Football (Soccer) Thread

[Josephus]

Training facilties, stadiums, a league of their own, youth academies; professional teams; sponsorships of college teams, coach/player development. That sort of shit.

[Warspite]

What exactly is "the soccer infrastructure"?

I figured we stopped sucking so fiercely in the 80s because soccer became a mainstream sport at the high school level around then.

Soccer infrastructure consists of a competitive top-tier league at one end, and at the other a system of youth leagues and youth development. Essentially, a set of clubs and academies for identifying footballing talent at a young age, developing it, and then pushing the players into a professional league system that is of sufficient quality so they are noticed by talent scouts from European clubs.

Supporting this basic structure are things like qualified coaches, stadia, sponsorship arrangements, TV broadcast rights, and regional and international competitions. Match attendence also helps but, as small European countries show, this is not vital for churning out technically excellent footballers for export.

[Valmy]

What exactly is "the soccer infrastructure"?

I figured we stopped sucking so fiercely in the 80s because soccer became a mainstream sport at the high school level around then.

And that allowed us to construct our Soccer Pyramid system that we have put together in the past decade.

Note though Jos that there are Canadian teams in our Pyramid so really Canada should be benefiting from this "infrastructure".  And they still might in the long term.

[Josephus]

They will...but until recently most of the players developed through this infrastructure were American. It's only since Toronto joined the league five years ago that similar initiatives have been launched here for Canadian players.

[Norgy]

Supporting this basic structure are things like qualified coaches, stadia, sponsorship arrangements, TV broadcast rights, and regional and international competitions. Match attendence also helps but, as small European countries show, this is not vital for churning out technically excellent footballers for export.

Money definitely plays a huge part. Getting the financial backing should be a number one priority. My local club spent 60 % of its income solely on under-soil heating for the pitch during winter.

Soccer infrastructure can become limited by huge geographical distances, but not necessarily so. The teams in top-flight have the funds to support the travel costs in, say, Norway, while second-tier clubs that travel just as much notice a significant expenditure which again will limit the scope for signings and support staff elsewhere. On the other hand, not travelling would mean playing local teams and getting less exposure to quality opponents.

Soccer infrastructure would, in my opinion, also include a "cultural" component. Most European countries now have at least 100 years of soccer behind them where animosities and strengths and weaknesses have developed along with club brand names. There are definite traits for each country in the way they approach the game. I read an old newspaper report when I was doing some research about how the Danish press complained about the Norwegian high-tempo long-ball game. In 1918. Fast forward to 2011, and you will find the exact same criticism.

Looking at the North American situation, I notice that East Coast US had several leagues and well-funded clubs like Bethlehem Steel back in the 1920s and 1930s, and many of them based around immigrant communities. Further reading led to the conclusion that almost all of them folded due to financial problems.

[Valmy]

Looking at the North American situation, I notice that East Coast US had several leagues and well-funded clubs like Bethlehem Steel back in the 1920s and 1930s, and many of them based around immigrant communities. Further reading led to the conclusion that almost all of them folded due to financial problems.

The Depression ruined many a sports club.

[Norgy]

Still, the US fielded a fairly strong team for the first World Cup.

[Valmy]

Still, the US fielded a fairly strong team for the first World Cup.

We did until that generation died off.  Between WWII and the 1970s soccer went into hibernation.  Heck I remember in the 1980s I had to watch the World Cup in Spanish.

[Warspite]

Still, the US fielded a fairly strong team for the first World Cup.

You think that's crazy? The first international cricket match was between... the US and Canada. 

[Josquius]

Still, the US fielded a fairly strong team for the first World Cup.

You think that's crazy? The first international cricket match was between... the US and Canada. 

Really?
I thought cricket long pre-dated either of them. I'd have thought it'd be India-England or England-Ireland or somesuch.

[Valmy]

Really?
I thought cricket long pre-dated either of them. I'd have thought it'd be India-England or England-Ireland or somesuch.

So you think it predates the USA (1776) and Canada (1867) but not Ireland (1921) or India (1947)?

[alfred russel]

I just saw a clip of Ronaldo's final moments with the Brazilian national team. Holy crap that guy turned into a whale-he looked like some middle aged fan that the team gave a uniform and tossed out there.

[Josquius]

Really?
I thought cricket long pre-dated either of them. I'd have thought it'd be India-England or England-Ireland or somesuch.

So you think it predates the USA (1776) and Canada (1867) but not Ireland (1921) or India (1947)?

Ireland didn't join the union until after the USA was formed. And even then Ireland didn't cease to exist as shown by all those England-Scotland matches in various sports.
India was formed in 1858. And even before then there was an idea of India with sporting clubs being formed by Brits there.

[Norgy]

I just saw a clip of Ronaldo's final moments with the Brazilian national team. Holy crap that guy turned into a whale-he looked like some middle aged fan that the team gave a uniform and tossed out there.

Dude likes his hookers and candy.

[Valmy]

Big game against Panama today.

The USA has been really sucky in the Gold Cup so far but destiny demands a Mexico v USA championship so do not suck tonight boys.  I hope Altidore gets back soon