Top Stories

Your Questions Answered: March Edition

It is time for the latest SBI Q&A, with readers having submitted questions for SBI editor-in-chief Ives Galarcep to answer.

We have questions on the USMNT, USWNT, MLS, and more, so let’s get started.

Here are your questions answered:


Should US Soccer be responsible to pay USWNT the $34 million FIFA delta? (WAYNE)

IVES – It’s an interesting dilemma for U.S. Soccer, because the reality is the disparity between the Men’s World Cup winner prize and Women’s World Cup winner prize is a FIFA-created problem. Does that absolve U.S. Soccer completely? No, but I also don’t think U.S. Soccer should be on the hook for covering that difference in its entirety.

That being said, considering the USWNT are the only world champions U.S. Soccer can point to, there’s no reason why U.S. Soccer can’t contribute to helping cover that different to some degree.


How concerned are you about Christian Pulisic’s long-term ability to stay healthy? Is he just getting unlucky, or is he the next John O’Brien? (JOE)

IVES- Pulisic’s injuries have been shorter-term muscle injuries, and comparing him to O’Brien, who had significant injuries that cost him long stretches before cutting short his career, feels very premature. I’d chalk it up to him being a bit unlucky, and would probably start to worry more if and when he started having some long-term injuries.


What do you think the likelihood is that Steffen spends next season with Man City and will have a chance to play? (JOHNNYRAZOR)

IVES – If Manchester City can’t overturn its looming Financial Fair Play suspension from Champions League, then it will become significantly tougher for City to attract an adequate backup goalkeeper. Not one better than Steffen, who fits in well stylistically with how City likes to play.

Of course, with Fortuna Dusseldorf in the relegation zone, staying in the Bundesliga might not be as simple a proposition as we think. Now, if the Bundesliga follows through with what is being reported as a possible move to put off relegating teams this season then Steffen would have to consider whether to stay in Germany and be a starter or be an understudy for Man City. That’s not an easy decision.


If everyone is healthy, who is your starting xi this fall for WC qualifiers? (THREE GOALS)

IVES – If everyone is healthy, here’s the XI I would start for the early qualifiers:

———————–Altidore———————–

Pulisic—-McKennie–Adams———–Morris

———————Bradley—————————

Dest——-Brooks——–Long———-Cannon

———————–Steffen————————-

I’m sure some folks will complain about Altidore and Bradley being there, but the reality is Altidore is still the top striker, and a healthy Bradley can still do the job, especially with McKennie and Adams in front of him to help him cover ground.

The other option is to play Adams as the defensive midfielder, and plug in either a Duane Holmes or Sebastian Lletget next to McKennie.

Josh Sargent and Gio Reyna have the talent to break into the starting lineup eventually, but if we’re talking qualifiers that are set to take place in just a few months, I think the above lineup gets the job done. Of course, Altidore staying healthy is a big caveat, but if he’s healthy, he’s still the top option. Will that be the case a year from now? Not if Sargent can continue to develop and becomes a consistent starter in the Bundesliga.

If there’s a position that’s up in the air for me, it’s right back, where I’m starting DeAndre Yedlin if he’s playing regularly. Right now he’s not playing at Newcastle. That can obviously change, but if he’s not playing, then you have to give the nod to Reggie Cannon.

I know some will suggest Sergino Dest at right back, but I think Dest at left back and Cannon at right back is better than any combo of Dest at right back and someone else at left back. Could that change in a year when someone like Antonee Robinson or Chris Gloster emerges to challenge at left back? Sure, but for right now I’m keeping Dest at left back.


Over/Under 25 on the amount of games MLS plays for the rest of the season when (or if) the season resumes…(MISTER JC)

IVES- That’s a very good question. Two months worth of games are not going to be easy to squeeze in, though if you’re looking at pushing the postseason into December, that buys you back a month. I’ll take the over for now, though that’s probably just me being optimistic.


The new Jay Electronica is of course what everyone is talking about. Its dope lyrically but…where did the drums go?? Are too many people on this Roc Marciano style of rhyming over violins, etc and not drums? (DAINJA)

IVES – The first listen didn’t impress me nearly as much as I expected, but it’s gotten better with more listens. That said, I don’t think Jay Electronica’s flow was that great, and I thought the production/mix was terrible. As for drums/no drums, I don’t think you need drums to have a good album, but the beats on that album were mostly trash.


Thank you to everyone who submitted questions. We will do this again next week, so please join us and have your questions ready — Ives

Comments

  1. Wow Ives! Really shocked at how you are not more an advocate for the difference and discrimination of pay diff for the womens nats team. The fed can cover the difference to some extent. Like come on man they should cover it fully, not to some frivolous (mysterious extent like me) extent lol. Being a man is not an excuse, I am a man and what they are doing is flat out wrong. Women should get more then men, because they actually win tournaments unlike the men who as of recently cannot even win a Gold Cup

    Reply
    • France received 38 million for winning the US women got 4 million. Based at least loosely on the payout amounts the men would earn 1.1 million for a win the women around 260,000. For the US to take a $20 million dollar loss doesn’t make sense that’s a lawsuit for FIFA not the USSF’s fault. There are two complicating factors in all this one is the yearly salary payed to USW players and that revenue from TV is tied together. Where it’s clear that disparity should be taken care of is in travel, training facilities, and meal allowances during team training. USSF should take care of it’s own problems but they can’t be asked to fix FIFAs too

      Reply
  2. “I’m sure some folks will complain about Altidore and Bradley being there, but the reality is Altidore is still the top striker, and a healthy Bradley can still do the job, especially with McKennie and Adams in front of him to help him cover ground”

    A health Bradley can still do the job? ??? A hammer can be used to open a sealed wine bottle or a piece of broken glass can be used to slice through nylon rope…but are they the right tools for the job IVES????

    And Alti-noscore is still the TOP US STRIKER???? In world cup qualifiers you have to readily perform and convert a few chances you have in front of goal. You need to be able to do what you can (score goals), with what you have (the players around you), where you are (in front of goal). You don’t have time to “warm” up and get going through out a season, therefore, you have to deliver as soon as your number is called upon. Like my man Teddy Roosevelt so eloquently put it:
    “It is not often that a man can make opportunities for himself. But he can put himself in such shape that when or if the opportunities come he is ready”.
    So if called upon right now, for two games in a world cup qualifier that equates to 180 minutes of play on the field…..let’s see who seems ready or has made the best of their opportunities in a short period of time.

    Altidore – 0 goals in 169 minutes played (NO SURPRISE THERE)
    Zardes – 1 goal in 170 minutes played – F
    Chris Mueller – 1 goal in 101 minutes played – F
    Emerson Hyndman – 2 goals in 180 minutes played – M
    Jordan Morris – 2 goals in 135 minutes played – F / W
    Ike Opara – 2 goals in 180 minutes played – CB
    khiry Shelton – 1 goal and 1 assist in 180 minutes F / W
    Jonathan Lewis – 1 goal in 6 MINUTES PLAYED F

    ….and Jozy Altidore should be the lead striker for the USMNT because why IVES?? why?? Even Opara has more luck in front of goal!!!! The struggles of the USMNT to score goal begins and ends with “No-score Altidore”. I’m sorry there is no justification for No-score being the best US striker…… no matter how he looks for the role of striker because, in all actuality, that ALL he brings to the table (like a display model for the real deal!!!!)

    On another note I hope you all are being safe and taking the necessary safe precautions out there.

    Reply
    • Hah hah you can’t pick two games and say see this person is good or not good. It would be like saying since Jozy scored in 4 straight games from July 13-27 that he is our best option. Of course you have to weigh current form, but with the sample so small due to postponements you can’t use it as the only. You also only named one player who plays as a CF. Altidore has 56 goals in 112 matches since returning to MLS (29 in last 63 USNT matches) this falsehood you keep trying to perpetuate that he doesn’t score is embarrassing.
      —————————
      Bradley, totally agree shouldn’t start, wouldn’t hate if he was subbed on as another midfielder late to kill off a game but that would be it.

      Reply
      • “Altidore has 56 goals in 112 matches since returning to MLS (29 in last 63 USNT matches)”…..and ranks behind Chris Wondolowski (who is at retirement) for total goals scored in the last 4 years, highest goals scored in a single season in the last 4 years and number of consecutive goals scored in the last 4 years….and just in case you forgot we are talking about Wondolowski. Let me tell you what is embarrassing, is when people like you try to push a narrative that statistics cannot support. Quite frankly it’s pathetic. When you cannot even achieve ANY TOP HONORS in ANY CATEGORY in a league like MLS in 4+ years, that’s embarrassing….Scoring 1 goal in 42 appearances for Sunderland in the EPL in your prime but expected to miraculously score for the USMNT against the best in the world (if we can ever make it to a world cup with him at the tip of the spear), that’s embarrassing…..

        …..Like I said trying to push a narrative that statistics cannot support…..even though he is not the worst we’ve had he is not fit to be deem the respect of “TOP US STRIKER.

      • https://therunnersports.com/why-jozy-altidore-failed-in-the-premier-league/

        “….he sealed a loan move to Hull City in the 2009-10 season. Initially a hit with the supporters, Altidore then struggled to hit the net. In 25 appearances for the Premier League side, he mustered up just one goal and assisted three others.”

        “Altidore’s struggles from his younger days never evaded him. He became a laughing stock at the Stadium of Light and again managed just a lone strike, bringing his grand total to two goals in a staggering 70 Premier League appearances.”

        “Janssen, like Altidore, became one of the WORST strikers from open play in the Premier League,”

        Now that’s embarrassing……

      • Seriously did a Jozy steal your girl? Are you his ex-wife? Did you lose a bunch of money betting on Sunderland? Your irrational hatred of Jozy is so strange.

      • If you have nothing else to say that means you are starting to get it……First Bradley, no No-score. It’s just my reaction to mediocrity and it doesn’t matter how much people like you push the narrative……he is not an above average player. Maybe you are his girl, leaving Bradley after realizing he’s talent-less, now moving to noscore Altidore lol.

        “To a hungry person, every bitter food is sweet. When the preferable is not available, the available becomes preferable!”― Israelmore Ayivor

        …but only to a few

  3. Lost credibility when you say Bradley . Altidore though not my choice is acceptable . I’ve been coming to this site for 8-10 years I feel like . Don’t make me stop

    Reply
    • Jozy, CP22 and Morris with Mckennie and emo in Front of Adams and a back line of Dest, Brooks, Miazga and Robinson with Steffen in goal

      Reply
      • Let’s see if a Robinson is able to safely get back on the field before we lock him in as a starter.

  4. USSF shouldn’t owe USWNT the delta because they agreed ahead of time, essentially, USSF gets the prize and the players get a specific bonus. This is pure freedom of contract. The men don’t win so there is no discrimination issue. USSF’s far bigger problem — which I think Parlow was brought in to settle — is the basic disparity in per game pay and the cap on salary for the women, against the background of similar revenues and stupid sexist arguments/comments out in the media. When you are trying to present yourself as being the domestic champion of the sport of soccer, you simply can’t go around making the “women are weaker” argument in public, when they are the world champion and accumulate as much money as the men annualized.

    Reply
    • Freedom of contract means a lot less when you’re dealing with monopoly power. It’s not like players contract with the country that bids the highest (with some exceptions). It’s just not a free market.

      Reply

Leave a Comment