Was searching through emails to one of my customers (also a friend), ran across one from before last year's World Cup, he didn't know crap about soccer, wanted me to give him a primer so he could get up to speed on what was happening. Made me chuckle to read it now, and still pretty much accurate today/in hindsight. Spoilered for length Spoiler Here’s your World Cup primer – 1. our uniforms aren’t great, they were made by Uncle Phil. [edit - I learned to love the Bomb Pops, like all of you] 2. we are in the group of death, and its very possible that we could lose every game and go out in a ball of flames. One of the teams we play is the team that has knocked us out of the last two world cups (fucking Ghana) 3. We have to travel the most miles of any fucking team in the entire world cup between our three matches, one of which is played in the middle of the fucking jungle where no one actually lives. 4. There is 100% certainty that there will be political unrest, riots, and who knows what else while the World Cup is going on. [edit-turned out not too bad, but at the time it looked pretty ugly] 5. There is almost as much certainty that one or more of the venues will not be done, or will fall down, or will have pieces of the stadium fall down and kill someone. [edit - same as above] 6. FIFA and the Brazilian government are running ads to discourage child prostitution and keep people from paying children for sex. 7. Why the fuck do we insist on having these huge athletic/cultural spectacles in the shittiest parts of the world? 8. The next World Cup is in fucking Russia, same place they just had the Olympics, maybe the buildings will be done by then and there will be stall doors for the toilets. 9. The 2022 World Cup is in the Middle East, where it gets to 120 degrees during the day and they are making artificial clouds and rain so that people don’t die of heat stroke. Really, you couldn’t make this shit up. I’m not bitter, really.
Wow, Blatter stepping down. Never thought I would see the day. http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup...-sepp-blatter-resigns-amid-corruption-scandal
I dont think he would ever see a world cup for USA - so might as well hope Canada gets lucky doesnt Canada world cup qualifying begin soon?
Ya the squad was announced today. CANADA MNT SQUAD GK- Milan Borjan | SRB / Radnički Nis GK- Lars Hirschfeld | NOR / Vålerenga GK- Kenny Stamatopoulos | SWE / AIK D- Nana Attakora | USA / San Antonio Scorpions D- Manjrekar James | HUN / Pécsi MFC D- Dejan Jakovic | JPN / Shimizu S-Pulse D- Ashtone Morgan | CAN / Toronto FC D- Karl W. Ouimette | USA / New York Red Bulls D/M- David Edgar | ENG / Birmingham City FC (on loan at Huddersfield Town) D/M- Nik Ledgerwood | GER / Energie Cottbus D/M- Adam Straith | NOR / Fredrikstad FK D/M- Maxim Tissot | CAN / Impact de Montréal M- Julian De Guzman | CAN / Ottawa Fury FC M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Besiktas M- Will Johnson | USA / Portland Timbers M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC M- Samuel Piette | ESP / Deportivo la Coruña M- Russell Teibert | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC M/F-Tosaint Ricketts | ISR / Hapoel Haifa F- Tesho Akindele | USA / FC Dallas F- Randy Edwini-Bonsu | GER / Stuttgarter Kickers F- Marcus Haber | ENG / Crewe Alexandra F- Cyle Larin | USA / Orlando City SC
Akindele was called into a US Camp and a Canadian Camp last November. He went to the US Camp snubbing Canada, but would have to file a one-time switch to play for the US having been provisionally tied to Canada. He didn't file the switch. Got called in for Canada and accepted. It doesn't appear any call-up to the US was imminent. I like him as a player, but probably a tier below USMNT B Team Level. If he really wants to play internationally Canada is his best bet.
He has some potential and was definitely leaning towards USA if he got the call. But he's probably concerned it would have been a one time call up and then he would get passed over, capping him to the U.S.
Well with the injury Jones I'd like to see the following starting lineup then bring Yedlin, Mix, Morales and Agudelo on at halftime. Guzan Chandler - Brooks - Alvarado - Shea Beckerman - Williams Zardes - Bradley - Fabian AJ
We're likely going to get smoked in these two games, I just want to see how the young guys play. Chandler in particular has to step up and take hold of the RB spot because if he doesn't we might be forced to play Fabian back there again which is wasting his offensive talent.
Kyle McCarthy @kylejmccarthy Netherlands: Cillessen; Janmaat, Bruma, Martins Indi, Blind; Clasie, Wijnaldum; Promes, van Persie, Depay; Huntelaar
Kyle McCarthy @kylejmccarthy #USMNT: Guzan; Chandler, Alvarado, Brooks, Shea; Bradley, Beckerman, Morales; Zardes, Johannsson, Johnson