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- Thread starter Smudger
- Start date
Germany were gassed at the end. European teams in general just don't seem to have the stamina to play a tough game in these conditions.
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WolverineMike
Head Coach
Why did I not realize there was no extra time during the group stage..........
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It's been 2+ weeks now...if they aren't used to it by now, they never will be. I think it has more to do with humidity....
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Miroslav Klose will go down as one of my favorite strikers of all time. He doesn't have great size, or speed. But the man knows how to score when called upon. I hope he doesn't break the record against the US, but if he does, I won't be mad. Such a talented player.
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scarletmike
Researching the Magic!
Technically, I think it was, as we can take first place if we win against Portugal. I thought there was a situation where Germany winning and us at least tying Portugal would guarantee we made it through no matter what, though? Maybe I'm remembering wrong.
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OHSportsFan
Fan of Ohio Sports in Indy
Back from Brazil.
Coolest f'n thing ever.
Coolest f'n thing ever.
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tAFKaT
Guest
This Yahoo article mentioned that Bruno Alves is questionable too. That would mean Portugal would be without three of the four starting in the backline. And from what I understand the talent level drop off from starter to backup is significant.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/us-clinch-advancement-win-over-224917474--sow.html
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/us-clinch-advancement-win-over-224917474--sow.html
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
If you are going to Brazil, see CNN article for....
10 things to know before visiting Brazil
Now that Brazil will be hosting the World Cup next year and the Olympics in 2016 (massive public expenditures that many here deeply oppose), it's time for a crash course in all things Brazilian.
1. Kissing strangers is customary
Getting to know people in Brazil is a fast-track process. Since they don't place much stock in personal space, Brazilians have an easier time of breaking through the emotional space, too.
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9. There's a huge city in the middle of the Amazon
The seventh largest city in Brazil, Manuas, sits halfway up the Amazon River. It has gleaming office buildings and modern factories and is growing faster than many other parts of the country.
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Entire article: http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/04/travel/brazil-10-things/
I've been to Brazil several times and I'd say the article is accurate.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Just sayin": If you remember the name Freddie Adu, but have not followed soccer that closely in the last 10 years (and want to kill some time before the US match with Portugal); you might find this article interesting reading:
U.S. Soccer Team Roster For World Cup 2014 Does Not Include Freddy Adu, What Happened To The Former Young Star?
This was supposed to be Freddy Adu’s time.
Propped up 10 years ago as the long-awaited messiah of America’s global soccer hopes at the tender age of 14, Adu’s star seemed destined to burn bright and long, and his progress was expected to time perfectly with the Yanks' run into the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Drawing highly ambitious comparisions to Brazilian legend Pele at a time when most teenagers are struggling more with high school algebra and an expanding social life, the attacking midfielder and sometimes forward clearly faced surreal, overwhelming expectations.
Now 25 and nowhere near the USA roster despite holding onto to hopes earlier this year, the Ghanese-American’s future seems in doubt after bouncing around Major League Soccer and Europe for the better part of a decade.
Adu’s rise and subsequent decline began on January 16, 2004 in Charlotte, North Carolina, when D.C. United made him the top overall selection in the MLS SuperDraft. Of the 60 players selected, Adu was one of two who hadn’t played in college and but were instead part of MLS’s joint venture with Nike called Project-40 (now called Generation Adidas) to elevate the level of young soccer talent across the U.S. by exposing them to the best competition at an early age.
Blessed with ultra-quick feet, a boundless motor and elusive dribbling skill, Adu became the youngest athlete to ever sign a professional contract in the United States and his promise was evident in his first three years in Washington.
United seemed the perfect place for a young talent to thrive under very little pressure, considering they won three of the first four MLS Cups. From 2004 to 2006, Adu was named to two MLS All-Star squads, totaling 11 goals and 17 assists and helping United capture the 2004 Cup his rookie year.
The wave of early success didn’t last long. Adu was elevated to United’s starting squad in 2006, but was eventually traded to Real Salt Lake in December, and that’s where the decline seemed to start.
Appearing in 11 matches and netting one goal, Adu quickly abandoned RSL for the opportunity to play among some of the world’s most elite players in Europe. Acquired by Portuguese Liga’s Benfica for a transfer of $2 million, Adu made the leap to top-flight European soccer at 18.
Benfica represented the opportunity of a lifetime, with a rich heritage of 31 domestic titles, at the time, and two European Cups over 110 years.
But over the next four years Adu took a long, arduous journey across Europe similar to a college student backpacking from hostel to hostel. He would spend year-long loans with French club titans Monaco, a stint back in Portugal with Belenenses, then Greece’s Aris and finally Turkey’s Caykur Rizespor.
Adu couldn’t find a permanent home, and after four years traipsing across Europe with five teams, he had totaled 32 appearances and scored five goals.
Adu returned to MLS by signing with the Philadelphia Union in 2011, and was reunited with his former United coach Piotr Nowak. But after 35 games and seven goals scored in two seasons, Adu’s fate with Philadelphia seemed tied to Nowak’s success. Under the Polish-born manager the Union posted a 21-30-24 record and he was dismissed following the 2012 season.
Adu’s career was starting to wane, and he signed with Brazilian club Bahia last year, only to make five total appearances in all competitions before being cut after eight months of service.
However, while Adu’s club career was floundering he had gradually moved up along USA’s international ranks, with stints with the under-17, under-20 and under-23 squads interspersed with first-team opportunities starting in 2006.
At 16, he was the youngest player ever to be capped for the U.S. in January 2006, and in 2007 he made his inaugural start for the senior team. Adu would help the under-23 squad qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing with four goals in the qualifying tournament in Canada, and that earned him a spot on the Olympic team. In Beijing he played in the first two matches of group play, only to be suspended for the final match against Nigeria after he was booked twice, and the U.S. was later eliminated before the knockout stages.
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continued
Entire article: http://www.ibtimes.com/us-soccer-te...clude-freddy-adu-what-happened-former-1599752
U.S. Soccer Team Roster For World Cup 2014 Does Not Include Freddy Adu, What Happened To The Former Young Star?
This was supposed to be Freddy Adu’s time.
Propped up 10 years ago as the long-awaited messiah of America’s global soccer hopes at the tender age of 14, Adu’s star seemed destined to burn bright and long, and his progress was expected to time perfectly with the Yanks' run into the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Drawing highly ambitious comparisions to Brazilian legend Pele at a time when most teenagers are struggling more with high school algebra and an expanding social life, the attacking midfielder and sometimes forward clearly faced surreal, overwhelming expectations.
Now 25 and nowhere near the USA roster despite holding onto to hopes earlier this year, the Ghanese-American’s future seems in doubt after bouncing around Major League Soccer and Europe for the better part of a decade.
Adu’s rise and subsequent decline began on January 16, 2004 in Charlotte, North Carolina, when D.C. United made him the top overall selection in the MLS SuperDraft. Of the 60 players selected, Adu was one of two who hadn’t played in college and but were instead part of MLS’s joint venture with Nike called Project-40 (now called Generation Adidas) to elevate the level of young soccer talent across the U.S. by exposing them to the best competition at an early age.
Blessed with ultra-quick feet, a boundless motor and elusive dribbling skill, Adu became the youngest athlete to ever sign a professional contract in the United States and his promise was evident in his first three years in Washington.
United seemed the perfect place for a young talent to thrive under very little pressure, considering they won three of the first four MLS Cups. From 2004 to 2006, Adu was named to two MLS All-Star squads, totaling 11 goals and 17 assists and helping United capture the 2004 Cup his rookie year.
The wave of early success didn’t last long. Adu was elevated to United’s starting squad in 2006, but was eventually traded to Real Salt Lake in December, and that’s where the decline seemed to start.
Appearing in 11 matches and netting one goal, Adu quickly abandoned RSL for the opportunity to play among some of the world’s most elite players in Europe. Acquired by Portuguese Liga’s Benfica for a transfer of $2 million, Adu made the leap to top-flight European soccer at 18.
Benfica represented the opportunity of a lifetime, with a rich heritage of 31 domestic titles, at the time, and two European Cups over 110 years.
But over the next four years Adu took a long, arduous journey across Europe similar to a college student backpacking from hostel to hostel. He would spend year-long loans with French club titans Monaco, a stint back in Portugal with Belenenses, then Greece’s Aris and finally Turkey’s Caykur Rizespor.
Adu couldn’t find a permanent home, and after four years traipsing across Europe with five teams, he had totaled 32 appearances and scored five goals.
Adu returned to MLS by signing with the Philadelphia Union in 2011, and was reunited with his former United coach Piotr Nowak. But after 35 games and seven goals scored in two seasons, Adu’s fate with Philadelphia seemed tied to Nowak’s success. Under the Polish-born manager the Union posted a 21-30-24 record and he was dismissed following the 2012 season.
Adu’s career was starting to wane, and he signed with Brazilian club Bahia last year, only to make five total appearances in all competitions before being cut after eight months of service.
However, while Adu’s club career was floundering he had gradually moved up along USA’s international ranks, with stints with the under-17, under-20 and under-23 squads interspersed with first-team opportunities starting in 2006.
At 16, he was the youngest player ever to be capped for the U.S. in January 2006, and in 2007 he made his inaugural start for the senior team. Adu would help the under-23 squad qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing with four goals in the qualifying tournament in Canada, and that earned him a spot on the Olympic team. In Beijing he played in the first two matches of group play, only to be suspended for the final match against Nigeria after he was booked twice, and the U.S. was later eliminated before the knockout stages.
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.
.
continued
Entire article: http://www.ibtimes.com/us-soccer-te...clude-freddy-adu-what-happened-former-1599752
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Bucky32
Legend
Dan Shaughnessy with a scorching hot take today: http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2...yWI0W4KK/story.html?p1=ArticleTab_Article_Top
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