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The SBI Show: Episode 135 (Talking 2016 Copa America, USMNT position battles, and more)

Clint Dempsey

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By IVES GALARCEP

The looming World Cup is generating plenty of the attention in the soccer world, but later this week a tournament that is still two years away will take center stage as CONCACAF and CONMEBOL prepare to announce the 2016 Copa America, which is set to be played in the United States.

Episode 135 of The SBI Show discusses the proposed tournament, which has been rumored for a few years but appears ready to become a reality on Thursday. With South American teams facing off against CONCACAF teams, American fans will have a chance to see some of the best players in the world competing for silverware on American soil.

Co-host Garrett Cleverly and I also discuss a big weekend for Americans Abroad, including memorable weekends for Terrence Boyd, John Brooks and Joe Gyau. We also discuss MLS Week Eight, including Seattle’s latest outstanding performance and Portland’s latest disappointing result.

Give Episode 135 of The SBI Show a listen after the jump:

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What did you think of the show? Excited for the 2016 Copa America? Which centerbacks do you see being called to the pre-World Cup USMNT camp?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. what makes the shows are the tangents, soapbox rants and insight into who ives and Garrett are.

    I never listen thru iTunes (stitcher) but I might find it so that I can add a deserved comment.

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  2. Re: Gold Cup outside US…
    How about a rotation between Mexico, US, Canada, and pairs of best equipped Central America (CR+ Pan) Caribbean (Cuba +Jam) nations?

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  3. Ives, don’t listen to the haters that tell you not to get on your soapbox…I mean, you’re not running a news show, it’s an opinion podcast. We listen because you know your sh*t and your opinion is very well informed. I don’t always agree with you but I have to respect your opinion, something which is less and less common in our current social climate and anonymous internet culture.

    A little harsh on Dallas but I completely agree, said essentially the same thing in the comments of the match recap. First Loyd yellow was really soft though, but the second yellow could well have been a straight red.

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  4. I have said it a hundred times. If you start Gonzales at center back in Brazil he will cost us a goal. Why do you guys continue to rank him as a starting CB/ Go back and look at the tapes. How many terminal mistakes must he make for you to see it.

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  5. Can someone define for me what the official definition of a “rookie” is? Is you play in USL or NASL, are you a rookie at MLS level, or is that already considered professional. Someone like Luke Mulholland is killing it for RSL (they blow leads twice after he gets pulled from game for players who are weaker defensively), but is he considered a rookie after being in NASL?

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    • Rookie, by MLS standards, is someone who has never played professionally before on any level, so no, Luke Mulholland is NOT a rookie.

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  6. Here is my 23 man squad for Brazil

    GK- Howard, Guzan, Rimando,
    DEF: Chandler, Brooks,Parkhurst, Goodson, F.Johnson, Besler,Gonzalez, Ream, Cameron
    MID:Bedoya,Bradley,Dempsey,Jones, Beckerman, Donovan, Zusi, Edu/Green(take your pick, id probably pick Edu)
    FWD: Altidore, Johannsen, Boyd.

    The surprise omissions: Beasley(do we really want him lining up against ghana, portugal, and Germany?), Eddie Johnson(rather have boyd), Wondolowski(ditto), Diskarud(hes just not good enough in the stacked midfield, too many players id rather have).

    I would probably run something like this at WC:
    ———————–Howard———————
    Chandler——Cameron——–Besler———F.Johnson—
    ——————-Bradley———Jones——————
    —–Bedoya—————————————-Donovan
    ————————————Dempsey———————
    ————————–Altidore———————————

    Reply
    • I heard this stat on Talk Sport, that of all the players that attend a World Cup and don’t play, half of them are defenders. I just don’t think we need 9 defenders, especially considering the versatility of many of them. Attackers affect games when brought on as subs more effectively than defenders. That said I’d leave 1 behind for a player like E. Johnson, Wondo, etc.. Someone who has a niche quality that we may need at the end of a game to progress.

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  7. Agreed on our best back line, FJ-Besler-Cam-Chandler. I see Parky as a better backup to Chandler (over Evans) for his defensive qualities, and his versatility is a big plus. Same on versatility with Ream, and you almost wonder whether he would be a better backup to FJ than would DMB. It would be hard on DMB and Evans, but like Ives said, we want the best players now in those positions.

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  8. The best solution for both confederations (and FIFA for that matter) would be to have the Gold Cup and the “conventional” Copa America held the year after the World Cup and every 4 years thereafter with the winners automatically going to the Confederations Cup. Then the “Super” Copa America could be held every 4 years on year 2 of the cycle just before Euros (it’s a tight squeeze, but it fits) with the winner getting an additional bid to the Confederations Cup (or a playoff against Oceania, which is basically the same thing). So the final Calendar would end up looking like this:

    Year 0: World Cup
    Year 1: Gold Cup/Copa America
    Year 2: Euros/ Super Copa/ Olympics
    Year 3: Confederations Cup/WCQ
    Year 4: World Cup

    This way you have meaningful soccer being played every summer. CONCACAF and CONMEBOL would send their “A” teams to each tournament since they’d be official and have a Confederations Cup bid on the line. Europe would complain about the Americas getting an extra spot, but whatever. It’d be more fun for all and we wouldn’t have to watch Tahiti losing 10-0 again.

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    • Would love to see this! Not exactly equitable to offer a second path to Confed Cup qualification that is only for concacaf and conmebol countries. Figure it out and make it happen soccer gods.

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    • Like your idea but there’s one question to be answered. When the US wins the Gold Cup and the Super Copa, where does the extra Confed Cup berth go?

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  9. Center backs: Let’s see all of Gonzo, Besler, JAB(catching form/huge up side), Gooch (experience), Ream (catching form and deserves a look even if it’s very late), and Goodson, one last time.

    Very excite about the 2016 Copa being here. I’ve always said that an all-Americas Copa with any sort of regularity would be a more exciting and colorful competition than The Euro Cup is. Let’s do this.

    Reply

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