A battle that commenced hundreds of years ago with the dumping of some tea in a Boston harbour resumes tonight as the United States of America Football/Soccer team return to the shores from whence the Mayflower set sail to once again stick it to us, their former colonial masters!
Of course this is only a friendly although I am sure both sides will want to win, the USA to demonstrate they are continuously improving and England because their start under Fabio Cappello has been less than inspired with a laboured win over Switzerland and a limp defeat at the hands of France.
In terms of world sporting power, the USA are normally of course right at the top of the tree but in Football terms the country has never really caught the bug and so the team whilst well organised and structured has never really set anything alight in terms of success. Players of note in the USA side include Jonathan Spector, the former West Ham defender, Michael Bradley an energetic midfielder who has been trying to shake off accusations of nepotism (his father Bob Bradley is the USA Coach) and Landon Donovan, the in form LA Galaxy striker and team mate of David Beckham.
Speaking of Beckham, there are some who might wonder which side he should be lining up for tonight since his move to LA Galaxy and embracing of USA culture, Beckham is available for selection but may not start which may raise the eyebrows of some American spectators. Some have argued that Beckham's move to the USA have effectively ended his international career, of course a victory for the USA tonight would be a major irony in respect of that debate.
The last time the two met in 2005, England were victorious 2:1, the USA will take heart though from the fact that this is an England side very much in transition and a shock could be on the cards if England don't concentrate.
Hopefully an entertaining game will be had and hopefully those American rebels will keep away from our stocks of English tea!
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5 comments:
I hope it's an entertaining game.
I wouldn't be surprised if USA surprise us. I hope I'm wrong, but nowadays you can never be too sure.
I wonder if Beckham playing in the USA will significantly raise the profile of football in the USA. I have my doubts. But hey if it does then the more nations that embrace the magic that is football the better.
The issue with America is that though they have an amazingly strong grass roots program, one that puts the UK into shame, there is nothing at the University level, and therefor no scholarships to attain, which then leads onto the fact there is no feeding ground for the professional teams, as they have for the NFL and baseball and other sports.
That is their missing link.
As to how they will play against us tonight, who knows, it all depends on who and how we line up, and how knackered they all are after th end of the Premiership.
Well there is university soccer in all the major schools, and they do have scholarships. The problem in development lies in MONEY. Why play soccer when the MONEY is in baseball/football/basketball? The best American athletes flock to the money making sports. Imagine Kobe Bryant or Chad Johnson focusing their efforts on a soccer career. Imagine the strength of the MLS and the U.S. national team if our best athletes were dedicated to soccer. I know. "Keep dreaming, warhorse."
Anyone know if this game will be shown in the US? I'd be itnerested to watch it, if it is... and, y'know, if I had cable.
Tyler the game was last week. :D USA lost.
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