We here at MLS Talk are guilty of one thing: we like to try new things.  We’ve had some successes and failures over the years, but we are trying new ways to not only provide important information about the matches that occur (like strategy and analysis) but new ways to bring the U.S. soccer community together to discuss those matches.  Whether it’s the best supporters’ section in MLS contest or Earl’s insightful use of the “whiteboard” to break down tactics, we try to do things differently and better than other sites.

So with the first U.S. men’s Olympic qualifier tonight, your writers are doing something a little different to cover the game.  Earl Reed and I will be doing a post-game live chat immediately after each qualifier which will be open to all of our readers.  In the past, we’ve done live chats during First Kick or the MLS Cup, but this one will be slightly different.  So why are we doing a live chat after and not during the games?

• Doing analysis after the game allows Earl and I to provide immediate feedback and analysis of the games.  Instead of waiting until the next day to see what happened, you can visit the site immediately after the game to see tactically and strategically how the game went down.  Or, if you are busy during the game, visit a few hours later or the next morning to get a sense of how the game went down.
• For those who miss the game, a post-game recap is a succinct way to see how it all went down.  It also allows us to have immediate analysis on the site, which you can access beginning the final whistle is blown.
• The post-game chat also allows readers to weigh in immediately.  Like how the U.S. played? Have concerns about Caleb Porter’s strategy? Let it out while Earl and I offer our own thoughts on what occurred during the match.

Name: Seattle Sounders

Coach: Sigi Schmid

Last Year: 18-7-9, 2nd Western Conference, 2nd Overall

Hashtag: #Sounders

Are Sounders fans too demanding?  In its current iteration, the club is entering its fourth MLS season and has made three consecutive conference semifinals. They own the U.S. Open Cup.   They have set attendance records that will be hard to surpass, and they have become the de facto face of MLS because of all of this.  Yet the team has a major road block that it just cannot overcome: the Los Angeles Galaxy.  The current MLS champs are blocking their ascent to the top of the league and until the Sounders can beat LA and win the MLS Cup, their seasons will feel unfulfilled.

This offseason, the team went for broke.  Rather than simply building up, the team took some gambles designed to keep up with the Galaxy.  While not gutting their roster, some moves were made with an eye on the next two years and not the next five.  Part of this is their participation in the CONCACAF Champions League but undoubtedly the franchise wants the MLS Cup.  Besides that trophy, however, the franchise is the envy of the league with the type of fan support, facilities, staff, and attitude that any team would want.  Isn’t that enough?

Coaching Staff and Front Office:  Sigi Schmid has reached the point in his career that when he makes a controversial acquisition, he always receives the benefit of the doubt (see Eddie Johnson below).  Schmid is one of the best head coaches in the league, a statement that can be easily backed up since he is the winningest MLS coach ever.  Working with the front office, the team consistently juggles the salary cap while still paying top-flight players and bringing up young talent.

Additions:  Let’s start with the most recent one and possibly the biggest one.  Eddie Johnson comes over via trade from Montreal to boost the Seattle attack.  Johnson returns to MLS after failing to latch on in Europe with rumors of dogging his tryouts following him.  A consistent scorer is what Seattle needs, so EJ needs to return to his previous dominant ways to justify this acquisition.

The most important new acquisition has to be the replacement for the team’s heart and keeper, Michael Gspurning.  The Austrian premier league veteran has no fear of replacing the legend Kasey Keller and is looking forward to playing in Seattle.  If for any reason Gspurning falters or is injured, the team recently signed Andrew Weber who of the four keepers currently on Seattle’s roster is the only one with any MLS experience.  To assist the keepers, the Sounders signed Swedish international Adam Johansson and MLS veteran Marc Burch to play fullback.  Johnsson could be the best signing of the offseason by any team.

Two additions to the midfield will give the team some intriguing options.  Forward/winger Cordell Cato was signed in the offseason as more of a depth/Open Cup player.  The 19 year old is a youth international for Trinidad & Tobago and presents some promise for the future.  A player who will provide a more immediate impact is Danish midfielder Christian Sivebaek who will be asked to support the attack while chipping in the occasional goal.

Subtractions:  In exchange for EJ the club sent F Mike Fucito and M Lamar Neagle to Montreal, two players that are not superstars but were an example of why Seattle competed well in multiple competitions: good solid depth by players on the cusp of taking that next step.  Neither loss is the type the redefines a team but both will be missed for the valuable depth they gave.  Fucito was not the only forward to leave this offseason as Nate Jaqua was picked up in the Re-Entry draft by the Revs and Pat Noonan was taken in that same draft by the Galaxy.  Erik Friberg’s departure also dents the Sounders’ offense.

Starting Lineup:  As mentioned, newcomer Gspurning replaces Kasey Keller in goal and has quite a task ahead of him.  Not helping matters is the number of new faces on the backline.  At right back will likely be newcomer Adam Johnsson, according to his preseason reps, and Leo Gonzalez will man the left side with some competition from Marc Burch.  In the center will be Jeff Parke and all-name teamer Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, who while not the most dominant centerback pairing in the league are two very good defenders.  If anyone falters, rookie Andrew Duran could push his way into the first team.

The midfield looks to be one of the best in MLS and it starts with Mauro Rosales.  The Argentine looks like a yearly MVP candidate and will spearhead the Sounders attack from the midfield.  Another danger from the outside is designated player Alvaro Fernandez who if not for his other talented teammates would star in this midfield.  Pushing for minutes will be returners Brad Evans and Osvaldo Alonso, two players that would start every minute for almost any other MLS team but will rotate during Seattle’s three competitions.  The two wild cards in the midfield are Steve Zakuani and Christian Sivebaek.  Zakuani looked like an MVP last season before breaking his leg and while reports suggest he is healthy again, it will be interesting to see how healthy he is when he takes the pitch in a competitive match.  As for Sivebaek, the 23 year old is talented and may be the best super-sub in MLS come September.

Up front it is simple: Fredy Montero and Eddie Johnson.  Montero has the chance to become an elite MLS player but needs to add a little consistency to his game.  Maybe playing next to Johnson will settle him, but once Montero stops disappearing for games he takes Seattle to a new level.  If these two falter, there is a mix of veteran (hello O’Brian White!) and young players that will contribute but cannot be counted on to be elite in 2012.

Player to Watch:  Gspurning will be the man under the microscope for two reasons: he is replacing a legend and he is the biggest unknown quantity on this team.  Every other part of the field is pretty settled, at least on the first team level, except for the keeper.  How he deals with being not-Kasey Keller and facing the likes of Edson Buddle, Kris Boyd, and Brek Shea will be the key to Seattle’s season.

Best Case Scenario:  The team gels quickly and once the Galaxy stars go abroad for their tournaments, Seattle passes LA in the standings.  May 2nd is a watershed day in Seattle history as the team beats LA at home and pushes the monkey off their back.  EJ reverts to his previous MLS form, Gspurning is a great keeper, the team keeps healthy and Zakuani gives Seattle three MVP candidates in the midfield.  Led by Golden Boot winner Fredy Montero, the Sounders beat LA in a game journalists call the best MLS game ever in the Western Conference finals and with a victory over DC United in the MLS Cup, win a historic treble.

Worst Case Scenario:  Trying to win in three competitions is too much for a team whose depth took a major hit this offseason.  Seattle loses in the U.S. Open Cup and falls into a battle for one of the final two playoff spots in the West.  They get in but bow out quickly, just like they did in the CONCACAF Champions League.  Eddie Johnson fails to support Montero and Montero begins to actively look overseas.  Injuries impact the midfield and Schmid declares the current situation unacceptable, ushering in a major retooling in the offseason.  Major publications – including Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, and National Geographic - rank Portland ahead of Seattle in their rankings of best soccer cities and/or cities to experience a superb game day atmosphere.

Prediction:  Even Portland Timbers fans acknowledge that Seattle’s MLS schedule is one of the “easiest” in MLS, so that is a distinct advantage.  There are serious concerns about depth, especially at forward, but this is too talented of a team to not challenge for an MLS Cup.  I expect the Sounders to again finish second in the West and add at least one trophy to their trophy case.

In my 2011 season preview, I predicted that Toronto would struggle for the first few months under its newest leadership structure (new general manager and head coach) but toward the end of the year start to look like a promising team for 2012.  I had no clue that the amount of change they would undergo in a few short months: only two players would start both the first and last game of the season.  The 2012 version of Toronto FC is a new franchise personnel-wise, and I suspect we will see more changes over the next few months.

So is this team now good enough to make a playoff run this upcoming season?  Despite the infusion of  new talent, there are still many gaps that need to be addressed by this franchise.  To continue our series, below are three questions the team needs to address this offseason:

1. Are everyone’s expectations for the team realistic?

Off the pitch questions may overwhelm on the pitch questions this offseason.  In an interview with Alex Labidou, Toronto FC head coach Aron Winter bluntly stated that he would not be disappointed if his 2012 team does not make the playoffs: “We are focused on building something that will have progress not only in the playoffs”.  When you are doing a total rebuild that is the result of some really bad management in the first few years of your franchise’s MLS existence, this kind of attitude makes sense.  To be blunt, Toronto has lived too long off of the good will of its fans in a league where over 50% of teams make the playoffs.

However, the statement does ignore some realities that make this position untenable.  Rogers Communications, the Canadian media conglomerate that part-owns many sports franchises and properties in Toronto, recently bought a stake in the Reds.  Undoubtedly, this makes many fans salivate with the thought of corporate money being able to fund some player acquisitions.

The team is also the victim of its own success.  By advancing past the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League plus ending the 2011 MLS season on a hot streak, the fans have seen that this team can have success against good opponents.  For the head coach and management to essentially say “let’s not get ahead of ourselves here” especially in light of gaffs like jacking up ticket prices a few years back, there could be a major division between the team itself and its fans.  Setting correct and manageable expectations for the team, players, and fans may define the success of this rebuild more than the on-the-field performance.

2. Is Julian de Guzman still part of the plan?

Dwayne De Rosario was quickly shipped from Toronto to New York to relieve a high-priced problem early in 2011.  Their other high-profile player was forced to shape up while new names were brought in that could compare to de Guzman’s stature.  As a result, de Guzman played better in 2011 and actually became an important part of the Toronto midfield.  However, he was left unprotected in the recent expansion draft, which while it may have been done strategically could send a signal to the player about his future in Toronto.

Undeniably Julian de Guzman is a very good player that can be a critical part of the Toronto attack.  However, with a rebuild overshadowing the team and he being the most visible sign of the old Toronto FC, does he have a role in Winter’s team?  Maybe more importantly, does he want one?

3. How close are they to the three year plan being completed?

This question ties somewhat to the first one, but how close is this team to reaching their goal of being a replenishing playoff contender?  Their 2011 acquisitions paid off big-time in many ways, with Danny Koevermans being their best acquisition by scoring loads of critical goals.  The other designated player acquisition Torsten Frings helped stabilize the midfield and young players like Ashtone Morgan and Joao Plata really shined under Winter.

However gaps do exist and how management chooses to fill these gaps will be a telling sign of how close they believe the three-year plan is to completion (a year early).  Their only big offseason acquisition so far has been Reggie Lambe, a winger who represents Jamaica Bermuda and played in England last season.  However, the team has not locked up Plata for another year (he’s on loan from Ecuador) and has not addressed some of their defensive issues (hello Andy Iro!).  Will they try and sign some established players, or just rely on the growing academy to fill in slots?  The answer may define how quickly this team makes a playoff run, if at all.

CONCACAF general secretary, nemesis of Mohammed Bin Hammam, and tabloid story-filler Chuck Blazer announced today he would step down from his role in the soccer federation at the end of the year.  Blazer had been involved in CONCACAF’s leadership for two decades and his resignation is certainly the end of an era.  He will, however, keep his FIFA executive committee spot, according to Bloomberg, but has not decided if he will run for reelection in 2013.

“My passion for soccer is undiminished and it is time for me to explore new challenges within this wonderful sport,” he said in a CONCACAF statement.  ”Running a governing body has been an incredibly fulfilling job, but there are so many other areas of the sport where as a senior executive, I will make a great impact.”

CONCACAF has not announced who will replaced Blazer but the resignation comes after a tumultuous few months.  As we reported on this site in August, Blazer was under investigation by the FBI for a variety of alleged tax evasions and failures to report income.  This of course came after Blazer’s role as a whistle blower when in June he accused Bin Hammam and then-CONCACAF President Jack Warner of colluding to buy votes from the Caribbean Football Union for the former’s FIFA presidential campaign.  In the aftermath, Lisle Austin of Barbados tried to force Blazer’s removal from the soccer governing body, a move that was later overturned.

I have no doubt Blazer will continue to lurk in the North American soccer landscape, no doubt finding a comfortable place to land and maintain his lifestyle.  If you think this is the last we’ve heard of him, you will be sorely mistaken.  That said, this is the end of an era for CONCACAF.  The confederation saw some massive financial gains under Blazer and an increase in the prestige of its members, mostly driven by the successes of the U.S. and Mexico.  Blazer also was key in securing ESPN’s bid for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, which has helped drive some growth in soccer viewership in the U.S. as well as a healthy American audience for last year’s World Cup.

However, this is a prime opportunity for CONCACAF to turn the page on this year’s terrible scandals and rebuild itself.  The confederation has at least two top-rate soccer federations (Mexico and, yes, the U.S.) as well as some smaller soccer associations that can be legitimately be described as up-and-coming.  Two countries have already hosted World Cups and a third is a prime destination for a future one (Canada).  In short, while CONCACAF will never be UEFA, it has a chance to be one of the better confederations in FIFA.  Failure to enact some ethics reforms and refocus its priorities will lead to it be passed by the AFC and CAF.

The investigations into FIFA’s corrupt practices continue, and the attention has again been focused on American Chuck Blazer.

Andrew Jennings, one of soccer’s most outspoken reformers, released a new detailed report yesterday with a laundry list of accusations against Blazer and his lavish lifestyle.  Jennings claims the FBI has now begun investigating the FIFA official’s bank accounts for some very suspicious payments and for failure to report income, a very serious charge that the federal government does not take lightly in high-profile cases.  When we had left the FIFA/CONCACAF drama, Blazer had outed CONCACAF’s Jack Warner for bribery on behalf of FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hamman.  According to Jenning’s report, it seems as though Blazer was more involved with Warner’s wrong-doing than previously understood, if the reports are accurate.

Some of the story’s more juicy details include:

• Blazer received (and repaid) a payment of $250,000 from the Caribbean Football Union, which was controlled by Warner and which Blazer claims Warner was illegally writing checks from the bank account.  This was in addition to large payments made to Blazer in September 2010.
• Blazer allegedly held a retreat in his $3 million apartment at the Reef Atlantis Paradise Island resort last month for Caribbean officials sympathetic to him.  He allegedly owns the resort property which is paid for through a series of companies connected to a Nassau bank where he supposedly has an account.
• He receives a ton of commissions from regional sports marketing companies with connections to Warner, including making $2 million allegedly off one such contract.
• Two of his children have worked for him, including his son who currently works as CONCACAF’s chief medical officer which pays $7,000 a month.
• Including an apartment above the CONCACAF offices in Trump Towers, Blazer has property in North Carolina (farmhouse) and Miami (waterfront apartment).
• Most stomach churning for me, Jennings uncovers a picture of Blazer and his girlfriend chatting with Dr. Ruth Westheimer.

All kidding aside, these are serious accusations that cast new light on the CONCACAF drama that occurred around the World Cup 2022 bid.  Jennings is known for his dogged investigation into the bribed FIFA executive committee members and subsequent exposé which some have blamed for England not even advancing past the first round in the 2018 World Cup voting.  His level of detail is also in-depth and while some of it can be dismissed by supporters as unsubstantiated, his lavish lifestyle is disconcerting.

Of course, this is not the first time we’ve heard of Blazer’s antics, but the fact that the Feds are involved takes it to a whole new level.  The FBI loves to investigate financial crimes and has a high-profile history of successfully prosecuting them.  Expect during the upcoming months to hear drips of leaked information about Blazer and some more of his interesting monetary expenditures, but the biggest take-away from this exposé is kind of what we expected: there’s allegedly more to the story of Chuck Blazer’s attempted FIFA clean-up.

Soccer fans this weekend saw the best of the beautiful game pushed aside by the worst.  As Barcelona were dismantling Manchester United with passing and play that was textbook in perfection, the drip-drip-drip of allegations coming out of FIFA’s headquarters in Switzerland was deafening.  Mohamed bin Hamman withdrew from the FIFA president’s race under the dark cloud of suspicion that he had tried to bribe voters in his election campaign.  Then pictures were released allegedly showing (I kid you not) a case with $40,000 in cash that associates of CONCACAF delegate Jack Warner and bin Hamman delivered to a Caribbean delegate to buy their vote in the election.

Then the hits kept coming.  FIFA’s secretary general Jerome Valcke had to deny a report that he wrote an email to Warner saying that bin Hammam thought “you can buy FIFA as they bought the WC” (WC standing for World Cup).  bin Hammam is the head of the Qatar delegation, and Valcke had to issue a statement saying that, while he did write the email, he did not mean to imply the 2022 World Cup had been bought; Qatar issued a similar statement.  Meanwhile, current FIFA president Sepp Blatter (who has his own ethics charges against him) gave a bizarre press conference claiming that none of these reports constituted a crisis and that tomorrow’s election for FIFA president (where he is the only candidate) should continue.

Got that?  Basically, it looks like FIFA corruption (which has always been guessed at) is coming to light at a bad time; upwards of 10 of the 32 members of the sport’s governing body are under investigation for various corruption charges.  The British English and Scottish FAs have publicly called for tomorrow’s vote for FIFA president to be delayed, and the British English FA has said it will abstain from voting due to the current ethics situation. [note - apologies to English and British friends for misidentifying FA.  Mistakes were made]

The United States, which finished second to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, should feel even more aggrieved than the English that their bid was possibly undermined by corruption, probably even by their own federation’s representative.  So how should USSF and Sunil Gulati respond to the controversy?  Should they follow the English, call for a delay in the election, and refuse to vote unless the current situation is satisfactorily resolved?

Here are my pros and cons, and please vote in the poll below:

Yes, the U.S. should follow the English and publicly condemn FIFA

• The U.S. potentially has the biggest reason to be aggrieved by this corruption.  While the U.K. also lost out on a World Cup (2018), their vote was not even close.  The United States, with a few votes swung their way, would have won the contest for such a lucrative and important event.  If those votes were swayed illegally, then the U.S. has every right to be angry and should be a leader in trying to get to the bottom of the alleged corruption.
• A few months after the results were announced, speculation was rife on the Internet that if Qatar was not ready to host the World Cup by a certain date, the U.S. would be a very viable fall-back option.  Of course FIFA would do everything in its power to prevent their gamble from failing, so this was never a really viable option.  However, if these allegations are true and Qatar and its allies bought the World Cup, FIFA (assuming a change of heart) would want to distance itself from such corruption.  What better way to do that then to give the 2022 World Cup to an outspoken reform proponent – the U.S.  It’s a stretch, but it may be a gamble worth taking.
• An important factor to consider is FIFA’s sponsorship, the heart of their corporate enterprise.  Already, some of the sponsors like Coca-Cola and Visa has expressed discontent with the current process.  These are two American-based companies; if the U.S. came out publicly against current FIFA practices, then their threats may seem more legitimate and give both the corporations and the U.S. a stronger leverage point.
• What if FIFA falls?  Not in the literal sense, but what if the reformers win and a cleaning process begins in FIFA headquarters?  The U.S., by coming out now, can claim to be leaders with England and Scotland of the soccer reform movement.

No, the U.S. cannot afford to condemn FIFA and Sepp Blatter

• Right now, the big names calling for an election delay and reforms are England and Scotland.  England is despised by FIFA leadership right now due to their investigations that started the controversy, but England will always be the country that invented soccer.  As such, they will always be an important part of the soccer landscape.  The U.S. is still an upstart whose soccer league is at best the fourth most important sport in the country.  Coming out in front of the reform movement now could seriously harm any progress the U.S. has made in the international soccer community.  In short, gambling and winning may give a very good payoff, but gambling and losing would be a huge loss.
• It’s a moot point.  The FIFA elections will be held tomorrow, Blatter will be named president for a fourth term, and any consequences will take place quietly and in the future.  The U.S. cannot make an impact on the process, so why lose any future clout just to make a point that will go no where?

Happy New Year to all our readers and best wishes in 2011!

The past year was a big one for American soccer.  A good but not great World Cup run, a highlight goal from Landon Donovan, and the controversial rehiring of Bob Bradley after the World Cup.  A first MLS Cup win by Colorado, the signings of Rafa Marquez and Thierry Henry by New York, but maybe more importantly the rise of young players like Tim Ream, Teal Bunbury, Juan Agudelo, and Andy Najar.  The retirements of Jaime Moreno, Brian McBride, and Taylor Twellman as well as the reinvigorating of Kevin Hartman.

And 2011 looks to be another interesting year, with MLS well represented in the CONCACAF Champions League as well as welcoming two new teams into the league.  Will LA be able to finally turn their strong regular seasons into an MLS Cup?  Will the young superstars continue their development while a very strong Superdraft be able to contribute right away?  And will the Eastern Conference, especially a healthy New York team, be able to even the playing field with a stronger Western Conference?  At the national level, can Bob Bradley begin to turn his Gold Cup team into the beginning of the 2014 qualifying team?

We here at MLS Talk are always looking to improve the site and make it the premier destination for discussions about American soccer.  The Gaffer, Randy, Daniel, and all of the MLS Talk contributers all contribute great content to the site, but it is never good to stand pat at a website.  So I open the floor to you, our dedicated community:

What content do you want to see from the site in 2011?

As part of the EPL Talk Network, we are a part of a number of great sites that present many different features for different leagues.  For example, EPL Talk contributer Jesse Chula offers a “Player of the Week” every week while Niccolo Conte at Serie A Talk has a weekly “Five Things” column, among many other features.  What kinds of new content would you like to see on the site in 2011?  Share your thoughts in the comments section, and we look forward to a soccer-filled 2011!

The list of the 2011 Gold Cup sites was unveiled yesterday and there were two story lines coming out of the announcement: the number of venues that would be hosting their first Gold Cup matches and the number of cities that were inexplicably left off the list.

As a reminder or, if you are new to the sport, an explanation, the Gold Cup is the tournament where in 2011 the winner advances to the 2013 Confederations Cup.  It does not impact World Cup qualifying directly.  What a win in the 2011 Gold Cup does do is allow a team a series of matches against other federation champs in a World Cup-style format.  The United States used a great Confederations Cup run in 2009 (we beat Spain!) to create positive momentum for the 2010 World Cup.

The first round takes place June 5-14, and some of the venues are no-brainers to be on the list.  The Dallas Cowboys’ mammoth stadium will host the first match on June 5, and repeat hosts include Soldier Field (Chicago) and the Home Depot Center (Carson City).  The other four new hosts are Ford Field (Detroit), Raymond James Stadium (Tampa), KC Soccer Stadium (Kansas City), and Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte).  While Detroit and Tampa are huge media markets that make sense for international soccer, CONCACAF seems to be looking to build the culture in Charlotte and Kansas City, and I will be curious to see the crowds for the matches.

The quarterfinals will be held June 18 at the New Meadowlands Stadium and June 19 at RFK Stadium (Washington DC).  The semifinal matches will be held in Houston on June 22 and the final held in the Rose Bowl on June 25.  None of these sites are a surprise except for maybe Houston having the semifinal over the New Meadowlands.

What is a surprise may be the cities left out of this list.  Philadelphia and Foxborough, MA on the East Coast both have MLS teams but failed to get the nod.  Columbus, Denver, Salt Lake City, and San Jose are other MLS metropolitan areas that were not selected.  But the biggest shaft may have been the West Coast, which has two hosts both in California, and none in the Pacific Northwest.  Sounders fans will miss out on the opportunity to see Gold Cup matches next year.

The total list of sites is after the break, but what are your thoughts on which cities were selected and which were left off?  Should the West Coast or the Rockies gotten more matches?

2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Schedule and Venues

First Round

June 5 – Cowboys Stadium (Arlington, TX)

June 6 – The Home Depot Center (Carson, CA)

June 7 – Ford Field (Detroit, MI)

June 9 – Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)

June 10 – FIU Stadium (Miami, FL)

June 11 – Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)

June 12 – Soldier Field (Chicago, IL)

June 13 – Red Bull Arena (Harrison, NJ)

June 14 – KC Soccer Stadium (Kansas City, KS)

Quarterfinals

June 18 – New Meadowlands Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)

June 19 – Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (Washington DC)

Semifinals

June 22 – Reliant Stadium (Houston, TX)

Final

June 25 – Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA)

A week after the US loss of the 2022 World Cup, much ink and internet type has been spilled on whether the U.S. deserved the bid or was robbed, whether we American soccer fans have a false sense of entitlement or a shady process overwhelmed everything, and even whether U.S. soccer is ok without the Cup or seriously set back.  Now is the perfect time for Sunil Gulati to come forward and address the issue, and lay the groundwork for the future of U.S. soccer.

Why now?  The federation needs to be dragged out of its grief cycle and begin to focus on the future.  Gulati needs to reassert his leadership and, most importantly, show FIFA and the world that U.S. soccer is a mature organization dedicated to working toward the future together with FIFA.  So if I were in the USSF press office, I would have my organization president hold a press conference, and at this press conference have him deliver the following speech:

Thank you everyone for assembling here today.  I would like to discuss in a formal way the 2022 World Cup bidding process and the subsequent awarding of the World Cup to Qatar.  I have spoken to many of you on the record in a variety of formats, but I felt it was important to not only make a formal statement before everyone, but to address the future of U.S. soccer.

First, I would like to congratulate Qatar on winning the World Cup bid.  After viewing their presentation and their grand ideas for the event, I feel that a worthy location has been chosen.  Their progressive and forward-thinking ideas for building state-of-the-art stadiums that can then be donated to less fortunate countries were excellent and the kind of innovation that sometimes we think only America is capable of doing.  The nation, which will host the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, deserves to host the world in 2022.

In a larger sense, I would like to commend FIFA for having the foresight to place the World Cup in the Middle East.  Civilization began on the bank of the Mesopotamia, and the fact that the region has never hosted a World Cup is unfortunate, a wrong that we will right in twelve years.  I do not want to delve into politics, which has little place in soccer, but too often Western contribution to the region has been warfare and weaponry.  This time, we will bring peace and unity, the kind I know the region will welcome.

I’d be remiss if I did not mention the rumors of corruption in the bid process and its impact on the Qatari selection.  Having seen no evidence of collusion or foul play with the selection, I wholeheartedly reject any notion that the selection was compromised.  To assume based on innuendo would be a disservice to our Qatari friends.  FIFA took action on the delegates that were accused of wrong doing, and without concrete evidence of other wrong doing I refuse to give credence to any other rumors.

That said, the FIFA selection process for too long has been cloaked in unnecessary secrecy and confusion, the kind that allows these type of rumors to exist.  I offer USSF and CONCACAF’s assistance to Mr. Blatter and the FIFA Executive Committee in reforming the selection process for two reasons.  First, at the end of the bid process, we all want there to be no doubt that the World Cup was fairly awarded.  Secondly, there is too much money wasted in the bid process.  England spent £15 million on their bid, money the country could have used elsewhere, only to garner two votes.  FIFA should be upfront as to the criteria and selection thought process to allow countries to spend their money wisely and economically in selling their country as a possible site.

Now, as for the future of U.S. soccer, we will place a bid for the 2026 World Cup, assuming FIFA rules make us eligible.  Instead of our past emphasis on being “soccer ready” and how much money an American World Cup will make (and it will make money), our slogan will be “one world, one nation.”  Our bid will emphasize the fact that Americans come from all over the globe and root for many different national teams, and our borders contain a microcosm of the world.  What better way to celebrate the world’s game than by holding it in a place where the world is represented, and can easily visit.  In fact, the U.S. is willing to make the 2026 World Cup more international by holding one match in the group stage in Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean each (3 total matches outside the US), to allow our neighbors to benefit from the World Cup while still leaving the logistics and cost to us.

Finally, I will address the U.S. men’s national team.  There had been discussion that a U.S. World Cup in 2022 would allow the USSF to have an “end date” for the American soccer building project.  This discussion is a valid one, and I am announcing here today that USSF still has 2022 as the end date for a new building project: The American World Cup Project.  Our goal is to have the U.S. be a serious contender for the 2022 World Cup, even though it will not be held in America.  Instead, we plan to make the Qatar World Cup ours in everything but location.  We will build the USSF infrastructure as if we were hosting the event (which means new training grounds for many clubs) and make every decision with 2022 in mind.  This does not mean we will not compete in 2014 and 2018, but we realize the fallacy of the old 2010 project and pledge to put everything into a competitive 2022 team (and beyond).  Will it be easy? No, but the last year has taught us America can be a soccer power if we set our minds to it, and I pledge to do that today.

Thank you, and I will now take questions.

In the wake of Thursday’s loss to Qatar in maybe the only place U.S. soccer can lose to them (the FIFA boardroom), many American soccer fans tried to rally their spirits by immediately turning their focus to the 2026 World Cup process.  An initial glance at the state of play right now for the World Cup suggests 2026 could be an even better opportunity for a United States World Cup than 2022.

CONCACAF would be long overdue to host the event (the last one being 1994) and by FIFA rules Europe and Asia would be ineligible to host.  South American would be unlikely because FIFA would probably want the 2030 World Cup in Uruguay/Argentina to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the tournament.  And out of North America, Oceania, and Africa the U.S. bid would look very promisingly, especially since it would then have been 32 years since the last American World Cup.

But upon further reflection a U.S. 2026 bid is in no way a slam dunk, despite our advantages.  Here are the top five reasons to not get your hopes too high about the 2026 bid:

1.  China – Yes, FIFA rules prohibit a federation from hosting consecutive World Cups, so China could not follow Qatar.  However, FIFA could change them between now and the next bid process if the right situation presents itself.  Chinese interest in a World Cup checks many of the boxes for FIFA: guaranteed profit, an infrastructure perfect for hosting such an event, a growing (or by 2026 grown) soccer market, and government assurances for a successful event.  Imagine the best of the U.S., Australia and Qatar bids, and you have China.  Such a cash cow might be hard to turn down.

2.  Canada – Mexico would be a prime place for a World Cup, but they have already hosted twice.  Canada, however, would be a compelling location for a World Cup and a perfect foil to a U.S. bid.  Again, Canada is a rich nation that has hosted Olympics in the past.  Soccer exists and has support, but a World Cup could really push its growth in the country.  The women’s team is already good.  If the Canadian team makes progress over the next few cycles, then Canada becomes a very attractive first-time bid.

3.  A first-time African nation bid - South Africa plus Qatar equals a dream scenario for FIFA.  Right now it’s hard to find a stable enough African country that’s not South Africa to be a really strong contender for a World Cup.  It is a long time between 2010 and the bid process, however, and there are a bunch of countries that could be viable for the next cycle.

4.  Map changes – There are some odd anomalies in the soccer federations.  Some, like Israel, are for cultural and geopolitical reasons while some (like Australia) are for competitive reasons.  The point is that the federations can be changed for a variety of reasons.  Why is this a factor?  Say FIFA reconsiders and decides Oceania needs to be beefed up as a federation; they put Australia back in Oceania.  Now Australia is eligible for the 2026 World Cup without a rules change.  Or what if India or the Middle Eastern nations show vast improvement prior to the 2018 World Cup, in anticipation of Qatar in 2022?  Would it make sense to add Japan and Australia to Oceania (since they are both Pacific islands)? Or maybe split Asia and merge half of it with Oceania?  All of these are unlikely scenarios, but a map change over the next five to ten years could damage another U.S. bid., especially if FIFA wants to give a World Cup to Australia or Japan.

5.  New Zealand or a CONCACAF island – Laugh all you want, but if a nation as small as Qatar can win why not New Zealand?  This is the same country that almost advanced from group stage in this year’s World Cup, although they did qualify against weaker competition.  Oceania has never had a World Cup and it would be a landmark event, something the Executive Committee obviously likes in a bid.  It has beautiful scenery and is economically advanced.  What about a more-open Cuba?  What a great way to show its reemergence to the international stage with a World Cup, either solo or jointly.  Is this reason so hard to believe?  Yes, both New Zealand and Cuba are odd choices, but they are both larger in land size and population by far than the 2022 host.