Catarina Macario will be in action for the USWNT in the SheBelieves Cup (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Another busy weekend of soccer lies ahead, and I’m looking to open the Mailbag. So feel free below to ask any probing, thoughtful and/or amusing questions about any soccer topic, and I’ll answer the best ones as part of the Friday Newsletter. Thank you!
I tend to think about the USWNT as having essentially 3 groups (not perfect, but go with it). The somewhat past their prime group (Morgan, Rapinoe, Sauerbrunn, Heath, Press, Naeher, O'Hara) the group in their prime (Dunn, Williams, Ertz, Lavelle, Horan, Mewis) and the up and coming group (Macario, Purce, Davidson, Smith, Rodman, Hatch, Pugh). What are your thoughts on the talent level of the new group compared to other two?
Why not bring in one experienced forward (Jozy Altidore) to have on the bench. Clearly Pepi has done well in spots, but if he gets hurt, or we need a sub with 20 minutes left wouldn't why wouldn't we rather a Jozy than an unknown. I felt the same way when Landon Donovan got left off the last world cup team. Who cares if he was half a step slower and/or his fitness wasn't perfect. When you are down a goal with 20 minutes left in a world cup game, how is Donovan not the best choice for a sub that the US had?
As long time Thorns/Timbers supporters and season ticket holders, my wife and I have been dismayed and angered at the revelations about how the organization handled the Andy Polo domestic violence incident from May 2021. This comes on the heels of the information on how the organization allowed Paul Riley to leave several years ago without disclosing abuse allegations against him. To date, there has been a severe lack of transparency from Merritt Paulson and Gavin Wilkinson on these two issues. Brief statements regarding ongoing investigations have been it. I'm wondering what advice you have for fans and supporters like us who, on one level, want to support the players (especially the Thorns and womens soccer in general), but are finding that the organization has a disturbing pattern of protecting perpetrators of abuse from being held accountable.
UEFA has a league ranking coefficient system, which tells us that the best leagues are, in order, England Spain Germany Italy France Portugal. Like the FIFA national team rankings, it may not be right, but at least it's a consistent system (except where Covid screwed it up). But there's no way to use coefficients to rank leagues worldwide. Where would you slot the top other leagues into that list? Where would you put Brazil, Argentina, and who might you also consider? Mexico?
Is Shaquiri the kind of personality needed to turn the Chicago Fire around or is he the kind of personality that makes it into the worst DPs of all time discussions.
I’d like to know if there is any thought to puli at the 9. That allows two of the three weah, Aaronson, and Reyna on the pitch at the same time. With musah, Weston and Adams.
Maybe not for Friday, but I would really like to understand better the US Soccer academy system and how it compares (in how it operates) compared to the larger soccer nations.
By my count, there are 48 teams still alive for World Cup 2022 qualification with 15 already clinched. Of the 48 (granted this number includes some who are all but eliminated like El Salvador and Bolivia and also the eight Oceania teams, of whom likely zero will make it to Qatar), which is the most intriguing to you from a human interest perspective?
I've read and listened to the interviews with Cindy Cone and Carlos Cordeiro, and I don't know who would be the better president. It doesn't matter, because I don't have a vote. For those who do have votes, what do you think they want to hear from the candidates?
This year is the first year that we will have MLS and the supporting MLS NEXT and its tiers along with the existing USL. How do you see this structure working out along with the positives and negatives?
Gregg Berhalter’s main thesis was to disorganize the opponent with passing and movement. That has been the one thing that the US has been missing throughout qualifying. Isn’t this concerning?
Gregg Berhalter’s main thesis was to disorganize the opponent with passing and movement. That has been the one thing that the US has been missing throughout qualifying. Isn’t this concerning?
I have a couple of hypotheses about why MLS teams have been able to throw around so much $ on young South American talent this off-season that I'd love your take. First one: UEFA clubs are now more diligent with their money due to COVID and less willing to risk $ on raw but unproven young talent (e.g.: Gabriel Barbosa's journey comes to mind, where Inter bought him at 19 for E$27.5M and after one season sent him around on loans before eventually selling him to Flamengo at a -E$10M loss). Second: since South American clubs have historically been more sellers than buyers and aren't generally the most financially savvy bunch, could it be that what we're seeing from MLS this off-season be attributed to those CONMEBOL clubs being more willing to part with younger talent for a lower price (i.e.: thus making it more affordable for MLS clubs to buy them) for a quicker profit instead of holding out to higher bids from the usual callers (i.e.: UEFA clubs)? Cheers!
What do you make of Bruce Arena's "getting the band back together" approach to roster construction with the Revs? Do the Llegett/Gonzalez/Altidore moves make them better and deeper or just older and slower?
How/where can the top 15 leagues (for men and/or women) come together to create a global platform truly competitive with the NFL, NBA and even MLB (which at $10B still makes more than the EPL globally)? What structural issues are holding back a competition unification (as we see in Europe with the Champion's league) which can create a global platform for consumption and monetization? Is it relegation, lack of player caps, transfer fees? If the economic hurdles are too high for the men's game, can developments be done in the women's game which create one global super league beyond the quadrennial world cup driving prominence and promotion to the game in the US? Does ownership of women's clubs by parent men's organizations prevent this? Is the FA Women's Super League in the UK advancing & farther than the rest of the European women's leagues due to the EPL being solely male focused? In the US shall the NWSL let owners hold multiple teams (as the MLS started with) in order to build momentum in what arguably has to be the lead market for the women's game?
Is FIFA the answer? Can FIFA really unify all the local federsations and club competition to create a single unified experience and digital media platform for Football? The individual competitions are too small (as well as is FIFA and UEFA) to invest in the development of platforms as the NFL, MLB and NBA have. In 2000 the MLB invested $100M in what became BAMTech...today one needs to invest $1B+ to create a unifying digital infrastructure to meet and engage with the fans where they are. Instead we see each of the leagues trying to do this on their own, while simultaneously growing media licensing revenues (which is becoming ever more challenging for anything beyond the top 3-5 players of the EPL, La Liga, Champions League, Serie A and Bundesliga).
If it was up to you, where would you have held each of the USMNT home qualifying games? Also, any thoughts on how US, Mex, and Can, can maximize competitive fixtures ahead of 2026.
Nicholas Gioacchinni ? I got to see him briefly in gold cup matches, and was impressed. Then, he disappeared in Europe. How is he doing, and does he have a chance of playing for the USMNT?
Hey Grant. What are the chances that Gregg Berhalter is the USMNT coach past the World Cup, assuming we qualify and put in a respectable performance in Qatar? I’m going to assume he’s gone if we don’t qualify or do poorly at the WC.
Imagine you were asked to take on USWNT coaching duties for the duration of the SheBelieves Cup. What would be your starting lineup based on the current roster? Not necessarily what you think will happen, but what you think could potentially be interesting or effective.
In your opinion, is this the year that Pep and Man City finally win the UEFA Champions League? With Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern and other powers a little down from their peaks of past years, it seems like it to me. What's your handicapping of the field at this point?
Any word on how many fans will be allowed in Azteca on 3/24 and will US Soccer be allocated any tickets?
I tend to think about the USWNT as having essentially 3 groups (not perfect, but go with it). The somewhat past their prime group (Morgan, Rapinoe, Sauerbrunn, Heath, Press, Naeher, O'Hara) the group in their prime (Dunn, Williams, Ertz, Lavelle, Horan, Mewis) and the up and coming group (Macario, Purce, Davidson, Smith, Rodman, Hatch, Pugh). What are your thoughts on the talent level of the new group compared to other two?
Why not bring in one experienced forward (Jozy Altidore) to have on the bench. Clearly Pepi has done well in spots, but if he gets hurt, or we need a sub with 20 minutes left wouldn't why wouldn't we rather a Jozy than an unknown. I felt the same way when Landon Donovan got left off the last world cup team. Who cares if he was half a step slower and/or his fitness wasn't perfect. When you are down a goal with 20 minutes left in a world cup game, how is Donovan not the best choice for a sub that the US had?
As long time Thorns/Timbers supporters and season ticket holders, my wife and I have been dismayed and angered at the revelations about how the organization handled the Andy Polo domestic violence incident from May 2021. This comes on the heels of the information on how the organization allowed Paul Riley to leave several years ago without disclosing abuse allegations against him. To date, there has been a severe lack of transparency from Merritt Paulson and Gavin Wilkinson on these two issues. Brief statements regarding ongoing investigations have been it. I'm wondering what advice you have for fans and supporters like us who, on one level, want to support the players (especially the Thorns and womens soccer in general), but are finding that the organization has a disturbing pattern of protecting perpetrators of abuse from being held accountable.
UEFA has a league ranking coefficient system, which tells us that the best leagues are, in order, England Spain Germany Italy France Portugal. Like the FIFA national team rankings, it may not be right, but at least it's a consistent system (except where Covid screwed it up). But there's no way to use coefficients to rank leagues worldwide. Where would you slot the top other leagues into that list? Where would you put Brazil, Argentina, and who might you also consider? Mexico?
Is Shaquiri the kind of personality needed to turn the Chicago Fire around or is he the kind of personality that makes it into the worst DPs of all time discussions.
I’d like to know if there is any thought to puli at the 9. That allows two of the three weah, Aaronson, and Reyna on the pitch at the same time. With musah, Weston and Adams.
Maybe not for Friday, but I would really like to understand better the US Soccer academy system and how it compares (in how it operates) compared to the larger soccer nations.
By my count, there are 48 teams still alive for World Cup 2022 qualification with 15 already clinched. Of the 48 (granted this number includes some who are all but eliminated like El Salvador and Bolivia and also the eight Oceania teams, of whom likely zero will make it to Qatar), which is the most intriguing to you from a human interest perspective?
I've read and listened to the interviews with Cindy Cone and Carlos Cordeiro, and I don't know who would be the better president. It doesn't matter, because I don't have a vote. For those who do have votes, what do you think they want to hear from the candidates?
This year is the first year that we will have MLS and the supporting MLS NEXT and its tiers along with the existing USL. How do you see this structure working out along with the positives and negatives?
Gregg Berhalter’s main thesis was to disorganize the opponent with passing and movement. That has been the one thing that the US has been missing throughout qualifying. Isn’t this concerning?
Gregg Berhalter’s main thesis was to disorganize the opponent with passing and movement. That has been the one thing that the US has been missing throughout qualifying. Isn’t this concerning?
I have a couple of hypotheses about why MLS teams have been able to throw around so much $ on young South American talent this off-season that I'd love your take. First one: UEFA clubs are now more diligent with their money due to COVID and less willing to risk $ on raw but unproven young talent (e.g.: Gabriel Barbosa's journey comes to mind, where Inter bought him at 19 for E$27.5M and after one season sent him around on loans before eventually selling him to Flamengo at a -E$10M loss). Second: since South American clubs have historically been more sellers than buyers and aren't generally the most financially savvy bunch, could it be that what we're seeing from MLS this off-season be attributed to those CONMEBOL clubs being more willing to part with younger talent for a lower price (i.e.: thus making it more affordable for MLS clubs to buy them) for a quicker profit instead of holding out to higher bids from the usual callers (i.e.: UEFA clubs)? Cheers!
What do you make of Bruce Arena's "getting the band back together" approach to roster construction with the Revs? Do the Llegett/Gonzalez/Altidore moves make them better and deeper or just older and slower?
How/where can the top 15 leagues (for men and/or women) come together to create a global platform truly competitive with the NFL, NBA and even MLB (which at $10B still makes more than the EPL globally)? What structural issues are holding back a competition unification (as we see in Europe with the Champion's league) which can create a global platform for consumption and monetization? Is it relegation, lack of player caps, transfer fees? If the economic hurdles are too high for the men's game, can developments be done in the women's game which create one global super league beyond the quadrennial world cup driving prominence and promotion to the game in the US? Does ownership of women's clubs by parent men's organizations prevent this? Is the FA Women's Super League in the UK advancing & farther than the rest of the European women's leagues due to the EPL being solely male focused? In the US shall the NWSL let owners hold multiple teams (as the MLS started with) in order to build momentum in what arguably has to be the lead market for the women's game?
Is FIFA the answer? Can FIFA really unify all the local federsations and club competition to create a single unified experience and digital media platform for Football? The individual competitions are too small (as well as is FIFA and UEFA) to invest in the development of platforms as the NFL, MLB and NBA have. In 2000 the MLB invested $100M in what became BAMTech...today one needs to invest $1B+ to create a unifying digital infrastructure to meet and engage with the fans where they are. Instead we see each of the leagues trying to do this on their own, while simultaneously growing media licensing revenues (which is becoming ever more challenging for anything beyond the top 3-5 players of the EPL, La Liga, Champions League, Serie A and Bundesliga).
If it was up to you, where would you have held each of the USMNT home qualifying games? Also, any thoughts on how US, Mex, and Can, can maximize competitive fixtures ahead of 2026.
Ahead of the next qualifying window for USMNT. Is it time to ask if Greg is the best fit coach to take us throughout the World Cup tournament.
How does the March 5th USSF election impact this conversation?
Nicholas Gioacchinni ? I got to see him briefly in gold cup matches, and was impressed. Then, he disappeared in Europe. How is he doing, and does he have a chance of playing for the USMNT?
Hey Grant. What are the chances that Gregg Berhalter is the USMNT coach past the World Cup, assuming we qualify and put in a respectable performance in Qatar? I’m going to assume he’s gone if we don’t qualify or do poorly at the WC.
Do you think DC United has enough decent players to win some games in the beginning of the season?
What do you think MLS might be like in '27 and '28 if the '26 World Cup is a successful event?
Imagine you were asked to take on USWNT coaching duties for the duration of the SheBelieves Cup. What would be your starting lineup based on the current roster? Not necessarily what you think will happen, but what you think could potentially be interesting or effective.
In your opinion, is this the year that Pep and Man City finally win the UEFA Champions League? With Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern and other powers a little down from their peaks of past years, it seems like it to me. What's your handicapping of the field at this point?
After flashing vs. Bayern and some nice words from Henry, what do you see the next 18 months looking like for Brenden Aaronson?