About Schmid

Sigi Schmid, coach of the Columbus Crew, is another valid candidate for coach of the U.S. team should Bruce Arena leave his post. Schmid has experience coaching in the college, professional and international ranks. In his 19 years at UCLA he compiled a record of 322-63-33 and led the Bruins to three national titles. In 1997, he was named NSCAA Coach of the Year. Three years earlier, Schmid had been an assistant coach for the 1994 U.S. World Cup team.

In the late 1990s, Schmid took over the Under-20 men's national team but relinquished that duty to coach the Los Angeles Galaxy in 1999. There, he won the 2002 MLS Cup as well as the 2001 U.S. Open Cup. He returned to coach the Under-20s in 2005 before accepting the head coach job with the Crew.

His extensive pedigree aside, a recent article in the Columbus Dispatch illustrates Schmid's practical yet demanding style. He speaks frankly, admitting that the Crew will likely play its best soccer in the years to come. But his realistic outlook doesn't stop him from challenging his young, injury-ravaged team to raise its level of play.

The article quotes Schmid: "I don’t think we’re going to get in [to the playoffs] as a first-place team, but in our league second place is definitely within reach. If you look at Kansas City (6-8-2), they started out 4-1. That certainly shows that everybody can hit bad runs and that’s a team with more talent and more experience than we have."

Though admitting a lack of requisite talent and seasoning, Schmid refuses to let his team off the hook. He still ambitiously eyes a second place finish in a tough conference.

To my mind, Schmid's way of handling the Crew's season would work well with our current National Team. If this World Cup was any indication, more needs to be demanded out of some of the team's protagonists. This is not to say that Arena bred complacency -- he tried his best to rally his guys through the media -- but perhaps a new, effective preacher of focus and determination would make a difference.

Soccer Stocks

Ross Kerber's article in the Boston Globe tells us what a World Cup loss can mean for a country's stock index.

Wahl Interview With Gulati

Follow the Grant Wahl link on the right side of this page to his new interview with U.S. Soccer head man Sunil Gulati. Wahl asks him about Bruce Arena's future as well as the possibility that the U.S. might play in Copa America (the South American Championship) next season. Also, my soccer blog has a good rundown of the interview.

MLS Voting and Weekend Preview

If you haven't already, follow the link on the right side of this page to "MLS" and vote for who you think should be an MLS All-Star. Choose wisely because the team will play Chelsea in an exhibition match on Saturday, Aug. 5 (6:30 ET). The game will provide much-needed exposure for MLS and a good showing by the All-Stars is a must. Make sure the right guys are on the squad. Voting ends at 3 p.m. ET today.

Also, set your TiVos for ESPN2 tomorrow at 5 ET for Houston-CD Chivas USA which I think is the best game of the week. There's Plenty of offensive firepower with Ante Razov of Chivas and Brian Ching of Houston. Razov leads MLS with 10 goals while Ching is hot on his tail with eight goals of his own. Should be a good one.

And later, if you have MLStv (and if you don't, look into it, it's only twenty bucks for every game for the whole season) catch the Rapids-Wizards game at 9 p.m. ET. Two solid teams trying to keep pace in middle of the Western and Eastern Conference tables, respectively.

Though D.C. is running away with the Eastern Conference regular season title, the West is still up for grabs. It will be interesting to see if any of the four teams (FC Dallas, Houston, Chivas, Colorado) cluttered atop the table can gain separation in the weeks to come. The Rapids have a good shot at picking up some points this month with three of their next four games coming at Invesco Field where the Rapids are 5-1-2 this year. Their one road tilt comes against the struggling New York Red Bulls.

And even though the Galaxy are at the bottom of the standings, don't count them out just yet. Los Angeles, who has won two in a row since Landon Donovan's return, are also capable of a rise through the West's ranks.

Link Additions

Be sure to catch the blog called goalposts that I just added to my blog links.
It's got a great article on the New York Cosmos as well as a column giving more reasons why Arena has got to go.

Arena vs. Garber

On the heels of the U.S. team's debacle in Germany, Bruce Arena suggested that the best way to prepare for international competition is to have more young American talents playing in Europe. MLS Commish Don Garber took offense to that. Read about that, plus more on the debate of whether MLS is a proper vehicle for developing World Cup players, in the Kansas City Star

Big D

Sunday's final is guaranteed to give credence to the maxim that defense wins championships. Both France and Italy are locked in at the back, with Thuram and Cannavaro playing intelligently and fearlessly in anchoring the French and Italian back lines, respectively.

To see how well the Italian defense is playing, consider what Fabio Grosso's goal against Germany taught us about defending in the final stages of the World Cup. Leading to the score, Andrea Pirlo drew a few defenders before slipping the ball to a wide-open Grosso in the box. From his spot to the side of the goal, Grosso sent a curling ball to the far post that barely eluded the outstretched arms of Jens Lehman.


Here's the lesson from Grosso's tally: At this point in the tournament, defenses can ill afford to leave anyone open in the penalty area. Grosso is not considered Italy's main offensive threat, but he proved himself capable of pulling the trigger when given ample room. With the exception of one instance, Italy didn't allow the Germans space in the box. On one occasion, Podolski had a good go at goal, but it came on the heels of turning in the box with a defender in his face. That defender made all the difference. And when Podolski had a chance with no defender in site, Buffon made the save - goalies help to make a tight defense, remember.

The French back line isn't giving anything away, either, which should make for a defensive-minded battle. First team to give up too much space to the wrong person (in other words, anyone on the opposing side) will dig itself a sizeable hole.

Link Additions

If you haven't already, be sure to check out the link under "soccer blogs" to a blog called My Soccer Blog. It always has tons of soccer information and great insight. Also, I added a link to Grant Wahl's archive on the Sports Illustrated website. It's good to see such a talented writer concentrating on soccer, if only for the duration of the World Cup. Here's hoping his focus remains upon the beautiful game after Sunday's final.

It's How They Started

Italy turned up the intensity in in the overtime periods against Germany, but they wouldn't have even been in a position to raise their play had they not emerged from the first half unscathed. The Germans began the game flying around the ball, riding the encouragement of their home crowd.

But despite getting the better of Italy in the early going, Germany failed to score. Gradually, the Germans' energy subsided with nothing to show for the over exertion. All the while, the Italians paced themselves, gaining confidence with every scoreless moment. Eventually, the team that readied itself for a marathon, rather than a sprint, broke the tie.

Italy - Germany Thoughts

Watching Italy play Germany in the semi-finals will be a bit like watching a highly rated mid-major team play a traditional powerhouse in the NCAA tournament. Not that Italy is the international soccer equivalent of a mid-major, but the Azzurri have played a bit of a mid-major schedule of late. We don't know quite how they will stack up against the big boys.

While Germany trounced Sweeden and then came from behind to knock out Argentina, the Italians struggled mightily against Australia and then beat the daylights out of an impotent Ukraine squad. In the end, both Italy and Germany got the wins and advanced, but it's hard to say that Italy has been tested like Germany has.

Unlike Germany, Italy has never trailed in this tournament, never been forced to play from behind. It will be interesting to see how the Italians respond should they dig themselves a hole this afternoon against one of the world's powerhouses.

Say It Ain't Sven

A bevy of names are popping up as potential replacements for Bruce Arena (should he not retain his job as national team coach), and some of them don't make sense. The one I find most preposterous is Sven-Goran Eriksson, the man who coached England to a quarterfinal finish this World Cup.

The main knock on Eriksson's most recent team is that his players seemed unmotivated and lacking direction. Sound familiar?

England's lack of creativity and commitment was apparent on both ends of the pitch. The attack sputtered against against Paraguay, needing a lucky free kick from Beckham to squezze by, and later produced nothing against Portugal in being ousted from the tournament. But in the Sweeden game, Eriksson's defense looked listless on set pieces, allowing two goals in the 2-2 draw.

Against Czech Republic and Italy, the U.S. fell behind on goals scored off crosses. If Eriksson couldn't get Rio Ferdinand and John Terry to concentrate on balls played into the box, what will he do with the U.S. central defenders who are talented but not in Terry and Ferdinand's league.

Right now, they're calling Eriksson a long shot for the job. Let's hope he stays that way.

Home Sweet Home

Since the United States' early exit from the World Cup, it has been widely speculated that Landon Donovan is most comfortable playing soccer in his homeland. That's an acceptable distinction for someone from England or Italy, but not for a California boy. Here in the states, we expect our best players to challenge themselves in Europe.

This speculation put Donovan in an impossible position upon returning to the L.A. Galaxy. Consider: Had he played listlessly in his first game back we would have dubbed his performance a mere continuation of his uncommitted, disinterested play in the World Cup. On the other hand, when he played well in his return to MLS, scoring two goals and leading the Galaxy to their first win since the Clinton administration, Donovan, in a sense, could be said to have perpetuated the belief that his comfort zone stretches only from sea to shining sea.

Play awful and he's washed up. Play well and he's a limited player, capable of a good performace in only the most welcoming of situations.

That's obviously an oversimplification of Donovan - I thought he played competently against Ghana and Italy (though still not well enough to be the new number 10) and, had he just played a decent game against the Czechs, the casual fan wouldn't have picked him out as underacheiving. But he gave Arena the chance to publically bash him and, consequently, the media and U.S. fan base are now down on Donovan.

The dillema of his return to MLS shows you that Donovan can't beat this bad rap as a member of the L.A. Galaxy. And he likely can't quiet his critics with solid play in World Cup qualifying given the weakness of our country's region.

Sadly, barring a successful stint in Europe between now and 2010, Landon will have to wait until the World Cup South Africa to prove he can perform under adverse circumstances against the best the world has to offer.