Getting the USMNT on
track for 2022 will be one arduous task ahead for a troubled federation looking
forward to come with answers and a list of infinite improvements for its
troubled Men’s program.
Whatever happened
against an already eliminated Trinidad Tobago squad playing the hated role of spoiler,
as the USMNT succumbed to its push, anyway, enough with this theme?
Now the American
federation needs to focus on positive solutions for a turnaround for the better
to eliminate the modest and its failed youth developing programs that are not
delivering anything.
Despite the
unsurmountable pools of talented youths sprouting from coast to coast, the way
to develop these talents is something that is still in formative stages in US
Soccer, contrary to the Europeans.
Still in 2015, USMNT U21
delivered a promising third place finish in the Toulouse Tournament of young
promises showing off its might and potential.
However, after
finishing third in the 2015 CONCACAF Men’s qualifiers for the 2016 Rio Olympics,
the fate of the Stars and Stripes squad suffered a horrendous blow.
With the zone giant
Mexico and Honduras doing the one two, the US finishing third and then losing
to Colombia for the last spot in the CONCACAF/ CONMEBOL playoff, left the Stars
and Stripes out of this major competition.
The specter of
failure once again put in evidence a non-working series of programs and failed
projects that Jürgen Klinsmann put in practice that at its beginning looked
promising and at the end, succumbed to mediocrity.
This being an
all-around setback for US Men’s Soccer programs, especially in its youth.
Something that an
article by Fox Sports stated about this elimination to attend the Olympics as
now the World Cup elimination adds to the woes of a nation falling in love with
its professional and amateur soccer to witness this type of fracases.
Now what is ahead for
the Federation so much in love with the USWNT after their overall achievements
and still the lasses do not get the respect and place they deserve, despite
their achievements in the world.
A need to improve and
need to become better but it is time for the US Soccer Federation to regroup
and start a major series of changes if not call it an all-around revolution to
implement much needed changes.
Time is for immediate
transformations, as below I will list a series of needs the US Soccer
Federation, as a restructure in the organization of the United States
Federation is something to be done in a single word, pronto!
As the tenure of Mr.
Sunil Gulati is about to come to an end and going for reelection, the hope here
is that more candidates show up and challenge this chap that has been for quite
a while in the head of the Federation, indeed, a change is necessary.
The requirements are
a new and dynamic approach and getting rid of many mistakes that have costed
finally exposed after its many failures and waste of millions of dollars in
failed projects from the past.
The elimination from
not only World Cup competition but also the Olympics and other important
tournaments that has raised many eyebrows and frustrations, the need for
solutions is something imperative to perform.
The first step is to
stop lamenting for what already written and nothing to do to erase that
negative defeat recently witnessed that brought many headliners in the world,
after the way US soccer has grown within the States.
The second step is a
regroup or structural organization in the federation with its upcoming
elections, Gulati has a rival in Steve Gans coming with an ambitious plan to
transform the panorama of soccer in the States.
Despite the success
of Sunil Gulati of bringing millions of dollars to the Federation, ask the
players and especially the women’s discontent of the federation towards them of
not paid evenly and in a fair way as well seeing the men going through the
same.
Third, the need of a
new manager, but one that has a proposal of putting in the table a broad and
energetic blueprint that will deliver in years to come and form the development
of youth all the way to delivering spots of notoriety on important
international events.
Open up all the
opportunity to American managers and start looking in just Bruce Arena as the
only solution, as he is not the only man with potential and below these
American chaps have everything to deliver.
With names in
Portland Timbers Caleb Porter, Tab Ramos, SKC Peter Vermes, NYRB Jesse Marsch,
LA Galaxy Sigi Schmidt, Toronto Greg Vanney and Seattle Sounders Brian
Schmetzer
After the way Arena
directed the destinies of TEAM USA with a lack of seriousness and with no time
to spare, with his continuity of experimentation that costed the US dearly.
Also another set of
potential candidates to be consider as foreign managers who can fill the mold
and possible see some success the nod turn immediate goes to Atlanta’s Gerardo
Tata Martino, NYCFC Patrick Vieira and Vancouver Carl Robinson.
There are solutions
and these needs to implement and taken seriously, very well, the Federation as
well this broken system needs a fix, especially in the scouting of new talents
and make the sport available for those who do not have the resources.
Very well, show off ambition
and hunger to win, not seen from this administration focused only in making
monies and not new players, as many places in the Union filled with raw talent but
overlooked.
California, Arizona,
Nevada and Texas are among those states that have an unsurmountable number of talented
young lads hungry to get an opportunity.
Here many Mexican teams
come and recruit these players and these players instead end up in the Mexican
leagues than in an American based Major League Soccer, as these players can
contribute a lot to the youth squads.
I mean a whole array
of Christian Pulisics out there and many other promising young lads looking for
an opportunity and this is not there as this was a cause of Klinsmann fracas at
the head of the Stars and Stripes, with a lack of qualified and capable scouts.
Lastly, the solution
to a broken system plagued with red tape and preferentialism needs to end and
start focusing in a more positive ways to develop more of that raw talent that
can one day deliver not only qualifications but also titles.
Very well an end to
the lack of attentiveness and motivation, that does not builds winners.
For now, solutions
are the immediate need to US Men’s soccer, as CONCACAF squads for more small they
are, these are no longer easy to overcome and beat as this association is
seeing a sort of revival.
With majority of
players now militants of leagues in Europe and especially our own MLS, their
national teams are becoming more competitive, if they are good the USMNT needs
to make all the right moves to become better.
Among the first one, changes!
Among the first one, changes!
Post Contents and Property of Fern
Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved
Photos Credit and Property of Rebecca
Blackwell- AP, Luis Acosta AFP/ Getty Images 2017
Photos Credit and Property of ©
Robert Taylor PA/ EFE 2017
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