Japan qualifies first
Posted by Jason Ihle | 5 Comments
I’m not sure we’ve ever had a post dealing with sports, but I’m going to touch on a sport that is gaining popularity in the US while many people have active disdain or even contempt for it. I once read an opinion piece calling it an un-American sport.
We stand a few days more than a year away from kickoff for the 2010 Football (sorry…soccer) World Cup in South Africa. As I write this today, national teams around the world are playing qualifying matches.
For the uninitiated, qualifying begins two years ahead of the final tournament, which will see 32 teams competing for the ultimate title in world football. A pre-arranged number of spots in the tournament are allocated to each of the regions (Europe [13]; Asia [4.5]; Africa [5 plus South Africa who, as hosts, don't have to qualify]; Oceania [.5]; South America [4.5]; North and Central America/Caribbean [3.5]). The half-team designations indicate that an inter-regional playoff would have to take place to determine the finalist. Earlier today Japan became the first team to qualify for the finals by defeating Uzbekistan 1-0 away. Australia is also expected to qualify today. All they need is a draw with Qatar.
My interest in the World Cup usually begins immediately after the previous one finishes. After about a month, my enthusiasm begins to subside until about a year out when I start following qualifying more closely and get more and more excited. Since the 1994 tournament I have always done my level-best to watch as much of the tournament as possible. It was easiest in that summer when I was 16, finished with 10th grade and had no job. 2002 was the most difficult as I had a full-time restaurant job and the games started at 3:30, 5:30 and 7:30 in the morning NY time.
I’ve even managed to attend a match in the last two tournaments. Ireland 1:1 Cameroon in Japan 2002 and USA 1:2 Ghana in Germany 2006. It’s looking unlikely I will travel to South Africa next year. But what I did realize is that if I go to work at English Summer Camp again next year (for the 4th time with the same company and 5th summer camp overall) I will miss all but the first 11 or 12 days of the tournament. Frankly that is unacceptable to me and I’m so crazy about the World Cup I’ve already decided I will not be working at TECS Language Camps again.
Regardless, my work schedule will get in the way of seeing all the matches. Oh yeah, I’ve looked at the match schedule. And I’ve determined that the US has to be drawn into group C, D or F in order for me not to miss any of their matches. Three years ago I had a class that ended about 30 minutes before the first US match. I took a bus to the city center, kicked off my sandals and legged it barefoot to the pub where I would watch the match, missing only the first minute.
Anyway, in qualifying news, the USA has a match against Honduras in Chicago later today. The US is coming off bad 3-1 loss to Costa Rica away. Our squad was over-tired from recent club matches and long journeys from Europe only 2 or 3 days before the match. We have not lost a World Cup qualifying match on home soil since Sept 1, 2001, although it was to Honduras. No one expected us to beat Costa Rica in their house, but because of a lazy draw against El Salvador we’re in a position where we really need the full 3 points from a win today in order to boost our confidence and ensure our position in second place in the group of 6 teams fighting for 3 guaranteed places at the tournament (the 4th place team will play a home and away playoff series against the 5th place South American team).
I fully expect the US to qualify. We are the strongest team in our region. But in the tournament we will end up in a group either with 2 strong European teams or a European and a South American team (both strong). The depth of the US squad troubles me as well. After our quarterfinal appearance in 2002 I fully expected the US to be competitive by 2010, but it’s not looking promising at the moment.
I will try to make some more posts occasionally as qualifying progresses, although I leave for summer camp in less than two weeks and from that point I’m virtually cut off from the world for 2 months.
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June 7th, 2009 @
In the end Australia also qualified yesterday. This is the first time they’ve qualified for 2 straight Finals.
Additionally, South Korea qualified out of the Asia region. And The Netherlands became the first European team to qualify.
June 10th, 2009 @
Hey Jason – Don’t you think it’s time FIFA chucked the Central and North Americans into a big qualifying pot with their Southern bros? Frankly, qualifying for the US and Mexico is joke and goes some way to underlining why none of the teams from the CONCACAF region are truly competitive at the highest level. Yes I know both sides have had their moments in previous tournaments but then so have Belgium and Cameroon and look at them now? if the US had the chance to play different and most importantly, better teams, they’d be a better bet to improve. Imagine say, 4 groups of six with the top two qualifying…each group would have 2 or 3 South Americans and the rest from further north.
The rest of the world sees the CONCACAF region as a joke and doesn’t think they deserve more than two spots – and they don’t. It’s about time, the US earned their qualification doncha fink?
June 10th, 2009 @
I both agree and disagree with you. I agree from a pragmatic point of view in that combining the two regions into one would force the US to truly improve its level of play on the international scene. There would be a real genuine threat of not qualifying for the finals. My disagreement is purely patriotic in that I’d rather see the US qualify every time and at least have a shot at glory.
I do believe that one thing holding the US back is that we don’t get the opportunity to play consistently against the best teams in the world. I believe we are good enough now to compete in any World Cup Finals.
But on the other hand, you only have to look at our performance in the 2007 Copa America where we were one of two non-South American teams invited to the tournament. We suffered 3 losses to Argentina, Colombia and Paraguay, managing only 2 goals (1 penalty and 1 from open play). Granted, Bob Bradley sent a young and inexperienced team because we had just come off a victory at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which was more important for us. Bradley was obviously trying to get a look at younger talent. But our performance in that tournament showed that the US has frighteningly little depth. That’s why Bradley recently had Beasley playing at left back – a retarded move. You would never see a European or South American team moving an attacking midfielder to a defensive position because someone got injured. It would be unthinkable. That’s where our biggest weak spot is. Take away our starting 11 and we’re left with amateurs compared to the best in the world.
But our best guys are right up there with the best in the world at times. Last year we had a series of 3 friendly matches in Europe. First was against Poland where we earned our victory in a 3-0 rout. We then suffered a 2-0 loss to England at Wembley and a 1-0 loss to Spain. England and Spain were playing those friendlies at full strength basically with their best players and they are probably the two best teams in Europe right now. So to hold them to those scores is encouraging at least.
And you don’t have to tell me how the world views CONCACAF or the US National Team. I live in Spain and I have to listen to people all the time scoff at the prospect of the US ever doing well in anything soccer related. That, by the way, is how we went up 3-0 in the first 38 minutes over favored Portugal in our opening match of the 2002 WC. We went on to win that match 3-2. That is how we drew 1-1 with Italy, who went on to win the tournament, (and, in my opinion, we outplayed them completely) in the 2006 WC. Because Europeans keep taking us for granted.
Your idea seems interesting but CONMEBOL would never go for it. They would insist that CONCACAF do a regional qualifier that sends only the best 2 teams on to final qualifying with the 10 CONMEBOL members. That’s basically what already happens with the Caribbean nations – out of all those dinky little islands only the best 2 ever go on to play North and Central American teams. Ditto the Oceania dinky islands. Did you know Australia once defeated…I forget who exactly, Vanuatu or Fiji or something…31-0 in a WC qualifying match? Why do you think Australia is now qualifying out of Asia?
Anyway, a real test for the US is coming up at next week’s Confederations Cup where we are matched in group play against Brazil, Italy and Egypt. I don’t expect to get out of the group, but I’d like to at least see some goals scored and not get crushed by more than 2 goals to either Italy or Brazil. I would consider it a success if we only lose by a goal to either of them.
We will continue to get better, build a bigger fan base (for the 2006 WC there were more requests for ‘follow your team’ tickets from the US than from any other nation) and win more matches against big teams. And one day we will win a World Cup. Given the size and wealth of our country it’s just a matter of time. It won’t happen next year and almost definitely not in Brazil in 2014. But the US is bidding to host either 2018 or 2022. And you bet your ass I’ll be there when we hoist the trophy.
June 15th, 2009 @
Hmmmm – I can’t see the US winning it any time soon. And I can’t see them getting the WC hosting in the next 20 years either. I can’t see many teams winning it any time soon to be honest. Of course you have the potential in terms of the nation’s population size and wealth. But something is holding back the development of the game to the next level. What is it? I think that the Americans haven’t got any more time, money or inclination to raise yet another sport to a level of spectator interest to compete with the other leading sports. Until ’soccer’ players are viewed widely as superstars and kids dream as much about being Landon Donovan as they do about being A-Rod or Kobe, they won’t be interested in following the games growth. Which means that it won’t get shown much on TV. Which means the number of fans won’t grow. which means the revenue won’t grow, which means the salaries won’t grow. which means no good players will ever play in the MSL etc…a vicious circle. I don’t think that you can blame anyone. After all, they tried to develop American Football to Europe and it has a similar niche level of interest.
Australia threw their lot in with Asia to avoid the play-off with the 5th best side from South America or another potentially tricky side (they went out to Iran a few years ago). Smart move. It’s easier to qualify by beating Bahrain and Thailand than having to play Uruguay. But Australia should be a footballing minnow compared to the US. They have never hosted the WC, have a population the size of NYC and a would rank fooball well behind rugby league, union, aussie rules and cricket in terms of team sports popularity. I don’t think that US would have a problem qualifying as one of the top two in a group alongside the likes of, say, Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, Honduras and Haiti (assuming Brz, Arg, Mex and US were 4 top seeds).
If the US wants to be taken seriously and show their mettle and develop a strong side, they need to petition to combine with the South Americans.
June 25th, 2009 @
Jason, no doubt your life in Spain just became infinitely more difficult. Congrats to the U.S.!