USMNT: Early World Cup Exit Inevitable

There has been a sudden and abrupt change in feeling towards the United States Men’s National Team’s (USMNT) chances at this summer’s World Cup. Mark Lawrenson, a former Liverpool defender and now BBC pundit, is predicting they will surpass Ghana and Portugal to reach the last 16. I’m afraid I can’t share his, or Matt John’s enthusiasm. Sorry to be a spoil sport but soccer in the United States has failed to keep pace with an ever evolving sport and the cracks will show at this summers World Cup.

The problem is development. Budding US soccer stars ply their trade at D1 colleges, playing a standard of soccer akin to high-level amateur in Europe. Meanwhile, players such as Gareth Bale are receiving Premier League standard coaching from childhood. Bale, a typical example, was playing for Premier League Southampton FC from age six. Meanwhile, US players such as Chris Wondolowski were playing a dramatically lower standard at places like Chico State University until the age of 22. Wondolowski has never played outside the MLS and did not even reach the national team until 2011 at age 28. Thomas Muller, the German midfielder and relative late starter by European standards, was playing for Bayern Munich at age 11 and has been playing in the German national team since age 15. He has in excess of a decade more experience at the very top levels comparatively to Wondolowski and is six years younger. This slow development is not peculiar to Wondolowski, it is the trend.

The MLS, despite its improved public perception, is still a much lesser standard than the European equivalents. That is why players such as Henry, Defoe and Beckham only venture stateside in the twilight of their careers. Yet more proof comes in the form of Bradley Wright-Phillips, a player who couldn’t make the grade at Brentford FC in the third tier of English soccer, is a star striker at the New York Red Bulls.

Let me make it abundantly clear that this collegiate development method works well in sports only dominant in the USA, such as baseball and football. It is admirable that the US has a culture that seeks to buttress athletes with a degree in case professional sport fails as a career. However, regardless of ethos, an over reliance on college sport is hindering the soccer teams potential. Until there is a significant improvement in the coaching and scouting of fledgling players, the USMNT can forget ever winning a World Cup. There needs to be wholesale reevaluation of the structure of MLS academies and a far greater focus on high school age players and their potential, by the time players reach college they should be considered recreational players, not potential international starlets. In the UK if you are playing at college your chances of catching up with the players at professional academies are minimal, if not worse. The MLS Draft is, without meaning to be puerile, daft. I do not mean to malign the standard of D1, it is very respectable, but a very far cry from the standard that even under 17s play at Premier League clubs.

The CONCACAF World Cup qualification group that the US plays in has hidden the lack of quality. They play teams like Panama, New Zealand and Jamaica. New Zealand’s team, for example, is part-time and not even classed as professional. I feel that if the USMNT played teams like Belgium and Croatia, as Gareth Bale’s Wales had to, they would be unlikely to reach the World Cup.

The decision to leave the experienced and genuine quality of Landon Donovan behind is farcical. It is perhaps an acknowledgement that the USMNT are looking to the future, however, if this is the case why is Wondolowski making the squad at age 31?

My prediction is that the USMNT will accumulate two points and exit early. They may be able to beat Ghana, but will be unable to contain Ronaldo against Portugal. If Ronaldo is injured, they may salvage a draw. The German side may be nursing injuries but there will only be one outcome. If the USMNT only concede one or two goals they will have done exceptionally well. My fear is that it could be many more.

My point is not to poke fun or trivialize the USMNT’s potential, it is to demonstrate that they could be so much more than they are, but change is needed first. After all, they did manage to draw with England at World Cup 2010, imagine what they could achieve with proper developmental opportunities.