USMNT '18 January Camp

Predictably MLS dominated (28 out of 30). When did Bill Hamid move to Denmark? It'll be 8 long years until Qatar, so it'll be interesting to see who, if anyone, is on the plane to Doha. Might make for an interesting betting pool. Who wants to copy and paste this list somewhere for some action? Other than that, there's not much to talk about here except, well, nothing really, except maybe, why? Why have this event?

https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...ational-training-center-for-2018-january-camp

 

I thought Qatar was in 2022 - just 4 long years. Or is this something like dog years, but with USMNT every year feels like two?

 

You're right, of course. But it'll SEEM like 8 years... Let's hope whoever's voting in the USSSF election gets it right, whoever wins. Is Wynalda the best candidate? I don't know, but if Hatter likes him, then he must be close. Trying to figure out why Martino got in. Just muddies things up. If it ends up being an insider whom nobody outside of Chicago knows their name, it's gonna be bad. But it's coming up.
Stay tuned.....

 

This camp has never been much more than a meet and greet for US based players on the fringe. Or perhaps for some it is a bit of a tryout.

Does anyone know if the USMNT coach search is active, or are they waiting for a the new president? Like the mini-camp before the Portugal friendly, I'm not putting much thought into this one since we're under the guidance of an interim coach.

 

Hamid signed a deal a week or so before the end of the MLS regular season, but it could not be certified until the European transfer window opened. So the deal was final on January 1, but now the Danish league is on break until February 9. I'm a little surprised they are letting him go.

 

There has been very little news of this camp (and I'd like to take this moment to once again vent my frustration about how shitty the US Soccer website is). But, surprise, the team is suiting up to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in two days. The match will be live at 21:30 EST on Fox Sports 1. I'll probably tune in to see some of the next generation.

In my effort to find info on the camp, I came across this article about Jonathon Gonzalez. (And since I'm not sure where to put it, I'm putting it here.) It's pretty interesting as the author tries to determine who is at fault for losing him as a national team player. Sarachan blames Ramos. Ramos says he thought he did enough and follows that with a "what else can you do?". Who knows how many other countless employees could/should have stepped in to help, but didn't. Also, did any of the veteran or youth captains give him a call? Bottom line is that the USSF as an organization needs to clearly define its structure and the roles of its personnel and create a damn "director of national teams" if that's what it takes. I sure hope the new president has plans for all of this because, as we all know, the current system is not working in so many ways.

https://www.si.com/soccer/2018/01/2...sa-mexico-sarachan-williams-ramos-fifa-switch

Also, Sarachan uses WAY too many basketball cliches for my liking.

 

I didn't expect anything of the match vs Bosnia, and it delivered. A less than stellar nil-nil draw. There were a couple moments of excitement, but as the saying goes, even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.

 

There match was disappointing but perhaps the most disappointing part was the roster selection. By every measure Justen Glad had a better 2017 MLS season than Zimmerman and he doesn't even make the bench. Same comment but insert Brooks Lennon for Glad and Gyasi for Zimmerman.

The media pundits who have suggested the US wait until after the next World Cup to see what coaches are available before appointing a head coach are idiots. In the leadership vacuum that currently exists in US soccer waiting much beyond the presidential election is not an option.

 

Or Norwich. I'm a witness.