Some random thoughts

By Jonathan Feldman

What about the youth?

John Harkes and Giovanni Savarese deserve some credit for their approach with MLS youth. Gio was responsible for bringing players like Josmer Altidore and Gabe Ferrari aboard the New York Red Bulls program.

Of course, players should shoulder some responsibility as well. Ferrari chose to leave New York for a more lucrative option with Sampdoria and now, he is riding the pine in Genoa. Perhaps, Altidore is destined for the same. What do you think?

Mistakes learned?

It’s a shame that US Soccer is likely to put more preparation into a friendly with Argentina than it did before the two teams squared off at last year’s Copa America. Don’t be surprised too if Bob Bradley names a second string squad to face a lineup of powerhouses, which include, England, Spain, and Brazil. He’s done it before.

There was a time when we fielded our best against the best. Sure we sometimes struggled against fellow football minnows but a draw with Italy, a 2-0 win over England and a 3-0 win over Argentina (at the 1995 Copa America) became barometers for future success. How much would fans give for moments like those again?

Coaching choices

Marcello Lippi or Bob Bradley? Alex Ferguson or Dominic Kinnear? Who would get the most out of your program? Back in 1994 I played with a select team in Europe – that was a novel idea at the time.

	Are we doing enough?

We arrived in Austria and went on to humiliate every team we played. One night in Innsbruck, I marked an Austrian youth national team star. With a little help, I shut him down. I was exhilarated. We were on top of the world. The mayor of a local village even held a special ceremony in our honor. By the time we boarded the bus for Italy we were confident. First up was Padova’s U17 team.

Most of the opposition looked overweight and out of shape. Their number 10 was wearing basketball sneakers. Was this a joke? 3-0 and the final whistle blew. We were stunned. They should have beaten us by 7. We were second best in every category.

Three more losses and we headed home. What happened? We were clearly more skilled and fit than our husky Lombard friends. Our manager, a German, who moved to New Jersey to start a soccer training clinic, assessed it. “I don’t know what happened to you guys but you lacked desire. They wanted it more.”

A friend turned to me and said “He’s a great trainer but he isn’t very good at tactics.”

Fans can criticize the Italians, but you know what? Their systems work. They really understand the game. Playing with patience and taking the chances you create is important. In today’s game, coaching is critical. A coach can make a world of difference.

15 years later the USA is still considered a foot-balling lightweight and its coaching still inferior. So what makes a good coach? Is it experience, tactical intelligence, patience, or a lack thereof? A good coach squeezes the most out of available talent. Are we doing enough?