State of the Nation

Reactions from the weekend spanned the usual gamut from the rosy flower gardens of US Soccer.com to the dark and foreboding doom put forth on the message boards tolling the bells of our swan song. As is with most things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. No doubt, the debacle at the Saprissa Stadium was embarrassing in what looked to be a complete duck on all accounts. However, there is something to be said about the resilience of a team to compose themselves after they could have imploded 5 mins into the match in Chicago. That is character we can all be proud of, whether or not we agree if it was footballing eye candy.

Do we all have such a short memory that we do not remember the third place finish to the hexagonal leading up to Korea/Japan? South Africa shares a common bond with the 2002 location in that it is not on European soil. Think this doesn't matter? Take a look back at some of the quirky results from the Far East. Yes, we ultimately see traditional powers in the final, but this tournament proved zany results are possible with a little luck (a 3-0 lead in the Americans' first match against a loaded Portugal side should be proof enough).

This by no means should be a reassurance to the United States and it followers of a deep run to the quarterfinals, but bad performances and bumps in the road must be expected in qualifying. With more eyes then ever on the MNT, opinions abound regarding the status of the squad and its coaching staff. Steve Davis chooses to write off the boys as a stagnant entity, but I do not fully support such an assessment. Anyone who believed in the fallacy of Project 2010 was kidding themselves, just as the '02 version can be attributed to a certain amount of lightning in a bottle. Can we truly be displeased with the state of the program where it stands today?

We have more young players than ever in quality training situations at European clubs. Regular match appearances are still a tough sell for many of these players, but what is the alternative? An MLS schedule against lesser competition with no real developmental structure in place cannot be in the best interests of our players. Do not misinterpret, match situations are indeed vital and necessary to proper growth and development, but there must be a balance struck so we are not pandering to the lowest common denominator just to find games.

I must also remind everyone to keep an eye on qualifying groups in other regions. It is not a cake walk for many teams across the pond that had strong finishes four years ago. Not to mention CONCACAF has some of the poorest away venues to deal with in all of qualifying. This is international soccer, if you expect a 5-0 scoreline every time off the trot, you do not understand the game. Ultimately, as MNT fans we need to stick together and support the boys no matter who is on the field or behind the touchline. It's crunch time. Most of all, whatever happens at the Confederations Cup, we must remain steadfast in our support. Go on you Americans!