We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ World Cup

[KingsX]

I can’t believe I’m reading all this WC stuff and not word one about the US of effin’ A.  The knockout rounds just four years ago, and now this.

 

Just because qualifying in CONCACAF, AKA the “confederation of death” ahead of mighty Honduras and Panama proved a step too far …

 

Just because our “temporary” manager Dave Sarachan looks like outlasting fellow October hire Claude Puel, because his new boss is busy flying to 150 countries to bribe them for the 2026 Cup …

 

… doesn’t mean we aren’t rebuilding with a vengeance.

 

Lest anyone think the US Mens National Team are on holiday while worthier squads practice and play friendlies in the summer heat, I’ve hacked Sarachan’s phone and can report our boys are working their buns off.

 

Grueling scrimmages last literally until the sun sets.

 

Sports Science staff mandate brief pauses for hydration and to replenish vitamin D.

 

USMNT line up a daring 2-6-2 formation for a friendly against the Polish Boys.

 

 

All right for you, you self-satisfied English.  (Well, ok, you long-traumatized and really-not-very-optimistic English.)  Just you wait until Qatar 2022.  Two words: Christian. Pulisic.  That’s our military base over there and we will take. no. prisoners.

[SouthStandUpperTier]

Just (try to) enjoy the NBA Finals. The endless and totally pointless debates and musings of WUM's like Bayless, A. Smith and Cowherd about who is better (LeBron or KD), who was greater (LeBron or MJ), and where will LeBron go next? Will Dez Bryant ever sign for another NFL team? That way, like the rest of the US, you can pretend the World Cup of Fußball doesn't exist.

[Swarles Barkley]

Hey teacher, leave those kids aloneeee

[Jattdogg]

Blame trump.

[SouthStandUpperTier]

This'll cheer you up @KingsX.

Don't say we Limeys can't laugh at ourselves (well, some of us anyway).

 

 

 

 

[Bert]

You've always got the baseball "World Series" where only North American teams compete. 

[CosbehFox]

I read a few days ago that the USA are playing a set of friendlies now and the fans are dead chuffed because they’ve been blooding the new generation 

[Nalis]

Try coming from a country that has never qualified for a World Cup in one's living memory (Northern Ireland, last qualified when I was 2)...

[Detroit Blues]

2 hours ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

I read a few days ago that the USA are playing a set of friendlies now and the fans are dead chuffed because they’ve been blooding the new generation 

 

Might as well start the youth movement now since we don't play another competitive match until June 2019. The kids managed to dominate Bolivia's C team, but we'll see how they do when they go up against real competition. We play Ireland on Saturday, and in France's final friendly before the world cup the following week. It could be a blood bath with our U23 team going against Pogba, Kante, etc

 

I think the next generation will be superior to the one that did not qualify. They have benefited from all of the infrastructure that has been built within the united states in the last 10 years. The current generation has been more successful at international tournaments (quarter-finalists at the 2017 U-17 and U-20 WC) than their older counterparts. The biggest gap that has yet to be bridged is how we can get these players from being exciting young prospects into successful players at club level. 

 

As opposed to the older players that have mostly returned to MLS, many of our younger players are going abroad to Europe. They are learning to play in a more modern system of playing the ball out of the back, quick passing possession, and high press defending. That is evident in the way they've played under the interim head coach, and is quite different to what we saw in our failed qualification campaign. 

 

I hope that we look back at failing to qualify for the 2018 world cup as catalyst for the changes that were needed to take us beyond the level of mediocrity we we're used to. 

[KingsX]

9 hours ago, SouthStandUpperTier said:

Just (try to) enjoy the NBA Finals.

 

 

Thanks.

[KingsX]

6 hours ago, SouthStandUpperTier said:

This'll cheer you up @KingsX.

Don't say we Limeys can't laugh at ourselves (well, some of us anyway).

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for being gracious, but I'm not looking for schadenfreude.  Especially not at the expense of the land of my ancestors and the home of my favorite club. *

 

I'm looking for world domination, 2022.