USA National Team Watch

[Floortom]

14 minutes ago, Bigandy said:

This is getting out of hand. You didnt like that i provided evidence for my claims on soccer related matters. You've spent all day making little digs at me since.  I've never seen someone get so salty over an online forum debate between fans - just because they lost the debate/ cannot articulate their stance properly. 

No one wants to read our posts going back and forth.  This is now the 3rd time I have presented this to you. I will gladly debate soccer with you. The fact that you are getting personal as soon as you lose footing in the debate is not something anyone wants to be a part of. 

You must be new here 

[Bison44]

I must have missed the stuff on the USMNT team mates not wanting Reyna back...geesh there is so much to keep up with.  

[Unnamed Trialist]

7 minutes ago, RS said:

Ok. I'll be sure to tell Gio Reyna to not read my post lest he or his mom get their feelings hurt again.

My memory may not be perfect on this, but Gio Reyna himself confirmed that it was him by responding in an Instagram story very soon after the Berhalter speech went public. 

That started a cascade of reporting by some very credible American reporters on the USMNT's reaction to Reyna's sulking that I'm apparently not allowed to bring up.

You made up a totally spurious story about the other players, his "teammates", not wanting him there. Not a shred of evidence of this. You can't just make up falsehoods and then mope around because this gets pointed out.

 

[RS]

53 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

You made up a totally spurious story about the other players, his "teammates", not wanting him there. Not a shred of evidence of this. You can't just make up falsehoods and then mope around because this gets pointed out.

Just because you're unfamiliar with the story doesn't mean I made it up.

I didn't even tell a story here. I half-jokingly referred to a version of the story that has already been told by someone else (which was later refuted by Tim Ream). Then you jumped all over my one line like a spurned Mrs. Reyna, and here we are.

Anyway, it's not spurious to say he was confronted by coaching staff and senior teammates for his poor attitude in training, Berhalter mentioned it in the now-infamous speech and Reyna himself said he apologized to the team for it.

I don't think Reyna will be permanently blacklisted for this latest incident but it'll likely be a long time until he's called up again — especially if Berhalter (or his staff) remains in charge. This is just my opinion, by the way, so I hope I don't need to list any more "shreds of evidence" to avoid your faux outrage after you originally "liked" my post.

53 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

I must have missed the stuff on the USMNT team mates not wanting Reyna back...geesh there is so much to keep up with.  

That was a half-joke from me based on a real report, but from what I saw I wasn't too impressed by Reyna's attitude compared to the rest of his teammates.

It was reported by a Fox Sports personality that there was a player vote that came within one vote of booting him from the World Cup. As I mentioned above, Tim Ream was the first to refute it, and there may have been more players acknowledging it since (I haven't checked).

UT decided that I committed a crime by referring to it, but that's just par for the course.

[Acid-Tone]

Using Jason Mcintyre (sports-blogger turned hot-take sports radio sidekick) as a SOLE source for anything soccer related is wild.

[Gian-Luca]

Anybody else run out of popcorn?

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/ricardo-pepi-reveals-he-hung-up-on-gregg-berhalter-after-usmnt-world-cup-roster-snub/

[gigi riva]

USA USA USA

[Unnamed Trialist]

13 hours ago, InglewoodJack said:

Of everyone on this board, I think you and I are the only posters who are not allowed to criticize post length 

True, you got me there, I need a "chapters" option for posting.

It's you, me, and those guys who every 4-5 months do those long lists of Canadian cities by population, divide them into CPL divisions, explain the 18-league format and playoffs, and then complain about why it isn't happening. I don't read those either.

[RS]

9 hours ago, Acid-Tone said:

Using Jason Mcintyre (sports-blogger turned hot-take sports radio sidekick) as a SOLE source for anything soccer related is wild.

Absolutely.

[InglewoodJack]

1 hour ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

True, you got me there, I need a "chapters" option for posting.

It's you, me, and those guys who every 4-5 months do those long lists of Canadian cities by population, divide them into CPL divisions, explain the 18-league format and playoffs, and then complain about why it isn't happening. I don't read those either.

In 2026 when Canada is ranked #17 in the world and we have 12 players in top 5 leagues, people will be begging to pay for the type of long form commentary we provide. We're just ahead of our time.

[Unnamed Trialist]

22 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

In 2026 when Canada is ranked #17 in the world and we have 12 players in top 5 leagues, people will be begging to pay for the type of long form commentary we provide. We're just ahead of our time.

We don't know each other but when do you propose we start our daily Jack the Trialist podcast?

[nolando]

10 hours ago, Gian-Luca said:

Anybody else run out of popcorn?

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/ricardo-pepi-reveals-he-hung-up-on-gregg-berhalter-after-usmnt-world-cup-roster-snub/

More and more this sounds to have been a team 12 year old boys, going straight to mom or dad when they weren't happy with playing time or roster decisions. Friends at universities have, in recent years, talked about parents contacting professors to complain about their adult children's essay marks and test scores;. I see this as an extension of the same social phenomenon.

To have a professional (adult) athlete say that he hung up on the head coach when given a courtesy call that he wasn't on the WC roster says it all.

Edit: Bigandy is right..I didnt originally summarize Pepi's position accurately and have edited my post in response.

Edited January 6, 2023 by nolando

[Bigandy]

7 minutes ago, nolando said:

More and more this sounds to have been a team 12 year old boys, going straight to mom or dad when they weren't happy with playing time or roster decisions. Friends at universities have, in recent years, talked about parents contacting professors to complain about their adult children's essay marks and test scores;. I see this as an extension of the same cultural phenomenon.

To have a professional adult athlete say that he hung up on the head coach when given a courtesy call that he wasn't on the WC roster, and then in the same interview complain that he wasn't given any explanation by the same guy who he cut off by hanging up the phone just says it all.

I agree with this except he didnt complain about not getting an explanation. He says he doesnt want an explanation as it would be an excuse. "I didnt make it. Time to get to work".

I respect the attitude of not looking for excuses and getting back on the horse. 

[InglewoodJack]

1 hour ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

We don't know each other but when do you propose we start our daily Jack the Trialist podcast?

Ready when you are. I'll bring up an obscure prospect in some european academy, you tie it in with a 20 minute monologue about 6th tier Spanish soccer, then I'll wrap it up with a very complex argument for why he's the next Mbappe. Patreon subscribers get the extended cut where we go off on a 45 minute debate on whether Canada is a better basketball nation than Argentina.

[BearcatSA]

2 hours ago, nolando said:

To have a professional (adult) athlete say that he hung up on the head coach when given a courtesy call that he wasn't on the WC roster says it all.

I see this as the equivalent of a guy upset at getting subbed off and then doesn't acknowledge the gaffer as he comes off the pitch.  No big deal.  However, if his Karen mom came down from the stands to give the gaffer an earful then, yeah, different story. 😉

 

[Unnamed Trialist]

2 hours ago, nolando said:

 

To have a professional (adult) athlete say that he hung up on the head coach when given a courtesy call that he wasn't on the WC roster says it all.

 

In Spain, no player is ever given a call or excuse from the national team coach.

They may consult on players' health with clubs, but they do not even chat away from windows, at all (unless doing some charity event, say).

So Luis Enrique leaves out 3-4 of the best and highest scoring strikers this year in Spain? They find out the day the list is announced. But they may suspect, as usually the national programme would have done a bit of diligence on the player, related to their health especially. We know this because players are often openly surprised or celebrate, they are in a training session with the club when a call-up comes and they receive word.

[Unnamed Trialist]

1 hour ago, InglewoodJack said:

Ready when you are. I'll bring up an obscure prospect in some european academy, you tie it in with a 20 minute monologue about 6th tier Spanish soccer, then I'll wrap it up with a very complex argument for why he's the next Mbappe. Patreon subscribers get the extended cut where we go off on a 45 minute debate on whether Canada is a better basketball nation than Argentina.

I was hoping you could give some insights on your local club scene (remind us where you are), because after doing the Spanish 6th tier I am sure there'd be a few minutes left for a Q&A on your neighbourhood equivalent of Ivan Mitrovic.

 

Oh, and check on the Ginobili-Nash debate.

[InglewoodJack]

2 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I was hoping you could give some insights on your local club scene (remind us where you are), because after doing the Spanish 6th tier I am sure there'd be a few minutes left for a Q&A on your neighbourhood equivalent of Ivan Mitrovic.

 

Oh, and check on the Ginobili-Nash debate.

I'm in Montreal- my local Spanish 6th tier team is CS Notre Dame de Grace which has blessed us with Ismael Kone (and they also let you bring your own booze to games apparently). Can't say I know where their pitch is, if they even have permanent grounds. If I did know, I could definitely go on a long tangent about the best places to grab a bite around, or some random people I know in the neighbourhood, what they're like, so on.

More interested in the Ginobili - Wiggins debate. Manu was great, but is he two way wiggs great? Debatable.

[Unnamed Trialist]

23 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

I'm in Montreal- my local Spanish 6th tier team is CS Notre Dame de Grace which has blessed us with Ismael Kone (and they also let you bring your own booze to games apparently). Can't say I know where their pitch is, if they even have permanent grounds. If I did know, I could definitely go on a long tangent about the best places to grab a bite around, or some random people I know in the neighbourhood, what they're like, so on.

More interested in the Ginobili - Wiggins debate. Manu was great, but is he two way wiggs great? Debatable.

I'm all for live, on-site reporting, put it on the list of to-dos.

NDG--wasn't that the common acronym for ADHD before the medical professional got to it?

Studied in Montreal and loved it, still do.

Edited January 6, 2023 by Unnamed Trialist

[Bigandy]

On 1/5/2023 at 8:44 AM, Acid-Tone said:

If you have a one on one with a reporter, you can both agree that what you say is "off the record".

If you are speaking to a room full of random people but say this is "off the record", and then you actually believe that what you say won't get leaked out, you are showing yourself to be off the charts naive/dumb.

I just read that the leadership summit was utlizing Chatham House Rule- nothing leaves the summit. It may be naïve for berhalter to believe that 200 people will respect this, but it would suck to be asked to provide leadership advice to people who all agree to keep things quiet and then have them turn on you. 

[Bison44]

 

Ben Franklin..................“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.”

[Unnamed Trialist]

24 minutes ago, Bigandy said:

I just read that the leadership summit was utlizing Chatham House Rule- nothing leaves the summit. It may be naïve for berhalter to believe that 200 people will respect this, but it would suck to be asked to provide leadership advice to people who all agree to keep things quiet and then have them turn on you. 

It is so preppy and frat house, they deserve everything they get. 

But especially, we have got to be different, Canada. We have to be far nastier, we have to beat them regularly and drive them back into a corner. I'd love for Canada to stay mean and just be more effective doing it. Maybe it was a mistake, but that F-Croatia, if we can stay with that mindset whoever we play, may be the right path forward.

[Gian-Luca]

8 hours ago, BearcatSA said:

I see this as the equivalent of a guy upset at getting subbed off and then doesn't acknowledge the gaffer as he comes off the pitch.  No big deal.  However, if his Karen mom came down from the stands to give the gaffer an earful then, yeah, different story. 😉

 

Funnily enough, Graziano Pellè did that to the bozo coach who managed to fail to get Italy qualified for the 2018 WC and ended up never playing for Italy again - by the time that coach was gone and Mancini was on board he was playing in China, a league that Italian managers tend not to call players from.

Giovinco also did that once to Greg Vanney when he took him off late instead of allowing him the chance to get a hattrick, he stormed in the dressing room - but Vanney of course didn't quite have the luxury of benching him for an equivalent player on the team.

[Acid-Tone]

5 hours ago, Bigandy said:

I just read that the leadership summit was utlizing Chatham House Rule- nothing leaves the summit. It may be naïve for berhalter to believe that 200 people will respect this, but it would suck to be asked to provide leadership advice to people who all agree to keep things quiet and then have them turn on you. 

That summit took place 3 days after the US was eliminated by Netherlands at the WC. And the absolute biggest talking point within US soccer circles at the time was "WTF is going on with Gio Reyna?"

It's beyond naive that someone would go and speak about the very thing that everyone around US soccer was wanting to know, and think it would never get out (Probably thinking he can get away with it because he didn't actually speak Reyna's name)

It was incredibly stupid & I bet it won't do him any favours when he goes looking for his next job.  Not too many people want a leader or teammate who's gonna go public with shit that goes on within the team.

 

 

[red card]

Good critique of US soccer landscape from a non-major media view. Some of it can apply to Canada.

 

US Soccer is a close-knit community - everyone known everyone else, and often times everyone in “the circle” is taken care of.

Many times you will find those who either hold high positions in the game or cover the sport went to school together, or played youth soccer together or have some sort of family connection to one another.

The United States is the most innovative and entrepreneurial country on the planet, but the system for this sport resembles that of a centralized, highly-regulated construct.

The free market doesn’t exist in American soccer - instead of meritocracy we get a system where you buy into the top division monetarily and too often, executives are simply recycled from within the “family.” Consequences for failure in the top division are minimal and investment is effectively stiffed at the grassroots or lower division level as a result.

One executive for an Italian Serie A club (who will remain nameless) many years ago, likened American soccer and its culture of conformity to “North Korea” in a conversation with me. This person, despite interest in the US market decided to take a hard pass on investment here as a result. 

A lack of incentive structure exists for developing youth players - the culture of entitlement which comes from the “pay to play” system that effectively makes it impossible for many to have access to the game.

We’ve not developed a system of critical coverage in this country of the sport- being critical and investigating things is a sign of maturity as a soccer/football nation...On the women’s side, quite frankly, despite recent good reporting, the culture of conformity was even stronger. 

You have a single talent agency - Wasserman Media Group that represents a disproportionate number both players and media talents in the domestic game. 

..on the flip side you have a group of agitators now prevalent on social media who are so toxic in their critiques of anything related to US Soccer, and unwilling to accept any sort of nuanced (ie. realistic) take..

https://beyondthe90.substack.com/p/reyna-berhalter-controversy-puts?r=624o2&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post

Edited January 9, 2023 by red card