USA ousted from U-17 World Cup
- by Mike Woitalla @MikeWoitalla, Oct 23, 2015
Brandon Vazquez, who had also scored in the 2-2 tie with Croatia, gave the USA a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute. He poked the ball past goalkeeper Zacarias Lopez from 10 yards after Luca de la Torre’s pass deflected into Vazquez’s path off Chilean defender Simon Ramirez.
The Chileans replied 10 minutes later with a 14-yard shot from Marcelo Allende, who pounced on a misplayed ball from Tyler Adams and hammered a ball that deflected off the leg of Danny Barbir into the net.
When Gabriel Mazuela made it 2-1 in the 52nd minute, he used his hands while on the ground to bat the ball away from U.S. keeper Will Pulisic, also on the grass, before jumping up and shooting into an open net from close.
But there was no questioning the brilliance of Chile’s third goal, a curling shot from 16 yards into the top corner from Gonzalo Jara after faking out Tanner Dieterich. Camilo Mora made it 4-1 in stoppage time, handing the USA its worst loss at the U-17 World Cup in group play since falling, 4-0, to Oman in 1997.
"Of course we are disappointed by the result and the elimination," said U.S. coach Williams. "We played a decent first half, but once again we committed defensive mistakes, like not clearing the ball in the first goal, and at this level you pay for that. Their second goal was too soon in the second half, and from then on we did the changes necessary in order to get that point that would have given us a slim chance, and we left spaces on the back. Give credit to Chile, they did what they needed and in the end deserved the victory."
This U.S. team is the first to exit in the group play since 2001. (Williams failed to qualify the USA for the 2013 U-17 World Cup.)
Croatia beat Nigeria, 2-1, to finish second in Group A. Chile’s third-place finish with four points should see it advance to the knockout stage.
Oct. 23 in Vina del Mar
Chile 4 USA 1. Goals: Allende 20, Mazuela 52,
Jara 86, Moya 93+; Vazquez 10.
Chile – Lopez, Ramirez, Monilla, Reyes (Diaz, 46), Saavedra, Y.Leiva, Mazuela, Allende, Moya, Melendez, B.Leiva (Jara, 67).
USA
-- W.Pulisic, Adams, Arellano, Barbir (Gallardo, 61), Nelson (Wright, 76), Dieterich, C.Pulisic, de la Torre (Perez, 69), Zendejas, Calvillo, Vasquez.
Referee: Matej Jug
(Slovenia)
Att.: 19,321.
Group A
PTS TEAM W-T-L GD
6 Nigeria 2-0-1 +5
5 Croatia 1-2-0 +1
4 Chile
1-1-1 -1
1 USA 0-1-2 -5
This is what happens when in a country our size, US soccer focuses so much energy on a few boys that were probably our brightest at 12-13 years old. Instead of working harder on identification they bank on the same group of kids. Unfortunatley the rest of the world takes there word for it and they are the only ones to get the best opportunities over and over because of that early resume. To much attention and entitlement. No more 4 pairs of Nike shoes every camp i SAY....
It is definitely the dumb leading the blind. I doubt that one could find a more incompetent group of culprits anywhere.
Too bad for the boys, because they could easily perform better. As the saying goes "there are only bad teachers!"
FUuuu....!!!
FUuueERA.!!!...OUT.!!!...Get Out.!!!...FRACASO.!!!!....DISASTER.!!!...FIRETHEM ALL.!!!.. NOW.!!!...From Director Klinsmann down to Williams...
Santi, the top doesn't start with Klinsi, it starts at the top with the person who gave him the job and his title. What does Sunil know about soccer? The board of directors needs to kick him out and start anew
Doug, and what does the board know about soccer? It seems like you can just keep going up the food chain all you want and things won't change because there are fundamental systemic differences between the USA and the rest of the world.
In the USA organized competitive athletics is played from a very early age, with coaches, referees and rules. That's great if you're playing football or basketball, which are built on a fairly small set of fundamental skills and set plays. Repetition leads to better play and more success.
Not so much with soccer where creativity plays a much larger role in success. By putting kids into competitive soccer starting as young as 4, they lose all chance at developing creativity. This means they can't attack 1v1, which means they also can't defend 1v1 (because they're not challenged at that level), which limits team attack tactics and puts more pressure on keeping defensive organization to avoid breakdowns.
I don't see this changing in my lifetime. In fact, everything I see leads me to think it's getting worse every year.
Which is why we are falling farther behind the world, not catching up.
2 cases state my point: Dieterich overplaying Jara in the box allowing the cutback for the open shot to make it 3-1. Mora open at the top of the box because defenders had been programmed to slide into shape to cover the first defender, leaving the gap between the back line and mid line for the first timer to make it 4-1.
Jim, very Good points.. Dieterich is a prime example of another American Problem...Every Body Gets To Play.!!!..I hate to Pick on A 17 Year old Kid, but he should have never been on the Field...Too Big and Clunky to play Outside back versus a Small Quick team like Chile. (Maybe he should have played inside for Arrellano {Terrible AGAIN}..And what was ADAMS doing as a 2nd Holding Mid.???..He was the Quickest Rt.Back we had.
Doug, Unfortunately you can't FIRE an Elected "Volunteer" Board...Sunil should do us All a favor and run for FIFAfia President...Or FIFA Secretary General...Great at "Nuts and Bolts"..Weak on Passion, Leadership and Direction...But you are Correct; These are Sunil's Choices and Directives... I'd have to Read Up on the USSF Regs on Removal of President...Maybe the ExCo Members can "Make" something happen
Disappointing!
Christian Pulisic is a nice player. It seemed like he was alone out there. I hope we do not lose him to Croatia.
Nice, but nothing Special...His Brother, the GK, is the one we need to keep...I did not see ONE Special player in this Group...Potentials; Adams, Zendejas, Perez, DeLa Torre, Vasquez...Nelson; Just cause he is a LEFT Footed Defender
At this point, and after those results, I will take nice.
Didn't have to watch this game to know if you put klinsmann in charge of Technical director we will see a lack of results, U-17 can't get out of first round, 2/3 times probably won't make the Olympics, and no youth development into senior squad, lost bid for confederation cup, knocked out of gold cup, what will it take for Sunil it see the light, a loss to guadalupe?
Let's change this sites address to klinsmannSucks.com
I think that's already Registered in Germany.???...They are all Laughing at us...
I stayed away from the SA comments for awhile bc many of them were so jaded. I read some of your comments to fire Kinsman? I am certain that he did not have a single say in the selection of the team nor their training. U-17 are plucked from clubs. A few even play for European clubs. Kinsman doesn't have amy input at their clubs obviously. That said, a reasonable person would intellectually rule him out as the scapegoat. Clearly I think too much of some of you. I saw the Croatia game. The US had a few players. .#10 I think who tried to ctrl the game, but mostly the kids were robots. You knew what they were going to do. I expect so does the other team and coach. I read some poignant where the kids are ID at 12/13. I explained the same thing to a parent about trying to go with an academy or club. The kids that are selected: 1 ..they get big headed, 2 the kids that are selected are not the best, but play for certain clubs and or privileged, many times they are both. Once again, if you want to put your faith in a bunch of coached up middle class kids..go right ahead. The headcoach will not matter. And Nigeria n Chile are better than us...wake up. Those kids play all day everyday and they know that there spot is hardly secure...those countries drop and pickup new kids sll the time.
These U17s are not plucked from clubs. They are resident players at Bradenton or on other US Soccer Academy programs. Christian Pulisic plays in the Borussia Dortmund program. Klinsmann is the U.S. Soccer Technical Director. The technical director sets the tactical direction of all the programs and has a hand in selecting players. The technical director's #1 responsibility is to advance the competitiveness of each of the teams leading up to the senior team. Klinsmann has held the job for 4 years, meaning that these players were 10-13 years old when he took over. This is his first team that completely reflects him as technical director. As of right now, the U23s are one game away from being eliminated from the Olympics and the U17s achieved 1 point and last place in group at the WC.
Greg, look at the recent results of our youth team and our senior teams, moreover if you do not think our opinions are valid in any way look at klinsmanns own words when he did his four year extension, "The role of Technical Director is a huge challenge and also a huge opportunity as we look to keep connecting the dots to the Youth National Teams, Coaching Education, the Development Academy and the grassroots efforts in this country." klinsmann admits he is responsible for these programs and thus should be held accountable when results are as such.
We need to stop blaming Klinsi.No body in the world can win at the senior level with want he has to work with. No coach in the world. We don't even have a player in the top 300 in the world.I can name 10 countries whose top 20 players are all better that the best US player. That's not his fault.
Why can't we develop world class soccer players?
Since the last world cup in the US millions of $ has been spent trying. We still haven't. 20 years later not one.
All these "soccer people", or wanna bees wants to make themselves more important with all the analysis of the games and comparison to Europeans etc. This is not Rocket Science folks. US can't produce because we doing it an un-American way. The Academy system, the expensive pay to play system results in the bottom of the barrell athletes in the US playing soccer.
Soccer needs to be put into the successful existing US system for developing world class athletes and players. Then it stand a chance of becoming more important to americans,more a part of their lives, more top athletes will learn it and play it. Will choose it over American football or basketball or baseball. Larger pool of athletes to choose from.
They are going to keep that exact pool of players who have fail at this tournament for the next one because they don't want to admit failure. That's stink.
There is a point certain that we can trace back to when the regression began in our player development at the National Level as well as across the country. It goes back before Klinsmann.
We need to "go back to the future" when we were producing players such as Ramos, Reyna, Donovan and Dempsey. What were we doing right then, in the 1990's? What kind of environment did they come out of? Can we go back? Why and what did we change? Perhaps we need an analysis and retrospective thought.Maybe what was put in place, doesn't work. We have to change. Or do we keep on spending millions of dollars and wasting the potential of our young players on a system of development that is not working? We have to do something now. Results don't lie. It's painful to me to think now in my lifetime, I will not see an American side capable of playing free flowing, creative and entertaining soccer. Because, change has to happen all the way down to the 8,9 and 10 years old. And, I am afraid, that won't even start to happen until the current powers in US Soccer are removed. They are just not facing up to their failures. They have to go.
BJ. Perfect assessment. Hate to say anything negative about a group of 16 year olds. I know we have the talent in this country to compete with anyone. Sad to know there are so many talented boys who never get a look and so many proven coaches who will not get the opportunity. The coaches and players have no motivation to improve as they are guaranteed a spot on the national team for life once they are in the program. You can't play tournaments all year catered for you against younger competition to prepare for the real deal. Was it just me or was the US soccer media very low key about this elimination. Time to change coaches. U19 takes U17. U17 takes U20 and so on.
To Greg Milton & John Lander, thank you for your insightful assessment. On several other posts I've detailed how to remove SG: remember he was elected by acclamation several US Soccer AGMs meaning he ran unopposed; either the US Soccer Executive Committee must do so, but not before calling for a special AGM. To fire him outright is nigh to impossible, unless they find some nefarious things tied to him. OK, fine and dandy with this, yet while all want JK out, only once guy S1314, calls for all of his coaches also fired all the way down to Richard Williams the U17 coach. Of interest, after I did watch the 2nd half of the US-Ch on the Spanish language channel, both commentators noted just how much the US Soccer scene has fallen, and the closing question was asked, how to right the ship [my paraphrasing] the other guy said, that the guy who hired JK, MUST be the one who needs to get canned, "simple as that," followed by a complete house cleaning. And lastly to Lou, thank YOU for your spot-on comment, yet I would not move up -r down a coach as you suggest, but have them move OUT.
I would Keep Tab as coach of u20...
Rick. Sorry I was being sarcastic. I was trying to state what they typically do when in these situations. Musical chairs and nothing changes. For the better.
JK has his hands full U20 and up, so you have to look at who is in charge U-11/12 ID to U17 and was also U14s coach to many of these players to really understand what has gone on here, and the man in charge of it and the DA, Tony Lepore, and his introduction to Manny Schellscheidt in 1974. Yes, 1974 at 7 yrs old by his father! That is how long and deep this problem is. You would not believe it if it was not true..can't make things like this up.
https://howsyourtouch.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/tony-lepore-the-man-the-myth-the-problem/
For a look at the group see:
http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/sunil-and-accountability.2025566/page-2#post-33076889
"Bradenton, for example, isn't a job that will appeal to the top youth developers worldwide. That's okay. But from the perspective of American coaches, a captive labor market with virtually zero overseas job prospects, it's a job with prestige and visibility. If we can't bring in top foreign youth development talent, the least we can do is establish a domestic meritocracy."
Also is coaches scouts that we have that simply either dont know how to evaluate talent so they can effectively reccommend the best or they are forcefully limited to narrow down their choices to a chosen few clubs. I think its both.
I posted this comment on another thread: Most of these players (20) have been in the residency program for 2+ years. Are you saying that in 3 years no other players in the US improved to well enough to at least compete for a spot on the team.
What does that say to other players; that if you are not picked at 14-15 yrs old, you have no chance of making the national team. I can bet my salary that the US is the only country that had that many players from the qualifying tournament, not to mention 2 years ago.
The boys lost the motivation to compete long ago. The logic of this process was flawed from the beginning. Not to say that the residency program pretty much insinuates that the USSDA team are not able to develop players. Why else would you pluck them out of a competitive environment for 3 years.