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What if America's best atheletes played soccer?
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by demps,
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if so... then World Cup > Super Bowl, NBA Finals, MLB World Series, etc..
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ham city
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QFT.
I can't say I agree, for starters QB and MLB (middle line backer not the baseball league) require more thinking imo.
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At the end of the day its still soccer..
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I can't say I agree, for starters QB and MLB (middle line backer not the baseball league) require more thinking imo.
I'll kindly disagree. In soccer, especially at the highest level, everything is split second and on the fly. In football there's the same sort of split second decisions, especially for a QB, but there's also the ability to anticipate what's coming from the defense or what the offense is going to do as a MLB. You literally have to think 2 passes ahead at the next level or you're %$$*#*.
There's also the fatigue factor. That !#%@ ain't easy to continue stringing 1 and 2 touch passes together, make the right runs, anticipate the run of a forward, etc in the 80th minute. Takes alot of mental stamina and concentration.
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I'll take it one step further and say the USA would produce multiple world class soccer talents. Maybe a whole teams worth.Originally Posted by Trelvis Tha Thrilla
Obviously this is all hypothetical, but if soccer was the U.S. number one sport, and our athletes played from the time they were young and actually stuck with it, I have no problem saying that the U.S. could produce a soccer talent on the same level as the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, etc...Originally Posted by AJIIIpLATINum
Most people here who have played soccer, football,and basketball know that statement is just ignorant.
This man would still dominate everyone.
Even my boy Kobe (the greatest bball player) knows that.
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Soccer is one of the most skill-intensive sport there is. Athleticism gets you nowhere in that sport. It's too hard to try to "out-athlete" someone on the soccer field.
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American arroganceOriginally Posted by AZwildcats
I'll take it one step further and say the USA would produce multiple world class soccer talents. Maybe a whole teams worth.Originally Posted by Trelvis Tha Thrilla
Obviously this is all hypothetical, but if soccer was the U.S. number one sport, and our athletes played from the time they were young and actually stuck with it, I have no problem saying that the U.S. could produce a soccer talent on the same level as the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, etc...Originally Posted by AJIIIpLATINum
Most people here who have played soccer, football,and basketball know that statement is just ignorant.
This man would still dominate everyone.
Even my boy Kobe (the greatest bball player) knows that.
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Also, The US' problem isn't that we don't have the best athletes. It has everything to do with our coaching and style of play. We're too fundamental, structured, and rigid in our style of play and we'll never be elite until we rid our system of that mentality.
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without question
ham city
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It's way deeper than that. Simply put, we don't have the infrastructure yet to be elite. It's got nothing to do with style of play or fundamentals.
The current national team comes from an era where the vast majority of coaches at the youth level learned the game from a book. We're just in the last five years getting to the point where youngplayers learn the basics way before they ever step into a team environment from parents who actually playedthe game before them.
truthgetsbusy
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I dont play soccer but I was gonna touch on this. Isn't the problem coaching/training? If a kid was good in the US wouldn't they send him overseas to get better and play for better coaching?
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i've come to the realization that there is no way American players will EVER compete with kids who have been playing soccer in the streets barefoot since they could walk.
the difference between the US and other countries is that we don't have that "streetball" style-culture for soccer like we do for basketball. the kids who play soccer here learn how to play at camps and on travel teams, not in the streets. when you look at guys like Messi, Ronaldo, etc you can tell they learned how to play the game in neighborhood backyards, not some Elite USA Olympic Development camp nonsense. thats why they have that innate flair and sense for the game, that will always beat out kids who learned how to play in a camp.
imagine if guys like John Wall, Reggie Bush, etc had been playing street soccer instead? US soccer would be
... but that didnt and will never happen (and personally i'm glad). soccer will never take us anywhere as a nation, point-blank.
the difference between the US and other countries is that we don't have that "streetball" style-culture for soccer like we do for basketball. the kids who play soccer here learn how to play at camps and on travel teams, not in the streets. when you look at guys like Messi, Ronaldo, etc you can tell they learned how to play the game in neighborhood backyards, not some Elite USA Olympic Development camp nonsense. thats why they have that innate flair and sense for the game, that will always beat out kids who learned how to play in a camp.
imagine if guys like John Wall, Reggie Bush, etc had been playing street soccer instead? US soccer would be
ham city
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You were spot on until your last sentence and a half (which almost negated all the good points you made).Originally Posted by DT43
i've come to the realization that there is no way American players will EVER compete with kids who have been playing soccer in the streets barefoot since they could walk.
the difference between the US and other countries is that we don't have that "streetball" style-culture for soccer like we do for basketball. the kids who play soccer here learn how to play at camps and on travel teams, not in the streets. when you look at guys like Messi, Ronaldo, etc you can tell they learned how to play the game in neighborhood backyards, not some Elite USA Olympic Development camp nonsense. thats why they have that innate flair and sense for the game, that will always beat out kids who learned how to play in a camp.
imagine if guys like John Wall, Reggie Bush, etc had been playing street soccer instead? US soccer would be... but that didnt and will never happen (and personally i'm glad). soccer will never take us anywhere as a nation, point-blank.
Soccer culture is a huge part of that infrastructure I was talking about. It's also the hardest part to develop as it takes time and can't be manufactured. US Soccer is still in its infancy, we're just starting to develop a culture around the game.
Coaching is the second most important part and developing a nationwide pool of educated and experienced coaches also takes time. We don't need word class coaches, we need to develop a network of educated and experienced coaches capable of teaching 5 year olds the essential basics.
We take it for granted because it's the standard but in every other major American sport these things are already in place and have been for decades.
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Agreed. That's a big if obviously but with all things being equal and kids playing on every street corner, the US could produce top-notch talent similar to Brasil, imo. The US would have a very deep talent pool to select from.Originally Posted by Trelvis Tha Thrilla
Obviously this is all hypothetical, but if soccer was the U.S. number one sport, and our athletes played from the time they were young and actually stuck with it, I have no problem saying that the U.S. could produce a soccer talent on the same level as the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, etc...Originally Posted by AJIIIpLATINum
Most people here who have played soccer, football,and basketball know that statement is just ignorant.
This man would still dominate everyone.
Even my boy Kobe (the greatest bball player) knows that.
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Cosign.
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Guys like messi and ronaldo didnt learn to play soccer on the streets. They've been in youth programs and soccer camps since they were like 5. There;s a reason all the major euro teams have developmental teams for players younger than 18. Heck Messi joined Barcelona's youth team when he was like 11 or 12. The top players in the world learn to play the game and sharpen their skill at Elite development camps.Originally Posted by DT43
i've come to the realization that there is no way American players will EVER compete with kids who have been playing soccer in the streets barefoot since they could walk.
the difference between the US and other countries is that we don't have that "streetball" style-culture for soccer like we do for basketball. the kids who play soccer here learn how to play at camps and on travel teams, not in the streets. when you look at guys like Messi, Ronaldo, etc you can tell they learned how to play the game in neighborhood backyards, not some Elite USA Olympic Development camp nonsense. thats why they have that innate flair and sense for the game, that will always beat out kids who learned how to play in a camp.
imagine if guys like John Wall, Reggie Bush, etc had been playing street soccer instead? US soccer would be... but that didnt and will never happen (and personally i'm glad). soccer will never take us anywhere as a nation, point-blank.
ham city
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You're right and wrong. Players like Messi and Ronaldo learned the basics of the game from older family members and from playing for fun whether in the streets, backyard, where ever, at a very young age. You obviously you keep learning throughout your playing career but this can't be disputed.Originally Posted by Jeuce
Guys like messi and ronaldo didnt learn to play soccer on the streets. They've been in youth programs and soccer camps since they were like 5. There;s a reason all the major euro teams have developmental teams for players younger than 18. Heck Messi joined Barcelona's youth team when he was like 11 or 12. The top players in the world learn to play the game and sharpen their skill at Elite development camps.Originally Posted by DT43
i've come to the realization that there is no way American players will EVER compete with kids who have been playing soccer in the streets barefoot since they could walk.
the difference between the US and other countries is that we don't have that "streetball" style-culture for soccer like we do for basketball. the kids who play soccer here learn how to play at camps and on travel teams, not in the streets. when you look at guys like Messi, Ronaldo, etc you can tell they learned how to play the game in neighborhood backyards, not some Elite USA Olympic Development camp nonsense. thats why they have that innate flair and sense for the game, that will always beat out kids who learned how to play in a camp.
imagine if guys like John Wall, Reggie Bush, etc had been playing street soccer instead? US soccer would be... but that didnt and will never happen (and personally i'm glad). soccer will never take us anywhere as a nation, point-blank.
The players don't learn to play the game at academies, they learn to play the game like professionals at academies.
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Y'all ever read this article on La Masia?
http://www.dailymail.co.u...future-Messis--free.html
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Word. Most of these guys start playing as soon as they can run, because the game is one of the only means of entertainment and fun in a lot of these places, and only after the talent shines through do they get picked up by these clubs and camps. Obviously, once there they hone and refine their skills.Originally Posted by HAM CITY
You're right and wrong. Players like Messi and Ronaldo learned the basics of the game from older family members and from playing for fun whether in the streets, backyard, where ever, at a very young age. You obviously you keep learning throughout your playing career but this can't be disputed.Originally Posted by Jeuce
Guys like messi and ronaldo didnt learn to play soccer on the streets.� They've been in youth programs and soccer camps since they were like 5.� There;s a reason all the major euro teams have developmental teams for players younger than 18.� Heck Messi joined Barcelona's youth team when he was like 11 or 12.� The top players in the world learn to play the game and sharpen their skill at Elite development camps.Originally Posted by DT43
i've come to the realization that there is no way American players will EVER compete with kids who have been playing soccer in the streets barefoot since they could walk.
the difference between the US and other countries is that we don't have that "streetball" style-culture for soccer like we do for basketball. the kids who play soccer here learn how to play at camps and on travel teams, not in the streets. when you look at guys like Messi, Ronaldo, etc you can tell they learned how to play the game in neighborhood backyards, not some Elite USA Olympic Development camp nonsense. thats why they have that innate flair and sense for the game, that will always beat out kids who learned how to play in a camp.
imagine if guys like John Wall, Reggie Bush, etc had been playing street soccer instead? US soccer would be... but that didnt and will never happen (and personally i'm glad). soccer will never take us anywhere as a nation, point-blank.
The players don't learn to play the game at academies, they learn to play the game like professionals at academies.
Here's a clip of Wesley Sneijder talking about growing up playing futbol in the Netherlands.
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pretty much sums up my view on it
|A-Man|
formerly atgd7154xbbxmz
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America still wouldn't care.
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ive played soccer basketball and football and by far from experience soccer is the hardest sport to play
tho Ocho playing soccer is gonna be
tho Ocho playing soccer is gonna be
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u guys...
really?
if lebron and patrick willis acquired the skills of a soccer player, who is going to be better?
and all this talk about its a thinking game and ur not just going to "out athlete" a guy, why do i sound crazy when i say no soccer player can match the athleticism of an nba or nfl player(which is very true.)
really?
if lebron and patrick willis acquired the skills of a soccer player, who is going to be better?
and all this talk about its a thinking game and ur not just going to "out athlete" a guy, why do i sound crazy when i say no soccer player can match the athleticism of an nba or nfl player(which is very true.)
