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The SBI Questions: Ask Peter Vermes

Peter Vermes USA  

When it comes to being able to discuss everything from the experience of playing in a World Cup, playing in Europe, winning an MLS Cup and building an MLS Cup contending team, there are few Americans who can speak from experience like Peter Vermes.

From his experience in the 1990 World Cup, when he started all three games and played every minute for the United States in its first World Cup appearance in 40 years, to his dream season helping lead the Kansas City Wizards to the 2000 MLS Cup title, Vermes has seen and done it all throughout his distinguished career.

Now the technical director of the Wizards, Vermes has become one of the most respected and sought-after executives in MLS. Courted by several clubs this past off-season, Vermes has chosen to stay in Kansas City and help build the Wizards into a championship contender.

Vermes is the latest interview subject for The SBI Questions, a new feature on SBI that will consist of readers submitting questions, SBI selecting the best of them before presenting them to the interview subject. Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio took part in the first installment of The SBI Questions and we are working on the next MLS/USMNT personality to take the hot seat.

Please submit your soccer-related questions for Vermes in the comments section below. The answers will be posted next week.

Comments

  1. How about the idea of coming up to Omaha (only 2 1/2 hours away) to play an exhibition or maybe a US Open Cup match. Creighton has a wonderful SSS that seats about 6000, might be a nice way to grow the fanbase within the region?

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  2. i realize you may need to be diplomatic about this, but can you explain whether or not it is rongen who is pushing some of these younger talents with dual citizenship away from the US nats?

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  3. Mr Vermes. I remember watching you play on that big green sea of astroturf formerly known as the Rutgers Soccer Stadium when i was a kid. Good times. My question is who do you think the best player to ever wear the #10 USMNT jersey? Tab Ramos, Landon Donovan, or someone else.

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  4. KC does support the Wizards but that support can always grow. I’ve heard rumors that Cauldron season ticket sales are up significantly, and a new park is opening soon. You have to re-build the hardcore base that the Hunts ignored. That seems to be going well.

    A question for Peter. Are you confident KC will fix their scoring woes from 2008? If so, what do you base that confidence on?

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  5. With the dissolving of the reserves league, do you think — for at least the near future — that more MLS teams should affiliate minor league teams such as Chicago has done in NPSL (where you can pay players and therefore theoretically house some developmental contract players) and the PDL (where the top college prospects that have gone through your juniors programs can have a place to play during the summer to stay tight with the organization). I know that KC currently has the PDL KC Brass — but to my knowledge there is no official affiliation with them like there is between Chicago and its NPSL and PDL sides…

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  6. The Wizards have seemed to toil in relative obscurity, the 2000 Cup notwithstanding. Yet the club persists and slowly keeps building. Can you give a personal perspective of the challenges of growing your club, as well as what joys/factors keep you and the club moving forward?

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  7. Sweet Ives

    As a member of the U.S. Futsal team at the 1989 FIFA Futsal World Championships which placed third, do you think that Futsal can play an integral role in developing U.S. soccer players and technical skills? Should it be given more attention that it currently is?

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  8. Mafia Interrogation

    Great concept, Ives. The Osario interview was outstanding.

    Peter, the US team seems to have been built/trained/devised to basically defeat Mexico. What steps are needed to get the team to challenge the other, more powerful nations in Europe and South America?

    Are you also sick of the one striker system that Sampson, then Arena and now Bradley employs?

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  9. PV, great job so far in KC, hoping he aquistion of all these attacking-minded players pays-off this year. How do you see the team doing this year, and what do you think they need to do to become MLS Cup Champions?

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  10. Peter, were you responsible for trading Dave Van Den Bergh to the Red Bulls for a supplemental pick while picking up a huge chunk of his salary? If so, did you throw-up in your mouth when he went on to become the Red Bulls best player not named Juan Pablo Angel?

    Thanks for your years of service to the game in this country and helping it grow. Great to sees guys who helped start MLS now in positions of power and doing well for their teams and fans.

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  11. Peter:
    What is the long term plan for KC? As a Wizards STH I’m curious as to what steps will be taken to build on our growing fan base. It seems at though we are in a holding pattern until the new stadium is built. Once we do get our own digs, how does the FO plan to court Chiefs/Royals fans? Those franchises seem to have a loyal following regardless of on-field performance. You’ve built a winner in KC – I guess what I’m asking is how are we gonna fill our stadium with new fans and end this “move KC” nonsense once and for all. P.S…. I’m dying to see the stadium renderings, when can we see that?

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  12. As an original Metrostar STH in ’96, was there a young player you played with that you thought would make an impact on the international level? i.e. Miles Joseph, A.J. Wood, or Matt McKeon etc.

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