In January, Ricardo Clark will be joining Gooch in Italy as a player for Livorno. Clark will be penultimate player from the Confederations Cup XI that faced Brazil and Spain to make the jump to Europe. Most of us hope Landon Donovan won’t be far behind him this winter. Consistently one of the most talented Americans, it’s a shame that Donovan hasn’t had a consistent stay in Europe like his teammate Clint Dempsey. Donovan can dominate in the MLS. I’ve called him the American Arshavin (much to your other USA blogger’s amusement) and it’ll be interesting to see if he can finally make a stay in Europe stick.

There’s a lot of hope here in the states that the Americans across Europe will all have good campaigns. We want Gooch to stake his claim in Milan, Dempsey to shine in the Europa League, Benny Feilhaber to continue his good play in Denmark, for Freddy Adu and Jozy Altidore to finally get off the bench, and for Landycakes to make another jump. Good luck to all American footballers in their European campaigns. Hopefully they will give us lots to talk about in the coming months.

It was a tournament that displayed the highest highs and the lowest lows of American soccer. A tournament where we saw everything we dreamed about and everything we feared. The first two games were displays to be forgotten. After a tough 3 – 1 loss to Italy and another stupid red card we were still somewhat hopeful. Maybe if we could fight out a draw with Brazil and beat Egypt then we could advance. Then the Brazil game came. Ramires, that diving hack, won a free kick in a dangerous position and suddenly a deluge of samba goals flowed into the American net. It was ugly. It was embarrassing. After the third goal I stormed out of the sports bar and had to pace the streets for ten minutes.

This tournament, at this particular point, was also where I began to gain a lot more respect for Alexi Lalas. It wasn’t because of any great insight he had up in the ESPN newsroom. It was because after the Brazil loss he seemed just as dejected and embarrassed as the rest of us. You could see in his body language, in the way he spoke that he really was a fan of the American team and he was just as disgusted and confused as the rest of us.

Then we beat Egypt. 3 – 0. Goals from Charlie Davies, Michael Bradley, and at the time a very under appreciated Clint Dempsey. Alexi perked up a little. In his head he was singing praises to goal differences and laughing at the fate of Italy. Then we beat Spain 2 – 0. Have you seen the ESPN post-game for that? Alexi Lalas looks like he wants to get out of his chair and run around the newsroom with his arms up singing “We are the Champions”. He literally looked like it was one of the happiest moments of his life, and while the rest of the ESPN staff and crew (Hey John, hey JP) looked and sounded dry as ever, Alexi Lalas looked like he actually appreciated the significance of the event. The United States soccer team just beat the best team in the world and progressed to the finals of a FIFA competition. This was a big deal and Alexi Lalas was the only person on our country’s major sports broadcasting station acting like it.

The 3 – 2 loss to Brazil was tough. It was heartbreaking. I don’t want to go into too much. To say I could taste it at halftime was an understatement. I was picturing watching our team take the winner’s podium, and I was way ahead of myself. A lot of people have said we should’ve been happy we made it so far. We gained a lot of respect. We overachieved. Landon Donovan, who has manned up in ways I never thought possible in recent times, pretty much told those people to shove it when he said he didn’t care about those things. He wants to win.

Yeah. Me too, Landon.

So what did I take from this tournament on the whole? The US team can be the team we’ve been saying they are. They can compete on the international level. They can play teams like Brazil and Spain to the wire. They can also flounder just like we’re used to seeing them do. I still believe that while the United States has the players to be one of the world’s best teams they don’t yet have the coach. Nine out of the eleven starters for the US Men’s National Team play in Europe (the two who don’t probably will soon). If nine out of eleven players play in Europe then why are we being coached by a man who has never coached outside of the United States?

Don’t get me wrong. At this point there’s no way Bob Bradley will be fired and I’m not pushing for that. It just seems to me that he is not tactically sound enough to bring the USA to the heights it could be reaching. The subs for Sacha Klejstan and Jonathan Bornstein in the final continue to baffle me. The tactical brilliance of letting Charlie Davies take the field only occurred after Bob Bradley stopped favoring DaMarcus Beasley–a player who I’ve been saying shouldn’t be on the field for months. It was this move that not only created an offensive threat we hadn’t yet been producing, but freed up Clint Dempsey so he could actually play like he’s Clint Fucking Dempsey.

Should Bob Bradley be fired? No. But I will continue to be critical of him under the hopes that he starts making better decisions. I don’t want him to get too comfortable. The USMNT showed us the team they can be. It’s up to them to play to their potential when they take the field in 2010.

So, to the guys:
(Lando, Duece, Timmy, Boca, Spec, Gooch, Mikey, DeMerit, Rico, Charlie, Jozy, and Benny)
We at USA blog are proud of you. We know you’re hungry. We know you want more. Keep it up.

To Freddy Adu and Jose “Gringo” Torres:
We believe in you. Keep at it.

To Bob Bradley:
We begrudgingly accept your regime and welcome you to prove us wrong when we doubt you. We welcome you yelling, “IN YOUR FACE WE WON STUFF I RULE” at us whenever possible because it means the USA team is winning. That’s all that matters.

To Alexi Lalas:
Keep being a real fan.

South Africa: so unsafe you can’t even go outside. Keep that in mind if you’re planning a World Cup trip next year.

Now, will someone please Respect The Adu and play Twitter 20 questions or something with him?

[via Unprofessional Foul]

The discussion is a long one, but soccer may be poised to leap frog hockey as the number four sport in America. American football, basketball, and baseball don’t seem to be going anywhere, but while soccer is spreading the interest for hockey seems to only be prevalent in certain areas. This should mean that MLS teams will begin gaining more money, and with more money should come higher quality players. With higher quality should come more fans. With more fans should come even more money. Etc.

So how should the US national team capitalize on the growing American interest in soccer? There is hope that sometime soon the manager of the US team will be able to pick from the often touted young pool of American talent, and if the U17’s performance at the CONCACAF qualifiers was any indication then our chance maybe sooner rather then later.

Unfortunately, Bob Bradley can’t go around capping every promising seventeen year old who scores a hat trick. He barely has enough time to give players like Freddy Adu and Maurice Edu time on the pitch. There’s a logic behind Bob Bradley’s managerial moves, but they often seem makeshift. We the fans rarely feel any forward movement.

So when should this great shift take place? When will our young talented players finally be grafted into the national team lineup? 2014? 2018? Can we wait that long? After success in 2002 and dejection in 2006 American soccer fans don’t know what to expect from the 2010 World Cup. Can the growing MLS create an enthusiasm that forces Bob Bradley to make some changes?

For years they’ve told us about the future, but when does the future start to unfold? What does it look like? Will there be some cool goals?

After a very disappointing showing in El Salvador los Estados Unidos responded with a 3 – 0 walloping of Trinidad & Tobago. The US bossed the game all night, and Landon Donovan played remarkably on the left with help from DeMarcus Beasley. The star of the night, however, was Jozy Altidore.

Last night Altidore became the youngest player in US soccer history to notch a hat trick. His first was a tap in where the young striker made a good run into the box. The last goal should’ve been saved by the keeper but slipped by. The second goal, however, showed just what Spanish side Villareal saw when they bought the young American. With deft movement surprising for a player his size, Altidore shirked a defender and slotted the ball into the net while under pressure from another defender and the keeper.

The night was not without its faults, and I will always have my qualms. I don’t believe the US has found the right formula just yet. I was surprised to see Jonathan Spector excluded from the line up. It’s a bit odd that a player who just started 90 minutes for a team battling for a UEFA Cup spot in the English Premier League can’t crack the US Men’s National Team lineup, but I’ve never professed to understand how the mind of Bob Bradley works. I’m still skeptical of Brian Ching’s inclusion in the lineup, and not because I don’t trust him as a decent hold-up player (he’s shown he can do that). My problem is with the entire long ball system. How many times have we heard the beautiful game is played on the ground? I don’t think European or South American teams will be at all phased by the current offensive system the US is working with.

That said, last night was a good win. As fans we are constantly clamoring for our talented youths to get in the team. We’ll have to take small steps folks. We’ve finally got Jozy through the door.

We were lucky. There’s no reason this game couldn’t have ended as a 2 – 0 loss. The application of Altidore late in the game gave a bit more fire power going forward and he did well to score, but ultimately the style of play was not greatly changed by his presence. Bob Bradley may have just used up his final excuse about his need for veteran players in road CONCACAF qualifiers.

DeMarcus Beasley looked old, out of sync, added very little to the left flank, and before everyone gets excited about him playing at left back at the end of the game I’d remind you it was him who got shook and allowed the well placed cross for El Salvador’s second goal. Danny Califf filled in for the injured Oneywu and looked out of sorts and didn’t leave me with much confidence if Oneywu is ever to be seriously injured. Brian Ching was Brian Ching and to be fair he had a decent game, but I don’t cherish what he adds to the side. Ching did what Ching does, he tracked long balls and gathered them, but as per usual Ching was able to do little on the ball once he’d gathered it. His spot in the team subsists around the route 1 football Bob Bradley seems to insist on when he’s in the game, and for all the good Ching does his side was down two goals before the application of another striker. Frankie Hejduk will gain MOTM plaudits for his involvement in the first US goal and his scoring of the equalizer, but outside of those two moments I wasn’t impressed with Frankie. His touch was heavy and his charges forward looked ungraceful.

If the use of these players had led to a gutty 1 – 0 win over El Salvador (which I’m sure Bradley was gunning for) I’d accept his loyalty to experience. However, the team he selected ended up going down 2 – 0 and could have been greatly embarrassed by the end of the night. Altidore’s goal was well taken and he showed a sense of urgency I didn’t see in a lot of older players on the pitch. So why does Bob Bradley refuse to field his most talented team? After this unexpected draw can we accept anymore of these bland supposedly safe team selections?

Even when the US brightened up and began scoring they never looked a side to be reckoned with. Bocanegra hefted long ball after long ball up the field with the hopes that someone could get under them, and this was with fifteen or so minutes left in the game. Are we so incapable of playing on the ground? It’s telling that the USA’s most creative player, Freddy Adu, spent the entire game on the bench. Say what you will about Adu’s lack of playing time at Monaco, but he is still the most creative player the USMNT posses and Bradley refuses to us the kid’s talents. If we are so worried about Adu’s match fitness then why are we giving DeMarcus Beasley starts on the left wing? He’s not playing a whole lot at Rangers, and he’s no longer at a point in his career where I would easily select him over Adu.

All in all we’re still on top of the Hex, but this game should be a warning to Bob Bradley about the complacency in his team selections. At some point he’s going to have to field his most talented players, or we’re in for more disappointment in 2010.

10.) Respecting the Adu

9.) Frankie Hejduk’s espresso addiction

8.) Landon Donovan’s spontaneous cajones sprouting

7.) Nose bleeds

6.) Mrs. LandyCakes

5.) Villarreal training sessions

4.) Michael Bradley’s rage

3.) Every time AS Monaco register a loss

2.) The possibility of Subotic

1.) Bob Bradley

What are you thankful for?

There once was a rumor floating around a few months ago, perhaps you remember it. This said rumor pertained to the all time leading goal scorer in US Men’s National Team History, one Landon Donovan, perhaps joining up with Jurgen Klinsmann at Bayern Munich to give his European career another chance.

Many scoffed at the rumor; some considered it, but since then was a great deal of silence, and most notably, Landon feeling the need publicly speak over and over and over again about his desire to transfer over to European football. Now we have some action people.

Today it was announced on both the Bayern Munich and LA Galaxy official websites that Landon Donovan will be heading over to Bayern Munich for some type of training stint with the club and head honcho Jurgen Klinsmann. Klinsmann, a pretty big admirer of Landy Cakes, was said to have been trying to buy Donovan this past summer, a move that, apparently, fell through.

What remains somewhat shrouded in secrecy is the purpose of such a 10 day training stint. The story resonating form Germany comes with some plastic quotes from both Jurgen and Landon on how the training trip is simply to stay in shape during the MLS off-season, ala David Beckham training with Arsenal last year. Yet simply connecting the dots on this long-developing story suggests it is everything but a simple training voyage to Munich. If you combine Klinsmann’s alleged prior pursuit of Donovan, with Landon’s current desire to transfer abroad, on top of the actual length of the visit (10 days), it only equates to one thing, a flat-out trial with Bayern Munich with an eye towards a signing.

Seriously, what is training for 10 days now going to do for Landon’s fitness level when he will supposedly start MLS play back up again around April?

Landon wanted his shot and now he has it. Let’s see what he can do with it.

(Brooks note: anyone who remembers The Amazing Criswell’s prediction from a while back already knows what he will do with it.)

EDIT: If you have an inordinate amount of time on your hands , here is the complete video of Landon’s first full training session with Munich, viewed here.

Besides noticing that Luca Toni and Frank Ribery feel quite a bit of affection for eachother, you will see Donovan putting in a very very impressive first day of training. He look’s good so far.

I suppose this would be a lot more interesting had this Bundesliga standout actually decided what his nationality was by now. Seriously I have had enough of these triple citizenships that the USSF has to fight over, and I do not care where your grandparent’s uncle’s monkey’s cousin is from. You are what you are. This is one confused kid, highlighted by the fact that he donned cornrows in the preseason this year (see top left corner).

Now, I am not saying what exactly Subotic is. He grew up in the United States from 1999 on and was capped for the U-17’s and U-20’s. All I’m saying is at one point he must have considered himself enough of an American to go out and be in the nation’s elite youth programs. Now he’s just saying that he isn’t an American anymore? At least in traitor Rossi’s case, he was brainwashed to think he was Italian from the beginning. In the situation of Subotic, he is or could be essentially trying to flip his nationality after seeing there was “better” out there in terms of options. Lame.

Things on the Subotic front haven’t sounded good lately. It used to just be a battle between the good ole’ Stars n’ Stripes, Bosnia and Herzegovina (ha ha), Serbia (ha), and Croatia. A winnable match up for sure. But after Subotic was (somehow) snubbed from a Thomas Rongen US U-20’s camp which eventually left him off of the U-20 World Cup Roster in ‘07, he has had a bad taste in his mouth when it comes to playing for the USA. Now to make things worse, and make my head that much closer to exploding onto my 1970’s World Map that hangs above my desktop which (in some capacity) contains all of his potential destinations, apparently the German national team has become interested in the services of our boy Neven. And he seems to like that idea very much.

No, he’s not German. He works in Germany. Somehow through a naturalization process down the road this young American could be donning the colors of Deutschland in international play. Doesn’t really seem right now does it?

Neven is only 19 now, and has until his 21st b-day to man up and make his decision on which country he intends to represent in international competition. With his hot start in the Bundesliga coupled with German interest, let’s just say it doesn’t look good right now.

Viva Michael Parkhurst!