The World of Football/Soccer.

[Purple Cowboy]

mlyons - are you a Sons of Ben member? I'm in NJ but go down to the Dark Horse fairly often during the season to catch some of the bigger matches.

[mlyons]

No, I don't have the dedication for that. I am looking forward to next summer quite a bit, though. I just wish they were actually playing in Philadelphia.

[ukhotstove]

Tevez Gone

Personally I think it's a mistake by both parties, United lose yet another attacking player and a workaholic and Tevez (Likely Man City) will join a team where he may not play every game as they have Robinho and now Cruz up front along with Bellamy, Bojinov plus throw in Jo, Caicedo, Benjani, Sturridge (maybe not there next season) and it's a crowded forward line. Also City aren't even in Europe next season, so imo a backward step for Tevez unless Chelsea or Liverpool step in and a dropped ball by United.

[ukhotstove]

Roberto Martinez has signed his first player for Wigan Athletic, can't really say much about Jordi Gomez reason being never seen him play but heard good things about him. Actually I'm the most excited for the up coming season than I've ever been and that includes the first season in the Premiership, don't get me wrong I don't think we'll be challenging the top four but the first time in ages we have a man who knows Wigan Athletic but also loves Wigan Athletic.

[ukhotstove]

A is for American Samoa.

American Samoa are ranked 202 in the FIFA Rankings, one good thing about being ranked 202 is there's only one way to go and that's up. American Samoa have one other distinction other than being ranked lowest (equal) in the FIFA rankings and that is they suffered the highest defeat in international competative football with a 31-0 loss against Australia in the 2002 qualifying World Cup campaign were they lost all four games with a combined 57 against 0 for.

Things did look up for them in the 2006 campaign as Natia Natia scored the first goal in World Cup competition. The goal came against Vanuatu in a 9-1 defeat but although they lost all four games the goal difference was a bit better as they only conceded 34 but scored that all important goal, they again lost all four games in this years qualifying but Ramin Ott became their joint top scorer in World Cup history when he scored against the Soloman Islands in a 12-1 defeat but again their defence was the problem conceding 38.

So if you want a challenge in FM then why not try American Samoa, in fact why not write to their FA and you may even have a chance of managing the real thing, you couldn't do any worse.

[ukhotstove]

Whose happier Liverpool or the Canadiens ?

[Muppetus Galacticus]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Whose happier Liverpool or the Canadiens ?

The Molsons

[Muppetus Galacticus]

Will Hicks sell the Dallas Stars, or will the TExas Rangers be enough?

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by Muppetus Galacticus

Will Hicks sell the Dallas Stars, or will the TExas Rangers be enough?

Probably depend who he gets a bid for and how much.

[phightin]

what a disaster. i'm sure the ussf will chalk this miracle up to bob bradley's wonderful tactical and genius understanding of the game, and now in what could have been a likely coaching change after the tournament we're gonna be stuck with him for the wc next year. maybe if spain destroys them, which their perfect capable of doing, they still may do the right thing and kick him to the curb but at this point i doubt it.

[mlyons]

I realize you don't like Bradley at all, but it's never a disaster when you beat a good team and advance to the semifinals of a tournament.

[bababui]

The disaster lies in the fact that we are stuck with the ball and chain that is Bradley. Sometimes its better to experience a tactical retreat so you can regroup and come back stronger. Still, it was a nice and shocking victory. I would imagine also that it wont go over too well in the Islamic world.

[Jeremy Weimer]

Go Team USA and all that.

[mlyons]

Originally Posted by bababui

The disaster lies in the fact that we are stuck with the ball and chain that is Bradley. Sometimes its better to experience a tactical retreat so you can regroup and come back stronger. Still, it was a nice and shocking victory. I would imagine also that it wont go over too well in the Islamic world.

He's producing good results (most of the time) with crappy players. How exactly is that a ball and chain?

Let's face it. The US is not Spain. We don't have a talented pool of players to choose from. The best American player alive doesn't come close to the 50th best Spanish or Brazilian or Italian player in terms of class. The best we can ask of Bradley is to do exactly what he's done -- outplay the rest of CONCACAF (especially Mexico), make a respectable showing in international tournaments, and qualify for the World Cup.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by mlyons

He's producing good results (most of the time) with crappy players. How exactly is that a ball and chain?

Let's face it. The US is not Spain. We don't have a talented pool of players to choose from. The best American player alive doesn't come close to the 50th best Spanish or Brazilian or Italian player in terms of class. The best we can ask of Bradley is to do exactly what he's done -- outplay the rest of CONCACAF (especially Mexico), make a respectable showing in international tournaments, and qualify for the World Cup.

Bradley doesnt have the standing to make changes necessary to the US infrastructure; much as Erickson and McClaren couldnt change the culture of the English National Team. We need a coach who has the prestige and standing to change the behind the scenes structure of USA soccer. Without this change, we will be forever stuck in this rut of mediocrity.

[mlyons]

I don't think that coach exists, honestly. There isn't a prestigious enough American around, that's for sure, and I don't think any foreign coach with the necessary stature would want the job. Seriously, throw a name out. Who could the USA realistically get who would be better?

[bababui]

Scolari would be one excellent name. And he might be interested. Here is an interesting list of 10 names from an article published friday.

This U.S. team pales in comparison with those of the past - Los Angeles Times

Bora Milutinovic: Been there, done that; too old now, sadly.

Dominic Kinnear: The most likely of the MLS coaches to one day inherit the job.

Preki: Would build an exciting team to watch, but not necessarily a winning one.

Sigi Schmid: Has hit the jackpot in Seattle. No reason to leave.

Bruce Arena: Hit his peak at Korea/Japan 2002. It has been pretty much downhill since then.

Jurgen Klinsmann: Burned his reputation by taking and then losing the Bayern Munich job.

Luiz Felipe Scolari: Coaching the U.S. surely has to be better than coaching Bunyodkor in Uzbekistan. Perfect fit for Brazil 2014.

Carlos Queiroz: Failed with the MetroStars. Failing with Portugal.

Steve Nicol: Eminently qualified but unlikely to be interested.

Ruud Gullit: Just kidding.

Wilmer Cabrera: The U.S. under-17 national team coach has World Cup experience with Colombia.

Jose Pekerman: Argentina's 2006 World Cup coach didn't want the U.S. job last time around.

MOST INTRIGUING SCENARIO

Scolari as head coach with Kinnear, Preki and Cabrera as top assistants.

[mlyons]

Klinsmann, Scolari, and Queiroz are wishful thinking, in my opinion, and none of the rest strike me as being significantly better than Bradley.

[bababui]

One thing we have is money. But the bureaucracy also wants a pliable coach who wont rock the boat. Klinsmann would have had the job but he wanted to take the full squad to the Copa America rather than the insignificant Gold Cup. You are probably right that big names are unrealistic because our Federation just wont give a good coach the authority he will demand.

[rudel.dietrich]

If offered the job I am 80% sure Jürgen Klinsmann would accept it. His contract would have to be pretty high and pretty long in terms of years as a show of respect. But I very much feel he would take the job and enjoy doing it.