**Official USMNT Soccer Thread**

^ I heard the home game against Mexico is going to be in San Antonio.

edit - LA does make sense for the Feb match. It's not freezing in SoCal then is it?
 
Last edited:
I read they were trying to get that played at Azteca....

Oh well, SA will be a sure fire away game if it's played there anyways 
laugh.gif
 
Former United first team coach under SAF Rene Meulensteen had this to say about US footy in a great interview from the Telegraph.


“What you want is that particular blueprint, that identity, from a young age that everybody says: pass, pass, circulate the ball quickly. Spain did that and started to win. All these German players who won the World Cup, were involved in winning youth competitions and they had the blueprint instilled: pass, pass. England have one of the most important basic elements, that desire to compete, that willingness to fight, but you just need to add a bit of quality to it. I doubt it will happen to be honest.

I saw the England (Under-17) team playing in America last week (in the Nike Invitational tournament) and there wasn’t one player who stood out to me. They were absolutely pummeled (3-1) by [COLOR=#red]America who had four or five players who were brilliant, skillful, good passing, good decision-making[/COLOR]. England were stale, pedestrian.’’

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...der-Louis-van-Gaal-says-Rene-Meulensteen.html
 
^ I heard the home game against Mexico is going to be in San Antonio.

edit - LA does make sense for the Feb match. It's not freezing in SoCal then is it?

it never is :lol:


when its like 70 and overcast people be complaining about how damn cold it is :lol:
 
Last edited:
Damn, what a career for Beasley.

I've come to really respect him over these past few years. Kind of weird to think that I was at his last game vs. Colombia.

Congrats on a wonderful USMNT career, DaMarcus.
By trickybeas

DaMarcus Beasley

Where do I start? Honestly I never thought this day would come, representing my country has been the greatest thing I've done in my career. Everytime I've pulled on OUR colors I tried to represent myself, my family and my country with the utmost respect.(and obviously tried to win) With that being said, I have officially retired from the U.S. Nat'l team. I've been blessed to be apart of the ussf family for 17yrs. I have so many memories from when I started with the U-15 nat'l team all the way to the men's team. I've met so many great ppl along the way I wouldn't know where to start. To all my coaches and teammates, I just want to say thank you, thank you for making me the player I am and the man I will be in the future. I will never forget all the games, friendships, memories we all shared. One thing I hope you all will say about me is that I was a good teammate and ALWAYS left everything on the field when I played. And lastly I want to thank ALL the fans that have supported me and the U.S. Team, without you guys we wouldn't be where we are today! Thank you all!!!
 
Thanks Bease!

Edit - Bease posted this message on his IG.


Where do I start? Honestly I never thought this day would come, representing my country has been the greatest thing I've done in my career. Everytime I've pulled on OUR colors I tried to represent myself, my family and my country with the utmost respect.(and obviously tried to win) With that being said, I have officially retired from the U.S. Nat'l team. I've been blessed to be apart of the ussf family for 17yrs. I have so many memories from when I started with the U-15 nat'l team all the way to the men's team. I've met so many great ppl along the way I wouldn't know where to start. To all my coaches and teammates, I just want to say thank you, thank you for making me the player I am and the man I will be in the future. I will never forget all the games, friendships, memories we all shared. One thing I hope you all will say about me is that I was a good teammate and ALWAYS left everything on the field when I played. And lastly I want to thank ALL the fans that have supported me and the U.S. Team, without you guys we wouldn't be where we are today! Thank you all!!!


:frown:
 
Last edited:
Good looks PSK.

Beasley is appreciated. Crazy how his national team career and club career was resurrected the way it was, in Mexico and new position and all.

Very gritty player and someone who you knew would always give it his all despite his shortcomings with his older age or as a newly minted defender.

Thank you for your wonderful service Damarcus.

800
 
Last edited:
Sad to see Beasley retire from the USMNT.  He was definitely appreciated and will be missed.  I wish he'd play in one last game
nerd.gif
.
 
A little personal piece on Run DMB from Ryan Rosenblatt.
DaMarcus Beasley is retiring from the United States. His 14-year international career is over, and he exits as an American soccer legend.

That Beasley is respected, beloved and will be so badly missed is a bit of a surprise. After all, this is the same player who went from youth team superstar, 2002 World Cup star at the age of 20 and Champions League semifinalist to club jumping, injuries, reports of a bad attitude and outright anger from fans whenever he was called into the senior team. He is the same player who watched a slow pass on a corner kick go under his foot at the 2009 Confederations Cup, gifting Brazil a goal.

But in the last three years under Jurgen Klinsmann, Beasley transformed himself into an integral part of the U.S. again. His revival coincided with a move to Puebla in Liga MX, where he finally began to play regularly and play well, but the most surprising part wasn't that he turned around his career, it's how and where he did it.

He did it by being a leader and left back.

Nobody would have guessed that. That wasn't his M.O. at any point in his career. He was the kid jokester and fast winger and now he's the grizzled leader and defender? But even as he did that, he still maintained his sense of humor and the attitude that led him to bleach his hair blonde, run at Portugal as a 20-year-old in the World Cup like it was nothing and since and dance his way on and off the field.

In 2011, Klinsmann had been the U.S. manager for all two months when the team got ready to play a friendly against Ecuador in New York. Beasley was in the team and I was standing on the pitch for training.

The team did a few stretches and drills. All of it was pretty basic, and then Klinsmann called the team to the center circle. They huddled up and Klinsmann talked for a few minutes, then they broke up. Beasley came jogging over towards the sideline I was standing on with the rest of the left wingers and backs.

Once Beasley got to the sideline, he looked up and stated to no one in particular, "I have no idea what the **** he just said."

The rest of the players cracked up. The people who overheard him cracked up. It was hysterical, except to Beasley, who meant it and quickly made sure that all of the young players would do the drills before him so he could figure out what he was supposed to do.

The drills started and Klinsmann resumed shouting about what everyone was doing well and poorly. It was the norm for the practice, but in this drill, it was all bad. Nobody was doing it right and nobody had any idea what they were supposed to be doing.

Then it was Beasley's turn, and he did it perfectly. He made the right cuts, passes and buried his shot, leaving him to jog back to get in line again. There was a smile on his face and then from the center of the field you could hear Klinsmann yell, "See! DaMarcus listened!"

I'll miss DaMarcus.

I'll miss DaMarcus the winger and DaMarcus the left back.

I'll miss DaMarcus with bleach blonde hair and DaMarcus with a beard.

I'll miss DaMarcus the kid and DaMarcus the leader.

But I'll really miss DaMarcus"I Have No idea What The **** He Just Said" Beasley.
 
I can already see Zelalem slipping Rubin in on goal in 2018. :pimp:


In all seriousness though, we're really beginning to see quantifiable progress in youth development in this country.

Zelalem may just have just gained citizenship but unlike other dual nationals in the program, this kid spent his key development years from ages 9-15 being developed here in the U.S. by a well known and reputable U.S. club. That's how it's supposed to be done. Develop the technical skills then go and get your footballing education at a world class development institution.

The U20's are so stacked at CM particularly the #8 and #10 positions. Joel Soñora, Junior Flores, Hyndman, Mukwele Akale ('97), Kellen Acosta. Hopefully Zelalem fufils his potential but theres probably equally good odds that one of the above develops into the better player over the course of the next decade.
 
It's an exciting development for sure, but I'm not as excited about Zelalem as I was about Green.

Having seen Zelalem play I can say he's a great dribbler & passes very well but he has trouble scoring goals & doesn't play defense very well.

I love what Klinnsman is doing though... I know he still has some detractors but wow, he's one helluva "recruiter"...

Edit - Zelalem is also rail thin & not strong at all. He's easily out muscled when players play him physically too. He doesn't need to bulk up, but he needs to get a lot stronger if he's to contribute to the NT.
 
Last edited:
Interesting...

did not realize the pic was so tiny 
laugh.gif

[h4]GOALKEEPERS[/h4]
Alex Bono (unattached), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Jon Kempin (Sporting Kansas City), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
[h4]DEFENDERS[/h4]
Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Christian Dean (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), Perry Kitchen (D.C. United), Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids), Oscar Sorto (LA Galaxy)
[h4]MIDFIELDERS[/h4]
Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Mix Diskerud (out of contract), Dennis Flores (Club Leon), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution), Marc Pelosi (Liverpool), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids), Brek Shea (Orlando City SC), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC)
[h4]FORWARDS[/h4]
Tesho Akindele (FC Dallas), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Julio Morales (Tepic), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)
 
Last edited:
Wearin' my US Soccer hoodie today for super casual Friday at work... :smokin

1000


Gotta couple of head nods from the fellow footy fans here at work when they saw the hoodie that reminded me of the Seinfeld black & white cookie scene/gif... :lol:

1000
 
Back
Top Bottom