October 10, 2006
USSoccer.comSoccer America: Remembering Mooch
Klinsmann offered US and Mexican jobs?
It appears that Jurgen Klinsmann has been offered the job to head up the national team of the top two countries in CONCACAF. Multiple sources are reporting that both Mexico and the US have offered Jurgen Klinsmann the job of heading up their national team and that Klinsmann is mulling over his options.
As badly as a large portion of the US Soccer fan base wants Klinsmann to succeed Bruce Arena, how badly would it sting if he were to turn the US offer down and take over the Mexican National Team?
Does pro soccer in the US need to be marketed more towards Joe Six Pack?
I know plenty of people see that a piece is written by Jamie Trecker and automatically disregard it.
However, this piece has some quotes from Ryan Dempsey, Clint's older brother, that at least should start some conversations.
Ryan's take is that MLS, and you can expand this to the USL, markets too much to soccer families and doesn't provide an environment that is overly friendly to beer drinking, ref baiting, red blood blooded American men and that they should do something about it.
Now I'm sure that there are plenty of people in the diehard Rhinos fanbase that can relate to this. Whether you're a member of the supporters groups in section 125 or 132 at PAETEC Park or just someone who gets looked at weird when you actually try and support the Rhinos with a little passion. Or maybe you just want a beer at the game without having to wait for a bunch of moms buying hot dogs and fried dough for the kids.
Personally, I think the key will be to try and find the right mix as I doubt that any pro soccer team can afford to market too much to any one segment of their potential fanbase. It doesn't matter if it's soccer moms, soccer kids, Joe Six Pack, or football supporters, soccer clubs in this country need to try and find a way to attract all of those people if the sport is to grow stronger throughout the years.
Soccer America on player development in the US
MLS Youth Development: MLS Dangles Development Carrot
U.S. Soccer Youth Development: Time to Reassess
My View: By Mike Woitalla: Do we want Robinhos or Robots?
In it's latest issue, Soccer America has taken on the big question about how player development in the US can be improved. From MLS to US Soccer to youth soccer in general, more questions are being asked on what the best way to develop talent is.
The big one to me is the last article by Mike Woitalla where Tab Ramos talks about how he wants his youth players to take risks and learn to be creative as opposed to playing safe soccer. It's been said time and again in soccer in the US, along with many other youth sports, that winning at too early an age has taken the emphasis away from skill development in kids playing sports today.
Players are being told to play systematic soccer as opposed to playing creatively and learning from their mistakes. And in the end, it's leading to the US National Team and MLS players that we have today where what the US game is lacking is the overly skilled players that not only can make the difference in wins and losses at the highest levels, but also turn the beautiful game into something less.
Perhaps one step in the right direction is the USL getting involved in futsal: USL, Super F League Join Forces .
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and
not necessarily those of the Rochester Rhinos or SoccerSam.com. Feel free to
send any comments or complaints to news@soccersam.com. James promises to read
(but not to respond) to all of them.
