Technology in soccer. A lot of US Soccer fans have done plenty of soul-searching since Trinidad about why we can’t be as successful in the world’s game as [insert country with population of metro Tulsa here]. A lot of focus is on how to get kids developing – rather than just playing – at the right age milestones, getting the right coaching, etc.
One area that’s being overlooked in terms of both something that’s been a traditional strength of America and as a way to close some of those gaps without radically changing something structurally or by simply having a bunch of manpower that isn’t available? Technology. It’s starting to make an impact in American soccer, but a segment in which Americans have typically been innovators sees us following in the soccer world.
Things are getting hyper-specific in Bournemouth with high-precision gyrometers for goalkeepers. I’m a little skeptical on the degree to which it’s helped (“goals allowed” has a lot of noise outside of “did we measure our keeper’s angular velocity in practice?”), but certainly more information can only be better, yes.
While a human investment – and yes, restructuring – should be the priority of the next USSF president, some investment in technological innovation would be welcome, too. And that goes for on-field product, too: an American sports fan who isn’t a soccer fan would be more interested in a game with, for example, goal-line chips in the balls.
The US Soccer election is getting beaten to death. I’m as guilty as any. Still, a change to a President-and-GM structure is an intriguing one. It’s probably the right move for the federation. It still looks absolutely awful just as a new president is about to replace the longtime entrenched guy. Regardless of whether or not it’s true (and I don’t think it is) the impression given is certainly “now that Gulati’s not president, let’s make it a less prominent role.”
US Soccer could literally not be handling this election process with a worse look from a PR perspective.
Young guns. Is Jonathan Gonzalez going to switch national team allegiance to Mexico because of the… situation… with US Soccer and the Men’s National Team both having no permanent leadership (and the temporary leadership not embracing him)?
With no inside knowledge, it would be an odd move: Mexico is indeed in a much better place with its national team right now, but Gonzalez has consistently stated his desire to play for the Americans. A potential World Cup would probably include mostly riding the bench – and while that’s still a more exciting experience than “does not go to World Cup at all,” it doesn’t seem like enough to completely change the course he’s been planning on, either.
It’s certainly something to keep an eye on – and I’m calling him in for the Bosnia friendly if I have a say in the matter (I do not). Since that doesn’t come during a FIFA window, Monterrey doesn’t have to release him.
On the more positive size of the USMNT youth pool, Josh Sargent is looking forward to his move to Werder Bremen. If only he’d had the opportunity to snag a foreign passport to move earlier (a la Pulisic), he might already be contributing in the Bundesliga himself. As it stands, can’t play until he’s 18. Weston McKennie is getting big pub in Germany himself.
Meanwhile, Christian Pulisic was somehow not the unanimous choice as US Men’s player of the year, though he did still garner 94% of the vote. Here’s his interview on a very bad television show:
Good stuff. Better stuff?
Give it all to meeeeeeeeeee
Here’s a thing I didn’t notice but should have. The Nashville SC U-23 team will have operations suspended (H/T to HasBeen Sports for pointing it out on their podcast last week) for the 2018 season as the organization focuses on putting their pro product on the field. I can’t recall having seen an official announcement, but within the past few weeks that URL had just been an error page, rather than that explanation, so it’s probably a new thing.
It should come as no surprise that I think this is an awful idea. I do get wanting to make sure you can focus on building your pro product, since that’s going to be where the money comes from, that’s going to have to be ready at a certain level to flip a few switches here and there for an MLS move in a couple years, etc…
However, my issues come from a similar deep-rooted issue (though the symptom is radically different) that makes promotion and relegation unfeasible in American soccer nowadays: you don’t yet have the community connections to clubs at all levels to make them viable as MLS, USL, and on down the (hypothetical) pyramid to count on the franchises surviving. From NSC’s perspective, it’s the right business decision, perhaps, but that’s a short-term decision that has the opportunity cost of a lot of long-term goodwill. (And the business decision of focusing on the top-flight team probably isn’t saving or making you that much more additional money anyway).
Etc. FIFPro with some in-depth analysis of the women’s game globally – US women finished No. 1 in FIFA’s rankings despite a sometimes-rocky year. I mean, did you see who they voted president of their country? Are you surprised? Bravo to the sense of humor out of FC Cincinnati.
Club and Country 