US Soccer

Today, I am participating in a great derby taking place between Newcastle United and Sunderland, in the Black Cat's cathedral, The Stadium of Light. A seemingly unbefitting name seeing as how in the 3rd minute, Johan Cabaye was on the correct end of a misplaced pass from Carlos Cuellar. Not much light was emitting from the masses of nervous fans hoping to see their team break a twelve game losing-streak versus the Toon Army. But, the focus of this discussion is on the broader issues of US Soccer. 

             
Anyways, this is a perfect segway into what this post is about, Follies and Fortunes, but more specifically, the follies and fortunes that I noticed last night as I watched some MLS fixtures. A few names that would be on the radars of US soccer fans across the country, Philadelphia Union midfielder Freddy Adu, Houston Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark and finally, Seattle Sounders foreword Eddie Johnson. Last night the Houston fans were given a real treat as the Union were wholeheartedly dismantled by the combinations of Brad Davis and the ever dazzling moves of Macumba Kandji. However, I should stop ogling over their abilities and focus on the task at hand, Freddy Adu. Yet another game passes and I wonder where did that boy-wonder disappear to? A player that was good enough at a young age to plie his trade in Portugal for Benfica. Freddy Adu, as sad as it is to admit, is becoming more and more obsolete in the US player pool and he helps to demonstrate the growing frustrations I have with the rest of the players in pool. The issue being they all either failed to become the players we hoped or they idly sit on the cusp of being great. Adu, unfortunately was unable to live up to the rather extreme amount of hype he received. His lackluster performance last night, where his efforts were rewarded with being substituted off in the 54th minute; so how did a player go from playing for one of the best European clubs, to only recording 54 minutes in a game for the Philadelphia Union? 

The answer lies in the blatant missteps of our Footballing youth. South America has its youth playing the game at every opportune moment and in some cases, like Brazil, football is a central aspect of the culture. Europe has deep, root-like networks of youth clubs, like Barcelona or Ajax, that pick up players from early ages and train them in particular styles; Barcelona and Ajax use a style called Total Football. The years from 10-20 are some of the most important in an individual's life but also for a soccer players life. It is in this age range that one truly learns how to play, understanding the how one can manipulate the ball, the tactics and almost every facet of the game. The problem lies in lack of an affective youth system in this country, so that by the time an American player turns 20, South Americans and Europeans have already embedded in their blood the skills needed in the modern game. 

Finally, I circle back to the three players mentioned above, Adu, Johnson and Clark. Adu represents this awkward middle ground that the majority of American soccer players fall into, gaining vital skills for the game later then our European or Latin American counterparts. Johnson and Clark however, are beginning to flex their footballing muscle as both players have slowly, over the past year, are becoming more  relevant in the US player pool. Eddie Johnson in particular, being integral in the past two National team games and Ricardo Clark having a greater impact in Houston. Yet, both of these players lack what Adu has, youth, both of these players are about to enter their thirties and only now are blossoming into well-rounded, smart, efficient soccer players. Both of these players are polishing off their talent later in their careers rather than the likes of the Germans or the Spanish, whos players are doing the same earlier in their careers. This fault should be placed not necessarily on players, but, on our youth coaches, that are in serious need of an education on the strategies others are using to develop their players. 

To end, Demba Ba found himself on the scoresheet for the wrong team and this game ends in a classic 1-1 draw. Yet this draw just reminds me of how US soccer is shooting itself in the foot with our anarchic soccer system, that develops talent on the most inconsistant level in the world, compared to our "success." It also reminds me of how we are wasting talent by not fostering our players early on, leaving them to their raw talents to get by.