Commentary
Tab Ramos on 2018 World Cup tactics, quality of play, VAR, and what young players should pay attention to
- by Mike Woitalla @MikeWoitalla, Jun 29, 2018
SOCCER AMERICA: What's the atmosphere like compared to all the World Cups you've been to?
TAB RAMOS: I have been lucky enough to attend many World Cups as a player and as a coach. This is the best World Cup I have ever been to. Russia is an amazing and the cities are beautiful.
SA: Have you spotted any trends so far at this World Cup, perhaps in terms of tactics or playing style?
TAB RAMOS: It seemed that the World Cup 2014 showed most of the teams were leaning toward playing with only one forward and many teams playing with five in the back. This World Cup seems to be the one in which many teams let either three or four players roam up top, interchanging positions. Most teams are playing with one or two holding midfielders to give those attacking players room to roam.
SA: Obviously, we'll see a lot more in the knockout stages, but so far how would you rate quality of play, the entertainment from the teams?
TAB RAMOS: It has been a very well played World Cup. Teams have so many quality players who can win games. Physically, even the non-traditional teams are battling to the end and tactically no one is behind, all teams have a clear plan. The difference has been the quality of the special players. Argentina doesn't get through to the next round without Lionel Messi's goal, and only Messi could score that goal.
SA: Any teams you've been particularly impressed with or disappointed by?
TAB RAMOS: Croatia has been the most impressive. Peru was fun to watch and so was Serbia. I was also impressed by Colombia's game vs Poland and by Uruguay's easy first round. Brazil is getting into a next gear and Portugal is strong.
The biggest disappointment is obvious, that would be Germany. Most in the business have talked about the re-structure of Germany and everyone wants to replicate it. In the end, it's always about quality of players more than any system. You can't re-structure every time you lose.
I was also disappointed by Argentina's lack of tactical solutions and movements when Messi is not involved. Egypt was poor and I kept reading about Iceland and their ratio of coaches per capita, but they just defended with nine players inside their own box the whole time.
SA: What's your opinion on how VAR been implemented so far?
TAB RAMOS: There is no question that VAR is a step in the right direction and that it is making the game better. Unfortunately, some obvious mistakes have been made but I think it will get better and better.
Tab
Ramos' world championships
Player: 1983 U-20 World Cup; 1988 Olympic Games; 1989 Futsal World Championship; 1990 World Cup;
1994 World Cup
1998 World Cup
Assistant coach: 2014 World Cup
Head coach:
2013 U-20 World Cup; 2015 U-20 World Cup; 2017 U-20 World Cup
SA: Do you wish VAR was around when you played?
TAB RAMOS: Yes, I hope it comes to Concacaf fast!
SA: Did you tell your U-20 players to watch the World Cup and keep an eye out for certain things?
TAB RAMOS: We may discuss when I see them but if I find a particular play during games -- MLS, Champions League or World Cup -- that I think may allow them to understand something better, I text them.
SA: Generally, what do think young players should pay particular attention to while watching the World Cup?
TAB RAMOS: The speed of play and the quality of the control.
SA: You must be running into all sorts of people from the soccer world. Any highlights so far? Former teammates, opponents, or coaches you've reunited with?
TAB RAMOS: There is nothing like the World Cup, everyone is here. I have been working with Diego Forlan, Carlos Hermosillo, Juan Pablo Sorin, Teofilo Cubillas, Rolando Fonseca and Juan Pablo Angel [at Telemundo]. It has been a great experience to analyze games with amazing minds of the game. I have also talked with Lothar Matthaeus, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Patrice Evra, I also saw former teammate Antonio Carlos Santos from my time at Tigres [in Liga MX].
SA: What do you think of the Uruguay team?
TAB RAMOS: Uruguay is Uruguay. Always good defenders, good forwards and nothing in between. This time the defenders and forwards are world class. It's a dangerous team and mentally very strong.
[Editor's note: Ramos emigrated to the USA from Uruguay at age 11.]
SA: Costa Rica was so impressive in 2014. Any insight on what went wrong with the Ticos?
TAB RAMOS: I don't think anything went wrong, they played well and did not get results.
SA: What are people saying, or asking you, about the USA failing to qualify?
TAB RAMOS: Not much.
SA: How beneficial is it for you as a coach to be at the World Cup?
TAB RAMOS: It's great to analyze games of the very best players. You can take so much in when analyzing the best teams. I lived it last World Cup in Brazil as assistant coach, so I am glad to be back.
SA: Anything you pay particular attention to? Stuff you'll be able to share with your players?
TAB RAMOS: Movements of individual players, compactness of teams, the physicality of teams, teams who attack with numbers in transition. It has been fun to watch.
I was hoping he would talk some "shop" ,some insightful stuff considering his backround, but alas that was disappointing. I do agree with him on Peru, for their style is so unique, they can pass the ball around, give and go's and such small spaces which is sort of their trademark. And the Peruvian felt free to express themselves with the ball.....SO REFRESHING. I would recommend watching Peru on Youtube, Brazil-Peru WC'70. It is just mouth watering, watch Chumpetez, of course also Pele, and Jairzinho, great stuff, great game. That's when you were able to see great WC games.
I agree with him on Iceland. Although that country has done pretty good considering......But let's face it ,Iceland produces nothing but programmed stiffs....with all due respect to ASGEIR SIGURVINSSON( what a player). They must hired have hired some our A-licensed coaches to train the icelandic players. Their is no INDIVIDUALITY of soccer coming from that culture....
I disagree with him on Serbia, who I thought was an embarassment, considering these are Slavs, an area that produces technical geniuses which I didn''t see one on this team. They employed an old- fashioned centerforward, very stationary, not very creative, and he moved around like he had the aid of a walker. Serbia was all about physical play and lots of running.....NOT IMPRESSED. Croatia likewise is made up of Slavs but had some good technical players and played a much better brand of soccer...Go Figure??? I like to know what happened, why so much technical difference in play between these two countries.
I like to see CROATIA win the world cup....it would be great for that area of the world for it would perhaps give more impetus to producing great players like they had before Yugoslavia broke up....
Great player and example of someone giving back to the game. Humble and tireless work with our national youth programs. Never to busy for players, coaches and parents at the DA showcase. We're lucky to have him.
One thing is very evident is the passion of the teams playing. Watch how the players sing the National Anthem. A great sense of pride in playing for their country. We need to teach that From U15 and up it starts before the opening whistle. I’ve always found it amazing that the US team it seems like an individual choice rather than everyone together like most other teams. Not saying the singing the National Anthem loud and proud solves all the challenges of US Soccer, but can’t really move forward until we do!
Tim, some of us just cannot sing without causing a public disturbance. Chronic ear-nose-throat problems make me woefully tone deaf most of the time. Medication makes me feel better but doesn't help my singing. I subvocalize.
TIM, dutch players don't sing either or maybe a couple, just watch other teams. Maybe the South American and Central American tend to be more prone to it, but Europeans much less.
No one cares about your voice or the pitch of your tone...
The Dutch, who apparently don't sing the national anthem, did not qualify for the World Cup.
It's the starting point for me... Are you ready to play for the USA on the front of your shirt ? Then let me know. Not a political statement but more of a statement that we are all in this together.
International competition is not a big deal in the American culture other than the Olympics and we excel in mostly individiual sports (swimming, track and field). We need to teach that before anything else positive can happen. Just my thoughts.
Tim, My family refused to let me sit with them in church if I sang. Some people do care when the singing is truly horrible.
Great interview Mike. Tab has always impressed me.
Frank u are a eurufobian (I know I made it up)
but I would like to see the African teams moving on.
the old jogoslavia is no longer a country.
so your old dreams are gone.
yes Croatia is good and a dark horse in this tornament.
but I like to see new nations doing well.
that makes this tornament exciting.
and so far we seen some great competition.
lay off on Cruyff and company it’s really getting old
i like him to but he is no soccer god as in none is.
lets talk about today not old memories.
Uffe, last year UEFA selected Cruyff as one of the top 10 best managers of all time. A lot of people still respect Cruyff and you will no doubt still hear people talk about him for many years to come.
Frank u are a eurufobian (I know I made it up)
but I would like to see the African teams moving on.
the old jogoslavia is no longer a country.
so your old dreams are gone.
yes Croatia is good and a dark horse in this tornament.
but I like to see new nations doing well.
that makes this tornament exciting.
and so far we seen some great competition.
lay off on Cruyff and company it’s really getting old
i like him to but he is no soccer god as in none is.
lets talk about today not old memories.
Frank u are a eurufobian (I know I made it up)
but I would like to see the African teams moving on.
the old jogoslavia is no longer a country.
so your old dreams are gone.
yes Croatia is good and a dark horse in this tornament.
but I like to see new nations doing well.
that makes this tornament exciting.
and so far we seen some great competition.
lay off on Cruyff and company it’s really getting old
i like him to but he is no soccer god as in none is.
lets talk about today not old memories.
Ufee, thanks for commenting - it repeated three times,I suppose for emphasis? Anyhow, I agree with you that we must talk about today and not dwell on "old memories..." let's leave that up to the mainstream sports-beat writers, since they must write stuff to fill up their sports pages. I rather read about the current classes of youth players and specifically the ones up and coming future stars, female and male!!! And, lastly, as a retired history professor, sure, let's learn about the past in order not to repeat the mistakes of yore, know what I mean folks?
Oh, Ric, bless you, bless you! I’m so happy just to be able to watch this World CupI I have dealt with only a tiny smattering of what you have when I lived in San Diego. But I loved it! San Diego was a soccer hotbed. So exciting! Even though the outdoor professional leagues had all folded, we had season tickets to the SanDiego Sockers for years! The skills displayed by those players were awesome!!! Of course, every one of them were excellent outdoor players, too. Watching my daughter or son trying one of the moves we’d seen in a game the night before in a game was so much fun!!! Our coach, Brian Rudge, used to say how rewarding it was to watch one of the girls try something in a game that they’d been working on in practice for months. I know you’ve worked at all levels, male and female, in multiple sports. And you have dealt with the powers-that-be at all levels in soccer. You really do understand all aspects of what we’re dealing with here. That’s gotta be kind of depressing. I enjoyed “Panchito”. Feliz ...something...My vocabulary has given out. How about “Best Wishes”?
So Tab, what have people been saying about the US not qualifying? Tab: Not much.... this kind of answer is very telling and good insight into what the Federation and the key personnel on the inside think. Just another payday at the office. Nothing is going to change until the American Soccer public take the money away! It’s all about the