How disappointing it is to hear that we lost the chance to host the World Cup again. I will be the first to admit that the numbers were compelling for the US. Stadiums are already built. FIFA would make the most money here.

What went wrong?

My good friend and Soccer buddy and I spent the week walking through why the US would not get it. While he was walking through his analysis, I was really trying to put my hands over my ears, screaming, “I can’t hear you! I can’t hear you!”. But alas, he ended up being right and the reasons for not winning could be many.

And, it is not for the reasons that Alexi Lalas declared on ESPN. FIFA is not corrupt, FIFA has a plan to export the game to all corners of the globe.

Let’s walk through a few things. The US should be proud that we changed how World Cups are selected. That’s right, the 1994 World Cup in the United States changed how World Cups were rewarded. Historically, World Cups were rotated between COMNEBOL (South America) and UEFA (Europe) with the exception of Mexico. I am going to say that Mexico is part of COMNEBOL. Their club teams all participate in both Copa Libertadores and Copa Sud Americana.

Before 1994, you could always rely on the games being hosted in those 2 continents. Then, it all changed with USA 1994. UEFA appears to be the only Federation that will host every other World Cup tournament. Here is how it has gone:

1. USA 1994 – North America – 1st outside S. America or Europe. (I exclude Mexico because they are indirectly tied to S. America)
2. France 1998 – UEFA
3. Japan/S. Korea – 2002 – Asia – 1st in Asia
4. Germany – 2006 – UEFA
5. South Africa 2010 – 1st in Africa
6. Brazil 2014 – Brazil CONMEBOL – 1st time in South America since Argentina 1978
7. Russia 2018 – UEFA – 1st WC in Eastern Europe and emerging Russia
8. Qatar 2022 – Middle East – technically part of Asia, but first in Middle East

Guess – China 2026

Sorry, Alexi Lalas, I don’t think it was FIFA corruption that Qatar won. It was part of a plan to continue exporting the game to all parts of the globe. The power of the game is beyond 22 players on a field.

Could Football be the mechanism that integrates the Middle East into the rest of the world? Would it allow us to lower the barrier of differences to unite us in what globally everyone loves? Football.

If we look at the decision from this perspective, it kind of makes sense. As much as it hurst to think the economics of a US bid also makes sense, I think the bigger purpose of the World Cup should serve to bring people together too.

What’s next for the US Soccer?

We need to keep developing our game here. Football in the rest of the world reaches the poor populations and helps bring the underprivileged out of poverty. Here in the United States, Soccer is a middle class sport that uses a pay to play system.

Could our reliance on pay to play be one of the reasons we were overlooked? Does FIFA know that kids in the inner city are still overlooked as a potential soccer playing population? Dos US Soccer’s mission fit the mission of FIFA?

Do 10 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan send the wrong message to the rest of the world? Is a country engaged in ongoing wars counter to FIFA’s mission?

I think if we stand back and really look what happened, we may find the reason we did not get selected was looking at us in the mirror.

Paul is the President of Professional Blog Service. PBS works with clients making strategic investments into blogging, social media and search engine optimization. He is also assistant Varsity Soccer Coach at Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis.

There was a recent question on Linkedin regarding Hispanic players in Youth Soccer:

Why the lack of Latino involvment in U.S. Soccer?
Do you think the focus on building the sport through clubs has left out Mexican American because of the costs? ??Here in Columbia, S.C. we have a huge\well attended ( into the 100s) Mexican League….but it doesn’t seem to transfer over to our local club outfit or the college fan base. ??I think those that are looking to build a fan base should look to the latin community…not just soccer moms or dads. ??Is there a marque Mexican American player on the National Team? ??Nick

I provided my own answer:

I am coaching kids of Mexican descent. Out of High School, they pretty much play pick up ball. Playing in a system has been learned on their High School team. The current club scene locally is too expensive for them to participate. ??Jose touched on part of the problem. Yes, American coaches sometimes reward effort and not ability. So, the mainstream High School teams don’t have patience with some of their technically gifted Latino kids. Neither does Bob Bradley, so he sends a message to everyone that technical players are not needed. ??Yet, Jose, I can also argue that the technical players do not always succeed as teams. There are several High School teams here in Indianapolis with very good technical players of Mexican and African descent that by virtue of their abilities should be beating everyone. Yet, they can’t seem to pull it together as teams in tournaments. They are playing street ball and always fall short. I find it disappointing to see. ??The masters of integration are the Brazilians. Until we stop looking across the pond and consider looking down south to what the Brazilians do to maximize the strength of their diverse cultures, the US will always struggle. ??Brazil has had a positive influence in American Basketball. Soccer taught one of the winningest high school basketball coaches how to integrate players and win. ??It is too bad US Soccer could not come to terms with Juergen Klinsmann, I get the impression he understands the potential here with our multi-cultural and racial makeup.

The United States has the potential to be consistent world beaters. Why? Because we have a diverse population of Soccer players in this country that could make the kind of contributions we admire about Brazil. The problem? We want to have a watered down version of English Football with players made up of Suburban kids that reflect the power within US Soccer.??It is not about technical and physical, it is about integration. Until we embrace our diversity in the sport and figure out how to maximize the strengths in this country, we will continue to always fall just short.

Quit looking over the pond and look south of the equator for some answers on how to make it happen.

Paul Lorinczi is the President of Professional Blog Service. PBS works with clients making strategic investments into blogging, social media and search engine optimization. He is also assistant Varsity Soccer Coach at Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis.

This is the start of a 4 part series of my World Cup Soccer history.

Well, June has come and gone.

I have lived through my 9th World Cup. I remember ABC’s Wide World of Sports in 1970 when Brazil beat Italy in the final in Germany. You know, the scene where Pele scores and jumps into his teammate. I remember the day my Dad was watching it on TV. I don’t remember the details of the game. I do remember my Dad watching it.

In 1974, I spent 2 months in Hungary. I arrived in Hungary about the time of the final in Germany between Holland and Germany. Again, I don’t remember the details. I did go to my first professional game that year, as my Uncle Pali took me to my first Ferencvaros game in Budapest. I think I may even have the ticket stubs from that game somewhere.

He then took me to subsequent professional games while I was there, as the league started in August. It was at a time where we always had August off for the whole summer.

1978 began my love affair with the World Cup. Back then, all of us foreigners would congregate at venues where the games were shown on closed circuit TV. In Michigan, we had to drive to Detroit and watch games at the Masonic temple or across the river in Windsor at the hockey arena. Hungary was in the World Cup at the time. Several of us Hungarians went to watch games.

I fell in love with the World Cup. The fans at the Masonic temple brought their mini-flags and were passionately rooting for their favorite teams. I was hooked. There was the excitement in the game. The edge of your seat emotions that go with that expectation of a goal being scored.

The critics that call soccer boring. They just don’t get it. There is passion like nothing at an American sporting event. World Cup fever is in the blood, not in the conformity of following a winner.

I did not make it to the final in 1978. My Dad and his buddies did. It was a great game. Holland made it to the final again, as they did in 1974, only to lose to the home team again. This time in overtime to the heroics of Mario Kempes of Argentina.

The images of River Plate stadium full to the brim with Argentinian fans willing their team to win the whole thing. The field covered in paper confetti when Argentina scored their goals. The fans going crazy.

I started playing the game in 1976.   The 1978 World Cup in Argentina was the event that pushed me over the edge into a life-long fan of the game.

Book of Dreams, “God will produce the greatest soccer player in the world. And, he will come from the United States – the chosen nation of the world.”

Photo by ISI Photos

In the United States, we always seem to be looking for the next great Soccer savior to emerge from our shores. Several years ago, it was a young Ghanian immigrant kid that out dribbled everyone here in Indianapolis at the then Snickers National Championships. That young man was Freddy Adu, a player that has struggled since going professional at the tender age of 14. He was the next Pele and walked on water.

I think Freddy listened to all his press and has since struggled to make the impact everybody thought he would make. I think American Soccer fans expected too much from a 14 year old kid. He is still a young player that possesses some great technical ability. Let’s hope that his time in Greece allows him the opportunities he has been lacking the past 2 years in Europe.

Jozy Altidore

American Soccer fans need to calm down. Because now the same expectations are being put onto a young kid from New Jersey named Jozy Altidore.

Jozy is and has been a natural goal scoring talent. He featured for the New York Red Bulls at 16. The difference between he and Freddy was most people left him alone. They did not want to make the same mistake with him. And, he produced on the field.

Jozy was transferred from the MLS side New York Red Bulls to La Liga’s Villareal 2 years ago for a record $10 million transfer. He had limited playing time on his arrival into Spain. He was sent to Xerex of the Segundo Division for playing time. The problem was Xerex was playing so well, they did not need him and they were working towards promotion. It just did not work out for him. Villareal always had it in mind to send Jozy on loan.

This year, they sent him to England to play for Hull City. No offense to Hull City fans, but the team was crap before Jozy arrived. He was not going to make it that much better. Hull City’s midfield still sucked and their defense let in goals like a sieve. For selfish reasons, I can say that Jozy got out of Hull City what he went there to do – get playing time, get knocked around and adapt to the game in Europe.

Now he can go back to Villareal battle tested and stronger for the experience. And, he can start tearing up La Liga.

Here is why I say this, if you look at the careers of players like Didier Drogba, Thierry Henry, Ruud Van Nistelroy and even Eric Cantona. They were not world beaters at 20 years old. Their games played and goal production are very similar to what Jozy has accomplished. Jozy has actually done more, as he has 8 national team goals to his name in competitive FIFA competitions.

(Yeah, but that is in CONCACAF) Well, some of the European groups are pretty weak as I am a follower of one of those weak teams. I wish my Hungarian team had a forward of Jozy’s ability.  (They do actually, but the coaches are reluctant to put too much expectation on a young kid name Krisztian Nemeth – only the fans see him as a savior too).

The magic number 25

A player does not reach his full potential until he is 25 years old. How old are Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo? When did they really come into their own and start dominating games? Even Lionel Messi was allowed to develop his talent at Barcelona. Give Jozy a break.

Point is, to expect that out of Jozy Altidore is premature and just not going to happen.

My only concern for Jozy was his goal production should have been higher for Hull City. However, what he did not produce in goals, he did draw important fouls that led to goals. He was generally rated pretty high in post-game player ratings on Sky Sports.

I know American soccer fans have had their disappointments from the 2006 World Cup. We can’t put our hopes and dreams onto a 20 year old kid from New Jersey who is really just getting started. He accomplished what he needed to accomplish at Hull City. He will play for the US National Team. He may even be the impact player against talent from Slovenia and Algeria.

To expect him to carry us through to the final is a little much.

Freddy Adu is the lesson for all of us. We were too impatient with him. Let’s not do the same to Jozy Altidore.

Ives Galacerp has written a very detailed account of the recovery of Charlie Davies, a US National Soccer Team forward who was

Photo by ISIphotos.com

involved in a terrible car accident back in October. He woke up 3 days later in the hospital and did not know where he was and thought he was in Honduras having his organs harvested.

His accident happened in October 2009.  He broke most of the bones in his right leg.  Fractured bones in his face.  And, fractured bones in his elbow.  He also injured his posterior cruciate ligament.  The miracle is his bones have healed and he is on the treadmill already.  He has one more surgery to remove the plate and screws from his elbow.  He is schedule to return to France and start training with his club Sochaux at the end of February.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is freaking unbelievable.

You can read the full article here at Soccer by Ives and his published article at ESPN Soccernet.

I have to admit, I was one of the people guessing we have to scratch Charlie Davies from the World Cup.  Let’s hope he can continue on his recovery.  He was one of the bright spots in US Soccer in 2009 as we led up to the World Cup.