That's On Point - USMNT vs. Italy Preview

Kaiserslautern ... not just a jersey Darrell Sheets found in a storage locker.

It's about time, right? We've got ourselves a U.S. National Team writer. Mike Cardillo, who we've been reading for YEARS on his site, "That's On Point", for US preview/reviews and English Premier League musings will be providing some coverage of the Nats as they begin their 2014 World Cup Qualifying campaign.

Mike's has been writing about the National Team for as long as we've been reading about American soccer on the Internet! He's got a quick wit and pop cultural references up the ying-yang. 

So welcome Mike to the site and your opinions on the USMNT fly! 

---------------------------------------------------------------

By Mike Cardillo / Senior National (Team) Correspondent 


"Ich habe Durchfall." -- Lonley Planet's Guide to Germany

Sometimes you really have to hand it to Germany, no, not for their efficient railway system, luxury sports cars and 7-foot sweet-shooting power forwards named Dirk. Perhaps the highest compliment you can pay any Teuton is their undying commitment to efficient organization, which might be a stereotype yes, albeit a nice stereotype to have heaped on you as an ethnic group.

This organization trickles down Germany's sports where its fan clubs seemed better run than most American municipalities. German soccer fan groups in recent years have successfully lobbied the Deutscher Fußball-Bund for keeping ticket prices -- including standing sections -- affordable and for keeping an on-air highlights package of Bundesliga matches on free television. Sadly in America, the land of supposed freedom and democracy, our sports fans act no better than braying sheep as owners, leagues and sponsors continue to suck more and more money out of pockets.

In turn, the grounds across Germany probably host the best of that fabled "atmosphere" of anywhere in Europe. You'd think, by their cold, stern outward apperance Germans would be indifferent to such trivial matters as grown men kicking around a ball, but apathy and fußball don't exist.

Something Ze Germans love with all their hearts, too, beside beers and sausage are megaphones. Don't ask me why but German fans must single-handily keep the megaphone business in hard because you're not going to a match without a couple fan "captains" leading the cheers with them.

And yes, you'll note in the video below that is indeed the reviled former German captain -- and future ESPN Euro analyst -- Michael Ballack joining in with the Bayer Leverkausen fans.









Now at this point you're probably thinking what the heck all this has to do with Wednesday's United States/Italy friendly in Genoa (2:30, ESPN2). Rest assured, this isn't going to be a swipe at U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsman's subtle attempt to mold the USMNT into Die Mannschaft 2.0.

Instead, let's rewind almost six years to a simpler time in our lives, a time before Justin Beiber and Katy Perry had even used ProActiv, let alone star in those unending strings of commercials for the face product which used to air nonstop on Fox Soccer Channel. Let's go back to a trip on Die Bahn from the idyllic college town of Heidleburg, Germany to some far flung outpost known as Kaiserslautern, which was home to both a nearby United States army base and the Fritz-Walter Stadion -- the site of a 2006 World Cup encounter between (then) three-time champion Cup Italy and two-time mullet World Cup champion, the United States.

It was on this train I personally witnessed the German's love for megaphones great and small with the entire ride comprised of a would-be German comedian trying to play AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" via the sound tones on said megaphone's keypad. Well, that was until a real comedian -- me -- took the reigns and gave those Germans, along with a random Japanese journalist, the time of their lives by reciting the medical terms from the Lonely Planet guide.

Suffice to say, men talking into a megaphone about their menstrual patterns must be a taboo subject in Germany because my "set" killed. Germans react to comedy by silent, stern faces instead of laughs, right?

And that set a tone for a wonderful, memorable day in Germany, which served as a personal turning point in my experience with the USMNT. Call it a day when everything seemed possible yet finished, in Don Henley terms, with the end of the innocence.

Due to all the nearby U.S. servicemen and women, plus their families nearby, Kaiserslatuern was overrun with red-blooded Yanks. Stars and Stripes facial tattoos outnumbered Azzurri in Roman Legion helmets 10-to-1. This wasn't like the U.S.'s first game at the 2006 World Cup, where the menacing, grim, dare I say barbaric Czech Republic fans ran roughshod over Gelsenkirchen in advance of a dispiriting 3-0 defeat at the Arena Auf Schalke.

It was the Czechs who provided the greatest lift of all, as they lost to Ghana 2-0 earlier in the day meaning if the U.S. notched a result against Italy it would control its own fate in the final group game against the Black Stars (let's not talk about this game, okay?). This revelation kicked what was already a day of joy, merriment and libation into another gear, which turned out to be a tough decision later on as it turned out the Fritz-Walter Stadion was situated atop a small mountain that was only accessible by foot.

Fortunately that handy, dandy Lonely Planet book provided nonstop entertainment -- especially when blurting out half-drunkenly to other random (bombed) people that you have your own syringe or you don't want a blood transfusion. (Ich habe meine eigene Spritze!)

Although the ascent to the stadium would have made Sir Edmund Hilary blush, it was well worth it, as the Americans were, as the Europeans say, in full voice. Since the stadium was enclosed by steel walls, it made for a cauldron of sound unlike anything I've ever been a part of, aside, from this one NBA game I went to when they played "Carwash" midway through the second quarter.

By the time the National Anthem was played, the crowd was whipped well into a frenzy. It's important to note, despite the presence of heavy scarves in near 90-degree weather, there wasn't an influx of costume-wearing, look-at-me U.S. fans. The pomp all happened oraganically, perhaps aided by the easy access to cheap German suds.









The ensuing 90 minutes were the best -- and worst -- of the U.S. rolled into one.

At its best, it felt like all those Nike-sponsored, "Dont' Tread on Me" ad campaigns might actually be more than something cooked up in Beaverton, Ore. At its worst, it felt like no matter what the U.S. did, unless it embraced the dark side of the game it would never get to the next level. For all the strides since a mainly amateur team played Italy at the 1990 World Cup, the gap had closed ... but not all that much. Wednesday's game in Genoa gives the U.S. another barometer to judge themselves against the longtime European standard-bearer, now with a coach won lifted the World Cup on Italian soil 22 years ago.

It helped, too, that the Italians that day in 2006 were an easy enemy with Rino Gattuso, Fabio Canavarro, et al, lining the phone booths of Kaiserslautern wearing nothing more than their briefs in a Dolce and Gabbana ad. The stereotype, too, of Italians doing everything short of killing their mothers on the field to win never felt more accurate. Seemingly everything Americans hated about soccer -- the flopping, the prancing, the guys with girls names -- it was all there in the form of the nefarious Azzurri and their meticulously groomed haircuts.

Granted, none of this mattered when Alberto Gilardino's header from a beautifully delivered Andrea Pirlo free kick beat the U.S. defense barely 20 minutes into the match. The Italians, lo and behold, as detestable as they might be, were also quite good at soccer.

Somehow, though, that U.S. never-say-die attitude pulled the U.S. level through a Christian Zaccardo own goal. (Only goal in open play scored against Italy during its run to winning the tournament.)








Then things basically, in the words of the kids, "jumped off." Danielle de Rossi's elbow split open Brian McBride's face like a ripe peach turning the men in blue shirts into Satan incarnate. Fortunately the American sports fan, as aforementioned is a docile sort, because it felt like a riot might ensue when first Pablo Mastreoni and later Eddie Pope were sent off for the U.S. (In retrospect, yeah, rash tackles leading to cards is a U.S. trademark, however that night it felt like the team was being jobbed by the Sepp Blatter brigade.)


Still, down a man for almost a half, Bruce Arena's boys hung in -- appeared to have a winner through DaMarcus Beasley waved off via offside -- and nicked a point off the eventual tournament champions. Yet in the long run, the blood of McBride paled in comparison to the grift and graft of the Old World.

That night however, despite, on the descent from the stadium play-acting like the flopping Italians and hurling out insults at Silvio Burlesconi -- and Gabibbo -- it still felt like the U.S. had done something tangible that night, even if that tangible result was, in fact, a tie thanks to an own-goal. Whatever, the U.S. had a chance to prove itself -- on European soil, no less. 

Sure, the U.S. has had success in the ensuing five and a half years. The Gold Cup win over Mexico in 2007. The stunning win over Spain at the Confederations Cups, as examples, but some of the spark from Kaiserslatuern seems to have faded. 

The naivety, however, that the U.S. might simply be able to win a World Cup going about things in their own special, unique American-way seems to have been extinguished. The removal of Bob Bradley for Klinsmann seems have only to have confirmed that. If the U.S. is going to win, it'll be playing their game -- not vice versa.

However the next few World Cup cycles pan out, we'll always have that shining moment of Kaiserslautern.

Miscellany:

* So much for the "first game Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey playing together under Klinsmann" narrative, eh? Sounds like Donovan is very sick.

* Eric Wynalda has been a bit of a blowhard, lately, trying to position himself as a truth-teller outside the accepted, tacit U.S. Soccer media. While that act can be grating, his constant reminders on Fox Soccer for Dempsey to play closer to goal in a U.S. shirt is one of his better, if not best points. Dempsey playing closer to goal is important since, we've seen repeatedly, Jozy Altidore isn't suited to play alone up top without a running partner. Long-term Klinsmann has grand designs on a playing style and system for the U.S. You wouldn't think that includes a traditional two-forward system, but at some point you have to start winning games, too. For the immedaite future, Dempsey playing a more traditional attack role, even as a withdrawn striker is the U.S.'s best option.

* Jonathan Spector has never gotten a ton of love from me in this space, but he deserves a chance to claim a place in the U.S. defense -- or even midfield. After playing a bit role and suffering relegation with West Ham last year, the former Manchester United youth player swallowed his pride and went to Birmingham City -- also relegated. At Brum he's been a regular for Chris Hughton's side, which is within striking distance of promotion playing both as a defensive midfielder and at right back.

* Maybe it's me, but it seems like there are, what, about 50 potential guys in the U.S. pool to play defense all offering roughly the same level of play?

* Figure two guys who'd want to play in this match and play well are Carlos Bocanegra and Maurice Edu, considering the financial meltdown engulfing Rangers at the moment. 


* Damn you Cesare Prandelli, damn you to hell for leaving Mario Balotelli out of the Italian squad. Let's just laugh at this picture instead.

She ordered a .... fish filet?

* Not that it's an area of strength for the U.S, but if it were ever to generate some play in the wide areas of the field it's here, since Italian soccer seems averse to developing wingers of any sort. The fact, at 32, Andrea Pirlo remains the creative force for both Juventus and the Azzurri says a lot. Figure on Italy starting four natural central midfield types.

* Italian forward Giampoalo Pazzini and Alessandro Matri aren't speed merchants or all together that dynamic, yet they're crafty and have the knack for creating their own space in the box. The usual physicality that the U.S. defense displays -- albeit without the injured Oguchi Onyewu -- will be tested by the (term make me look smart) "tactical nous" of the Italians. That said, the most anticipated player for Italy is 20-year-old Roma striker Fabio Borini, who naturally isn't anticipated to start.

* Shame Freddy Adu wasn't in the mix for this one since Sebastian Giovinco is in the team for Italy. It's not every day Adu can line up on the field an toward over an opponent. Giovinco is generously listed at 5-foot-4.

* Fortunately Giuseppe Rossi -- scorer of two goals in Italy's 3-1 win in the 2009 Confederations Cup against the U.S. -- is out injured for this match. Beyond tired of that narrative.

* In keeping with the German nomenclature, perhaps we'd best start labeling it the 1.USMNT.

* With Jermaine Jones pulling out of the team due to injury, I'll be planning on giving myself a yellow card sometime around the 27th minute.

* Part of me, the devious part, hopes Michael Bradley starts the game on the bench to start a massive conspiracy theory/meltdown by U.S. fans on Twitter, considering Bradley is the only American playing in Italy.

* Nothing personal, although his admitted love of the Black Eyed Peas might taint this, but ESPN analyst Taylor Twellman is a little too much of a "bro" for my tastes behind the mic. Then again, Ian Darke could make a potted plant wearing an Affliction t-shirt seem witty and insight sitting next to him.

* Next scheduled match for the U.S. isn't until a May friendly with Scotland in, of all places, Jacksonville, Fla. Guess the USSF wanted a place that's already used to dealing with small, indifferent crowds via the Jaguars. Then again, haggis is huge in northern Florida. Huge.

* Apropos of nothing, Paulie Walnuts in Italy is never not funny. The entire three-minute montage has been deleted by the YouTube cops, so this clip will have to suffice.

Lineup Guess:

Midfield diamond, perhaps?

GK -- Howard

DEF -- Cherundolo -- Bocanegra -- Cameron -- F. Johnson

MID -- D. Williams -- Bradley -- Edu -- Kljestan

FOR -- Dempsey, Altidore

Closing Thought:

A lot of how you view this match probably boils down to your impression of Italy. The Azzurri, post their World Cup 2010 flame out in the group stages, have lost some luster. That said, with the Serie A success in the Champions League this year, plus the Italian's recent upturn in the last year, which includes a friendly draw with Germany and win over Spain. Is Italy good enough to beat either of those two in the Euro, probably not, but the Azzurri are still among the elite in the world.

Still, with the cagey way Italy is prone to play, this is a game the U.S. should be thinking is winnable if not for the maddening, frequent mental mistakes by made by the team. ...


Prediction: Ita;y 1, U.S. 1


Get the NEW Free Beer Movement "Pint Glass" shirt! Only from Objectivo.com

Interview: Eric Wynalda has Some Opinions on What's Wrong with American Soccer (And a Few Ideas How To Fix It)

To say Eric Wynalda is opinionated doesn't do him justice. The man has opinions about opinions! When we caught up with the former Men's National Team player and current Fox Soccer deskman he had just finished recording his podcast, "Sent Off", with fellow Fox man, Christian Miles. He still had plenty of voice to share with the Free Beer Movement.

What's really interesting in talking with Wynalda is not only his knowledge about soccer, but his passion for the American game. That's something we can admire.The former all-time USMNT scorer's passion for American soccer has also made him one of the sport's most vocal critics.

Photo Credit: John Todd / MLS

As Wynalda said himself, "I'm never a in-betweener. People love honesty and I'm full of it."

The following are four stances that Wynalda laid out in the course of our interview. They were weaved into a 45 minute conversation about his career with the National Team, getting Major League Soccer off the ground in 1996, and the direction of soccer in America.

Wednesday we'll post part two of the interview where he talks about his job at Fox Soccer, owning a professional soccer team in San Diego, what it means to wear the red, white, and blue, and (of course, we had to ask) his favorite beer.


Opinion #1: Major League Soccer Must Switch to FIFA's Calendar

Stand-Out Quote: "For all the growth of MLS, until (Don) Garber listens to the voice of reason and engages in the real world, the real business of soccer, we’re in a state of stagnation."



Context: We asked Wynalda is he was disappointed that Fox Soccer didn't retain the broadcast rights for MLS.

Photo Credit: Free Beer Movement

Wynalda's Words: "I understand it. I understand why that happened. It’s a complex issue that takes some explaining. People say, “well if they really would've cared about soccer they would done that (kept MLS).” They (Fox) justput close to half a billion dollars into the sport. They’re obviously investedin the game, but they’re businessmen and they’ve taken a hard look at ratingsand they don’t get a big audience.

"I think Fox’s inclusion in soccer will be probably the one companythat has the ability to change the whole landscape. They’re going to forceMajor League Soccer to cooperate with the rest of the world and get on the FIFA schedule. Because there is no way you’re going to convince the suits at Fox tospend a dime on MLS if MLS’ idea of promoting the game is right up with Fox’scash cow, the NFL.

"For all the growth of MLS, until (Don) Garber listens to the voice of reason and engages in the real world, the real business of soccer, we’re in a state of stagnation. Wego up against the World Series, college football, and the NFL. There’s nobody watching our sport (at playoff/Cup Final time).

"If we were smart about it we would change our schedule and put the sport in a spot where we’re promoting the games of relevance, the playoffs, the games we really see as showcasing the game in May and June…  we’ll get the viewership.

"And then Fox Soccer will then say, “How much money do you need?”

It just makes sense to me to put the sport in a spot where people can love it without having to compete with the big boys of baseball and football.

Lastly, anybody who’s preparing for a World Cup in a World Cup year and is playing in Major League Soccer in April; they’re playing not to get hurt. You’re not going into a World Cup not nearly as ready merely because you’re trying to go from sleep to sprint and that’s a hard thing to do.

I’ve played in Europe before a World Cup and I’ve played in MLS before a World Cup and the experience was night and day, polar opposites. I wasn't ready mentally or physically.

We’re one of the only leagues in the world that plays through FIFA dates. That’s just crazy. You can’t have the two biggest entities in American soccer, MLS and U.S. Soccer, not even on the same page… they’re in different books!"

Will incentives for teams increase the competitiveness and quality of play in MLS?

Opinion #2: MLS Should Incentive The Game

Stand-Out Quote: "When everyone’s playing for something and you screw up and lose your teammates' money, you’re going to hear it. That accountability doesn't exist in Major League Soccer."



Context: We asked Wynalda about how far MLS has come and where it's going. 

Wynalda's Words: "I think it’s been fascinating. The stadiums have totally and completely changed the landscape, the perception of our league. They are events. They are fun to watch, to go to games. We’re not playing in borrow stadiums on borrowed time. It’s actually a great product and that gets often overlooked.

"I hope they entertain the idea of incentivizing contracts because that will make the level go up a notch or two. Right now, the way our league is structured, and the payment of the players, there’s not a lot ofincentive to win. Win, lose, or draw… if you’re making eighty grand, you’re making eighty grand.

"There’s nothing lost. And I’ve played in Europe and when you lose a game people lose money. People are upset. And rightly so. Not because they lost the game, but because they lost money. And when people lose money, things get more serious. There’s accountability.

"When everyone’s playing for something and you screw up and lose your teammates' money, you’re going to hear it. That accountability doesn't exist in Major League Soccer.

"Everyone wants to argue about relegation and promotion. Forget it. I would like to see some kid making forty grand go into the game into the 81^st minute and have a structure, let’s say five hundred bucks a point, and the game’s tied and the coach has given him instructions to kill the game. There’s going to be a point a moment in that game where that player is going to recognize that he could be a hero. That’s when coaches have to coach. When it gets real. When there’s a moment when the player says in his head, “I’m not just going to go through the motions I’m going for it. What if I win the game for us?”

"When you have the opportunity to win something you also don’t want to be the guy who screws things up. It makes you better.

"It’s what I learned in Europe and I’d love to see implemented in the United States. It makes soccer better and it’d make it better in a hurry. People that don’t get it have never been on a team with that kind of structure; it’s forced camaraderie. You’re are not allowed to not do your job when it’s someone else’s money.

"The games will be more exciting, the coaching will be… real. Let’s see where that one goes because it’s a tough sell to the owners."

Could more of these guys have been instrumental in building American soccer?
(Photo Credit: From "The Demin Kit" blog)

Opinion #3: Bring In More Former USMNTers From the Cold and Let Them Help Build American Soccer

Stand-Out Quote: "If you come to me and say 'I've been involved in soccer for the last 20 years' I arrogantly say, 'Congratulations, that’s 20 years of failure. Do you know how much better we couldn't been without you?' That’s where we are."

Context: We asked Wynalda about being a part of MLS history (the league's first goal scorer) and building soccer in this country.

Wynalda's Words: "When the league was getting started we were all over the place. Earnie Stewart was in Holland, Tab (Ramos) was in Spain, John Harkes in England, I was in Germany, Paul Caligiuri was in Germany, Alexi (Lalas) was in Italy.

"We were all contemplating coming back and we went with our heart. It certainly wasn't what we thought it should be when we came back; we played on really bad fields, football stadiums. It was hard. There were a lot of pieces there that weren’t put together yet.

"I remember I called Tab (Ramos) when he made the decision to become the first player to sign with the league and he said, “Well, it’s one of those all-in sort of situations. Are we going to pioneers or are we going to make a business decision? Because I’m coming back to make one-sixth of what I can make here (in Europe).”

"There was a lot of frustration because there was a lot of money that didn’t go to American players. It went to foreign players like Marco Etcheverry, (Carlos) Valderrama, (Mauricio) Cienfuegos who really weren't that good. There was a lot of frustration when we first came back.

"We didn't like the structure. We didn’t like the schedule.We didn’t like anything about it, but we were still committed.

"And if you look around there aren’t a whole lot of guys whowere a part of those couple of years of frustration that are involved today (with MLS or the U.S. National Team). We don’t see some of the people that should be helping the next wave, the next Tom Dooleys of the world. We don’t see Marcelo Balboa getting involved (Editor's Note: he is currently the color commentor for the Colorado Rapids) or Paul Caligiuri.

"It bothers me sometimes because those guys could have a lot to do with the next step, but the frustration is that we’ve got a lot of peopletrying to take us somewhere they’ve never been. If we want to get to the next level we better start getting some people involved that know where that place is.

"As much as we think it’s going in the right direction I would argue that, over the last ten years, 80 to 90 percent of that success has been accidental. There really hasn’t been much of a plan and it needs to change if things are going to get much better.I hope that it will, but I’ve been living in this realm of hope for a longtime.

"I tease Alexi Lalas about it all the time. He was the oneguy to have the chance (to work in the front office of a MLS team). I call him Anakin (Skywalker) as if he was Darth Vader because he went to the Dark Side,but he basically said, without saying it, 'you have no idea what that world is like'. It’s not really about progress it’s about a paycheck.

"If you come up with a solution (to fix some of soccer problems) do you know how many people you’ve just eliminated?

"If you come to me and say “I’ve been involved in soccer for the last 20 years” I arrogantly say, “Congratulations, that’s 20 years of failure. Do you know how much better we could’ve been without you?” That’s where we are.

"Weare in a state where people that are employed to do a job that come up with a plan and if the plan doesn't work they just come up with a new plan, but they stay employed. That’s the part that’s annoying because I guarantee there are some people that are being dis-involved from this process that can fit it in a hurry."

Opinion #4: Jurgen Klinsmann Is Not The Answer

Stand-Out Quote: "If you want to teach everyone to play. If that’s the plan, to play a certain way, if he tries to do that in a qualifier, if we try and go into a qualifier and try to play, we might not qualify. We. Might. Not. Qualify"

Context: We asked Wynalda about his opinion of the current U.S. National Team and it's coach.

Wynalda's Words: "I love this whole thing with Jurgen Klinsmann; that he has this plan. Anyone that comes at you with a plan is just trying to guarantee their employment until they can figure it out. It doesn’t impress me at all. It’s something that every coach does. It’s just a stall tactic to stay employed to find a solution.

I don’t think I’m out of line in reminding people that this is the United States of America, the people that we celebrate, we like to win.We’ve always prided ourselves on that. I don’t know anything about track and field, but when the Olympics happen and the board comes up with who’s winning the medals, who’s got the golds and the silvers, I get upset when the United States isn’t in first place. Cause I’m American.

When people come at me and say, “Well results don’t matter”.The hell they don’t! They always matter!

When we say winning doesn't matter… that’s un-American. I can’t stand for that.

I’m not going to go out there and represent the United States of America, put my hand on my heart, and say that I’m just going to play today. I don’t really care if we win or lose. It’s not important.

That’s total BS. Anyone trying to sell that to me is always going to get a stiff argument.

I want to see my country win. We can all go out there and play...

Quote Mia Hamm when she said, “Anyone who says winning isn’t everything hasn't won anything.”

The girls have won the World Cup a couple of times for a couple of reasons. They made winning important.

If you want to teach everyone to play. If that’s the plan, to play a certain way, if he tries to do that in a qualifier, if we try and go into a qualifier and try to play, we might not qualify. We. Might. Not. Qualify. Because it has nothing to do withsoccer sometimes. It has to do with winning the game you’re in. If we don’t start building that winning mentality now we’ll be searching for it at the wrongtime so that could be very, very dangerous.

He’s going to sell us on something that is achievable with or without him. We’ve chosen to employ him to do a job. I’m telling him to do it.Win the games. Beat the opponent in front of you.

It’s contest. It’s a competition. The idea is to win the game.  Not to worry about who’s watching, what we think, what you think. Two teams playing each other and all we remember is who won and who lost and who scored. That’s what this is about.

Everyone keeps talking about development, teaching, and philosophies, and all that crap, but the bottom line is you’ve gotta put eleven guys on the field and you gotta stick together and you gotta win games. And if you can’t do that then you shouldn’t be there in the first place.

Our challenge is to join the rest of the world by playing the game the right way.We’re not going to prove that until we win. I don’t care how good we look playing; that doesn’t impress anyone. The Dutch learned that the hard way. 

Wednesday: Part two of our interview with Eric Wynalda.

Get the NEW Free Beer Movement "Pint Glass" shirt! Only from Objectivo.com

Real American Heroes? Forging A National Team Identity

You know we had to go with this.

Preston Zimmerman opened a can of worms. Pandora's box. He let the cat out of the bag. Choose your overused cliche, but American soccer took a look at the elephant in the room yesterday.

The former U-20 National Team member set Twitter abuzz yesterday (and doubled his follower count) with comments about U.S. Men's National Team coach Jurgen Klinsmann's squad selection so far. Zimmerman, who plays in Germany's Third Division for SV Darmstadt 98, was outspoken in the belief that Klinsmann is choosing German-American talent (and those with tenuous connections to the U.S.) over better "real American" talent from U.S. colleges and Major League Soccer.

Zimmerman: Controversial tweets.
(Photo mined from "The Shin Guardian")

While many American soccer fans uttered a collective "who?" when the name Zimmerman and his comments broke on a slow soccer news day, we've been following the 23-year old Washington native's journey in a series of articles and interviews done over at our friends, The Shin Guardian. There Zimmerman documents five years of difficulty in trying to land a club in Europe. A much less satisfying version of "The Jay DeMerit Story".

With that as context, Zimmerman chose yesterday to take to social media to let out his frustrations about the evolving make-up of the National Team and the lack of quality results in Klinsmann's early reign. Both of these discussion are nothing new among American soccer fans (particularly the latter one), but perhaps it took a higher-profile individual (even if that person is a former USYNTer and journeyman in Europe) to punch these topics (particularly the former one) out of a Big Soccer discussion board and onto the "front page".

The full timeline of his remarks is included below:

The United States of America was founded, built upon the backs of, and flourished because of the contributions of millions of immigrants that set foot on these shore since the first colonies of the 1600s. Whether early Anglo settlers looking for religious freedom to African slaves (even if not by choice) to other Europeans looking for economic opportunity and to escape political repression of tyrants to our latest immigration wave; people have sought out the United States as place for the "American Dream".

The same could be said of our soccer history. While the arc of American soccer history is long (just as long as baseball here) it does not have the same depth as some of our other sports. With the exception of St. Louis in the early 1900s our soccer history is shaped by the contributions of mostly-immigrant sides of Bethlehem Steel, the Fall River Marksmen, and countless other "company teams" that, at-times thrived and at-other-times, struggled to keep soccer alive in the U.S.

Gaetjens: Real American hero?

The United States National Team recruited foreigners with skeptical citizenship connections to their adopted homeland to play on. Our history's most celebrated hero, Joe Gaetjens was the son of a Haitian mother and a Belgian father. He was allowed to play for the U.S. in that fateful World Cup of 1950 because he expressed his intentions of becoming naturalized after the tournament. That would never happen. (Gaetjens disappeared in Haiti in the 1960s under dictator Papa Doc). Two other non-citizens would feature for the U.S. side in the "Miracle on Grass"; Joseph Maca, who was born in Belgium and Ed McIlvenny, a Scotsman.

The list of immigrant connections to U.S. soccer continues. The "Shot Heard Round the World" taken by Paul Caligiuri in 1989 comes from an American of Italian parents. Thomas Dooley, born in Germany and took U.S. citizenship in 1992 to become a member of the 1994 World Cup team and captain of the 1998 squad in France. Carlos Bocanegra and (dare-we-say) Jonathan Bornstein both have a parent of Mexican decent while Benny Feilhaber (called into the January camp) was born in Brazil.

We could go on.

What Klinsmann is doing is nothing new to American soccer and the National Team. From the early days of soccer immigrants have combined with natural-born Americans to forge our soccer-ing identity. It hasn't led to most attractive of results and certainly not a clear "style" like "Total Football" or "Joga Bonito", but in that chaos is what makes it uniquely American.

A struggle to accept diversity and integrate it into an American fabric.

_____________________________________________

So what is a "real American" or a "fake American"? Sarah Palin tried to define that during the 2008 Presidential election and now Zimmerman has brought that discussion to U.S. soccer.

On the face, as a National Team, we should never accept anyone that isn't willing to give everything to the American cause. That goes for any player natural-born or otherwise. But as an increasingly diverse nation and one with a massive global reach through history (thus so many children of American GIs now eligible for the U.S.) we must accept that our team will reflect the confusion, chaos and struggles that are a reflection of our national debate over what is and isn't "American".

Klinsmann has a diverse vision for the USMNT.

The discussion is good, but the end result must be that we, as National Team fans, should want the best eleven players on their field to compete. These players will come from California, Texas, New York, Mexico, Germany, and countless other countries around the globe. If those are culled from American universities or MLS or wherever we must field our strongest possible side. If the domestic game is being overlooked, as Zimmermann alleges, then Klinsmann's and his staff must have their reasons. We want to see the domestic game as strong as possible, but also acknowledge that we might (or probably) not be there yet.

Not because the United States Soccer Federation becomes a mercenary group snagging people in some sort of A-Team exercise, but seeking committed individuals to participate in the National side.

Some of these players will have less of a connection to the U.S., perhaps even speaking little English, but if the commitment to the idea of American soccer is clear then who are we to question that?

Klinsmann said it himself in an interview with Sporting News' Brian Straus:

“It’s a different part of American culture. It’s the global picture that America represents,” Klinsmann told Sporting News before a match in Paris. “Those are kids who came through military families or for whatever reasons, working reasons of their parents, then they grow up with a different educational system, which gives them in soccer terms an edge ahead of American kids growing up in the U.S.”

“But those kids (Fabian Johnson, Timothy Chandler, etc), they have a very special connection to the U.S. no matter where they’re born," the coach said. "The opportunity to represent the U.S. on the soccer field is another big emotional piece of their connection to their country. Now you live in this dual-citizenship world that is normal. It’s globalization. It’s just the way it is. If you’re Mexican-American or you’re coming from the Caribbean, South America or Europe, everyone has a special connection to the United States. That shows you the path of the U.S. Not only that it’s a country of immigrants into the U.S., but it’s also an export country. It goes both ways.

This new era for American soccer is confronting our identity issues head on. Klinsmann, when named National Team Coach earlier this year, said a hallmark of his reign would include scouring Mexico and Europe for players overlooked during the Bob Bradley-era (although Bradley did give Chandler, Gomez, Torres, their first caps). Ironically, this has been at the expense of the outstanding Hercules Gomez. Some people will be left on the outside looking in. That is up to the coach and for us Monday morning quarterbacks ("Post-International-Friendly-Couch-Captains" doesn't have the same ring to it) to debate.

Zimmerman has every right to asks these questions. The results for Klinsmann have, thus far, been disappointing, but the connection between results and recruitment is thin. We need more time to see how the Klinsmann Experiment (Grant Wahl... a new book?) will play out.

(Related note: All 20 players called into the January camp are U.S.-born).

We as an American soccer community has every right to debate them as well. As we move forward as fans of our evolving National Team these issues will continue to confront us. We must accept that there are no easy answers to this issues; as a National Team or a nation.

But our National Team will reflect our national identity of a conglomeration of races, ethnicities, religions, and increased globalization. As long as each player can show a love for country, commitment to the cause, and contribute to the team we must accept them as "real Americans" just as we have for millions of others for hundreds of years in this nation


Get the NEW Free Beer Movement "Pint Glass" shirt! Only from Objectivo.com

NEWS - Klinsmann's Roster for January Friendlies

Der Bomber Jurgen Klinsmann, named his 20-man roster for January camp and the two international friendlies in Arizona against Venezuela and away in Panama.


The good? The bad? The ugly? What are your thoughts?


GOALKEEPERS (3): Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake) 

DEFENDERS (7): Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), A.J. DeLaGarza (LA Galaxy), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), George John (FC Dallas), Zach Loyd (FC Dallas), Michael Parkhurst (FC Nordsjaelland), Heath Pearce (Chivas USA) 

MIDFIELDERS (6): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt), Benny Feilhaber (New England Revolution), Jeff Larentowicz (Colorado Rapids), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City) 

FORWARDS (4): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City), C.J. Sapong (Sporting Kansas City), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)


Get the NEW Free Beer Movement "Pint Glass" shirt! Only from Objectivo.com

Phun With Photoshop - A "European Vacation" Is Good for the League and the National Team

Starrting: Juan Aguedelo, Brek Shea, Jeff Larentowicz, and Kyle Beckerman

The off-season ritual of heading to Europe for some extra training is no longer just the extra-curriculars of David Beckham and Thierry Henry. Now young Major League Soccer players and U.S. National Team players are getting time with clubs all across the continent.


And this list keeps on growing. Over a dozen young Americans are aboard during the MLS downtime. Some to stay sharp, others for a quick look my European clubs and their scouts. No matter the motives, given the shorter domestic season, a little TnT (training and touches) is better for the quality of the league and the Nats than R&R.


No matter how you feel about the pace and results of the Klinsmann revolution at U.S. Soccer, the Germany-American coach has used his continental contacts to get young players some great European experience, including FC Dallas' Brek Shea with Jurgen's former coaching colleague Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. 


The list of Americans aboard (from Goal.com):


Columbus Crew winger Robbie Rogers - FC Kaiserslautern  
Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman - FC Kaiserslautern 
New York Red Bulls striker Juan Agudelo - VfB Stuttgart
D.C. United defender Perry Kitchen - SC Freiburg
Philadelphia Union midfielder Zach Pfeffer - Hoffenheim 

D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid - West Bromwich Albion
FC Dallas winger Brek Shea - Arsenal
Vancouver Whitecaps forward Omar Salgado - Fulham
Colorado Rapids midfielder Jeff Larentowicz - Bolton
Sporting Kansas City forward Teal Bunbury - Bolton 
Chicago Fire goalkeper Sean Johnson - Everton
Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath - Everton
Philadelphia Union Amobi Okugo - Freiburg
DC United defender Andy Najar - Tottenham


And just last week New York Red Bulls starlet Juan Agudelo announced he was off to Mersyside for some time with Liverpool FC.


The explosive growth of young players recruitment aboard during MLS' off-season, even if a few players are lost to European contracts, is going to increase exposure for American soccer and further the leagues' international reputation as a laboratory for young talent. 


Get the NEW Free Beer Movement "Pint Glass" shirt! Only from Objectivo.com

A Belgian Beer Writer Talks About Belgian Beer For Today's... Er.... Um... Belgian Match

The is definitely the stadium the USMNT plays in today. Wikipedia told us.

This is a guest post by Joe Stange, former soccer blogger, former so-called serious journalist, who currently writes about beer. The FBM cannot be held responsible for any of this nonsense, except for the very questionable decision to allow this post to happen in the first place. Strange currently lives in Costa Rica where still still brilliantly writes about all things beer at "Thirsty Pilgrim".

Me. Me, me, me. That's what this post is really about. Oh, ostensibly it has something to do with today's friendly between the United States and Belgium. But even the existence of that game itself is a front, a facade, a farce no doubt concocted to give me the excuse to write about me.

But enough about me, for now. Let's talk about drinking. As in, where to drink in Brussels, if you were hypothetically attending this match. Which you are not, of course, but let's pretend.

Trust him. He's published.

The game is at Roi Baudouin Stadium, which is in a northern sector of the city strategically chosen, perhaps, to be far removed from any of the really decent places to drink beer. Oh, there are a few dive bars around. Brown cafés, they call them. You will find a Stella Artois. You might even find a Duvel. But here is what the Belgian beer marketing geniuses will never tell you: Stella Artois is the Coors of Belgium. Duvel is the Colt .45. You can do better.

I have a map of all the best places to drink beer of real character in Brussels. I have this map because I trudged all over town and wrote a guidebook on the subject. (Somebody had to do it.) The book is called Around Brussels in 80 Beers, and it's really good. I know it's really good, because my wife and my mom both told me so. I trust them. Anyways, I wrote the book with a local brewer and beer historian named Yvan de Baets. And he wrote the book with me. Me, me, me. You see?

So, if you were hypothetically attending this game, which you are not, you should first make time for a healthy session in the center of the city. Most of the interesting drinking holes are there. That's where you can find the Mort Subite, a.k.a. “sudden death,” which hasn't changed much since the turn of the century. No, not the turn ofthis century. I mean the one before. There you can have a Westmalle Dubbel on draft and some plattekeis, which is the classic breakfast of flat-capped Belgian geezers, who may or may not still speak the local dialect. It's a creamy cheese that you spread over a gigantic slice of bread, livened up with some scallions and shallots. Healthy, maybe.

Or, if you want to be like the more sophisticated young bruxellois, you can head to Moeder Lambic Fontainas, which is just a few blocks walk from the Mannekin Pis. (The Mannekin Pis, by the way, is Belgium's great zwanze, or joke, on the hordes of tourists who descend on Brussels every day. The clever thing to do is sit at the Poechenellekelder café, just across from the little peeing boy, and have a Zinnebir and a chuckle while the funny foreigners snap their photos.) At the Fontainas you'll find 40 taps or so of real biére artisanale, plus plenty more bottles and some serious cheeses and whatnot. Here you will want a glass of Cantillon lambic hand-pulled from the cask, a spontaneously fermented beer that is as entertaining and sour as our chances under this funny new German coach of ours.

Speaking of Cantillon: I used to see the father-and-son brewing duo, Jean-Pierre and Jean, at soccer games in my neighborhood. When I lived in Brussels I walked about 20 minutes to watch fourth division Union St-Gilloise. During my time there they managed to climb up into the third division – oh, dare we hope? – before tumbling spectacularly back down into the fourth. They had their moments, but I've seen American high school teams play better. All of that is beside the point. They were my local club, as far as that went, and beer was cheap: Maes pils for $2 a cup. And the St-Gilles branch of Moeder Lambic was on the way home -- twice the price for beers that were ten times as good.

I also watched the Belgian national team play a few times, but I have no insider information for you. They don't have a style you can nail down as easily as the Dutch or French. They're a mish-mash. What they do have, however, is lots of good beer. Lucky Belgians.

I mean, if you were going to participate in the Free Beer Movement, can you think of a better place than Brussels, and thus a better night than tonight?

Did Dan ever tell you who invented the Free Beer Movement? (Editor's Note: Yes. I might have mentioned it once.) I invented it, and the movement was invented by me. Me, me, me. OK? At the time I was writing a blog called We Call It Soccer. Maybe you can find it in the Wayback Machine. It was kind of hot shit, back in the day when there weren't nearly as many soccer blogs. (At least me, my wife and my mom liked to think so.) At the time I was working toward a master's degree and studying propaganda. I learned that one of the most effective propaganda tricks is something called cognitive dissonance. Basically, people will do things that don't necessarily mesh with their previously held beliefs. After they do them, they will re-arrange their beliefs so that their actions make sense. The trick is getting them to take those actions.

Good beer for you and your friends.

I thought: Lots of people in this country don't believe in soccer. Seeing a game live might change their minds. What's the best incentive in the history of mankind, to get them to do something they don't believe in? FREE BEER! A simple and effective idea that someone else would have invented, had it not been me. Me, me, me.

Who knows? It might even have been Dan. Or Greg Lalas.

Anyway, let's drop the pretense of you being in Brussels tonight. Instead, head to your local specialist bottle shop and pick out something strong and gorgeous: a Rochefort 10, perhaps. Let it numb your senses for the likely loss to one of the more underachieving, nondescript teams in Europe. Remember to buy extra bottles for friends. Afterward, even if you haven't turned them on to the beautiful game, at least you've turned them on to a beautiful beer.

And then remember to give proper credit to me.


Get the NEW Free Beer Movement "Pint Glass" shirt! Only from Objectivo.com

The Tuesday XI: USMNT 80s Night Edition

Editor's Note: We continue a great new feature on the Free Beer Movement site. In collaboration with the quality soccer site, "The Other 87 Minutes" we present the "Tuesday XI" (and sometimes the "Tuesday Ten") a thoughtful list on a variety of topics in the world of soccer.

Make sure you head over to "The Other 87 Minutes" and check out all the... well... other great writing on their site. What do you think of the "Tuesday XI"? Let us know in the comments section!


The bar where one third of The Other 87 watches the U.S. National Team play hosted 80’s (and Ladies) Night Friday while the game was going on. In honor of the soundtrack we had for the match, here’s our player ratings from the match, assigned in the form of 80’s songs.

Player: Tim Howard
Song: “White Wedding”
Operative Line: “Hey little sister who’s your Superman?”

Not even Timmy 1’s heroics could keep the U.S. score sheet unblemished. Today against Belgium will be a nice day to start again.

The "journey" might be over, Edgar.

Player: Edgar Castillo
Song: “Don’t Stop Believin’”
Operative Line: “Some will win, some will lose/Some were born to sing the blues.”

Like Journey, Edgar Castillo asks us to keep believing despite the fact that he sucks. Actually, that’s kind of unfair to Edgar. No one sucks as bad as Journey does.

Player: Carlos Bocanegra
Song: "You Can Call Me Al"
Operative Line: "A man walks down the street/He says, why am I soft in the middle now?"

The answer: Poor communication and inexperience at the center backs doomed the U.S. again, just as it did in the Gold Cup.

Player: Michael Orozco
Song: "Another One Bites the Dust"
Operative Line: "And another one's gone and another one's gone."

Add Orozco to the list of center back casualties the U.S. has had in the last year – DeMerit, Onyewu, very nearly Tim Ream (I’m sure he’ll be back, but for a while there his head seemed next on the chopping block). Orozco’s not been terrible, but his performances have at times had fans hanging on the edge of their seats, and not in a good way.

Player: Timmy Chandler
Song: “Mickey”
Operative Line: “You take me by the heart when you take me by the hand.”

U.S. fans think Timmy #2’s pretty fine, so thank goodness he didn’t break their hearts by committing to Germany.

Player: Maurice Edu
Song: “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”
Operative Line: “But you gotta let me know/Should I stay or should I go?”

Poor Edu. He finally gets 90 minutes that aren’t at centerback and now people are suggesting he take a back seat to Kyle Beckerman against Belgium. I’m a big Edu fan, and with his performances for Rangers and when he does get minutes, I can’t understand why it’s always tease tease tease with him.

Player: Jose Torres
Song: “I Want a New Drug”
Operative Line: “One that won’t make me nervous/Wonderin’ what to do”

Torres is a new type of player in the center of the midfield for the Nats (at least in the last five years, practically a lifetime in international soccer), a passer rather than a runner or destroyer. Based on Friday’s game, it’s an experiment that very well could work, and that would be one result that won’t keep fans up all night or make them feel too bad.

Get it, Landon.

Player: Landon Donovan
Song: "Eye of the Tiger”
Operative Line: “So many times it happens too fast/You change your passion for glory.”

For years, when the U.S. played, Landon had that eye of the tiger, man, that edge. Now he’s gotta get it back. See that look in their eyes, in the eyes of Dempsey and Bradley and the other guys. He’s got to get that look back. Eye of the Tiger man.

Player: Brek Shea
Song: “Superfreak”
Operative Line: Uhh, “She’s a superfreak, superfreak/she’s superfreaky, yow.”

Ignore the gender confusion and look at it this way. What we have in Shea right now is a pacy winger with good dribbling ability who’s not afraid to take people on and to draw out defenders before slipping passes through the defense. That skill set, so far, only rarely takes advantage of the fact that he’s 6’3. If he learns to harness his size, increasing his upper body strength and becoming better in the air, he could be a full dual threat, a target forward on the wing and a constant threat crashing the back post.

Player: Jozy Altidore
Song: "Here I Go Again"
Operative Line: "Here I go again on my own/going down the only road I've ever known."

This is how we imagine
Rodgers dresses anyways.

Once more, Jozy was asked to plow a lonely road as the only center forward in the side. I actually thought he was quite effective, particularly in the first thirty minutes, when he was dropping deep, receiving passes and moving the ball quickly to forward runners. The consensus seems to be he works better with a strike partner, but I still think Jozy has the tools to be a lone front man, he just lacks the practice doing it.

Player: Robbie Rogers
Song: "Beat It"
Operative Line: "You better run you better do what you can."

I've never been a fan of Rogers, but I'm willing to change my mind if he shows a consistent ability to use his speed to stretch play or beat people on the dribble out on the flank and put in good crosses into the box. If not, then he should probably just, you know, get out of here or something.

About "The Other 87 Minutes"
What is this new site we're exposing you too? We'll let them explain:

The Other 87 seeks to provide something that’s not instant analysis or eve of matchday previews. Think of us as the good bits of your favorite soccer coverage: the profiles that examine what makes a certain player tick, the historical background that sheds some light on how the sport has evolved to the present day, the silly features that are more than just tacking names on a list, but considering and explaining why each one deserves to be there.

O87 wants to be a home for soccer writing that makes you think, but that also treats the game as just that, a game. The greatest game, the one we obsess over and fixate on, to the point where we can’t read that gas costs 3.43 a gallon without thinking of Ajax’s 1995 Champions League winning team. But a game nonetheless.

“When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball three minutes on average. The best players – the Zidanes, Ronaldinhos, Gerrards – will have the ball maybe four minutes. Lesser players – defenders – probably two minutes. So, the most important thing is: what do you do those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball…. That is what determines whether you’re a good player or not.” –Johann Cruyff

Get the NEW Free Beer Movement "Pint Glass" shirt! Only from Objectivo.com