It is interesting that a rather simple goal in the semi final game yesterday was put at number 8 in the Top 10 best plays of the day. Is it a push to put soccer in the public consciousness?
Liverpool play a very important game tonight in the Champions league against Marseille. With a win, Liverpool clinch a place in the final 16. Rafa Benitez, the coach of Liverpool, is under great pressure and rumors have already circulated that he will be replaced. Liverpool lost their first game of the league season this weekend, won the Champions League in 2005, and made the final in 2007. This is just one example of how incredibly difficult it is to be a top coach in the highest echelons of soccer. The media in England are tough to say the least, and any sense of failure is often blown out of all proportions. I hope Liverpool win, and the pressure on Benitez wains.
The exciting news in English soccer circles is who will take over the English national team hotseat. Fabio Capello is in line to take over after Jose Mourinho declined the opportunity. For a cost of $10 million per year, and only a handful of competitive games, Capello had better be worth the money.
My choice would be Jurgen Klinsmann…….
After reading and responding to a question, I think the topic is worth challenging on a wider scale……
What’s your take on why soccer isn’t as popular here in the United States as it is across the world?
What a fantastic few weeks for soccer in the NW, and Seattle specifically. As the captain of the current Sounders, it is wonderful that the team will be back next year to defend our title. We have a fantastic team, full of good players and good people, and this team spirit was the main element that provided the success we all worked so hard for. The news that has been brewing for a number of years, has now actually come true, with the announcement that Seattle will host a Major League Soccer franchise. This is fantastic news for the development of soccer in the nation as a whole, and especially for this area. I know the team will work tirelessly to retain the title next year, and end the Sounders current history of soccer in Seattle on a great high. We all hope to see the right send off, bringing some old players back, and truly celebrating both the history and the future of soccer in Seattle.
There are many questions that will arise over the next 12 months. Who will be the coach? Who will play for the team? What will be the name of the new team? The answers will be uncovered in due course, but as a player, I hope 2009 does not overshadow the prospects for 2008……
What a week it has been for soccer fans in England. Losing to Croatia was a disaster, ending our quest for qualification for the 2008 European championships. As an avid fan of my home country, I shared the incredible disappointment felt by the entire nation. Not only did we lose, but it was the manner in which we lost the game. I was angry at the managerial decisions, notably playing Scott Carson ahead of my old roommate at Leeds United Paul Robinson, and not starting David Beckham from the beginning. Israel answered our prayers by beating Russia, but the stars on the field last Wednesday failed to show up and played well below par (to speak kindly). As a player myself, I understand that bad performances occur, but it appeared there was a complete lack of effort and emotion. The players looked tight, entranced by fear, and void of quality. Winning your 1v1 battles, closing the ball down, and outworking the opposition is the foundation for any successful team. Croatia never seemed under pressure, never ruffled, never thrown off their game. I could go on and on.
My question now is simple. Where does soccer in England go from here?
A focus on youth development and a commitment to the grassroots level has to be addressed again. The Premier league was devised as a platform to create a strong national team. This focus has now gone, replaced by the league and clubs desire for money and power. We do have great players, and on paper we should win tournaments. But why, with the incredible amount of resources available to the English players and the English soccer establishment, have we not won an international tournament since 1966?
