Ugh. Sands was a little inconsistent this summer. He made some dangerous boneheaded plays that could have cost the US some goals.
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***US Soccer***
- Thread starter Dorrman
- Start date
It would be nice but Chelsea and Abramovich don't have any power over FIFA or CONCACAF.
I know. I always found it amazing at how the professional leagues acquiesce to FIFA so easily. I know there is a lot of support for the international schedule within the various soccer leagues but I would think owners would get tired of having their multi-million dollar athletes injured while playing in them. It's the reason why baseball and basketball have such issues getting international leagues going (well, with baseball it also has to do with a limited playing season and warm weather countries interested not capable of hosting it).
To me it would seem like it would hurt international soccer to have the WC every 2 years.
The whole qualifying cycle usually starts like a year and a half before the WC does. So you would essentially have to get rid of every confederation trophy, Nation's league and everything else and the only thing each national team is doing is either qualifying for the World Cup or playing in the World Cup.
I'm not bothered by the idea that the WC would lose it's "specialness" if it's every 2 years. I'm bothered by the idea that we would have to dump all of the other fun tournaments in order to just focus on qualifying.
I mean our rivalry with Mexico is going to mean a lot less if we arn't competing in the Gold Cup and Nations League for the trophy. Not to mention the beginnings of a rivalry with Canada. I mean 3 teams qualify for the WC every year with a chance for a 4th birth and since they are expanding the WC, CONCACAF may get another berth from that. US/Mexico/Canada being 1, 2, and 3 every year, there isn't going to be much of bragging rights if they all qualify.
But we have bragging rights because we won the Gold Cup and Nation's league. That's the source of our rivalry with Mexico (And probably a building rivalry with Canada.)
OT: Attended the San Antonio FC semi-finals match on Saturday. Wound up 3rd row and in the family/friends section. It was quite a fun night and my son got all kinds of autographs after the match when the whole team came to where we were sitting.
Here is the funny thing though, as much as soccer fans say they hate FIFA, they get really really pissed if someone tries to upset the order of things.
Remember the Super league?? That would have been upsetting the order of things outside of FIFA and FIFA was furious. But the fans were furious too. Petr Cech had get off the bus and to convince a mob of upset Chelsea supporters to let their own team's bus into the stadium.
While I understand some of the issues with the super league and I didn't like it either, we also have to recognize that the reaction to the super league sent a message that like it or not FIFA is in charge.
Now good luck trying to convince the clubs to stand up to FIFA again. The last time they tried that the fans rioted, FIFA won and made it clear that any further attempts to break up their monopoly on the game will be met with serious punishments.
That was UEFA. Not FIFA.
UEFA is a part of FIFA just like CONCACAF. If you are under UEFA you are under FIFA . . . if you upset UEFA than you upset FIFA.
You could've just said, "Oh yeah...you're right."
But it doesn't change the point I'm trying to make just cause UEFA acted as FIFA's proxy.
Point is everyone hates FIFA but the minute the world's biggest clubs tried to rebel against FIFA their supporters rioted.
No they didn’t. You’re just wrong. Stop arguing. FIFA has no governance over the European super league, the champions league, Europa league…
FIFA has nothing to do with club football
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fortunately, at least for now I don’t think it’s imminent. Both UEFA and CONMEBOL pushed back hard enough to delay it at least for now. trying to hold the tourney more frequently before they even have a chance to see how the expanded field looks in 5 years.
UEFA - Wikipedia
FIFA controls EVERYTHING related to soccer. Club and international
That's why the clubs are rule bound to release their players for international breaks. FIFA forces them to. If FIFA had no power over club soccer than they wouldn't be able to force them to do this.
And FIFA didn't have power over the European Super league. . . which is why they wanted it crushed and they succeeded. But they do run through UEFA (who is their proxy) the Champions league, Europa league, and the UEFA Nations league.
The Super League was actually a good idea, but the little guy was forgotten which made this a no-go. If they had some sort of relegation/promotion system built in so you had to earn your spot or little clubs would have an outside chance to maybe get there I think it would have had a chance. It's sorta like the CFP... Iowa realistically has little chance... but we have a chance. Group of 5 have a little chance, but they have a chance. They needed this to get more people to buy into the Super League.
Well, beyond setting the international schedule and somehow enforcing rules that forces teams to make players available for national team camps and games. But they don't have any say on how the individual leagues are run and the policies they use. It's why MLS does not have relegation and all of the other major ones do.
FIFA has nothing to do w/club football. You sound like a dummy. Just stop talking. It's ok to admit you were wrong.UEFA - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
FIFA controls EVERYTHING related to soccer. Club and international
That's why the clubs are rule bound to release their players for international breaks. FIFA forces them to. If FIFA had no power over club soccer than they wouldn't be able to force them to do this.
And FIFA didn't have power over the European Super league. . . which is why they wanted it crushed and they succeeded. But they do run through UEFA (who is their proxy) the Champions league, Europa league, and the UEFA Nations league.
I was wrong when I erroneously added "nations league" to the list of events FIFA has nothing to do with. They do (after UEFA) oversee the Nations League. I meant to say that stupid new European competition that tottenham is in. I can't remember the name of that one, but that's what I meant when I initially, erroneously, said "nations league" though.
To be fair their power isn't that complete but I don't think they need it to be. FIFA isn't concerned with if the MLS uses Pro/Reg, that is a small potatoes issue.
But if you want to compete with clubs from another country or a league wants it's top teams to compete with top teams from other domestic league than it has to be under one of FIFA's confederations. And if you try to step outside of that, FIFA (or their confederation) will try to crush you.
Yes they do. . . UEFA is under FIFA's banner!!!
That's like saying that Indiana has nothing to do with the United States.
I can't help you anymore than I have.
I'm sorry that you're too proud to admit you were wrong.
I think you must think b/c the video game is called "FIFA" then it must pertain to everything. That's the only explanation I can think of.
No it has nothing to do with the video game and everything to do with the fact that UEFA who controls things like the Champions league is just a division of FIFA. So saying that FIFA doesn't have authority over the clubs is completely false. If those clubs want to play in the Champion's league they have to submit to FIFA.
The only significance that UEFA and CONMEBOL etc. have in regards to FIFA is for international tournaments you numpty...like when USA plays Portugal. Or for the Gold Cup...etc.
THEN, AND ONLY THEN IS FIFA RELEVANT.
They do not have anything to do w/club competitions.
You can keep imagining some false organizational tree if you like, where Dinamo Kiev has to kiss FIFA's ring to play FK Malmo in the Europa League...but you'll still be wrong.
I'm done arguing with you. I've explained how things work and I've pointed out where you are wrong. You can have the last word if you like.
Dude it's called the UEFA Champion's league and UEFA Europa League!!!!
UEFA Champions League - Wikipedia
The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competition winners through a round robin group stage to qualify for a double-legged knockout format, and a single leg final. It is one of the most prestigious football tournaments in the world and the most prestigious club competition in European football, played by the national league champions (and, for some nations, one or more runners-up) of their national associations.
UEFA Europa League - Wikipedia
The UEFA Europa League (abbreviated as UEL) is an annual football club competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. It is the second-tier competition of European club football, ranking below the UEFA Champions League and above the UEFA Europa Conference League after being the third-tier competition from 1971 to 1999 before the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was discontinued.[1][2] Clubs qualify for the competition based on their performance in their national leagues and cup competitions.
CONCACAF also has a far less popular Champions league for club soccer
CONCACAF Champions Cup - Wikipedia
The CONCACAF Champions League, known officially as the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons,[1][2] is an annual continental club football competition organized by CONCACAF. The winner of the CONCACAF Champions League automatically qualifies for the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup. The competition has been completed 55 times through the 2020 event, with 57 champions due to a three-way shared title in the 1978 competition.
In fact all of the confederations have their own Champion's league and the winners of each Champion's league meet to play for the FIFA Club World Cup every year
FIFA Club World Cup - Wikipedia
The FIFA Club World Cup is an international men's association football competition organised by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The competition was first contested in 2000 as the FIFA Club World Championship. It was not held from 2001 to 2004 due to a combination of factors, most importantly the collapse of FIFA's marketing partner International Sport and Leisure (ISL), but since 2005 it has been held every year, and has been hosted by Brazil, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Qatar. Views differ as to the cup's prestige: it struggles to attract interest in most of Europe, and is the object of heated debate in South America.[1][2]
FIFA has complete control of both club and international soccer. That's why no one says no when they are told to release their players for international competitions.
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I FIRMLY disagree on this, I think it was a clear and obvious money grab by the biggest clubs, and blatantly designed shut the smaller clubs out. The Champions League is pretty great as is, and they basically wanted to take that but make it exclusive.
My understanding is that beyond setting the international windows and oversight, like rules changes and such, FIFA doesnt have direct authority over club competitions, and only broad control over the continental tourneys, UEFA runs the Euros, not FIFA for instance.
They don't. For some reason he's on a Wiki-kick. I think he's just a newer fan to the game (which is totally fine - we've all been there) and he has some well-intentioned, albeit misplaced enthusiasm, to show what he knows.
No hard feelings @Hoosierhawkeye
UEFA is a division of FIFA.
FIFA divides itself into 6 divisions because world soccer is too big to control for just one central governing body.
But make no mistake FIFA ultimately controls UEFA.
Only in some circumstances. they don’t have a ton of say over what the various federations do with their own tourneys and such, and also need all of them to sign off on big changes like the WC.
What if they didn't make it exclusive? You're telling me seeing the top players and clubs playing all the time wouldn't be fantastic?
Domestically they have less power but I don't think they even feel the need to have a ton of power down there.
Think about it this way. If FIFA controls UEFA and UEFA can decide who can and can not play in their biggest tournament than FIFA has enough power to control everything.
Say Norwich City doesn't want to release Josh Sargent to USA for an international call up during the break. So what happens? Well the EPL would punish Norwich City. Why? Well UEFA could just pull a qualifying spot from the EPL . . . or they could pull them all. Something that is going to cost some of their member clubs millions.
FIFA is ultimately in charge. It might not be able to force something through force of law but it can force things financially enough that it's in charge of most things.
Now no, they don't have complete control over how the Domestic leagues run themselves, but those are small potatoes issues for FIFA. They don't care about the MLS having pro/reg. They do care that MLS teams release their players for the international break.
It might have had a chance if it wasn't exclusive. But the big clubs were trying to do this for their own benefit which is why they gave themselves locked in spots in the first place. They wanted to make it like the American pro-leagues which are much more profitable for the individual teams than European soccer is.
But the lack of pro/reg is what upset most people. To me I had a slightly different but similar view. My view was essentially that these teams were basically declaring themselves the best without proving it. For example Arsenal and Tottenham were in the Super league but both of those teams had non super league teams ahead of them in the EPL standings.
I agree, but you could look at the NFL and say there's no way teams like the Jets, Bengals, Jags, Lions, etc should be in around nearly each year. That said, there's not a tier below though promote up or a team down to. No matter what league you have there's always going to be cellar dwellers. The clubs wanted to make more $ which they should have every right to try to do. And, as a fan the thought of the best players and clubs playing each week was great.
No I do like that idea but it was poorly done. And I think part of that was due to them wanting to make more money but part was due to them being constrained by the rest of the teams remaining under FIFA's umbrella.
A better way would be having teams pro/reg into and out of the ESL with their domestic leagues. The problem is I don't know how you work that because some leagues could see 2 teams relegated down to them while other leagues see none.
I think we’re already seeing the best players all the time.
But FIFA doesn’t control UEFA to the extent that you seem to think they do. I am not sure either FIFA or UEFA could strip a qualifying spot from England for a decision made by a local club. Releasing players for international windows always depends. Clubs have a lot more leeway to NOT release players for windows involving friendlies only and other windows it depends on the competition. They aren’t required to release players for non-senior team tournaments like Olympic Qualifying or junior team WCs for instance.
Not against each other each week. It would be a blast to see the world's top clubs play each other weekly to see who wins the league as world's best club.
That's because the Olympics arn't under FIFA and FIFA doesn't care.
But they are required to release them for major tournaments. How do you think that is enforced??? Why does Chelsea hand over Pulisic every time the US calls him up even though he has a history of getting injured and he's playing against some extremely "physical" teams??
I mean national team duty just put Pulisic out for 2 months for Chelsea, he is just starting to recover, the US calls him up and Chelsea hands him over. And you could tell they didn't really want to based on Tuchel's comments.
Correct.
FIFA’s beef (which they very likely wouldn't have anyway) would be w/the English FA in Hoosier’s Josh Sargent example.
The FA is yet another body that FIFA is powerless to control.
English FA doesn't have that much power anymore. They could maybe punish Norwich City if they are in a lower division and they could ban Norwich City from the FA cup.
They would go directly to the EPL and the EPL would comply because UEFA could take them out of the Champion's league.
