USMNT 2023

[The Dog 44,874]

I sure hope Leao is ok. That front line of Milan’s is bonkers. They are fun to watch.

[dieucla98 2,963]

11 minutes ago, The Dog said:

I sure hope Leao is ok. That front line of Milan’s is bonkers. They are fun to watch.

I paid for paramount plus just to watch AC Milan without having to deal with sketch sites. Do not regret it one bit. They remind me of Dortmund - beautiful attack, questionable back, always exciting.

[InkaUtexas 27,009]

22 minutes ago, dieucla98 said:

I paid for paramount plus just to watch AC Milan without having to deal with sketch sites. Do not regret it one bit. They remind me of Dortmund - beautiful attack, questionable back, always exciting.

I was thinking of doing the same. I was a big AC fan early in life and love the way they are playing. 

 

[LurkingHorn 1,093]

1 hour ago, The Dog said:

I sure hope Leao is ok. That front line of Milan’s is bonkers. They are fun to watch.

 

1 hour ago, dieucla98 said:

I paid for paramount plus just to watch AC Milan without having to deal with sketch sites. Do not regret it one bit. They remind me of Dortmund - beautiful attack, questionable back, always exciting.

 

1 hour ago, InkaUtexas said:

I was thinking of doing the same. I was a big AC fan early in life and love the way they are playing. 

 

Leao is such a good teammate for Pulisic to have. Takes so much of the defensive attention away and allows Pulisic to get in good spots to just drive at defenses—and that’s when he’s at his best. If they can stay healthy, they are going to have a great season. 

[LurkingHorn 1,093]

https://x.com/scout7calcio/status/1695547483307311410?s=46&t=LkVgBQZdmErUt7ui7ZtWdg

This should have been buried by CP but the build up is beautiful  

 

[Napoleon 8,855]

5 hours ago, dieucla98 said:

I paid for paramount plus just to watch AC Milan without having to deal with sketch sites. Do not regret it one bit. They remind me of

Dortmund -

1) beautiful attack,

2) questionable back,

3) always exciting.

If Dortmund were a lady…

1) Gorgeous rack

2) White woman ass

3) Dirty dirty girl with no shame

 

Noice!

[ztejas 44,296]

11 hours ago, LurkingHorn said:

https://x.com/scout7calcio/status/1695547483307311410?s=46&t=LkVgBQZdmErUt7ui7ZtWdg

This should have been buried by CP but the build up is beautiful  

 

I don't think he had much of a window. It's why he tried to go top bin. 

There was another play very late where Musah found him and he put a nice ball on frame from distance. 

[dieucla98 2,963]

Disappointing draw for Juve vs Bologna but Weah looked the part - Chiesa and Weah were the two best on the pitch, IMO. 

[Wiler77 1,632]

Just enjoy the club games because when it comes to USMNT Greg will work hard to fuck it up.

[NoName 17,210]

15 hours ago, Wiler77 said:

Just enjoy the club games because when it comes to USMNT Greg will work hard to fuck it up.

what, you aren't looking forward to seeing GGG hit his 4 MLS starter quota every game so the USSF is happy?!?!?!?!?!

[Captain Ron 13,137]

2 hours ago, NoName said:

what, you aren't looking forward to seeing GGG hit his 4 MLS starter quota every game so the USSF is happy?!?!?!?!?!

I forgot about that. I was thinking about him playing everyone out of position so that he finds a way to not play our best players on the field at the same time because "SyStEM! SysTeM! sYsTem!"

[The Dog 44,874]

LOL

 

[ztejas 44,296]

Yeah they're a fucking mess. It's why I can't take any evaluation of McKennie or Aaronson that centers around their time spent there seriously. 

[Braff Zacklin 13,676]

On 8/23/2023 at 6:25 PM, The Dog said:

 

Similar news article on ESPN today:

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/38285263/usa-coach-gregg-berhalter-yet-resolve-gio-reyna-dispute

On the bright side, we've got friendlies with Germany and Ghana in October, so we've got that going for us ... which is nice.

[The Dog 44,874]

Boohooker is going to fuck the goat next year at Copa America. No way he makes it to 2026.

[Braff Zacklin 13,676]

2 minutes ago, The Dog said:

Boohooker is going to fuck the goat next year at Copa America. No way he makes it to 2026.

Sadly, as much as I am looking forward to that tournament and want us to do well, crashing out in historically bad fashion would probably be the best outcome cuz it would (should?) result in Greg being shown the door ... for real-reals, this time.

[NoName 17,210]

12 hours ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Similar news article on ESPN today:

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/38285263/usa-coach-gregg-berhalter-yet-resolve-gio-reyna-dispute

On the bright side, we've got friendlies with Germany and Ghana in October, so we've got that going for us ... which is nice.

clearly an "expert mediator" is needed to mend that because GGG can't pick up the phone, or jump on a zoom call or fly to Germany to sit down with a guy who is likely to be a bonafide starter on the next world cup team.

every time you think "it can't get worse" with this guy...it somehow gets worse.

[The Dog 44,874]

1 hour ago, NoName said:

clearly an "expert mediator" is needed to mend that because GGG can't pick up the phone, or jump on a zoom call or fly to Germany to sit down with a guy who is likely to be a bonafide starter on the next world cup team.

every time you think "it can't get worse" with this guy...it somehow gets worse.

I did not want Greg to come back. 

HOWEVER, I think we can read between the lines on this one and safely say there is more to the story.

The fact that mediation might be needed indicates this isn't just about Gio and Greg. 

[Captain Ron 13,137]

There's really nothing to read between the lines. Gregg is shitty at his job.

Quote

"It's not something where you just pick up the phone and say, 'Hey, bud, here's how it's going to be.' There is work to be done," he told Vanity Fair for an article published Tuesday.

...

Berhalter, who said he has "had calls with almost every player," added that he had talked with experts on mediation to prepare himself to handle the situation "in the right way."

Gregg is a fucking coach of a national team - one of his job needs is being able to handle alpha male attitudes. This is something he is very clearly shitty at. He demonstrated it with how he handled Gio before, at the World Cup and then immediately afterwards (at that conference). And again now.

On top of this, now is that he's being a pussy about this situation. Man up, pick up the phone, make a call

"Gio, it's Gregg. We need to talk. How about I fly over to Germany and we talk?"

Meet for dinner or a beer and his opener is easy "Gio, you are a key part of the plans for what we want to do moving forward. How do we get past us and get back on professional terms?" And go from there. 

The fact that he continues to fail at this and we are almost a year out from all of this blows my mind. It shouldn't be hard, yet Gregg can't do it right.

[The Dog 44,874]

9 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

There's really nothing to read between the lines. Gregg is shitty at his job.

Gregg is a fucking coach of a national team - one of his job needs is being able to handle alpha male attitudes. This is something he is very clearly shitty at. He demonstrated it with how he handled Gio before, at the World Cup and then immediately afterwards (at that conference). And again now.

On top of this, now is that he's being a pussy about this situation. Man up, pick up the phone, make a call

"Gio, it's Gregg. We need to talk. How about I fly over to Germany and we talk?"

Meet for dinner or a beer and his opener is easy "Gio, you are a key part of the plans for what we want to do moving forward. How do we get past us and get back on professional terms?" And go from there. 

The fact that he continues to fail at this and we are almost a year out from all of this blows my mind. It shouldn't be hard, yet Gregg can't do it right.

I just think there is more to this. 

He could just call Gio but remember there are a couple of helicopter parents involved.

But make no mistake this situation is a big reason why Greg shouldn't have been brought back (along with other parts of the gig). 

Edited August 30, 2023 by The Dog

[Pig Bellmont 8,888]

I still can’t believe we let his contract expire only to rehire him. 

[Captain Ron 13,137]

Again - Gregg is the fucking coach of the team. It doesn't matter what else is out there - His job is to make sure that this team is a well oiled machine and that includes getting buy in from everyone. If he can't handle a player because of his parents - what the fuck should I make of him having to deal with professional clubs that are far worse? This isn't any sort of winning argument IMHO.

[NoName 17,210]

47 minutes ago, The Dog said:

I did not want Greg to come back. 

HOWEVER, I think we can read between the lines on this one and safely say there is more to the story.

The fact that mediation might be needed indicates this isn't just about Gio and Greg. 

more to the story? that's a huge LOL

yeah, the more to the story is that he's an asshole with a career sub 40% win rate at the club level whose teams got progressively worse year over year results wise is still in over his head.

the call letting Pepi know he didn't make the team for Qatar ended up with Pepi hanging up on him. he hasn't reached out 9+ months later.

the blackballing of fucking John Brooks, no matter what is actually going on there, also shows a complete lack of leadership and maturity. for example, when the USSF team shares information about players playing abroad over weekends they include literally everyone other than Brooks. it's childish and they should all be above it.

the shit with one of the most important players on the USMNT, that got out based on GGG sharing that info publicly THREE DAYS after the team lost to the Netherlands. he still hasn't reached out 9+ months later. he hasn't apologized publicly.

for most other nations, when the head coach gets cross with one of the most important players on the team, they get it resolved fairly quickly. now there are extenuating circumstances here but he was hired 60+ days ago. fixing the situation with Gio is one of the first things that should have been on his docket. but it wasn't, and isn't and he is out here publicizing that he hasn't done anything because he is a fucking moron

 

[NoName 17,210]

18 minutes ago, The Dog said:

I just think there is more to this. 

He could just call Gio but remember there are a couple of helicopter parents involved.

But make no mistake this situation is a big reason why Greg shouldn't have been brought back (along with other parts of the gig). 

if he can't deal with Gio directly, without involving his parents, he has no business being a part of the USSF, much less leading the USMNT.

and make no mistake: he had no business being rehired in the first place.

[The Dog 44,874]

11 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

Again - Gregg is the fucking coach of the team. It doesn't matter what else is out there - His job is to make sure that this team is a well oiled machine and that includes getting buy in from everyone. If he can't handle a player because of his parents - what the fuck should I make of him having to deal with professional clubs that are far worse? This isn't any sort of winning argument IMHO.

 

4 minutes ago, NoName said:

more to the story? that's a huge LOL

yeah, the more to the story is that he's an asshole with a career sub 40% win rate at the club level whose teams got progressively worse year over year results wise is still in over his head.

the call letting Pepi know he didn't make the team for Qatar ended up with Pepi hanging up on him. he hasn't reached out 9+ months later.

the blackballing of fucking John Brooks, no matter what is actually going on there, also shows a complete lack of leadership and maturity. for example, when the USSF team shares information about players playing abroad over weekends they include literally everyone other than Brooks. it's childish and they should all be above it.

the shit with one of the most important players on the USMNT, that got out based on GGG sharing that info publicly THREE DAYS after the team lost to the Netherlands. he still hasn't reached out 9+ months later. he hasn't apologized publicly.

for most other nations, when the head coach gets cross with one of the most important players on the team, they get it resolved fairly quickly. now there are extenuating circumstances here but he was hired 60+ days ago. fixing the situation with Gio is one of the first things that should have been on his docket. but it wasn't, and isn't and he is out here publicizing that he hasn't done anything because he is a fucking moron

 

let me be clear that I agree with exactly where you are both coming from on this and you could be exactly right that this is just Gerg being terrible at this job. 

[The Dog 44,874]

 

[The Dog 44,874]

 

[Captain Ron 13,137]

Zero players on that roster with no future with the USMNT. I’ve got no problem with that roster.

[A-Tex Devil 2,500]

2 hours ago, The Dog said:

I just think there is more to this. 

He could just call Gio but remember there are a couple of helicopter parents involved.

But make no mistake this situation is a big reason why Greg shouldn't have been brought back (along with other parts of the gig). 

Gio is 20 and his parents are neither his agents, nor do they have any influence with USSF anymore.  Reyna's parents aren't an excuse not to call Gio.  

[A-Tex Devil 2,500]

2 hours ago, The Dog said:

 

I am stunned all of those players were released given we are just playing friendlies against schlub teams.

[NoName 17,210]

4 minutes ago, A-Tex Devil said:

I am stunned all of those players were released given we are just playing friendlies against schlub teams.

it's during international break, which i assume MLS will start following/respecting at some point in the near future

[The Dog 44,874]

5 minutes ago, A-Tex Devil said:

I am stunned all of those players were released given we are just playing friendlies against schlub teams.

it's a FIFA international match window. the clubs have to release them.

[NoName 17,210]

Mikey Varas promoted to USMNT assistant coach. not sure if he will still hold his u20 head coach role or not.

[Braff Zacklin 13,676]

Some givens regarding this Gergg/Gio crisis:

• Gio can be a pissy little bitch. Anybody who's watched him can agree with this.
• Gio's parents seem overprotective and enabling.
• Gergg did not deserve having a minor domestic something-something from 20 years ago brought to light. It was purely awful and prejudicial on the part of Gio's parents (mom?).

NEVERTHELESS, as others have noted, Gergg did fire the first shot by publicly--and quite unnecessarily--embarrassing Gio several days after the USMNT's World Cup experience had ended. Gergg's passive-aggressive comments were unprofessional and, to me, seemed like an attempt to throw one of his players under the bus as a means of deflecting criticism away from himself.

Furthermore, as coach, it is Berhalter's duty to be the bigger man here. Yes, Gio can be a little shit, but he's a prodigal talent and a net positive for the team. Sometimes, a coach has to set aside his ego and compromise.

And that's my key issue with Gergg--he is prideful and arrogant despite not having any reason to be. His coaching record is meh, his tactics are often questionable, and his roster/lineup management is abysmal. Finishing third in qualifying (and tying on points with the fourth-place team) despite boasting the deepest and most talented roster in USMNT history, despite Costa Rica being older than Gianluigi Buffon, despite El Tri being a shambles, and despite upstart Canada having no depth is nothing to hang one's hat upon.

[The Dog 44,874]

 

[Braff Zacklin 13,676]

Let's just hope he's humbled and sincere.

[gsoda3 3,364]

that's cool and all, but you haven't spoken to your most talented player for nine months.

[The Dog 44,874]

 

[NoName 17,210]

6 minutes ago, The Dog said:

 

maybe if they qualify for the CL he will give Pepi a ring?

[Captain Ron 13,137]

25 minutes ago, The Dog said:

 

They are in the Champions League.

Win this and they are in the group stage of the Champions League. 

[ztejas 44,296]

No Jesus?

[The Dog 44,874]

 

[joe dirt 285]

On 8/25/2023 at 11:16 AM, Bottlecap said:

Its coming home

 

got my tickets last night. fuck yes. 

[Zepol87 9,353]

Lol at it’s coming home and dipshit tactical manager shares here but our group will be there. Barra 76 coming heavy for the game 

[shnsajax 3,607]

No Jesus?

We aren’t playing any Caribbean Countries so really no need.

[ztejas 44,296]

I looked at tickets for the Austin game. I've never seen the NT in person.

Holy fuck I'm not sure they're worth that much. 

Hmm just checked StubHub and it isn't bad to get in the door. The other day I looked at a site and it was like $250 just to get in. 

Edited August 31, 2023 by ztejas

[shnsajax 3,607]

1 hour ago, ztejas said:

I looked at tickets for the Austin game. I've never seen the NT in person.

Holy fuck I'm not sure they're worth that much. 

Hmm just checked StubHub and it isn't bad to get in the door. The other day I looked at a site and it was like $250 just to get in. 

Yeah the Federation is fucking things up for kids and families. Went to the WC Qualifier in Seattle in 2013 and think I paid a little over $100 a ticket for front row seats with AO membership. 

[dieucla98 2,963]

1 hour ago, shnsajax said:

Yeah the Federation is fucking things up for kids and families. 

Especially if your family name is Reyna.

[Bottlecap 1,523]

Grabbed 3 in what we know as the supporters section, row 4, for $100 ea including fees and taxes. Not terrible, but $30/per ticket in fees is assault and I should call the cops.

[Trey3216 15,456]

5 hours ago, ztejas said:

I looked at tickets for the Austin game. I've never seen the NT in person.

Holy fuck I'm not sure they're worth that much. 

Hmm just checked StubHub and it isn't bad to get in the door. The other day I looked at a site and it was like $250 just to get in. 

Yeah, I got stuck with 4 tickets for the WCQ v Jamaica in '21 in a section you can't even see in the selection screen (loge box) for $450/e face value.  I couldn't even sell them for $150 on Stubhub.  Had to let my buddies going with me pay over 2 months.  lol