It is amazing to talk to my friends around the country about youth sports. Its clear that there are some common pathologies that go beyond local conditions. I suspect some of the issues are common to other sports as well, and may to some extent extend beyond the USA.

I think the game is going to grow and improve, but our National power structure will hold the game back rather than helping it. Ultimately, I think the game will succeed despite USSF. It makes one wonder how the game would do if the USSF actually did things to help it.

I like your passion on this issue.

I can’t promise when, but at some point in the not too distant future I’ll write a full column on this.

I’d love to see a more vigorous debate here on the future of US Soccer. I feel like the game is at a real cross-roads in the US (or is it the threshold of a breakthrough!). What does the USA need to do in order to become a real power in soccer (football)?

I have my own opinions on what is happening and what needs to change, and more voices are being heard on this topic. We don’t hear much over the airwaves, but online the discussion is becoming more active.

Here’s what I’m seeing:

On the plus side of the column
* More availability of games for viewing (ESPN)
* Online news and blogs are becoming more important in the discussion breaking the stranglehold of traditional media and the sports they follow.
* A huge youth soccer movement
* some success by the National team
* We have a professional league
* the start of real soccer culture in the USA

On the negative side
* Incompetence and conservatism by the USSF
* Poor coaching at the National level with little or no innovation. In fact US soccer is backwards and behind the times.
* A National team that cannot dominate games against good international teams basically relying on luck to get results.
* US youth soccer’s structure stunts the development of players, and still dominated by pay-for-play
* College soccer
* Soccer culture is weak compared to traditional US sports culture
* US soccer has no style aside from athleticism and physical play.
* US professional soccer has problems (its calender, its style, its single entity structure, …)
* The failure to embrace the Latino community within US Soccer

I’m certain that my lists are incomplete (both the pros and cons).

It’s early days to howl at whether or not Gooch made a mistake. Even if he’s #4, he might get plenty of action with squad rotations and fixture congestion. After all, part of the reason they got him was they were shown up as having too few center backs last season when they needed them. If he gets 20 appearances a season, that’s worthwhile, IMHO. But I do agree that I had hoped it would be better.

Donovan to PSG is a strange rumor. I’d think he could do better, to be honest. PSG is such an inconsistent, dysfunctional club. He’d be better off at OM or a regular Champion’s League participant than mid-table underachievers like PSG. Ligue 1 is not a whole lot further up the food chain. But with all the silence about it in the Donovan camp, it smells like a done deal.

I’m not surprised by Liverpool’s start. I thought they lost too much in the closed season without replacement. And last season not-withstanding, they’re built more for Europe than for the EPL. Gerrard did look dreadful against Villa. It makes one wonder if all the closed season drama with him didn’t hurt his game. Of the “Big 4″ right now, they look most likely to me to be bumped out of the CL positions, rather than contending for honors.

I think the broadcast of EPL and La Liga games on ESPN is a major moment for US Soccer, but the impact won’t truly be felt for another ten years. Now a much larger audience of youth players will have regular access to top class professional matches. It still stuns me when I realize how few youth players actually regularly watch games, at least ESPN is more readily available to US households. The HD looks great and hopefully will give Fox the kick in the pants they need. In addition, the quality of these games should give MLS some much needed competition and hopefully spur them to improve the standard of the game.

It would be good to see better US commentators are terrible, but I think they represent another issue with the game in this country. The US soccer model is predicated on tough, physical, gritty determination rather than skill and intelligence. The current USMNT is more of the same along with their coach. Part of the problem is that Bradley isn’t picking or playing talent that is more skill and intelligence based. More critically, the entire pipeline of talent from U-12’s trying out for ODP on up is devoid of skill and intelligence as the critical element in succeeding. The keys to success are speed, size, strength and aggression, if skill and intelligence come along for the ride then so much the better. The bottom line is that US Soccer is missing cerebral players and coaches at the National level. I think the lack of game intelligence and creativity is the missing link for US success on the World stage! This ultimately translates to the broadcast booth and the tenor of commentary. It would be nice to hear some insightful tactical analysis along with the usual human interest stories as the standard fare of US broadcasts.

Another key development this summer is (more) hard-nosed soccer journalism in the US. Its about time that the mindless cheerleading ended, and some public accountability is demanded of US Soccer. We’ve got a long way to go, but the evolutionary path toward healthy sports journalism is starting. ESPN included, I think Jeff Carlisle has written some good stuff on the youth game and most lately on whether athletic talent is the path to the US doing better internationally (No!).

The status of US players overseas is a mixed bag. Altidore and Davies appear to have started their European seasons with a bang, but Gooch is a whimper in Milan so far. Donovan’s fate is another big issue (PSG?). Spector does look rather suspect, but again it really begs the question of why the US doesn’t have any decent outside backs since Spector may be the best we have!

The EPL appears to be quite wide open with Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham impressing so far, and Liverpool and Manu raising questions. Will one of the top four topple out? If it is Liverpool, it may be a bonafide financial disaster.