Very much so... being that they "invented" soccer and they, because they "invented soccer" are the only nation in the world that FIFA allows multiple teams... the UK has four National Teams in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland... would be like FIFA allowing the USA have a team for Texas, California, etc. The UK is the only nation that gets that because they "invented" soccer (and historically, they did invent modern soccer as we know it today, in 1863 at at the beginning the Victorian Era, but as the jokers point out... how does one "invent" a sport with one team kicking the ball into another team's goal? Several ancient civilizations played a game pretty much like soccer today)
prince harry tossed out the first pitch at a met game this week. jeff francouer says he taunted him about losing the group to the US. and i saw the prince (and a massive security detail) this morning when i was running in central park. i wanted to shout taunts at him, but i kept quiet. and that was before he retreated to his hotel to watch his fellas get blitzkrieged by the krauts.
yes they do have influence, but their influence is waning. In UEFA (european confederation) most of the power is in the NE Continental Europe (Swiss, France, Germany) atm. England could gain help if UEFA steps in, but then they risk losing the bid for the 2018 World Cup in punishment. FIFA is the UN of the sports world, and they get even less done.
FIFA owns world soccer... UN does not own world politics...that would be the USA. You do know the UN is a US-creation based in the US's largest city, right?
You know Clark was the man in our 2009 Confederations Cup, right? How do you turn on the guy? And what does his mistake have to do with our coach? Did the CBs challenge the ball? Is that Bradley's fault too?
Clark in that game was a mistake. There should never have been 2 holding mids. Edu, Torres or Feilhaber (moving Demps or Landon around) should have been considered before Clark. We needed strength on the ball and some one who could think quickly and move the ball through the midfield. Watch the game again. Clark can not do that. After the mistake, we played all long ball until Clark was taken off the field. How does his mistake have anything to do with the coach? here you go. Clark paired with Bradley flattens out the midfield and gives the team no depth. Clark can not be trusted to hold the ball in the middle. Clark has not produced in this cup at all. Feilhaber and Edu both produced while they were in the game. Changing the lineup and breaking the flow of the team is a mistake. All these are coaching errors. Want more? Not playing a pressure defense against Ghana gave them all the time in the world to move the ball up the field. You pressure most african players and they cough the ball up. See the Egypt game last year, See the team after Clark went off and we had to play to get a goal back. I am not saying Clark is horrible, I am saying he was not the man to be put in that situation.
I still don't get how you are upset over one of the greatest periods in USA soccer history. You saw how defending champ Italy got knocked out and how defending #2 France got knocked out. And you are crying about the USA? My guess is you just thought Ghana sucked ass, but i saw them play Germany... and they out-played Germany. They are the home team in that they are the only African team to make the "Sweet 16" in this first World Cup in Africa... and they are also the greatest African team when it comes to African Championships behind only Egypt. You see this Ghana team, you saw their two incredible goals, and you hate the USA for it? What is up with that? Ghana is a strong team, put your big boy pants on and deal with it. Go look at their roster and where their boys play before trashing the USA.
