Random Rants on the Beautiful Game

Once dismissive, the European media is now hip to U.S. men.

By Chris Courtney
SoccerTimes

BRUSSELS (Tuesday, March 28, 2006) -- Sorry folks, but the word is out. There are probably more than a few American soccer fans out there who are secretly hoping the United States men will be taken lightly this summer after the 4-1 loss to Germany last Wednesday. For this to work, we need the European media (and, more importantly, opposing coaches and players) not to realize that the U.S. basically brought its reserve team to the match. I hate to break it to you. but they're onto us. The days of counting on a top national team to overlook the Americans have long since passed.

Not five years ago, some in the European media thought John O'Brien was Irish and that Claudio Reyna was from Argentina. While sitting in a Brussels suburb watching the game at a pub with around 40 expatriate Americans and Germans (on a German TV station), I lost count of the announcers' references to the "U.S. B-team" and the naming off the American starters missing from the World Cup tune-up.

A German friend asked why Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley were not playing. English announcers on Sky Sports, perhaps the European media best-informed on the U.S. team, provided a very accurate reading of the type of team manager Bruce Arena brought to Dortmund last week. Of course, with so many American starters playing in England, they were already well aware that Reyna, Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra, Eddie Lewis and others were not available. They were also not surprised by the quality Bobby Convey displayed that night since they see him every week playing for Reading.

It was also a nice surprise to see how well the Italian media covered the U.S. team in the run-up to the match and in post-match reporting. Over the years, I've often found that the Italians were less aware of the Americans' progress in comparison to the media in northern Europe. They all remember Alexi Lalas, but most Italian folks I've met could not name more than one player on the current U.S. squad.

Of course, with no Americans playing in Serie A or B and with the U.S. team being 0-6-2 record against the Azzurri, who could blame them? This too may be changing. La Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy's sports newspaper of record, credited the Germans with beating a depleted U.S. team, which held its own for close to 60 minutes. Italy manager Marcello Lippi also remarked to the media that he was "impressed by the midfield pace and play of Convey and (Kerry) Zavagnin," and warned Italy fans that "they'll see a much different U.S. team when they meet at Kaiserslautern in June."

Standard Liege's Portuguese international Sergio Conceicao could be banned for the remainder of the season after throwing a fit during the club's Belgian Cup tilt with Zulte Waregem. Conceicao was shown the red card in the 37th minute of last week's semifinal match for spitting at an opposing player, then tearing off his armband and jersey, and tossing them into the face of referee Peter Vervecken. Still not out of steam, the former Porto and Inter Milan ace then sat shirtless in the stands after shouting at the fourth official.

Standard went on to lose the game 2-1. Conceicao, the Jupiler League's 2005 "Player of the Year", faces a Belgian Football Association disciplinary hearing on April 11. Belgian media speculate that Conceicao won't play again this season and may even draw a longer ban, though perhaps not the maximum allowable suspension of five years, according to Belgian FA regulations.

Unless it qualifies for the quarterfinals, U.S. World Cup group opponent Ghana will be without the services of Laryea Kinston because of the Lokomotiv Moscow midfielder's four-match suspension by the African Football Federation. Both Kinston and his mid-match sparring partner Habib Beye of Senegal were sent off for violent play during an African Nations' Cup group match.

Kinston might have been declared eligible had the Ghana Football Association submitted an appeal within the prescribed time period. Recently, even Brazilain legend Pele attempted to persuade FIFA officials to give a special dispensation to allow Kinston to play, so far with no success. Unless the Black Stars, as they are affectionately known in Ghana, make it to the quarterfinals, the talented midfielder will watch the three group games and, if his nation advances, a second-round match from the stands.

Speaking of Ghana, those attending the remaining U.S matches before this summer's World Cup might find themselves sitting near a bald, mustachioed gentleman from Ghana, no doubt taking a few notes. He would be an African soccer legend, "Sir" Cecil Jones Atoquayefio, the only coach to win Africa's three most coveted trophies. Atoquayefio has been tapped by Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic to scout and monitor the progress of Ghana's World Cup group opponents. He guided the Accra's Hearts Of Oak to win the Champions League, the Super Cup and AFC Confederations Cup, all within a period of four years.

Another Ghana technical scout is Robert Sackey, head coach of the San Francisco Nighthawks of the Women's Premier Soccer League. Of course, neither might do much scouting unless the Ghanian Football federation can come up with the $4 million they need to prepare the Black Stars for the World Cup.

The funds are needed to cover the cost of training camp, players' wages, pre-tournament friendly matches and travel costs. A number of corporate sponsors in Ghana have contributed to the budget, but serious shortfalls remain. Among the sponsors of Ghana's maiden appearance in the World Cup is the Guinness Brewery of Ghana (yes, that Guinness). So, those wanting to indirectly help Ghana get to the World Cup in style might want to order a pint or two. Anything to help the game.

Bad news for World Cup Group E defenders. It now looks like the Czechs will head to Germany this June with its all-time leading scorer, Borussia Dortmund's Jan Koller. The striker has been out of action since September after tearing ligaments in his left knee during a German Bundesliga match. He has scored 40 goals in international competition, including nine in last year's qualifying matches.

Koller has started training again with Dortmund and hopes to play in the club's last few matches of the season. Czech manager Karel Bruckner, in Dortmund to watch Wednesday's U.S.-Germany match, sat down with Koller to discuss his progress and came away more than pleased.

While Bruckner is relieved to know Koller should be back, he is less certain on whether Pavel Nedved will suit up in June. The midfielder for Italy's Juventus is still deciding whether he'll join the squad for the World Cup after the 33-year-old retired from the international game in 2004. There is some hope though since he did appear for two of his nation's qualifying matches, both against Norway. Then again, Nedved might opt to save his energy and work as a television commentator, just as he did while covering hockey during the 2006 Winner Olympics in Torino, Italy.

Meanwhile, 1860 Munich midfielder Roman Tyce has suffered the third major knee injury of his career, tearing a ligament in his right leg during a German 2Bundesliga match against Paderborn last week. The 28-year-old Czech international underwent surgery this week and will miss the World Cup. While not considered a starter, he was expected to figure into Bruckner's plans for the squad.

Need to pick a new soccer team, but don't want to go through the effort of scouting and selecting players? Why not use a reality show to do it for you? A couple of Malaysian television producers who were fed up with the state of their nation's soccer have done just that. The new hit show MyTeam airs every Tuesday night as the show's coaches select the best three players from each of Malaysia's 13 states to bring into camp with a chance to earn one of 22 roster spaces. The show's finale occurs on May 28 when the MyTeam select squad takes on the Malaysian national team in the Bukit Jalil National Stadium.

No word yet if Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell will be there. If Bruce Arena ever decides to try such a novel approach, I just ask that he not make them sing. Anyone who has watched the ending of the U.S. soccer team's video My Way will know what I mean.

Chris Courtney is an expatriate American living in Brussels, Belgium. E-mail Chris Courtney.