With the hard salary cap, developing players gets you more bang for your buck than importing stars, especially elite stars. Promoting DeAndre Yedlin gets Seattle a great player and when they inevitably sell him to a European club for $5+ million, he more than pays for the investment and then some.

[lukethedrifter]

For new fans, here's what the US is looking at for the next 4 years:
Bench:
GK - Irwin (29), Gomez (24)
D - Farrell (26), Gonzalez (29), Palmer-Brown (23), Klute (28)
M - Trapp (25), Zusi (31), Gil (24), Flores (22)
F - Boyd (27), Jack Mac (25)

I hope that I have fixed that for you

[slide_into_first]

I hope this ultra sentimental jingoistic World Cup BS doesn't cause the demise of NCAA soccer.

[Freed Roger]

What do you guys think of Klinsmann in fostering/prospecting avail talent for at least 4 more yrs? A local radio show. Douche was all conspiracy theory about him.

[thrill]

What do you guys think of Klinsmann in fostering/prospecting avail talent for at least 4 more yrs? A local radio show. Douche was all conspiracy theory about him.

If all he does is recruit Julian Green, John Brooks and Gedion Zelalem in his tenure, he's done us a huge service. In terms of talent development, that's not the national team coach's job. That's the club manager's job.

Klinsy made a lot of mistakes but also pulled off some triumphs this WC. For every decision he got wrong, he got one right. He should've brought Landon, Michael Parkhurst and Eddie Johnson. I didn't think he should've brought Brooks, Green and Yedlin.

It's really difficult to know if he's the absolute best man for the job at this point. He simultaneously gave lip service to his players needing to play more proactively and then trot out 4 ultra-conservative line ups.
He seems like a good motivator, a good idea guy and a good in-game tactician. He also seems like a mediocre pre-game tactician and tentative tactically vs elite teams.

On balance, I guess I'm a fan. He may not be the best man for the job, but he's a good man for the job and I have no idea who the best man would be.

[thrill]

According to Opta stats, Michael Bradley set the record in most distance ran and passes completed by any American in a World Cup. Fair to say he was asked to do too much. That much running means too much defending. That much passing means not enough offensive options.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

Trill, do you still not think he should've brought Brooks, Green and Yedlin?

Also, was that set play at the end of the game that put Dempsey almost one on one with the goalie not a brilliant x and o design? I thought it was brilliant....

[thrill]

Trill, do you still not think he should've brought Brooks, Green and Yedlin?

No way. Brilliant picks by Klinsy. Not just for their performances or the experience they got, but for the opportunities they'll get from the showcase. Especially Yedlin.

[MrSaigon]

I've seen a lot of bad reviews of Bradley, but I thought he did mostly fine. I haven't seen a lot of his play, so can't speak confidently about the positioning stuff (even Donovan has some surprisingly sharp thoughts on that and other things (pro-tip: never read comments on the MLS site--100% of the time, in any story, it is whiny Timbers fans and entitled Sounders fans [expletive] at each other), but he covered a lot of ground. Mostly I was disappointed he and the other CM were parked right in front of our box so often. Touch was a little off in the first match, I suppose.

Trill, and others, what do you think of the Wondo pick?

[thrill]

I was ok with it for sentimental reasons. Obviously that was wrong.