Good morning folks. It is a pretty slow day today. Well, except for the whole MLS expanding to Philadelphia thing. We did have the official confirmation this morning of Toronto FC’s heist trade with San Jose.
The posting will be light today as I am preparing for a trip tonight (more on that later). I will try to offer up some posts as I get ready, but for now, here are some stories to tide you over:
Cory Gibbs is back. Well, the former U.S. national team defender is at least back on the field, even if not in first team action yet. Gibbs started in the Charlton reserve team’s 3-1 win against Southampton on Tuesday. It’s a start for Gibbs, who broke multiple bones in his foot last fall. Given the state of the national team fullback pool, Gibbs can’t return soon enough.
River Plate tops Club America. Argentine power River Plate rode an injury time game-winner from Ariel Ortega to topple Club America on Copa Libertadores action Wednesday night. River’s next Copa match is March 12 against Marcos Gonzalez and Universidad Catolica. America will face Peruvian champions San Martin on March 13.
Ireland to play Colombia. New Ireland coach Giovanni Trappattoni has lined up a pretty tough friendly for his second game in charge. Rejuvenated Colombia will face Ireland at Craven cottage on May 29. The match is the first of two against European countries for Colombia, which also faces France on June 3.
Share your thoughts on these stories below.
The news about Cory Gibbs made my day. However, seeing Ann Coulter advertising on your site made me vomit.
point taken fredo, Honestly im completely against unifying Concacaf and Conmebol for the sames reasons as David W, it would make it harder for North and Central American teams to qualify for the WC what I would like to see is more Concacaf teams getting invited to the Copa America and vice versa with the Gold cup, I believe that it is time Concacaf takes competition further by mandating more and more encounters with SA teams not only on a Int’l Friendly but in tournaments that count I remember not too long ago a Honduras side knocked out Brazil in Copa America 2001 and Colombia took out Mexico and Argentina!!!! these type of tournament not only raise the competition but encourage Federations to raise their game level up as well as open doors for scouts to view more talents whether its MLS signing SA players or the other way around
i meant, WCQ…not WCS.
thanks for discussing, guys. i could go on forever on this.
maybe at a bar next time, huh?
It would be awesome competition to have both federations combined but reality (for now, at least) says that we are separate entities and have separate styles.
Please don’t take my comment beforehand that I believe CONCACAF is some sort of minnow–because I don’t. I live here so I watch as many regional tourneys as possible. And I witness the growth of this federation.
Mexico and the U.S. have grown to be dominant forces in the region. The Ticos, Hondurans, Guates and Jamaicans always provide stiff competition. And who’s to say that Panama, T&T (remember the last WC?) and El Salvador can’t saddle up and get their programs back on track?
However, assessing that CONCACAF is rising and CONMEBOL is declining is, I feel, a bit skewed.
I invite you to watch some league matches in SA, if possible. For the most part, they have very healthy leagues. And, I for one, am glad that MLS is scouting more and more down there each preseason to find that next Luciano or Toja or whomever. It’s a gold mine just sitting there for our leagues to get better….and make our side of the hemisphere more attractive than a WCS that puts Italy vs Faroe Islands. (wink)
I’m conflicted about the idea of unifying CONCACAF and CONMEBOL. It would make for great entertainment to have home-and-home’s between the best countries like Mexico, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. CONCACAF currently exists separate from CONMEBOL to protect the smaller Central American and Caribbean countries, like Guatemala, Costa Rica, and T&T, who would never qualify from a monster Confederation of the Americas. However, as a USA fan, I would be hesitant about giving up the current setup, which protects us because our team has to make an enormous blunder to avoid qualifying for the World Cup and then we take our chances at the World Cup against the best competition from all regions. I know that US would have a lot of trouble winning at Ecuador (good team at very high elevation), Bolivia (mediocre team that can play at an insane elevation), Paraguay, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil (not even with major Brazilian injuries), and Argentina (ditto).
I suppose if playing ultra-meaningful games against South American teams floats your boat, you would support such a merger. If you want to see USA play meaningful games against European countries, then we need to be practically guaranteed of WC qualification.
I understand Julio but I was simply stating that I disagree with Fredo’s comments I think Concacaf is definetely catching up to the teams he mentioned
What I meant to say about the CONCAFF and CONMEBOL uniting is that it would be great for competition for all of SOuth,CEntral and NOrth AMerica. It would be great look at Europe, they have Italy,ENgland, France all these powerhouse teams in one conference, yes maybe different divisions but they are all forced to play eachother. It makes for better matches and makes the countries better. We know that the US has recenlty scheduled tough opponents post the WC debacle….but we need to not just have it in friendlies but in stadiums that are jam packed to prepare them for WC competition.
yea and your point is … the whole purpose of friendlies is for different teams to match up against each other dude! its not like every year we have a world cup
Jerry, scores from friendlies? Come on now!
Fredo –
I agree with most of what you said except for you cant compare a country’s history with the present game. ALOT of Concacaf teams have recently showed that they are atleast on the same level as those teams you have just mentioned and I am going by recent results in Int’l Friendlies if u wanna be fair look at the friendlies that took place in 07 and 08
USA 3 – Ecuador 0
Honduras 2- Ecuador 1
USA 4- Brazil 2 ( lost but still showed we can keep up with the best of them)
Honduras 2- Paraguay 0 and I can name a few more upsets that concacaf teams have given conmebol recently its no big secret that the level of play in Concacaf is slowly but steadily rising while Conmebol is declining I wouldnt be surprised if you see 4 concacaf teams in SA 2010 in stead of only 3 and that 4th one being Costa Rica, Panama, or Honduras.
Erin Go Bragh, brah.
John O’Brien was the original Cory Gibbs. I like Cory, and I think he is a possible solution to left back, but the poor guy is always injured.
The River match was in Argieland.
And I’d have to agree with Ronald on the separations of confederations.
I understand the U.S. has an excellent squad, especially in the past decade. No one can take that from you ever. The scary part is that they will get better.
But to simply scoff and underestimate the rest of the teams because they are not BRA or ARG is simply, well, too simple. They have tradition and history but with so much corruption and greed, not only with the federations but also with players nowadays, it’s a scandal any which way you look at it. It’s a continuous and nagging puzzle to solve.
Uruguay has one of the most technically gifted players in the world and are dangerous on any given day. With their depth and talent, Uruguay can run with the best of them in Europe.
Paraguay is also one of those teams that don’t need an introduction. They’ve had such incredible technique and, best of all, have boasted some of the best defenses in qualifiers and WC tournies.
Colombia was always special and their players are some of the fittest and more creative squads in SA.
Peru has had history and tradition on their side and individually can be proud of their players who ply their trade on some of the best teams in the world but are going thru such a rough patch that i’m sure every team goes thru and overcomes.
Chile also goes thru their rough times but when they develop players….believe me, they develop players. EX: Matias Fernandez.
Ecuador, I also consider one of the fittest teams in SA, judging by their play above sea level and at WC. But it’s unfair to label them as “mountaineers” just b/c they have some tough times at ground level. They’ve been fun to watch in the last few WCQs.
Bolivia always has been a struggling side but I just don’t think they are supported correctly, not by its supporters, mind you, but by their federation and, to an extent, their government.
Venezuela–What can you say about Venezuela? If you have to pick several teams with tremendous improvement in the past few years, it’s the Vinotinto. They’ve been a force to deal with national-wise and club-wise.
So before you scoff at the “other” teams, just remember where the U.S. was pre1994. They’ve built a solid foundation and a viable league that everyone is talking about, whether good or bad. And i’m glad to see it succeeding and to be successful further down the line!
But i luv Futbol, either way. Great discussions and great work to Ives too.
This reminds me of the great upset we almost made in my high school season.
“prayoff, NO BS”
Was the River win at the Azteca?
I think the CONMEBOL AND THE CONCAFF should stay the way they are. For starters no one wants to see Nicaragua vs. Venezuela match…scrubs, second, I think CONMEBOL would absolutely dominate CONCACAFF with maybe Mexico and perhpas the US tying a came or two.
As far as the matches against Ireland and France they are great. It shows how European coaches are starting to notice the talent coming out of Colombia and how good the national team actually is to be able to compete against Brazil and Argentina to schedule a football match against la the one and only TriColor.
Vamos Colombia!
Cory Gibbs has bad luck, but John O’Brien had worse luck.
Was Gibbs considered a locker room cancer in Dallas?
I love it, this can only make Colombia better. I would love to see them come back and be one of the powers again in South America. Tired of just seing Brazil and Argentina out the CONMEBOL conference. I hope one day they unite both the CONMEBOL AND CONCAFF and make it one American Conference. Kind of like Europe has. It’s us and Mexico and it’s Brazil and Argentina….I love Colombia’s style of football as well. So playing France and Ireland will be good for them.
Nowhere would the USMNT enjoy a greater home field advantage than at Craven Cottage. Hence, we, and not the Colombias of the world, should be playing there.
River-America was a great match to watch. I hope that our friends unfamiliar with this tourney are watching. If not, they’re missing out on some intense action. Peru’s Cienciano was unlucky to fall 2-1 at the Maracana to Brazil’s Flamengo. The match was marred by some questionable officiating on both teams. Sao Paulo & Atl. Nacional match ended in a 1-1 draw. Adriano really looks like he needs more matches under his belt.
No one has worse luck in U.S. Soccer than C. Gibbs. Hope he stays healthy.
‘Cory Gibbs’ and ‘National Team’ cannot be written in the same sentence without 12 successive, injury-free months.
I am happy Gibbs is back, I hope to see him in the EPL next year. Looks like Charlton would have to advance through the playoffs.
i still think gibbs would have made a big difference in ’06. what a devastating loss that was. i hope he comes back and plays great and gets a shot in 2010.