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Counterattack: Whose Future Is More Bleak - USA Or England?
Shane Evans and Andrea Canales debate which country has it worse.
Jul 1, 2010 12:01:00 PM
By Andrea Canales & Shane Evans
Shane Evans: So after the World Cup ended not-so-sweetly for both England and the United States, the question is: who is in bigger trouble? I think it's England, without question.
Andrea Canales: I think there's a big difference in going out to Germany versus going out to Ghana, so I disagree. Tell me why England is in such bad shape.
Evans: Ok, well for starters, 3/4 of the England squad will be past it by the time the next major tournament rolls around. They don't have an established no. 1 goalkeeper. Their youth system is in shambles and it doesn't look to be improving. Plus they have that tricky situation with a certain Italian manager to sort out. Should be fun.
Canales: Ah, see, I think that England going out the way they did will be exactly what is needed to shake things up in a badly needed way. I think they'll get rid of Fabio Capello, and bring in Stuart Pearce, the successful youth team coach, to bring along the new generation and light a fire under the older players to fight for their spots. And goalkeepers? Not to worry, Joe Hart will be plenty ready by next World Cup.
The problem with the USA team, I feel, is that they didn't do poorly enough to push out old bad habits and I don't see enough change coming on the horizon.
Evans: Honestly, Pearce isn't ready yet. His managerial skills aren't there and he certainly doesn't have the credentials to take over the England spot yet, especially with the pressure for the team to qualify flawlessly for Euro 2012 being extremely high. You're right that they need a fire lit under them though as there were maybe two or three players for the Three Lions at the World Cup who actually looked like they wanted to be there, and that needs to change. I just don't think it will. With the US, they all work hard and are a talented, young bunch. The core of players they have will be together for the next World Cup and by that point they could be a lot further along the way. For me, a change in manager is all they need.
Canales: I disagree; I think it's the reverse. The main difference with England is that they have the infrastructure with their excellent league to develop talent. The USA has gone about as far as they can with hard work and a good team attitude. Those things are easier to develop than technical skills, talent and top tactics. So England's coaching change could be what makes all the difference. The USA's problems are more varied.
Evans: That's the biggest problem for England. They have the best league in the world, and have had it for years with zero results. What does that prove? That the system is flawed and they need to evolve. With the American players, they are getting experience around the world and becoming cultured in doing so. If that continues, they could be in good shape.
Canales: It's interesting that we're arguing about two teams that went out at exactly the same stage - however, to lose in the round of 16 is considered a terrible failure for England. Those expectations are telling. I fear the USA is too easily satisfied, thinking, "Oh, we won our group and beat England," instead of thinking, "We were the only group winners who didn't advance to the quarters. That's terrible".
The Americans won't improve if they don't push themselves to do so. England, meanwhile, were lulled into complacency by their great qualification campaign.
Evans: And I think that change in philosophy will change for the USA in time. I don't think Bradley was the man who was vocal enough in saying "Well, we need to get this far and maybe more if we want to consider this tournament a success." His reserved, almost withdrawn attitude made 'failure' acceptable. With England, the expectations will always be there and they continue to not reach them. The system has been broken for too long and the players think they are above playing for the national team, something that is a huge concern going forward.
Canales: I'm not sure if it's just the Three Lions players who consider themselves above the team, or national hubris of a lot of people in England who thought their team should breeze into the semis. But the warning signs were there for both teams before the World Cup tournament. The USA had already developed a bad habit of giving up early goals, and England simply wasn't playing well or cohesively in their warmup games and Capello was driving everyone nuts with his goalkeeper mystery pick. Ultimately, both teams deserved their fate this World Cup.
I still think the USA has a longer road ahead, perhaps mainly because they don't realize how far they still have to go to really contend.
Evans: And England's road is even longer given the fact that they know they should contend, but just don't know how.
The 2010 World Cup is finally upon us, so keep up to date with all the news at Goal.com's World Cup homepage and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Andrea Canales: I think there's a big difference in going out to Germany versus going out to Ghana, so I disagree. Tell me why England is in such bad shape.
Evans: Ok, well for starters, 3/4 of the England squad will be past it by the time the next major tournament rolls around. They don't have an established no. 1 goalkeeper. Their youth system is in shambles and it doesn't look to be improving. Plus they have that tricky situation with a certain Italian manager to sort out. Should be fun.
Canales: Ah, see, I think that England going out the way they did will be exactly what is needed to shake things up in a badly needed way. I think they'll get rid of Fabio Capello, and bring in Stuart Pearce, the successful youth team coach, to bring along the new generation and light a fire under the older players to fight for their spots. And goalkeepers? Not to worry, Joe Hart will be plenty ready by next World Cup.
The problem with the USA team, I feel, is that they didn't do poorly enough to push out old bad habits and I don't see enough change coming on the horizon.
Evans: Honestly, Pearce isn't ready yet. His managerial skills aren't there and he certainly doesn't have the credentials to take over the England spot yet, especially with the pressure for the team to qualify flawlessly for Euro 2012 being extremely high. You're right that they need a fire lit under them though as there were maybe two or three players for the Three Lions at the World Cup who actually looked like they wanted to be there, and that needs to change. I just don't think it will. With the US, they all work hard and are a talented, young bunch. The core of players they have will be together for the next World Cup and by that point they could be a lot further along the way. For me, a change in manager is all they need.
Canales: I disagree; I think it's the reverse. The main difference with England is that they have the infrastructure with their excellent league to develop talent. The USA has gone about as far as they can with hard work and a good team attitude. Those things are easier to develop than technical skills, talent and top tactics. So England's coaching change could be what makes all the difference. The USA's problems are more varied.
Evans: That's the biggest problem for England. They have the best league in the world, and have had it for years with zero results. What does that prove? That the system is flawed and they need to evolve. With the American players, they are getting experience around the world and becoming cultured in doing so. If that continues, they could be in good shape.
Canales: It's interesting that we're arguing about two teams that went out at exactly the same stage - however, to lose in the round of 16 is considered a terrible failure for England. Those expectations are telling. I fear the USA is too easily satisfied, thinking, "Oh, we won our group and beat England," instead of thinking, "We were the only group winners who didn't advance to the quarters. That's terrible".
The Americans won't improve if they don't push themselves to do so. England, meanwhile, were lulled into complacency by their great qualification campaign.
Evans: And I think that change in philosophy will change for the USA in time. I don't think Bradley was the man who was vocal enough in saying "Well, we need to get this far and maybe more if we want to consider this tournament a success." His reserved, almost withdrawn attitude made 'failure' acceptable. With England, the expectations will always be there and they continue to not reach them. The system has been broken for too long and the players think they are above playing for the national team, something that is a huge concern going forward.
Canales: I'm not sure if it's just the Three Lions players who consider themselves above the team, or national hubris of a lot of people in England who thought their team should breeze into the semis. But the warning signs were there for both teams before the World Cup tournament. The USA had already developed a bad habit of giving up early goals, and England simply wasn't playing well or cohesively in their warmup games and Capello was driving everyone nuts with his goalkeeper mystery pick. Ultimately, both teams deserved their fate this World Cup.
I still think the USA has a longer road ahead, perhaps mainly because they don't realize how far they still have to go to really contend.
Evans: And England's road is even longer given the fact that they know they should contend, but just don't know how.
The 2010 World Cup is finally upon us, so keep up to date with all the news at Goal.com's World Cup homepage and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
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