Posted on 07/02/2014 1:34:17 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
Howard did a lot for Klinsmann in this World Cup, if that had been ugly yesterday without Howard’s stellar performance, it certainly makes one think.
Winning is a great deodorant.
And Brits long ago called Brad Friedel a “Legend”.
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/brad-friedel-ask-silly-question
An Everton message board. Well, that settles it.
Donovan was the past. I think Klinsmann took the right approach, bring along enough young players so they can be the veterans come 2018, and now bring up the next wave of players to go along with them. I don’t think Donovan would have made one iota of difference.
Ask Spain about basing rosters on past performance.
Agreed, this Cup needs to be looked at objectively. Though I don’t agree with the perspective totally, I heard one fan say if USA wins, it’s thanks to Klinsmann’s genius, if USA loses, it’s because USA lacks talent.
I don’t know if Donovan would have been the guy. But the US needed a backup who could fill Altidore’s role when needed, playing a similar style.
Berlin Freeper posted the Donovan reaction above. Part of the problem with Donovan is I have heard he’s said things in interviews that perhaps would not endear him to the manager. Now in that, I can see the manager wants to run a tight ship and not have descent.
“Donovan admits to rooting against team USA in the World Cup”
http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/landon-donovan-admits-to-rooting-against-united-states-after-world-cup-snub-062914
He also took some time off, I think the cumulative effect of Donovan maybe made Klinsmann mark him off but it is a complex situation that I don’t know real well:
“After missing the first three World Cup Qualifiers of 2013 due to his self-imposed sabbatical, Donovan was left off of the squad by Jürgen Klinsmann for the June qualifying games despite having returned to playing full-time in March.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landon_Donovan
I’d give the USA team and management passing grades and agree we should keep Klinsmann. But I don’t think we should go overboard in being critical of USA players totally.
It's hard to keep track but I think at one time, Fulham may have even had 2 or 3 Americans playing for them at the same time, McBride, Dempsey.
Everton had Donovan and Howard at one point.
Became a folk hero at Fulham when his goal on the final day provided a 1-0 win v Portsmouth and escape from relegation
Became a regular with Fulham in 2008-2009, scoring 7 goals and helping lead team to the Europa League.
His 2009-2010 Europa League goal, a wonder strike, against Juventus put Fulham into the quarterfinals and was voted 2010 BBC Sporting Moment of the Year.
Always thought it a shame, on many levels, that LD at Everton never turned into a full time gig.
Tim Howard will go down as an all-time great though, no doubt about it. A legacy.
Pressure is off now though, at least off the backs of American fans. One can look at the Cup. They have to celebrate the superstars, I guess I can except whomever they celebrate, Hames, Neymar, Muller, Robben, if it is Messi though, they will say he along with Maradona and Pele are the greatest ever.
I won’t go into it now but I did read the book “Hand of God” about Maradona. Good research tool.
And whomever wins it, good luck to the team, favorites have carried through and probably in the end, it will be one of the favorites and not only that, one of the standbyes. When Klinsmann took over Germany, they developed an attractive style so I don’t really knock them. Dutch, any of those can proceed.
Top of the bracket is a little heavy, lower part a little lighter, perhaps Belgium can see that as well.
2002, Germany made the final but their road, not to take anything away from any of the teams, was not all that difficult.
For Germany: Paraguay, USA, South Korea, final vs. Brazil.
For Brazil: Belgium, England, Turkey and then vs. Germany.
So it goes.
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