Originally posted by kj:
I'm in the minority, it seems, but I still think Bradley did the right thing, given the situation. Copa America 2007 was, basically, meaningless for the US in terms of results. The real goal is more long-term: South Africa 2010. Those kids got some very valuable experience playing in Venezuela against some tough competition.
KJ is one of my Minnesota homies but I completelt disagree with him on this one.
I'm beyond ticked off about it. And if our Olympic team doesn't qualify (again) or qualifies and doesn't do jack, I will get ticked off all over again. I can remember them going out like scrubs, getting waxed in Mexico during the last qualifying. I am still amazed that David Testo was playing for the RIchmond Kickers and he got called up to play in those qualifiers. He did absolutely NOTHING. Don't get me started on that. They got WAXED.
Say what you want about CONCACAF being weak, the Gold Cup being meaningless, whatever, but the Gold Cup was more important *to the US* than Copa America. It's our home region's championship, plus the opportunity to play in the 2009 Confederations Cup, where players will be exposed to top international competition and get a sneak peek at what it will be like at the World Cup in South Africa.
Gold Cup has done nothing to improve US soccer. If we are supposed to be looking to the future then Copa America is the tournament that will help us improve.
Does anyone remember the last debacle of a Confedrations' Cup that we participated in. We found an excuse to not take that one seriously. We went out like busters last time we participated. If we took the last Confederations' cup more seriously, then I would be more inclined to agree with my guy, KJ. Instead, it just makes the whole debacle look even more triflin'.
USSF got the ca$h for winning Gold Cup. OK. It is a ca$h and carry business. I can accept that. I just want for people in this country to realize that we aren't going to progress if we make our goal is to be able to beat Mexico on US soil, the rest of our CONCACAF neighbors and qualifying. That didn't get us too much last time out. Or in France in 98.
After seeing some of those kids play, I'm not sure that I want them on the Olympic team.
I am ^@*@#(@) off!
Previous Topic
Index