american soccer collective awareness

   If Roberto Carlos, the longtime Brazilian outside defender, was playing in the center midfield position and the coaching staff was insistent on this, even if the results were mediocre, or an outright failure, it seems to me that common sense would take over and the "Brazilian people" at large, collectively, would see that Roberto Carlos is much better suited as an outside fullback. Over the years, the United States men's team has suffered from playing the wrong players in the wrong positions. During the last ten years the ill-fated lineup of the national team continues with coaches, and even the experienced Jurgen Klinsmann – though some question his coaching abilities, including former player and German captain Philipp Lahm – has continued the unfortunate trend of playing big, gawky, unskillful players in the central defender's position. If British fans make fun of Jozy Altidore's "second touch" – which they do – and he is America's star forward what do you think they're saying about our central defending catastrophe? Clarence Goodson and Omar Gonzalez (among others) who have replaced Carlos Bocanegra, should be replaced by Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones. The latter are ill-equipped as creative central midfielders. Sadly, the United States has suffered difficulties finding a creative midfielder with the passing panache of Platini, Valderrama, Ronaldinho, or Zidane. Team USA has come close but has always misused talent such as Chad Deering or Jose Torres. With the skill they possess, Bradley and Jones should – without a doubt – start as the two central defenders. (They're replacements in midfield would be Torres and for the life of me I can't think of another crafty central midfielder, which is a problem, to say the least for American soccer.) Bradley and Jones are tall enough, which is the first concern for defending against the cross and clearing head balls successfully. They also tackle well. (We Americans tend to find the tallest guys for this position, including Oguchi Onyewu, Omar Gonzalez, John Doyle, but if we only sacrificed three to four inches – it's not asking a lot – we'd find it is much easier to win, as Beckenbauer, merely 5'11" won a World Cup as the leader in central defense.) Though Bradley and Jones lack the creative flair needed in the central midfield they are good enough with possession and worlds ahead of past central defenders in confident, skillful possession with a purpose, or possession for possession's sake. They would be attacking central defenders much like Beckenbauer, Franco Baresi or even to a lessor extent, Cannavaro. Everything starts with the central and outside defenders. They must defend, first, obviously, but maybe even more importantly, they must possess the ball and set the tone for the game with confident skill. A good offense is a good defense.

   Think of the farthest place away in the universe. Cut that in half and that's where the United States is in terms of finding the right fit for a new direction in the world's most popular sport.

   American soccer has the bad habit of finding the wrong guys for the job and continuing the trend in a vacuum without a domestic collective awareness keeping the decision makers in check. If the men's soccer team is putting forth the old college try, I think we're putting forth the wrong college. Viewing American soccer through the eyes of American college football, Alabama or Ohio State would be a good team to put forward to face the world. However, we keep sending out South Dakota State.

   Future teams and players will change with time and it is important for the next generations to look back on history, and the players during this current era, and those before, and learn to mend the mistakes of the past.

   America's gotten much better, playing with poise in possession. But, the frame of mind is still to rush things, going forward and attacking quickly. The "boring" part of soccer for most fans is one of the most intriguing parts of the game for the majority of seasoned die-hard fans, which is well done possession. It's a skill in and of itself. If the all-important potential American fans get bored with this imperative part of the game, then, unfortunately, we'll never win them over as fans.