Thursday, August 1, 2013

Chelsea vs. Inter Milan's contest at Lucas Oil Stadium: Brilliant Strategic Move or Potential Bust?


Chelsea vs. Inter Milan's contest at Lucas Oil Stadium: Brilliant Strategic Move or Potential Bust?

Many are those who wonder loudly whether the game of soccer would ever take complete root in the US.  And by virtue of that question, I understand them to ask simply whether soccer will ever fare well amongst its rival sports or arguably whether it could compete against them. The question rather should be whether it can coexist as an authentic American pastime.

A while back I watched with great dismay and complete terror an episode on ESPN called “Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos” on how tremendous effort and massive investment made in the late 70’s to bring Pele, the king of soccer, to the US to help develop the game, create a fan base and to infuse the passion seen elsewhere in the world into the US fans had miserably failed.

I was astounded by the level of success owners and investors had been able to reach during the peak of the NASL championship in the 70’s. The game, for the first time, had reached tremendous height in popularity. Pele as the sole and best ambassador of soccer, did all he could to help elevate the game and contribute to its success. And nothing would have seemed more legitimate than that. After all, he was the god through which all worshippers of soccer send their prayers. 

Let me point out though that Cosmos has achieved an extraordinary feat. Their early season attendance was only a couple thousands of fans and through the end of the 70’s played in front of 77,691 fans. From a business and investment standpoint, this was simply magical! And yet as puzzlingly as it might have been to many that sudden growth did not last more than a brief decade. The NASL folded and soccer development as a buy-product failed terribly at taking roots despite having its king and the money to support it.

And why is this episode critical to revisit at this juncture one might ask?  It is because what is taking place tonight in Lucas Oil Stadium needs context in its significance to those who wish to see an organic growth approach to developing the most recognizable game to the world--in a country where sport is part of its social and cultural fabric.    

Ever since I too have wondered, secretly though, what is the right approach which would be organic and sustainable that could help prevent a repeat of the 70’s experience? As a fan who wishes to see it reaching the top, I struggled with that question up until US Women's Soccer started to gain not just recognition amongst men and women, but legitimate notoriety from the US, particularly in the media. Nothing commands more passion from the US fans than when engaged in any international competition to see their team become the ultimate winner. And this women's team of the 90’s had more than delivered on that front!

I’m not advocating that women's soccer was the only reason why the game had finally gained real popularity, but I knew somehow this was the impetus the game needed! And because of it, kids all over this great country were enrolled in soccer programs all over town to be the next Mia Hamm. Soccer had found a new household name to represent it. The name 'soccer mom' became common parlance and was mainstreamed.  I knew this movement would eventually yield to something greater and more sustainable.
Ironically though, it isn’t Pele who made the game as popular, but some unknown passionate ladies whose parents must have watched him play! What a delight it will be to see those kids again tonight and their parents wearing soccer jerseys of some other players (although not Pele) cherishing the dream of becoming them. It’ll simply confirm again that someone had made the right investment in the right place and at the right time. And who knows maybe we will see Messi and Neymar in Indy someday!
Enjoy the game whether on TV or live at the stadium!

 

Sunday, July 28, 2013


Soccer fans, there is much to get to.  Let’s get started and wrap up the week.

First, let us finish what we started: the Gold Cup

 I’m happy to report that I’m heading to Chicago to attend the Gold Cup 2013 finals.  Although I was cheering for Mexico to make it to the finals I don’t think their current team deserves to be anywhere close to the Soldier Field gates.

So what should we be expecting during this game?

About Panama:

There are several players on that team who deserve our attention:  Blaz Perez, Gabriel Torres and Alberto Quintero.  Of that pack, one that particularly stood out for me is Quintero.  This is a player who displays great quality over the ball, acute ability to read the game and who can match the appropriate speed to Panama’s counter attack style.  As a midfielder he has the ability to feed Torres and Blaz and on occasion finish his own play. If I were to pick the five best players of the tournament Quintero certainly would have made my list.  While Panama was not a clear choice to be in that position from my predictions, let me say this about this team; they had a “Spectacular Run”!  Kudos to the team and the spirit with which they played the tournament and to the coaches who seemed to find a formula to win against worthy opponents!!

So how should they approach this game?  Panama cannot afford to play an offensive minded game as they played against other opponents.  They are too vulnerable in the back to afford midfielders to leave the defensive duties to the back line. They must be compact and disciplined to avoid early goals. If they can start the game without conceding a goal in the first 15 minutes, they will have a chance at developing their own game.

About the US:

I’m delighted by the US team’s last performance against Honduras. This is a team who’s been playing with tons of confidence and a disciplined back and Honduras came in as a real test.   Jurgen Klinsman is definitely on to something. It’s hard to judge how well a team is doing when every other game is a different line up.  Regardless of that fact, the US is one flying and impressive scoring machine.

How could I talk about the US and not mention Donovan’s spectacular contribution to this tournament?  In fact...I’m not so sure what the fuss was about, Donovan had proven again and again that he is the best homegrown quality player the US ever produced. Beyond this distinction, I believe him to be the MVP of this tournament by a thousand miles. He has been clearly above the pack and displayed qualities both in his scoring and passing game that are off the charts! In conclusion, I’m expecting them to win this tournament as a superior team that has shown maturity throughout.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013


Haiti vs. Honduras: The Missed Opportunity for Haiti to Shine on the World Stage 
The Haitian squad dubbed “Grenadier” was well positioned to make a fantastic entrance and leave an indelible impression on the world stage after being ousted for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.  They have gone completely under the radar as most reporters and soccer experts dismissed them by writing them off as not being a serious threat in group B of the Gold Cup.  No one predicted Saint- Preux to have a magnificent first half as he took the initiative to the Hondurans’ defense on each possession.  No experts from MLS or FOX Soccer saw in their crystal ball a wonderful midfielder in Jeff Louis to perform at such high level.  Jeff Louis is as skillfully crafty and stocky as we have seen from lots of good Haitian soccer players who have honed their craft in Haiti's unknown league.  I can appreciate the oversight here since no MLS team had made an attempt to recruit him.  From those reporters' perspectives, any alliance to MLS seems to convey more credence to a player, as if La Ligue 1 from France is not a far more superior league to be associated with. More on that later…
Any victory over the Hondurans would have created the last shocker that this tournament dearly needed to make it an even more competitive and more contentious.  Especially as Mexico as the ultimate favorite lost to Panama in their opening game followed by Canada’s loss in a last minute stunner by Martinique.  Undoubtedly, a win for Haiti would have even the playing field for the underdogs--so to speak.
So what went wrong?
Haitians are known to be individually gifted with the ball as they emulate the likes of Ronaldinho, Messi and Robinho and many others in past Brazilian generations.  In Haiti football is entertainment!  You play beautiful football and the rest would take care of itself—winning or losing. I knew of too many good players from past generations who never made it on any stage beyond Haiti simply because the discipline it takes to perform at a much higher level has never been part of the Haitian football DNA.   As a result, and because of many other factors that have to do with lack of basic infrastructure and organizational effectiveness, the Haitian team for the past two decades had been nothing but a shell of its former self.  The best Haitian  team the people of Haiti had ever seen had taken them to the World Cup in 1974 when color TV  had just barely made it way to Haiti. This drought to be in contention for a World Cup run or any significant cup for that matter had prolonged for too long.  Thus the deep and profound longing to see this team on HD TV do well in the Gold Cup and to support it.
So is this team the one capable of resurrecting those moments of past glories that make all Haitians reminisce for years?  My response to this daunting question is an emphatic and resounding YES. So why has this team faltered at securing a victory over a side they were technically and tactically superior to?
For starters: The need to remain highly focused and mentally disciplined!  
The two recent match ups against Italy and Spain proved that despite being an entertaining side with great midfielders such as Louis and Charles, Haitians in the backline remain suspect and undisciplined.  The goal scored by Italy in the first two minutes of the game was the embodiment of how lax their defense could be and a glimpse into how fragile this team could be--at times. The final score was inconsequential to me. You simply do not concede a goal in the first two minutes of a game, period.
Secondly: Inability to convert opportunities into concrete goals.
No game is as cruel as soccer—you would know if you’re a devoted fan or if you’ve ever played it. In fact, as an observer, I would venture to say that I have seen plenty of games where the teams that dominate often lose to their opponents. This fact alone had become an unstated rule. Too many of these opportunities had gone unfulfilled for Haiti. The effect on the players’ psyche and confidence as the game went on was evident as they became more frustrated and less organized. They lost their coherence as a team and their individualism undermined their early team cohesiveness.
In light of this:
What kind of strategic and tactical adjustment can this Cuban coach make to improve this team and to obtain the result that 10 million people are longing for?
The defense needs to be tidier. The defenders need to remain put in their respective position and learn how to better mitigate the risk associated with leaving their position.  The Haitian playmakers such as Jeff Louis must be given free rein to continue his penetration and to deliver last minute passes to those that are open.  His pace and lovely skills as well as his power shots can move the team forward and lift the sprit of the Haitian offense, bringing more confidence to the rest of the team in their own abilities to score.  The attacking players need better composure in the penalty box area.  Saint-Preux must learn from his coaching staff that-- in modern football-- less possession and less control of the football leads to much higher efficiency.  And, finally, the team simply needs to score goals to convince me that as entertaining as beautiful football is, it is heartbreaking  when it does not produce results. We’ve already have Barcelona to remind us of that notion!

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Gold Cup 2013: Who are the Real Contenders?

Gold Cup: What should we expect?

With this explosive final between Brazil and Spain of the Confederation Cup behind us -- there must be a real appetite for some great competition where we can cheer for our team. So let's welcome Gold Cup 2013!!!!!

The Gold Cup and the Conferedation Cup are two tournaments that are inextricably linked as the winner of the Gold Cup is chosen to represent the Concacaf zone in the Confederation Cup. So the stakes are high for all the teams involved in that competition as they battle it out for the Confederation Cup.
Here is how it works: the champion of the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup will qualify for a play-off match against the champion of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, to decide which team will represent CONCACAF in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.[3]

The play-off will be played as a single game in 2015 at a venue to be determined. If the same team wins both tournaments, it will qualify directly to the Confederations Cup

Here are the contenders and a schedule to the games:
 

Quarterfinals

July 20 A2 - B2 More info
A1 - B/C3 More info
July 21 B1 - C2 More info
C1 - A/B3 More info

Semifinals

July 24 A2 - B2 - A1 - B/C3 More info
B1 - C2 - C1 - A/B3 More info

Final

July 28 Winner Semi-final 1 - Winner Semi-final 2 More info

Gold Cup 2013 Complete Schedule!!

Group A[edit]

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
 Mexico00000000
 Panama00000000
 Canada00000000
 Martinique00000000
7 July 2013 (2013-07-07)
17:30
Canada v MartiniqueRose Bowl, Pasadena
Report

7 July 2013 (2013-07-07)
20:00
Mexico v PanamaRose Bowl, Pasadena
Report

11 July 2013 (2013-07-11)
20:30
Panama v MartiniqueCenturyLink Field, Seattle
Report

11 July 2013 (2013-07-11)
23:00
Mexico v CanadaCenturyLink Field, Seattle
Report

14 July 2013 (2013-07-14)
16:00
Martinique v MexicoSports Authority Field, Denver
Report

14 July 2013 (2013-07-14)
18:30
Panama v CanadaSports Authority Field, Denver
Report

Group B[edit]

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
 Honduras00000000
 El Salvador00000000
 Trinidad and Tobago00000000
 Haiti00000000
8 July 2013 (2013-07-08)
19:00
El Salvador v Trinidad and TobagoRed Bull Arena, Harrison
Report

8 July 2013 (2013-07-08)
21:30
Haiti v HondurasRed Bull Arena, Harrison
Report

12 July 2013 (2013-07-12)
19:00
Trinidad and Tobago v HaitiSun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens
Report

12 July 2013 (2013-07-12)
21:30
Honduras v El SalvadorSun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens
Report

15 July 2013 (2013-07-15)
19:00
El Salvador v HaitiBBVA Compass Stadium, Houston
Report

15 July 2013 (2013-07-15)
21:30
Honduras v Trinidad and TobagoBBVA Compass Stadium, Houston
Report

Group C[edit]

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
 United States00000000
 Costa Rica00000000
 Belize00000000
 Cuba00000000
9 July 2013 (2013-07-09)
20:30
Costa Rica v CubaJeld-Wen Field, Portland
Report

9 July 2013 (2013-07-09)
23:00
Belize v United StatesJeld-Wen Field, Portland
Report

13 July 2013 (2013-07-13)
15:30
United States v CubaRio Tinto Stadium, Sandy
Report

13 July 2013 (2013-07-13)
18:00
Costa Rica v BelizeRio Tinto Stadium, Sandy
Report

16 July 2013 (2013-07-16)
17:30
Cuba v BelizeRentschler Field, East Hartford
Report

16 July 2013 (2013-07-16)
20:00
United States v Costa RicaRentschler Field, East Hartford
Report

Ranking of third-placed teams[edit]

GroupTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
A00000000
B00000000
C00000000

Knockout stage[edit]

In the knockout stages, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, extra time shall be played (two periods of 15 minutes each) and followed, if necessary, by penalty shoot-out to determine the winner.[6]
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
          
20 July - Georgia Dome    
 A2 
24 July - Cowboys Stadium
 B2  
  
20 July - Georgia Dome
     
 A1 
28 July - Soldier Field
 B3/C3  
  
21 July - M&T Bank Stadium  
   
 B1 
24 July - Cowboys Stadium
 C2  
  
21 July - M&T Bank Stadium
     
 C1 
 A3/B3  
 

Quarter-finals[edit]

Note: The order of the matches in the two days may be reversed after the exact teams are known.
20 July 2013 (2013-07-20)
15:00
A2vB2Georgia Dome, Atlanta
Report

20 July 2013 (2013-07-20)
18:00
A1vB3/C3Georgia Dome, Atlanta
Report

21 July 2013 (2013-07-21)
16:00
B1vC2M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
Report

21 July 2013 (2013-07-21)
19:00
C1vA3/B3M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
Report

Semi-finals[edit]

Note: The order of the matches may be reversed after the exact teams are known.
24 July 2013 (2013-07-24)
19:00
Winner A2 v B2vWinner A1 v B3/C3Cowboys Stadium, Arlington
Report

24 July 2013 (2013-07-24)
22:00
Winner B1 v C2vWinner C1 v A3/B3Cowboys Stadium, Arlington
Report

Final[edit]

28 July 2013 (2013-07-28)
16:00
Winner SF1vWinner SF2Soldier Field, Chicago
Report

Official song[edit]