Commentary
Todd Beane: The USA has an opportunity to astound the world with a new brand of soccer
- by Mike Woitalla @MikeWoitalla, Sep 25, 2018
SOCCER AMERICA: What style of play do you think the U.S. men's national team should strive for?
TODD BEANE: In my humble opinion, we have two options going forward regarding a style of play for the U.S. men's national team.
If we seek competence and our objective is merely to return to the World Cup, then we will continue to use words like "athleticism" and "spirit" to guide us. The problem here is that American's define athleticism in exclusively physical terms: strong, fast, powerful. When we speak of spirit, we speak of a will to win. I understand the lure of these terms and nobody should ever question the grit of American athletes.
However, if we aspire to excellence we are going to have to redefine the U.S. player. The word intelligent must take highest priority because it distinguishes the excellent from the competent. All World Cup winners in the past three tournaments have placed a premium on intelligent midfielders dictating the pace and rhythm of play. All three countries, Spain, Germany, and France, have also redefined their style of play in the process.
Do we have the courage to make the leap to the elite of international soccer? If so, we have some soul-searching to do.
We are going to have to rethink and redefine American soccer in ways that will shake the status quo in coaching from youth to senior teams. I believe that we should tap into an alternative quality that has defined America worldwide -- our insatiable desire to innovate. If we do that now, we have an opportunity to astound the world with a new breed of player and a new brand of soccer. I would love to see us embrace an intelligent, attacking and courageous style of soccer. And I would love to see us get to work to recruit and nurture players capable of playing this inspiring style.
SA: Who is someone you would recommend U.S. Soccer hire as men's national team head coach to lead the USA in such a direction?
TODD BEANE: I have to be honest that I am not qualified to choose an American coach having been outside the U.S. for 16 years. I will say that I would seek the intelligent, attacking style of play by choosing a coach who has willingly demonstrated a capacity to produce such a product on the field.
SA: Beyond the choice of who should be the head coach, what do you think U.S. Soccer should or could do to improve American soccer? And by improve, let's define that as producing world-class players and being a serious contender to win the World Cup.
TODD BEANE: I would like say that I do not look to the U.S. Soccer to be an innovative agent of change. Most administrative organizations are too big and burdened to do so. Innovation comes from the fearless, not the bureaucratic. We need a new breed of coach driving a new brand of soccer to step forward and battle the entrenched paradigm -- to prove we can do better, much better. If we are honest, we cling desperately to incoherent and woefully inadequate training programs.
When we begin to prioritize intelligence we will train differently and produce a different type of player. Today, we look for "fast and furious" players and lock out the Xavi's, Modric's and Kante's within the Amercian landscape. We miss out on so much talent because it does not come in a ludicrously labeled "athleticism" package we seek.
SA: What can MLS do to help the progress of the U.S. national team? We have seen MLS clubs invest significantly in youth programs.
TODD BEANE: MLS as a collective entity is not going to do much. It is a socialist organization with a capitalist agenda. I think they are pretty clear about that and fair credit to them for what they have chiseled out over the last 20-plus years.
Having said that, an MLS club autonomously can accomplish so much. First, they need to stop the nonsensical affiliate programs that translate into selling logos and false promises. Second, an MLS club should work cooperatively with the surrounding youth organizations to promote coaching education, to provide access to underserved athletes, and to embrace an intelligent training curriculum. Clubs develop talent on a daily basis in every part of the world: leagues and federations do not. MLS clubs have great potential and I think a few are making honest explorations into new territory.
SA: The USA has a long history of embracing guidance from foreign coaches. Let's talk about Dutch soccer, because I consider you well versed in history of the Dutch game. One of the most influential men in the U.S Soccer Federation is its Chief Sport Development Officer, Nico Romeijn, who ran the Dutch federation (KNVB) coaching education in 2001-2015. The new general manager of the U.S. men's national team is Dutch: former U.S. national team player Earnie Stewart. And two other Dutchmen hold influential positions in U.S. Soccer. Is a Dutch soccer philosophy still a good influence on the USA? Because the current state of the Dutch men's game certainly isn't as inspiring as Dutch soccer has been in the past.
TODD BEANE: Dutch soccer is not the problem nor the solution. French, Croatian, or Icelandic soccer is not the problem nor the solution. There are no simple solutions anywhere on the footballing planet. I have watched the KNVB itself implode more than once. All federations do.
Leaders come in unique packages from many corners of the world. Nico should be judged on the merits of his work in his current post in America. In Earnie's case, he does bring with him a wealth of experience in Holland that warrants respect.
Can he make the right decisions under pressure and exceed expectations? Nobody knows until he gives it an honest go. I am sure Earnie is fully committed to making good decisions based upon the information available to him today. In soccer at the national level, you are only as good as your last tournament. If he chooses a coach who wins, he will be our soccer savior. If he does not, he will be replaced accordingly. This is the reality of high-pressure positions. I may disagree with the curricular direction of U.S. Soccer and still respect the people organizing it. Ideas will need to be challenged from wherever they come while the people espousing them merit our respect.
SA: Your soccer philosophy comes from the Cruyff school that blended with the Spanish at Barcelona. That approach has produced winning soccer that most of us enjoy watching. Why shouldn't U.S. Soccer just say, Let's play like Barcelona!
TODD BEANE: I am a fortunate American who stumbled into an opportunity to work with a football visionary. Both FC Barcelona as well as our TOVO Training Methodology are inspired by Johan Cruyff. Those who believe in intelligent, attacking and courageous soccer worldwide will credit Johan for some part of their identity, I am sure.
So many want to "play like Barcelona" but do not commit to the training paradigm that nurtures players capable of executing that brand of football. Trying to "play like Barcelona" by training like Glasgow is not going to get you any closer to Catalonia. I say that because my Scottish friends have such a good sense of humor. Or they used to until I mentioned them here.
We do not need to play like Barcelona. We need to train more intelligently so that we may finally produce a player capable of playing at FC Barcelona.
SA: Do you think that soccer should be entertaining?
TODD BEANE: Undoubtedly yes. Sport loses its courage and power if it is not entertaining. We watch sport so that the best athletes may light a fire within us. If sport is not entertaining, it cannot reach deep into our souls and nurture our competitive spirit. It cannot solve social ills, and it cannot be a springboard to raising healthy children. Yes, undoubtedly yes.
SA: Anything else you'd like to add or address?
TODD BEANE: I appreciate the opportunity to drive the talent development dialogue forward. I have read the opinion of others in this publication and I must say that varied and sometimes conflicting opinions matter. Innovation always starts with the friction between what is and what might be. Mine is just one voice of many that cares deeply about maximizing the potential of our student-athletes so thank you for this platform to express my thoughts.
"MLS as a collective entity is not going to do much. It is a socialist organization with a capitalist agenda." Brutal...no way to sugarcoat that, Teflon Don.
R2 - Have you noticed the restructuing of the lower divisions? With the NASL trainwreck out of the way, we are finally able to build the pyramid in a significant way...
Don, not really a pyramid. More a building with no elevator, stairs or fire escapes.
What does the acronym "TOVO" mean? Quite honestly, I've never heard of this term!
It's not going to happen where poof we have the entire infratructure in place. Using your analogy, this is more like several buildings or even campuses that exist in relation to each other. Once they are fully built out, we could see some mobility between them.
Ric, TOVO stands for total football in Dutch, not English. (Totaal Voetbal)
Glad you reached out to Todd Beane TOVO). He certainly has a unique and credible platform as an American, Educator, and someone who has spent years both personally and professionally with Cruyff. I agree “Intelligent” needs to be the mantra as athleticism and spirit are already firmly embedded in our DNA and “Intelligent” connotes technical/tactical proficiency which is often overlooked in player selection especially the small, skinny kid who has to play intelligently to thrive. And we all know, many of the good, small, skinny player is the one who later becomes the Cruyff, Modric, Platini of the world. As far as Next Coach we need someone who has been selecting and developing “intelligent” players their whole career. Retired Air Force coach Lou Sagastume was of this mold. I am confident others exist, but you have to know what you want if you want to be able to find it.
Another great interview, Mike. Mr. Beane and I share the same views.
A lot of interesting comments by Todd. I agree about how Americans view "Athleticism" in physical terms. Likewise the term " fast player" in American eyes applies to the physical as a player who's quick with running speed. American coaches need to understand 'speed" should not to be applied to physical terms but to "soccer playing"abilities. SPEED should be interpreted in terms of ; ONE,thinking, able to think a step or two ahead; TWO, fast "ball-handling" abilities. And now we get to even a higher level interpretation of 'speed' which effect the "speed of the game TEMPO; ONE, how you body position yourself in a manner to receive a pass that requires the fewest amount of touches on the ball to move it to the next station; TWO, passing the ball in manner to a teammate allowing him the least amount of touches on the ball to further his quest. NOW realize both, one and two, requires to ability to READ the game a step ahead because that will influence your body position in receiving the ball and influence in the most efficient manner and how you pass the ball to your teammate so he can be efficient in his follow up. This is SPEED of the game (tempo) and player speed. Viewing speed in physical/athletic terms is a Neanderthal approach but is how Americans look at the game. Players who rely upon speed are usually the dumber and less techical players...Unfortunately that is how so many Americans view speed, in archaic, neanderthal approach. How many coaches talking about speed in terms of what I just mentioned, but instead speed as how fast a player.Ask yourself how many coaches talk about speed in these terms, instead speed as being fast. What is good is speed when you can't outrun the ball, therefore speed should be applied to "ball movement"...like ,let the ball to the running because that is faster..
In sum Todd talked about innovation and new way of thinking...well here is a start... This requires a whole new way of thinking and training about the game especially in terms of Technique and Tactics and choosing players. NEXT POST
Wait a minute, don’t most US soccer fans prefer the bone crunching, play through the back of players, the screaming parents, the long vertical balls to nobody, the massively overvalued club systems and the referees that are afraid or unable to call a technical game? Paradigm is the right word, just don’t know what percent even understand that we play a less than sophisticated style. Status quo is generally supported by a majority. Earnie’s oversight committee is comprised not only of US traditionalists, but players that lacked the total skills referenced. Get a coach, that can actually and has played with a higher level of skill.
Ships, <Get a coach, that can actually and has played with a higher level of skill."> BINGO!!
Agreed, Ships. When I "call a technical game" at BU15 the feedback is that everyone "wants to play", and the whistling for careless and reckless contact just breaks up the game. This is most frustrating with good teams. Most recently, an Athletico Santa Rosa team that was really good would have rather hacked away at their opponents (who were doing the same) in a recent tournament than just play their excellent style of soccer. I blame the coaches for encouraging/allowing nasty play--it's not like they don't see it at every game. Sad, but expected.
Thanks for reffing R2, you must love the game and helping players. I have a large reverence for those that do. And, you’re correct in that coaches should do much, much better in modeling a better style of play. Not sure, we are capable of overcoming years of physical first play. Too many matches are won through attrition, it’s all to often ugly. I think until we go back to no coaching/verbalizing/yelling during the run of play, things won’t change. Coaches, coach based on their experiences and unfortunately the majority didn’t grow up in an environment that shunned the lack of technical ability. After my playing days I coached at the university level for 12 years and I can tell you that the majority of college coaches reinforce the technical side second.
not in allignment comments about physical play disrupting more 'technical' players - physical aspect of soccer is part of game. Look at Uruguay - they always bring this aspect to their national team. Aggregate to Latin American as a whole - watch Copa Libertadores - or Copa American (as it is in South America - not as it was here) this same physical aspect you'll see. Technical players that train in a bubble will not learn to navigate this part of the game, but it is part of what a 'smart' soccer player should be able to navigate.
Not sure what your point is humble. Of course physicality is part of the game and I’m very familiar with the South American players. Are you stating that the players we’ve capped have the skills sufficient to play at a high level?
Humble1, regardless of the physicality of professional play, we should not use that to justify the same type of physicality during player development of children. The way I put it is that players need to learn how to play fairly first, or else they will never survive carrying a yellow card. I usually make this comment in regards to coaching team defense, but it is relevant to skill development too.
Yes sir Bob.
Todd mentioned "innovation" , but in reality there is no need for innovation, like Cruyff states, "there is nothing new under the sun as far as soccer goes" for soccer is over a hundred years old and every aspect has been used or applied in one form or another. For example, Barcelona's playing style is basically a copy of Dutch soccer played almost 50 years ago and Dutch soccer took certain elements of the great Hungarian side with Puskas of 20 years earlier. There is no new "Brand of Soccer to find"...it comes down to Good passing, Good shooting, Good dribbling, Good understanding of the game, READING of the game able to see the weaknesses and strengths of your players and the opponents, positioning off the ball, fast movement of the ball, etc, these are the principles of the game, which is a constant, that never changes. It is those principles 'THE ESSENTIALS' that needs to be to apply and taught to players in one form or another in relation to their level of development in the most functional manner. Their is no "new brand of soccer" to look for, only in its application.
It is the APPLICATION that needs to change. We need to have the freedom to innovate which is very difficult when you have Academies, which to me are an anathema.They basically control much of youth development, they do things in a cookie-cutter fashion, by licensed coaches who likewise are taught in a cookie-cutter fashion. Like Todd states that is not really where the answer lies.
We need to go back to the BASICS and one of the most IMPORTANT aspects for player development is PICKUP/STREET SOCCER. Without pickup/street soccer as major part of a youth development in which more time spend on than on club or Academy ball, than we're just whistling in the wind. If you look at great players ,you will find all of them experienced pickup ball was a major element of their development, and pickup ball is MIXED AGES. We need to establish a culture of Pickup soccer. Just relying on club ball, academies to develop the youth won't cut it...
Netflix, "Concrete Soccer", pickup/street soccer tells how the French stars learn their game as kids.
If we want to INNOVATE our player development this is a MUST step and unfortunately ,club ball, Academies due to monetary reasons will not be pushing that aspect. Pickup soccer creates INDIVIDUALITY for they are not controlled by coaches and furthermore it is the breeding ground that creates exciting players ,rough diamonds who later will become polished in a more controlled setting.
My experience as a father and youth coach is that kids love playing without a coach either telling them what to do or intervening. If I run a practice (1st-3rd grade), there are always a few players who ask for semi-frequent waterbreaks; if I let the kids run the practice, noone asks for a waterbreak. They just play. My son, who at 10 years old was an excellent soccer player, returned to the ski slopes after (being away for five years), skied on his own for four days, and pleaded with us to move back to Colorado. He would have punted on soccer because he loved challenging his body without coaches or parents present.
Philip, when you can bring in a older kids, perhaps a year of two older and let them play with your kids. Make sure they are better players, this way they will learn. Or bring in a much couple older players to play with them with the intent of showing their technical finesse and what you can do with the ball. On Youtube ,there is a video the kids and you would like.
Gerald Vanenburg - Van straat tot stadion (1984) - YouTube. He is 17 played for Ajax...It is in Dutch fast forward during interviews. I've shown this video at camps for over 20 some years. Watch what he also does with the kids and indoor soccer...
From his website, unfortunately his training paradgim is out of reach for all but the wealthist of families.
On pick up soccer, we as parents and coaches, including SA, need to look to practical ways to implement this. I can only see futsal cages as the answer. I live in suburbia and our brilliant town leaders put up to full size goals on open space and expect 22 plus kids to show up and use them. It has NEVER happened. Rather put hand ball goals under each basketball court rim which is more appropriate for small numbers.
What do all the great attacking players have in common? Neymar, Messi, Pele, Zidane, Best, CR7, and Cryuff? They all played street ball or futsal.We need magical wizards and that’s not going to come from coaching environment. Coaching is totally over rated. We need a playing environment. What I am proposing is a no brainer. You don’t need to be a coach or rocket scientist to figure this out.
We need a soccer Revolution in the USA. We need 600,000 futsal courts so kids can play king of the court, 24/7/365, for free and with no adult interference. We need to create a Rucker park version of soccer. We need to create Courts of Dreams. You build them. They will come
https://youtu.be/M7JBcu0MzvI
Once this is done then we can create are own way. I call it The Usonian Way.
What do all the great attacking players have in common? Neymar, Messi, Pele, Zidane, Best, CR7, and Cryuff? They all played street ball or futsal.We need magical wizards and that’s not going to come from coaching environment. Coaching is totally over rated. We need a playing environment. What I am proposing is a no brainer. You don’t need to be a coach or rocket scientist to figure this out.
We need a soccer Revolution in the USA. We need 600,000 futsal courts so kids can play king of the court, 24/7/365, for free and with no adult interference. We need to create a Rucker park version of soccer. We need to create Courts of Dreams. You build them. They will come
https://youtu.be/M7JBcu0MzvI
Once this is done then we can create are own way. I call it The Usonian Way.
CK at least someone gets it. So many benefits....small sided, no grass to keep up, central location, easy to light, competes directly with basketball talent, low cost, small area, existing courts, etc, etc. The only draw back is for those making a buck off kids can't charge for it!!!
Y'all seem to forget that in order for our youth to play "street soccer" or "small-sided games", etc., whether in a public park or gads forbid, on an actual street, in our country, there would be the usual folks that's call the park-rangers, or the cops 'cause a bunch of kids are out there enjoying themselves, never mind traffic, or the fact that yes, Virginia, there are soccer haters in this vast-wonderful land of ours, baseball coaches, football coaches/players/parents, etc., that see our sport as infringing on their "God-given right" that only their sport is the right sport, not that "furrin' laced sport" etc. Heard this recently, though I figured it was from the past, but nope, 'itwas a youngish 30-something coach that's called the park-rangers to demand the soccer playing kids produce a true-blu-and bonafide permit to be playing that "furrin' sport." Sadly, the kids were told to vacate the premises 'cause they didn't even have an adult or someone over 18 to watch over them. So CK, good luck in getting all those fields, and starting up the "Soccer revolucion!"
Yep. There are some folks out there who’re still convinced that soccer is a communist sport. ...sigh...
I was really upset back when Hugo Perez was released. Since he was the coach who was working with what now appears to be the core of our USMNT going forward, I’d really like to see Hugo considered for the coach’s position. So, he’s coached our best and our brightest and has worked as assistant coach for the men’s national team. He knows MLS ...oh, what the heck, he’s familiar with both the player and administrative sides of the United States soccer scene; his choice of players seems to be all-inclusive. And he has contacts within the Hispanic community, so he could perhaps help slow that “player drain” with our kids choosing to play for Mexico. Of course, Hugo was treated so badly by US Soccer that he may be perfectly happy to stay right where he is, rather than taking on the high pressure of the men’s team job (where people will complain about him, no matter what he does. Worst of all, he’s never been the head coach of a national team before). Yet, he seems to already be immersed and comfortable in the way so many of these interviewees say we need to be in order to put together a successful team/program.
Yep. There are some folks out there who’re still convinced that soccer is a communist sport. ...sigh...
I was really upset back when Hugo Perez was released. Since he was the coach who was working with what now appears to be the core of our USMNT going forward, I’d really like to see Hugo considered for the coach’s position. So, he’s coached our best and our brightest and has worked as assistant coach for the men’s national team. He knows MLS ...oh, what the heck, he’s familiar with both the player and administrative sides of the United States soccer scene; his choice of players seems to be all-inclusive. And he has contacts within the Hispanic community, so he could perhaps help slow that “player drain” with our kids choosing to play for Mexico. Of course, Hugo was treated so badly by US Soccer that he may be perfectly happy to stay right where he is, rather than taking on the high pressure of the men’s team job (where people will complain about him, no matter what he does. Worst of all, he’s never been the head coach of a national team before). Yet, he seems to already be immersed and comfortable in the way so many of these interviewees say we need to be in order to put together a successful team/program.
Thank you for the interview. Another good one. Keep it going! You are on a roll! Definately going against the grain that we need to get our 'best athletes' playing soccer to be successful as a nation. In allignment with what I've noticed. Go to an American pro football or basketball game and you walk away impressed with the physical stature of the players. Go to a pro soccer game in South America and you'll be surprised that the players look like ordinary people. Ask a pro that knows the game - a wise old crack - as I did when I first noticed this contrast - and he'll point to his ears and say - it's in there. But, we all know very smart people that do nothing, so there must be a system that develops that ability in the player - into to the player - that is the secret recipe - and you won't find it online or in youtube video.
Humble, you voice a concern I have about the pool of players I get to coach and those that gravitate towards other sports here in the US. I consistently see the best athletes leave soccer after a few years, and these are the players that can take US Soccer to a different level. By reading some comments here, you may come away thinking that you need to be smaller to be a better technical player. But what do we mean by smaller in soccer as opposed to smaller in basketball? Smaller in soccer puts a player in the 5'5"- maybe 5'10 inch range. Bigger in soccer is 6'0" or taller. I know many very adept, coordinated, and powerful athletes at 6'2" that, with proper training, would rule the pitch. But who wants to play a sport here in the US when the fans and excitement follow other sports? I know a 6'4" high school junior who quit soccer despite being a technically superior, fast, and powerful finisher because the higher levels of soccer in this county are unattractive. FS, who writes great posts, prompted me to find older, better soccer players to mix in with my younger players playing futsal. Great idea, however, those older players are so busy with travel and other commitments (and don't play futsal) that they'd do this only if they can expect to be paid. Ugh. Others have called for building lots of futsal courts nationwide so pickup futsal games would result. I love it and can see that working successfully in areas with lots of latino players. But in the suburbs of Chicago? We'd need a Michael Jordan of soccer to emerge here in the US so the suburban soccer player will want to "be like Mike". Although I do think that the key to better player development begins at the earliest ages, its hard to imagine seeing futsal/street soccer becoming popular in suburbia until we have a strong USMNT (or pro soccer league) to get excited about along with one or two MJ's.
Philip , older players could be of any age, adults, or college players, high school, any of those who are decent players. Talk to some of the youth coaches of older teams and asked if any would love to volunteer at times to play with the boys and explain what you're trying to do.
Here are some fun stuff for kids too
KLAPPER Tutorial Part 2 (Groundmove) - Street Tutorials - YouTubeUK PANNA BALL MASTERY TUTORIAL - TEKSPELER® - YouTube GOOD
This is good homework
Philip, I would take you own kid to a pickup game no matter The age. On saturdays in Reston , there was always someone who would bring his son or daughter to men’s pick up game. I liked it for I would give him/her tips.
PH. Chicago has all kinds of suburbs with hispanic, serb, croation, polish, african influence where pick up is already happening. Go to the lake front and you can play pick up 7 days a week. Maybe some communities will take more time than others but why not add futsal courts to grade schools? What else should USSF use its surplus on then directly impact grassroots.
Great Job Mike!! These interviews are great!
TODD BEANE FOR USMNT COACH!!! (someday)