Before Germany 2006, the US National Team found its self in the flattering position of No. 4 in the Fifa World Ranking System. While most experts and foreign players around the world sneered and smirked at the ranking, your typical average American soccer fan looked at this ranking and figured that it proved we had finally arrived on the World Soccer Stage.
    
Inflated egos and expectations surrounded the team going to Germany—it was to be an occasion for breakout performances from young players like Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley, and Bobby Covey. While for old veterans like Claudio Reyna, Eddie Lewis, Brian McBride, Eddie Pope, and Kasey Keller, it was thought that the US had had enough World Cup experience to at least solidify solid performances and ensure progression through the tournament—at least that was how it was suppose to go down in theory—a theory that Bruce Arena failed to crystallize.
    
Of course, in the aftermath of Germany 2006, Arena can feel hard done by for taking the criticism for a poor US showing, as well as feel as though certain players just outright failed to perform for him. However, for all the looks of disgust and ref blaming, I fail to recall a time when King Bruce ever approached the sideline to either muster on his team, address or reiterate expectations throughout the game.
    
It was as if what ever was drawn up in the dressing room, stayed right there on the chalk board. Some of you out there might be thinking or saying to yourself “Come on, Dagger, this is the big time…these boys are professionals…they don’t need to be prodded by a sideline coach…with a megaphone dictating their every move.” All I can recommend to those of you with these kinds of thoughts is to go back and look at the antics of coaches like Scolari and Klinsmann—a coach might not have to go over the top with excitement and emotion, but barring Sven-Goran Eriksson, a coach should at least show their team that they have a pulse—and a desire to win.
    
Anyways, another poor World Cup performance have left the moon-struck American fans perplexed and finally pointing fingers. The truth is that one only had to look at our warm-up matches to Germany to see that something was seriously wrong with the team, as the defeat to Morocco and marginal wins against minnows, Venezuela and Latvia did little to get us ready for the realities of the colossus-like match-ups against the Czechs, Italy, and Ghana in what really became the group of death for Germany 2006.
    
In the end, we looked like a team that would have had a hard time against UCLA. It’s about time we put our old collegiate style ball to rest. Arena’s UVA tactics might work against the weaker opponents of CONCACAF, but if we continue to play in straight lines and always resort first to manhandling the opposing offense, I don’t see much improvement for South Africa 2010.

Carvings from the Dagger
www.savagesoccer.com

Okay, I can understand why when any red blooded American speaks about their soccer team they will be a bit biased for the positive, but the common belief that we held the 4th best team ranking before the World Cup on merit, was stretching the truth to say the least.

Hey, but I can roll with that. A little lie helps our soccer world go round a bit easier during the year, thinking we are better then we are. I can give the U.S. a 16 year cushion. The cushion I am talking about began in 1990, when the dream of U.S. soccer was born by us qualifying for our first World Cup without needed 18 transplant Italian immigrants to put us on the map in the 1930s or whenever that was. The real dream of the U.S. building and being some sort of soccer power is 16 years old, just enough time to begin to expect a system that produces more then inflated egos of players who really don’t exist.

Now is the time where real expectations need to come out and real results need to start being seen!

With Bruce Arena being put out to U.S. pasture we can finally put playing like a veteran college team to bed. Bruce, thanks for keeping us competitive ect., but your time is over. You should have gone to Brazil and be quiet for a year or two. You would have come back from your Vision Quest with new goals for the actions of your players. What am I saying? You would never do that. The way you talk, any time you lose, you have been robbed. I guess, you were the first one lying about what was going on with the U.S. team and maybe now the Red Bulls. Just kidding I think you will do well there.

What I have seen in the M.L.S. is real enough, that with some tweaking and hard reality checks, the Premier League could start feeling some pressure in 3 years. That is, I said with some hard reality checks. How does reality get checked? U. S. citizens who love the game, not soccer moms or youth soccer players, but the hard core citizens who kick it on Sunday mornings and laugh it up about how they played. The old dogs and nu skool players who care enough to watch the screen in a bar when any goal is to be seen. 

I am calling you all out, to start kicking butt and taking names with your voice. The English Blocks don’t hold back, the Brazilians are kicking in gates to storm on the field when their team is playing bad. Look at River Plate yesterday. Get a pair when it comes to voicing your opinion. Each one of you outspoken players, that say, “I can take a hit better then that little beatch who is rolling around on the field.” Get a dictionary and start to write what is up in your head. And you “A” licensed coaches who have never written anything but talks massive junk on the field when any player steps in your view, you guys are girly men.

Yes, I called you girly men, because if you have all this soccer knowledge inside of you and you haven’t written anything yet, you aren’t going to, unless someone hits you with a cattle prod. If you do get prodded, then use your knowledge to further soccer, please. It is put up or shut time for the U.S. If we don’t start backing up what we say we have, we will be more of the laughing stocks that most of the world perceives us as.

Yes, the jokes were flying on the streets of Germany and the U.S. National team gave the die hards who were there cheering them on, no ammunition to fire back with. Not many other teams had as bad of a cup as we did.

I dare you to name two. Remember, all the African teams were debutants.
 

Mongoose
SavageSoccer.com 

For those of us who has been watching soccer for more then 4 years, you have had to endure a young boy who has been popping up on the U.S. Soccer scene and is seemingly prepped to be the voice of ESPN soccer commentation for years to come.

I squirm in my little cave every time I hear his voice and worse, he looks perpetually 14 years old. I normally hate to name names outright but Rob Stone you make my ears bleed. Luckily during the World Cup, I was showered with commentators with French fluidness, Italian style or Germany directness in Europe, but coming back to the Red, White and Blue has shown me how bad the U.S. soccer fan has it.

Folks, as I listened to the team of Rob Stone and Eric Wynalda commentate the Dallas / Chicago game, my little mongoose face started to contort in ways that is only reserved for the Geekiest of Geeks. No skin off of Eric Wynalda’s back. He is a U.S. Soccer legend and no matter what you think of him, he was a player, when there were not many players around. He has personality enough to carry any game for a U.S. citizen to listen too. This Rob Stone though, he is the kid in the class room that everyone rolled their eyes at when he has a question. Only because it was less of a question and more of a confirmation to the class that he knows something.

As I listened to this team interact, I clearly could visualize Wynalda grinding an organ to Rob Stone’s monkey two step. Dance, monkey dance, at least J.P. Della Camera can respect himself after a game. Rob Stone needs some change thrown at him or if he does games any worse, cash should be left on the nightstand.

I would rather watch Fan Zone, and let some real believers in the sport tell it like it is and not this card board cut out of a Sports play by play spaz. The Mongoose throws down the play by play, but with some level of chill that Rob Stone thinks he can take injections for.

You Soccer Savages out there, believe that you can make a difference. Stick to your guns and if Rob Stone is a knob in your eyes, I agree. We will find a way to enjoy ball without this dancing monkey to ruin the vibe.

Mongoose

Here is some off-season rants to get you through the day.

Click here to listen

Undeniably, this World Cup has been one of defenses. Here is what tips you off–it was the second lowest scoring cup on record, second to 1990; moreover, Germany 2006 now has the record for the most cards ever shown in a World Cup.

This means that the team that sports the best defense would come out on top. In this instance, Italy gave up only two goals in Germany. Irrespective of how many they scored, which was upwards of twelve, success came their way.

There is no argument to deny that Italy is equipped to win this type of Cup. My question is, “Why would teams like France and Brazil, who are more equipped to win cups, geared toward offensive movement, allow them to get suckered into playing defensive soccer?”

A few of the great coaches of the world were hypnotized into thinking that this was the way to go–horrible miscalculations to think that you can walk into a spider’s web and fight the spider.

I rarely agree with Tommy Smyth, ESPN pundit, and all around old geezer, but when he made the inflammatory statement, “The Greeks killed football,” I can see that success for the Cinderella Greeks in Euro 2004–reeling off 1-0 defensive wins one after the other, all the way to the finals–would make any coach reconsider his game plan.

So, we are left with the best defensive team in the world and everyone else trying to match their goal strangling prowess. Normally you would drink champagne from this Cup, but this year they should fill it with gruel.

Class work for the Italians. For the other teams of the Cup, leave the web spinning to spiders, and if you are a cheetah, take your fights to the open plains.

Kamal de Gregory
Soccer Luminary
www.4skills.com

Italy defeated France via penalties 1-1 [5-3] in an explosive World Cup Final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. France felt the brunt of Italian will in the opening minutes when French striker, Thierry Henry was felled after a heavy collision with Italian defender, Fabio Cannavaro, leaving Henry needing smelling salts to reawaken his composure.

Italian fouls continued as Zambrotta received a yellow card in the 5th min. The physical approach of the Italians back fired though in the 7th min. when the Argentine referee, Horacio Elizondo pointed to the penalty spot, as Italy’s 2nd choice defender, Materazzi, playing for the injured Nesta, was perceived to have fouled French winger, Malouda in the penalty area. Zidane again stepped up and finished the penalty, as his cheeky chip wrong-footed Buffon, teasing the Italian faithful, with the ball deflecting off the crossbar and caroming over the goal line.

The drama of the match had been set by the early goal, and it was now questions of how would the Italians respond. Materazzi then proved heroic for Italy, scoring his second goal in the tournament for the Azzurri, bringing the scores level with a header in the 19th min. off a corner kick. With the scores tied, the Italians looked in control though locked into defensive mode, soaking up France’s pressure, attack-after-attack to move the game into the extra-time period. Buffon had another busy game for the Italians coming up big with six saves on the day.

The game, however, exploded to life again in the dying minutes of extra-time, with an off-the-ball incident between the game’s two goal scorers. Zidane, uncharacteristically, received a red card for rushing and head-butting Materazzi in the 110th min. Whatever the cause–the pressure, the Italian goading, or fatigue–Zidane let his emotions get the better of him, slighting his last match before retirement and damaging his team’s morale going into the penalties.

The Italians then outscored the French in the penalty shoot-out as all five Italian spot kickers converted their penalties–Pirlo, Materazzi, De Rossi, Del Piero, and Grosso–finally putting to rest Italy’s past World Cup penalty heartaches. Trezeguet was the scapegoat for France this time, as he missed, his shot crashing off the crossbar. And though Wiltord, Abidal, and Sagnol converted for France, the Italians, with one penalty to give, became the World Champions of Germany 2006.

Germany rolled to a bronze victory in the World Cup Third Place Match, riding high on the goals from twenty-two year old, Bastain Schweinsteiger. Both Klinsmann and Scolari tinkered with their squads in this one–both Ballack (injured) and Figo (coach’s decision) out of the sides. Still, the only team, of the final 4 teams, to play with two strikers, Germany pushed forward looking for goals. Portugal had to revert to several cynical professional fouls to keep Germany from getting behind their defensive back line.

The recalled German goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn was tested by Portugal throughout the 1st half, but he proved sure-handed and helped keep the game goalless at half-time. The match, played in Gottlieb-Daimler Stadion in front of 52,000, looked destined to be the first Third Place Match in recent Cup history to go without four goals–until Schweinsteiger opened the scoring in the 56th min. with an incredible strike from distance that knuckled and swiveled just past the saving efforts of Ricardo. Schweinsteiger then had his foot in on Germany’s second goal in the 61st min. when his fiercely hit free kick was deflected in for an own-goal by Portugal midfielder, Petit.

Matters went from bad to worse for Portugal, as Schweinsteiger popped up once again in the 78th min. with another unbelievable swerving drive from distance. Portugal scored a consolation goal in the 88th min. with a diving header from the substitute, Nuno Gomes, who finished off fellow substitute, Luis Figo’s cross at the back post.

The thing I hate most in this world is regret. How about you? Regret makes you feel like you should have done it, and now it is too late. Frustrating, right? I do my best to avoid that feeling as much as possible.

You know the World Cup is almost over. Do you have anything to remember it by? A shirt, a bag, how about a poster? If not, click here and put all that regret to rest.

Yes, the World Cup is only every 4 years. Each one is unique and different. Remember this one the right way, with no regret!

All Smiles on the Field,

Kamal de Gregory
Soccer Luminary
www.4skills.com 

The motto for this year’s World Cup has been “Time to make friends.” Now with the Finals set, anyone in the world would agree that playtime and friendship is over.

To be the Champion of the World, you must be the strongest, the best, and the most skilled. Wouldn’t you agree?

So, can we toss the smiles and handshakes out the window? Can France and Italy line up in the Thunder-dome with the motto, “Two will enter; only one will leave?” Hey we are about to crown the best players in the world. I don’t think we are going too far. People have gone to jail or worse for less.

Please Zidane and Buffon, on Sunday, when it is do or die, please no extra long hand shakes before the game because there is really something at stake. That is not being unsportsmanlike, just serious and focused.

So let’s squint your eyes and grit your teeth because only one can go beyond Thunder-dome.

Kamal de Gregory
Soccer Luminary
www.4skills.com

Watching soccer, and being around soccer, in the US is night and day when compared to Europe. When you watch and enjoy soccer in the US, you are different, you are an outcast, even weird would be a great description for you. When you watch soccer in Europe, you are in, you are studly, and you are the center of life as we know it.

What mixed messages, what pain if you are a soccer fan! King in one world, village idiot in another.

Well, are you an idiot? You must be one like me because we watch soccer, and in a crowd, voices go silent when you scream for foul or goal. I feel for you, you champions of the World’s sport. You are the World Sport. You are the beginning of reality for this country.

I was there in Gelsenkirchen with the thousands that got stuck on the trains. You were there when McBride took an Italian elbow to the face.

Blow-for-blow, you and I will be there, and to make matters better, I will be helping the next-starts who will own the pitch in 2014 and beyond.

For more information, go to www.4skills.com. I will help you get to 2014 and make you a King in the Soccer World.

Kamal de Gregory
Soccer Luminary