US Soccer Vs Guatemala, 3/28

[Zeno]

Howard was amazingly bad on ManU also.

Its funny because I seem to remember his first year at Man U him being named EPL Goalkeeper of the year. I'm sure he "lucked" in to that though.

He had a string of bad games, nearly every goalkeeper does, but he has performed as well as any GK in the EPL this year.

Jen Lehman, I'm sure you know him, has called Howard one of the best young goalkeepers in the world. He has tremendous respect for him and his game.

 

[slinslin]

So why did ManU feel like they had to go out and buy a very high priced and old keeper? Howard didn't get it done.

 

[Stout]

I remember you now, slinslin. You're the guy who is just a virulent hater of U.S. Soccer. No need to even read what you say, I suppose. No, Freidel and Keller were NEVER world class players

 

[slinslin]

Yes they never were , sorry to burst your dreams. It's simply the truth.

World Class keepers were Kahn, Koepke, Buffon, Schmeichel, Illgner etc but definately not Casey Keller or Friedel, they were just good keepers, nothing more.

 

[Gorilla]

I am going to have to agree with slinslin on this one. Now don't get me wrong, there are many very good players in the US team. But when I think of World Class players from Concacaf the only two that come to mind are Hugo Sanchez and Dwigth York. There may be more, but those are the two that I could think of (Rafa Marquez maybe).

 

[Renz]

I remember you now, slinslin. You're the guy who is just a virulent hater of U.S. Soccer. No need to even read what you say, I suppose. No, Freidel and Keller were NEVER world class players

I have no idea why he keeps trolling on these threads. I think he's pissed that Germany had to steal Poland's best players to make the World Cup and then they lost anyway.

 

[Stout]

Yes they never were , sorry to burst your dreams. It's simply the truth.

World Class keepers were Kahn, Koepke, Buffon, Schmeichel, Illgner etc but definately not Casey Keller or Friedel, they were just good keepers, nothing more.

Not sure what you're smoking, but they're right there amongst that company.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

A lot of this is contingent on just what you want to take "world class" as. Top five in the world at your position? Top twenty? Top thirty? I don't think any of those players were ever top five, but a legitimate argument can be made that several of them were at one time or another top twenty at their position.

 

[Zeno]

Personally I think if anyone is able to start and keep their position on a team in one of the worlds top leagues they are world class. You simply can't start for years in the top leagues in England, Germany, Spain or Italy and be an average player. Serie B, Divison 2, Denmark league, MLS teams are for average players.

But what do I know I'm just an American

 

[Gorilla]

Personally I think if anyone is able to start and keep their position on a team in one of the worlds top leagues they are world class. You simply can't start for years in the top leagues in England, Germany, Spain or Italy and be an average player. Serie B, Divison 2, Denmark league, MLS teams are for average players.

But what do I know I'm just an American

When I think about World Class players people like Ronaldihno, Messi, Raul, Van Nistelroy, Kaka, Cassano, Gerrard, Henry, Toti, Nesta, Roberto Carlos, Ballack, Lampard, Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nedved, Shevchenko......come to mind.

I can't think of any US player that plays at the level of any of the ones listed above.

 

[Zeno]

When I think about World Class players people like Ronaldihno, Messi, Raul, Van Nistelroy, Kaka, Cassano, Gerrard, Henry, Toti, Nesta, Roberto Carlos, Ballack, Lampard, Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nedved, Shevchenko......come to mind.

I can't think of any US player that plays at the level of any of the ones listed above.

Those guys are in another level altogether. I fully agree that no US player is anywhere close to that.

Those guys are soccer superstars no doubt about it.

 

[Stout]

When I think about World Class players people like Ronaldihno, Messi, Raul, Van Nistelroy, Kaka, Cassano, Gerrard, Henry, Toti, Nesta, Roberto Carlos, Ballack, Lampard, Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nedved, Shevchenko......come to mind.

I can't think of any US player that plays at the level of any of the ones listed above.

I think we're confusing world class and elite. Soccer is a global sport, and players that are highly successful on a global level are world class. Simple logic. The players you list, of course, are simply a cut above...maybe out of this world

 

[slinslin]

But that's world class, that's the upper-echelon of soccer players and none of the US guys ever were in that class.

Cherundulo for example is just an average starter for an average team (my hometown team), a lot of those years in 2nd division and certainly I have NEVER heard anyone consider the guy anything even close to world class. If he was he wouldn't be playing in Hannover anymore , you can be sure about that.

The only active world class players from Middle- to North America are Rafa Marquez and technically Owen Hargreaves although he is playing for England instead of Canada.

 

[Zeno]

But that's world class, that's the upper-echelon of soccer players and none of the US guys ever were in that class.

It just comes down to your definition. World Class to me = a player capable of starting and playing consistently for a team in one of the world top leagues.

As Stout aptly applied, Elite are those players who really have few peers.

 

[Stout]

But that's world class, that's the upper-echelon of soccer players and none of the US guys ever were in that class.

Cherundulo for example is just an average starter for an average team (my hometown team), a lot of those years in 2nd division and certainly I have NEVER heard anyone consider the guy anything even close to world class. If he was he wouldn't be playing in Hannover anymore , you can be sure about that.

The only active world class players from Middle- to North America are Rafa Marquez and technically Owen Hargreaves although he is playing for England instead of Canada.

So then your list of world class players would be relatively small, say 10-20 players?

 

[slinslin]

It just comes down to your definition. World Class to me = a player capable of starting and playing consistently for a team in one of the world top leagues.

As Stout aptly applied, Elite are those players who really have few peers.

In that case Eric Wynalda and McBride were world class strikers just like those other guys are worldclass by your definition...

 

[slinslin]

So then your list of world class players would be relatively small, say 10-20 players?

more like 100-150.

 

[Stout]

more like 100-150.

I'm sorry, but if Keller and Friedel never made your list of ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY best players in the world, then my initial diagnosis was right...you just like to hate U.S. Soccer.

 

[Renz]

more like 100-150.

So between the EPL, SPL, Eredivisie, Superliga, Ligue 1, La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga there are 100-150 world class players? That doesn't even include all the players on clubs in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina etc.

To say that there are less than 150 world class players is pretty ridiculous.

 

[slinslin]

I'm sorry, but if Keller and Friedel never made your list of ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY best players in the world, then my initial diagnosis was right...you just like to hate U.S. Soccer.

mmm excuse me but there are basically 11 positions, you could even say 12-13 depending on different systems. If you take the top 10 at each position or top 12 that's your worldclass and that makes probably around 100-150 players.

Certainly you agree guys like Cherundulo , Reyna etc were NEVER top 10 at their position.