Before we go any further, let’s get something out of the way. Some people are excited and some are not excited. Some people think this is a great hire while others think it is not. Ultimately, hindsight will prove some people right and some people wrong. In a situation like this, fans can only react to what they know. None of us know that three years from now the Crew front office is stacked with trophies and none of us know that three years from now Berhalter is out of the job after a disastrous tenure.

I completely understand some Crew fans wanting everyone to be upbeat and positive, but I can also understand some fans being distraught that other candidates, like Guillermo Barros Schelotto, were not selected. Schelotto was more than qualified for the job given his coaching record at Lanus in Argentina. I’m more upset a guy like Tab Ramos wasn’t chosen. Whatever. If some fans want to be upset, then let them. It doesn’t somehow make them less “loyal” fans just because they aren’t thrilled with the hire. Again, time will tell.

That being said, I’m one of those people who isn’t wild about the hire. I’ve softened my stance a bit now that I’ve had a day or two to reflect and let me emotions calm down, but I still have my reservations. There’s a lot to consider, so I’m going to make a “pros and cons” list, just like I did when Brian Bliss was named interim head coach and was being considered for the full time job. So let’s get to it…

Con: His record at Hammarby (Swedish second division)

Gregg Berhalter went 18-11-16 in 18 months with Swedish second division side Hammarby, who are based in the capital city of Stockholm. But more concerning was the fact that he was let go for a lack for what the team’s owner considered a lack of offense. According to data guru Larry Johnson over at Massive Report, Hammarby’s Goals For (GF) per game was 0.87 under Berhalter and is 1.41 since he left the team in June. Their Goals Against (GA) was 0.96 per game under Berhalter and 1.18 since he left.

For those of us who didn’t enjoy the “Goals Will Come” era, those numbers are hardly reassuring.

Pro: He has experience outside MLS

I was really hoping the team would look outside recycled MLS regulars like Frank Yallop and Jesse Marsch and pick someone with coaching experience outside MLS. Obviously Guillermo met that, but so did Tab Ramos as he has been coaching the US U-20 team over the last couple years.

Not only does Berhalter have coaching experience outside of MLS, but he also spent the majority of his playing career overseas as well. He has been exposed to a number of different teams and philosophies. Since he left Hammarby, he has been touring Europe learning even more about different teams’ systems and philosophies. He was unable to attend the teleconference for the announcement of his hiring because he was in Barcelona getting a tour of their facilities. More on this later.

Con: He has never been a head coach in MLS

This was always going to be a concern for anyone who wanted to see Guillermo or any other outside hires. Berhalter needs to get up to speed on the roster rules quickly and he needs to make sure his new Director of Soccer Operations is well versed in said rules as well. He’s got very little time to do so, so his  first hire will be crucial.

Pro: Data-driven

A lot is being made of Berhalter’s desire to use data and analytics to help shape the team going forward. If he’s committed to it, he’ll be the first to do so in MLS. It is encouraging to see someone who recognizes future trends and wants to study them in depth. I’m not a huge believer in analyics and crunching numbers when it comes to the sport of soccer, but it is still refreshing to see someone take such an unconventional approach to managing a team.

Con: He likes the current crop of players

Berhalter has apparently been watching over a dozen Crew games from this season since he formally interviewed in September and he claims there is a lot of promise on the current roster. I tend to disagree. Outside of guys like Federico Higuain, Wil Trapp, and Bernardo Anor I don’t see a ton of potential in this team. Jairo Arrieta took a huge step back and Dominic Oduro was playing for a new deal this season and could easily take next season off if the team decides to pay him. The young, recent draft picks like Justin Meram, Ethan Finlay, Ryan Finley, and Aaron Schoenfeld simply aren’t that talented. Homegrown guys like Ben Speas and Chad Barson show some promise going forward, but I was really hoping the new coach would say more about evaluating the roster rather than committing to the current group. I think now is the time to blow up the roster and start making serious changes, especially with two new teams joining the league in 2015.

Pro: He has full control

I get the feeling that, regardless of who was hired, Mark McCullers was always destined to quit the soccer side of things altogether after this season, but it’s still good that Berhalter will have full control of soccer operations. I do like that he has been wandering through Europe getting new ideas about not just coaching the first team, but shaping the entire organization down to the Academy and youth levels. This needed to happen regardless of who was chosen.

The Verdict

In the end, I’ve talked myself off the ledge a bit with regards to Gregg Berhalter being in charge of the Columbus Crew going forward. His record (and more importantly his GF/GA numbers) still terrifies me. To have a decent record overall, take the team from 12th to 4th, and STILL get fired mid-season because you weren’t scoring enough is a MASSIVE red flag. Again, we can only off of what we know and based on what we know about his time in Sweden I fear we are headed towards 2-3 more years of the “Goals Will Come” era.

That being said, I’m trying to be optimistic and get excited and I do find it extremely encouraging that he has spent his time off studying other teams around Europe. I’m also intrigued by his stated desire to approach the game from an analytical perspective. We are constantly being bombarded with quotes about how he has a plan and knows exactly what he wants to do going forward. But we should expect that of anyone who comes in to be Head Coach and Sporting Director.

(Side note: I can’t help but feel like Anthony Precourt has become a bit too enamored with Sporting Kansas City. There seem to be a lot of similarities between Berhalter and Peter Vermes with regards to their titles, responsibilities, style as players and general desired style of play as coaches.)

And so we venture forth into a new era in Columbus and hopefully good times and new trophies await us. I’ll continue to be wary of Berhalter’s previous coaching record, but I also look forward to seeing what he can do with a fresh start.

Here’s to a MASSIVE off-season!

Initially Jamaica showed that they were intending to give their faint playoff hopes credence but it was the extreme measures of Brad Evans who provided the best save as he cleared the ball of the line and saving the United States from being down early in the match.

From an offensive look the States were not good for the attendees money as they struggled to break down Jamaica. But as has been the case in recent times the halftime adjustments have paid off.

With the changes in personnel and changing the shape the United States was making more forays into the Jamaica half culminating with Zusi’s goal which gave the sold-out crowd the desired goal and for all purposes broke the will of Jamaica that everything else that would follow would be seen as a total dominating appearance.

Jozy Altidore was able to score a rather easy goal as he was unmarked and onside for a point blank shot from 5 feet out and the party was in full sway with flags waving, scarves swinging, and voices bellowing their pleasure as the United States firmly established themselves as the best team in the region.

With this win the United States has gone again with winning all their home matches in qualification for yet another cycle.

Something that no nation can claim. An achievement to be proud of.

The Original Massive Report Post

American Outlaws Response

Massive Report Response To American Outlaws Response

Okay good…

I moved to Columbus when I was in 5th grade and lived there until January 2011. I was at the USA-Mexico game in ’05 in the middle of the supporters section. I have not met any of the Massive Report guys in person. I have no personal connection to any of them.

So now you know exactly where I’m coming from.

I am completely and utterly disappointed at the timing of this whole thing. We’re a little less than two weeks from the USA-Mexico World Cup qualifier that will take place at Columbus Crew Stadium. This will be the fourth consecutive World Cup qualifying cycle that features the USA-Mexico fixture in Columbus. For those who may not be aware, the score of each of the three previous games was 2-0; hence the term “Dos A Cero” that gets thrown around.

This year the guys at Massive Report and the rest of the Columbus faithful have gone all out for a special tifo display for September’s showdown. The official hashtag being thrown around is “#tifosweat”. They’ve kept everything under wraps so far, but their enthusiasm has been utterly contagious and it has made me borderline depressed that I no longer Columbus home.

But I still identify with the community there as I was a permanent resident. That’s what makes this whole situation even more depressing than missing out on “#tifosweat”. There’s a lot of anti-Seattle sentiment around the American soccer community these days and much of it has to do with the attention the Seattle Sounders and their large home crowds get from those who follow the sport in the US. Seattle recently hosted a World Cup qualifier for the first time since the Sounders joined MLS and put on a very impressive show of support. This has led many people to believe this could potentially be the last time Columbus is afforded the opportunity to host the USA’s greatest rival in a World Cup qualifier. So you can understand why the Columbus representatives on the conference call that took place earlier this week would be defensive towards representatives from Seattle being on the call.

I’ll let you choose whom you choose to believe as to what transpired on the call. Both sides have confirmed there was a call, but that’s where the agreement stops. Regardless of what really transpired, I have to say that I’m incredibly bummed by the way this entire fiasco has painted Columbus in a negative light; mostly because the negative backlash is somewhat justified. As the Columbus representatives on the conference call, the Massive Report guys (or at least, the ones on the call itself) have spoken out for the greater Columbus community of US Soccer supporters; whether it was their intention to do so or not. The tone of Matt Goshert’s post smacks of desperation and I can’t say I blame him given the uncertainty of Columbus’s future as the unofficial home for the US Men’s National Team.

He states: “After witnessing the disorganized crowd support for the U.S. Men’s National Team match in Salt Lake City, American Outlaws leadership and the Seattle chapter collaborated and decided to use Seattle-based capos for every USMNT match no matter what city it’s being played in. This was the reason American Outlaws Seattle was on the call.”

The national leadership for American Outlaws responded with the following: “AO Seattle is not being tasked to take over the in-stadium experience for this or any future USMNT games outside Seattle. A Seattle takeover of tifo and singing at all USMNT games has never been the plan or intention and any reports of such are false.”

So we have Columbus accusing the national leadership of favoring Seattle and the national leadership denying such claims. Unfortunately, this means we ultimately have to until the game itself on September 10 (and the next home USMNT game after that) to find out if in fact the only capos at the game(s) are from Seattle; and we may not even get proof if that is case. All of this distracts from the game itself and what is sure to be an awesome tifo display. Both sides are responsible for such a distraction.

Not only that but, as I mentioned earlier, this whole situation has painted Columbus in a negative light. Many people outside of Columbus are inclined to believe the statement from AO’s national leadership and it’s hard to blame them. Columbus has every reason to be paranoid and fearful of losing their only chance to showcase their passion for the US Men’s National Team on the biggest stage outside of the World Cup itself. But by singling out Seattle and excusing the national leadership (and even the US Soccer Federation itself; they had a rep on the call) of favoritism, the Columbus supporters on this call have played right into the hands of those who would claim that Columbus is simply jealous they cannot attract the same volume of supporters as Seattle.

But Columbus isn’t entirely to blame in this. The leadership at American Outlaws would have done well to trust in the Columbus leadership to pull off a smooth performance from the supporters on game day. I understand their concerns over the record number of “supporter sections”, but that’s no reason to deny Columbus the opportunity to show they are capable of handling such a large crowd. In fact, the conference call and its subsequent aftermath has already planted seeds of doubt in the minds of the leadership at the US Soccer Federation; not to mention the rest of the US Soccer supporter community.

The bottom line is this: the minute Massive Report made this a “Columbus vs. Seattle” issue, they lost a lot of credibility with the supporters from the rest of the country. And the minute US Soccer decided to host this call and bring a US Soccer Federation rep on board, they made the folks in charge of the federation think twice about giving this game to Columbus again in the future.

But worse than that is the fact that all parties involved in this have distracted us from the buildup towards what will be a fantastic game in which it’s very likely the US will have the opportunity to clinch their World Cup spot; just as they did when I was there in 2005. There’s still time to right the ship though and I sincerely hope both sides immediately drop the issue and focus their attention back on the game itself.

My eyes have seen the glory of another revs goal scored

We’re marching to New York and we’re sharpening our swords

Undivided beat United, threw the Mutiny overboard

And the Revs go marching on…

(It is a cover of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, a beautiful song if you have never heard it.)

Founded: 1995

Pedigree: 4-Time Runners up to the MLS Cup (2002. 2005, 2006, and 2007,) 2005 Winners of the Supporters Shield, 2007 U.S. Open Cup Champion, and 2-time Eastern Conference Champion (2002 and 2006.)

Current Record This Season: 6-7-6 (Sixth Place in the Eastern Conference)

Supporters: The Midnight Riders, The Rebellion, and the Rev Army.

Rivalries: Chicago Fire, D.C. United, and the New York Red Bulls.

Coach: Jay Heaps (Second Season)

Top Returning Players: GK Matt Reis, GK Bobby Shuttlesworth, DEF A.J. Soares, DEF Stephen McCarthy, MID Kelyn Rowe, MID Lee Nguyen, MID Diego Fagundez, MID Saer Sene, and FWD Jerry Bengston.

Key Additions: DEF Jose Goncalves (F.C. Sion-Switzerland,) DEF Andrew Farrell (1^st Overall Pick in the 2013 MLS Superdraft,) MID Kalifa Cisse (Bristol City Rovers- England,) and FWD Juan Agudelo (Chivas USA.)

Key Departures: MID Sainey Nyassi (D.C. United)

Young Player to Look Out For: Farrell, Fagundez, and Rowe (there are many others.)

Outlook:

Rebuilding is never easy. Whether it is a soccer team or in life, starting from scratch requires news ideas, breaking down old thoughts, and looking for new opportunities. It is never easy and sometimes it requires years of work. For the New England Revolution, the rebuilding effort looks to be over after one season. One of the top clubs in Major League Soccer in the 2000’s, the Revolution bottomed out the past two seasons going 5-6-13 in 2011 and 9-17-8 in 2012. They also traded off every major asset for young, unproven players. It has paid off. Even though the Revolution may not make the playoffs this season, they are certainly on the rise and have enough talent to win trophies for years to come.

For me, the biggest key to the Revolution success has been Coach Jay Heaps. Heaps, a 14 year veteran of MLS, came into coaching with very little experience, but high potential to be a positive influence on the team. As a player, he was never a flashy all-star, but was a player who would give you 90 minutes every game. A relentless player with an impeccable work ethic (I would assume playing college basketball for Mike Krzyzewksi at Duke University helped with this,) he has brought many of the traits that he had as a player to this team. Even last season when the club’s inexperience showed, they never quit and would make more experienced clubs work for their 3 points. When you have a young club (the average age of the player is 24.3 years old) you need a coach that is willing to teach, and has the patience to handle the development aspect of the players and the squad, as a whole.

With a two years of growing pains behind them, the club has flourished this season winning 7 of their last 8 matches, including being the first team to beat Houston at BBVA Compass stadium in over 3 years. In addition, their 6 game winning streak earlier this season was the longest for the team since 2005.  What was so impressive about this match was that it was the first match where everything clicked for this team. Sure, they had a pretty nice run earlier in the season, but most of their positive results were against the likes of Chivas USA, Toronto F.C., and D.C. United. Minnows. In the Houston match, New England was pressing one of the league’s best defenses, controlling possession for most of the match, and taking the lead after a beautiful goal by Diego Fagundez. Even in the last few minutes, when Houston was throwing everything but the kitchen sink at New England. But the Revolution maintained a stout defense and Goalkeeper Bobby Shuttlesworth made some brilliant saves.

From that Houston match, a team’s identity was built. In the back, Shuttlesworth proved that he is a starting goalkeeper in this league. Before this season, Shuttlesworth was mostly a backup goalkeeper for the Colorado Rapids. But with the injury to Matt Reis, Shuttlesworth has shown that he can be a serviceable starting goalkeeper in this league. His Goals Against Average of 1 is one of the lowest in the league.  Since that match, the club has pulled off some impressive victories, including beating the Los Angeles Galaxy 5-0, and drawing the New York Red Bulls at home.

With a goalkeeper that is still learning the ropes, it is integral that the team has a defense can pick up some of the slack. The Revolution has a nice mix of young high upside players and solid veterans that makes for a pretty difficult defense to break down. Their defense has only allowed 20 goals this season, which is the lowest among any teams.  Perhaps their best run of form was from April 27^th to June 8^th, where they had a record of 4-3-1 and only allowed two goals. They have sputtered a bit recently though, losing three of their past five matches. In the match on July the 20^th against Colorado, they looked very disorganized on corner kicks and set plays. So this is still a work in progress, but the progress on the Revolution defense is evident.

The defense is anchored by Jose Goncalves, the Portugese centreback who is unquestionably the leader of this team. Part of the reason why he is such a quality back is that he controls space so well and is able to put out the small fires that can sometimes happen with an inexperienced team. Even in a match like the one on Sunday against Toronto F.C., where the club lost 1-0, you could see his ability to hold the line down and reduce mistakes that kept them in the match.  Stephen McCarthy has also shown himself to be someone who can be relied on for some critical minutes, but I would like to see more of A.J. Soares. The #6 pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, he really came on last season and proved to be a sound defender in what was a really trying season. He has suffered from some hamstring issues earlier in the season, which have hopefully passed.

Part of their success in the back is due to drafting Andrew Farrell. The number one pick in last year’s MLS Superdraft, Farrell is big, strong defender who has a bit of a flair for the attack. When he was a kid, he actually played in youth leagues in Peru which shows because he is very comfortable going forward. He is a very difficult defender to break down. In the D.C. United match, he was able to hold his own against the like DeWayne DeRosario and Chris Pontius and held strong against continuous pressure in the late stages of the game. Hopefully in the future he will have a place with the U.S. Men’s National Team.

New England likes to play a 4-1-4-1 which allows their defense to play back and gives the team some flexibility in the midfield. The Revolution have at least 6 players in the midfield who could play on any team in the league. Steven Caldwell works very well as a defensive midfield because he does have the ability to push the ball forward, but is great one on one defending. He is also the second player from the New England Revolution Academy to make the starting roster of the Revolution. Saer Sene, the Paris Saint Germain academy product, is finally back into match fitness after missing part of last season and this season with a torn ACL. Sene is so good on the right side of the field because he makes very long strides down the pitch which opens the field up for either a shot or a pass inside. He started off very slowly, but has scored 2 goals in his last 4 games.  They also have Juan Toja, who is proving to be an excellent distributor from the midfield.

I also really like Kellen Rowe as a supersub off of the bench. Rowe, who was selected third in last year’s MLS Superdraft, has built a solid year after a strong 2012 season. The reason why Rowe works so well off of the bench is the energy and speed that he can bring in around the 65^th or 70^th minute of a match. You could see it in last week’s loss against Toronto F.C.  Although the Revolution was not able to score, Rowe was able to set up some very good plays that led to some highly quality shots. He is not just a good passer, the cuts that he makes against an opposition’s defense can be quite lethal. He put on a dribbling clinic in the D.C. United match on June the 9^th. Rowe is not just a good possession midfielder, he can also unleash one hell of a shot, like he did against the Los Angeles Galaxy earlier this season. Although he has started 14 of 21 games, they are going to need players who can come off of the bench and provide that lift against stronger teams in the East Rowe is perfect for this position.

But the one player who makes this entire midfield and this team work is Diego Fagundez. The first home grown player to ever be signed by the New England Revolution, Fagundez at the age of 18 already has all of the skills necessary to become a dominant player in this league and in Europe. So many midfielders assume that the only skills that you need are to make good passes and to be able to make a decent shot from time to time. But the best midfielders are always able to keep plays alive, and are always watching what the other team is doing. This game is chess, not checkers. Fagundez understands this. In the match against the Galaxy, Fagundez was constantly on his opponent forcing whomever he was marking to make irrational passes.

In addition to his fielding, he is also one of the best scorers in Major League Soccer. When you watch him on attack, he is just teeming with confidence and has such strong awareness of the entire pitch that he can make a shot like the one he did against the Houston Dynamo. As the leading goal scorer for the Revolution  he will be a key cog for this team’s playoff run. The key will be how is he able to respond with an increased workload and the pressure of playing in the playoffs. No one in Major League Soccer at the age of 18 has as much pressure as Fagundez does because no 18 year old has been in this position (And Freddy Adu does not count because he was not 18.) So it will be interesting to see how he responds to this pressure because he certainly has all of the tools to be one of the best.

Where the Revolution may have some troubles is up front. I really like Jerry Bengston because he is a big, strong forward who has shown himself to be a very capable scorer on the Honduras National Team (16 goals in 33 appearances.) But with the Revolution, he has not had as much success only scoring 3 goals in 26 matches. I have also not been impressed with Dmitriy Imbungo, who has shown some promise but seems to go down way too easy in the box and does not always finish the play. In the match last week against Toronto F.C., it seemed like he was a bit lost as the sole forward up front. It is a tremendous responsibility being the sole forward and perhaps he is just not ready for it yet.

That leaves Juan Agudelo as the Revolution’s best option in the forward position. Agudelo for years has been seen as one of the top young forwards in U.S. Soccer. At the age of 20, he has already played 3 full seasons in MLS and has 17 caps for the United States Men’s National Team. But Agudelo has never truly found a place where he can settle in and grow. With the New York Red Bulls, he was never able to get enough minutes behind the likes of Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez. He was receiving some playing time with Chivas USA but because Chivas is such chaotic environment it was not really a good place for him to grow. I really liked the trade to the Revolution because he would finally play on a team that would give him the time and training necessary to shine. And he has done quite well this season, linking up for 3 goals earlier this season.

But he has not been able to play in the last month because of a right knee sprain, and with an impending January move to English Premier League side Stoke City on the horizon, one has to wonder if he ever truly will come back. I have to say I am honestly not too sure why he is choosing  to leave at this juncture of his career. While it is true that soccer is a young man’s game, he has not really had a chance to prove himself yet. And at Stoke City, he will probably be lining the bench with the other American players like Brek Shea and Maurice Edu. It is a very puzzling move for the player, and for the Revolution it could leave a huge gap in their offense. Now with a big contract to England lined up, will he show the same passion that he had earlier in the season?

Coming off of ghastly 2011 and 2012 campaigns, the New England Revolution have turned their fortunes around this season. Behind Jay Heaps, they have shown themselves to be a solid defensive team, that can also make creative chances on the offensive side of the pitch. They do have some questions in the forward position, but with a host of attacking midfielders that part is almost negligible. They have a lot of heart and character and may be able to slip into the fifth spot for the playoffs. But their inexperience may catch up to them later in the season. There is nothing wrong with a rebuilding season if the club is doing it the right way. By developing a solid core of young players both from their academy (Caldwell,) the draft (Farrell and Rowe) and abroad (Sene,) the Revolution are doing just that.

Beer of Choice:

Harpoon India Pale Ale, Harpoon Brewery

Although as a lark I thought about saying Pawtucket Patriot, in honor of the always funny show Family Guy, I found myself opposed to the re-use of their beer. Also, it is made in Rhode Island which is blasphemous to all Bostonians.

I had my first Harpoon about five years ago when my friends Rob and Djerdj went with me to see my brother on my 22^nd birthday. We were at a bar called the Black Rose in downtown Boston at about noon on the 4^th of July. Being young and not knowing much about beer, I asked the clearly Irish bartender for the beer that had a man and a harpoon as a logo. Back then, I based all my beer choices off of the logo. Some hits, lots of misses.  It turned out to be a good time as we all had a few too many Harpoons and laughed at tourists who could not understand the Irish bartender (Tourist: “Can I get a Smithwicks?” Bartender: “No, that is not how you say it. Say it properly. Smitticks.” Tourist: “Smithwicks?)

Not much else is known about that evening, but I do remember how even though Harpoon is a very hoppy beer, it goes down quite smoothly. And with the Brewery in South Boston, you can have a few cold ones in downtown then hit the T to watch a Revolution match.

3:40PM: After having wandered around the stadium for a little bit, I have finally found my way into the press box. Having spent most of my soccer watching life going to RFK Stadium (home of the raccoons, feral cats, and D.C. United,) it was nice being in a stadium that had functional toilets, clean seats, and pleasant ushers. Also it is reassuring to know that when the fans are going crazy that the stadium will not crumble.

As I was walking through the stadium, I noticed just how many Honduran and El Salvadorean fans were there. Being on the inside of the stadium and looking at all of the fans coming in through the gates, at least 85 percent of the fans are wearing a blue jersey (either El Salvador or Honduras,) and the rest are smattering of U.S., Costa Rica, and non-affiliated jerseys. Although I love seeing people supporting their favorite team, wear a jersey for one of the teams that are playing!

The other thing that struck me while going through the stadium was how loud the music was in the background. Although I hate piped-in music during sporting events (it kills the crowd and supports Queen,) hearing Peter Frampton’s “Do You Feel Like I Do” over the loud speakers was stirring. It gave me goosebumps, and pumped me up for the match. I could see why Baltimore Ravens fans get so excited for their game before kickoff. The in-game experience at M&T is electric.

The press box itself is interesting because there is always something going. Different writers are mingling with one another, talking about the game, talking about other games, and just having general small talk.

At first I did not know where to sit so I kind of wandered around. Having an awful four o’clock shadow, sun burnt, and having sweat a ton I am sure I was probably the most haggard looking journalist. But luckily, I did receive some assistance in finding my seat. Front row, next to writers from ESPN Deportes and the Bundesliga. More on this later.

While I expected just a chair and some pens, I was surprised to see my name on a placard with the Global Football Today logo. Just that alone would have made my day. But I also received a composition book emblazoned with the Gold Cup logo and statistic sheets for the game. Even at my day job I do not have my name with my title and that pays much more than my soccer work. Having just started writing 7 months ago, it was pretty cool to see how far everything has come.

I gave my parents a call and told them that I was sitting in the press box and that I had received a Gold Cup book. I am not sure what made them more excited: the fact that I was sitting in the Press Box of a major international tournament or that I would be in an air-conditioned building. I think the latter.

3:58PM: There is nothing better than hearing the National Anthem. On both sides, you could hear the fans singing their national team’s respective songs. What was interesting was seeing some of the fans of the other team’s singing along to the American national anthem. One of the things that I have always noticed when talking to immigrants is that they do still have high regard for where they were born, they love living in and being American. They just happen to root for a different team.

I always enjoy being in Baltimore and hearing the fans emphasize the “O” during the third stanza. As someone who has been to many Orioles games, it comes as second nature to this Marylander when singing the National Anthem.

4:00: Game On!

4:09: El Salvador has definitely come out of the gate with more energy. You can tell that they want to score quick and gain the advantage on the United States. The crowd is completely behind the Salvadoreans, cheering them on at every possession and booing the bejesus out of every American play. If the United States can weather the first few minutes then they should be fine. Experienced squads take their time, assess their opponent, and go forward. So far, mostly the U.S.  is trying to set up their game plan in the midfield.

4:14 The U.S. is giving El Salvador  fits on the left and ride sides of the pitch. In the midfield, Mixx Diskerud looks incredibly comfortable as the facilitator in the midfielder. The U.S. is running a very simple square strategy in the midfield, where three players are moving the ball North and South of the field, slowly gaining advantage in position pass-by-pass. It is a basic program that every Parks and Recreation league team runs, but it is a highly effective tool.

4:16: The Salvadorean fans are very angry that a handball that was not called on by Michael Parkhurst. It did not look intentional, but the fans are very pissed about it. From my vantage point, it looked like a good call. But El Salvador is pressing the United States. Their finishing is kind of suspect though.

4:18: A crazy scissor kick stop by El Salvador. The U.S. has had many more opportunities than El Salvador, but El Salvador has shown themselves to have some attacking ability. More and more, the U.S. is imposing their will on El Salvador and I would bet that it is only time before they score a goal.

4:26: Goal USA! Michael Parkhurst finishes off a corner kick with a splendid header to the right corner. Landon Donovan looked to be offside, but got the benefit of the call. This was Parkhurst’s second goal of the Gold Cup.

4:31: A fantastic chest trap from El Salvador leads to an amazing shot and two excellent saves from Nick Rimando. Not to toot my own horn, but if you want to learn more about Mr. Rimando check out my article on his club Real Salt Lake. He is one of the best Goalkeepers in Major League Soccer history and one of the more undervalued keepers in U.S. Soccer today.  

4:34: Goal U.S.A.! Joe Corona scores a fantastic goal, with a crisp assist from Landon Donovan. Having had the opportunity to watch Joe Corona play for Tijuana in Liga MX, he seems to be growing with every appearance and will be a fixture in the U.S. National Team for years.

One of the really interesting things while sitting in the press box is the response to journalists after a big event like a goal or foul. While I expected everyone to be silent and judging each individual aspect of the play, people were getting excited and clapping. I am not sure if it is a partisan thing because you hear as much cheering from the Latin American press members as you do from the American press corps. There is also a lot of Monday Morning Quarterbacking. Press members are calling out plays. I am doing what I always do when reviewing tape for a match. I have yelled out “trap” (which means hold possession,) and “box” (which means passing it back) at least five times.

There is also some good back and forth between the different journalists. As a newcomer, I am still kind of awestruck by the situation. My first thought is to just focus on the match. My second thought is to do some networking. Perhaps it was the heat, but I am kind of at a loss for words. I have been on the go for a few hours and now that I am here, I just want to make sure that I am focusing on the match and getting as many details as possible.

4:37: What is killing El Salvador is their inability to cope with the United States midfield. The U.S. is running north and south in the midfield, with four players using a very simple scheme that requires three players passing to one another in a box shape. The box is created by the one player who is not involved in the pass and receiving connection moving to an open spot of equal distance from the other two. Gains from this style are small, but over the game they are significant. El Salvador has severe disadvantages in speed and physical strength. If the U.S.A can build off of these possessions, then this game may be over quickly.

My fellow journalists from Germany are not really sure why the Americans are doing this. I explain to them that this is something that all American players are taught at a very young level. The intention of the play is to wear down the defense by forcing them to run the length of the pitch. It feels kind of cool to explain to someone the American style. I sometimes feel like people from assume that the American style is just a simple rehash of English, German, Italian, Mexican, and Argentinian styles of play. Sometimes the world powers can be wrong.

4:42:  El Salvador Goalkeeper Portillo Gamero makes an absolutely tremendous save, keeping this game within striking distance. The goalkeeping in this game and in this tournament has been tremendous. I hope that some of these keepers are getting some looks in the transfer market.

4:44: A very poor elbow in the box by Michael Parkhurst leads to a penalty and a goal for Rodolfo Zelaya and El Salvador. There is no excuse for the United States on this goal. It was completely irrational and could have been avoided.

The roar after the goal in the stands is unlike anything I have ever heard. There is so much excitement in the crowd right now. You see friends and family members giving each other high fives, grown men crying, beers being cheered. There is some dread on the faces of the American players. It seems like this was unexpected. Part of the problem of bringing in a “C” side is that they are not used to playing in games like this. But this is part of the maturation process for this group of players. To win in soccer, you must be able to win in difficult circumstances.

4:47: Halftime! So far the man of the match is the Goalkeeper Portillo for El Salvador he has made some amazing saves and has kept this game from being a rout. The United States is definitely in control of this game. However, El Salvador has shown enough to keep themselves in this match.

As I head back to my seat from having a serviceable CONCACAF-provided meal, I run into the President of CONCACAF Jeffery Webb. I try to avoid asking him about the massive corruption in FIFA and instead just say hello. He has some very large, intimidating security people and I do not feel like going to Baltimore jail.

While sitting at my desk waiting for the game to begin, I see that D.C. United runs a short promotional video on the big screen at the stadium. Considering that Baltimore has been wooing D.C. United for years, I find this funny that they take this opportunity; to get Baltimoreans to go to their games. What other teams would show highlights to a city that is looking for a franchise and is only 40 miles away. To steal line from Bill Simmons, Ladies and Gentleman Your 2013 D.C. United!

5:12: The match has just begun and El Salvador is pressing the U.S. They did this in the first half as well, but it seems like they are just missing that last bit of creativity to create consistent scoring chances. As the game is going on, the U.S. midfield is building off of their dominant midfield, slowly choking out El Salvadorean possession’s in the center of the field.

I have always been impressed with the chemistry between DeMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan. I explain to one of the Spanish press members from ESPN Deportes that these guys have been playing with one another since they were teenagers and that they are able to read what one another wants to do. One of the local reporters hears me and says, “Yeah! They are like Trent Dilfer and Qadry Ismail [former players of the Baltimore Ravens.]” I am not sure if this is supposed to be a compliment; both players were pretty terrible outside of the 2000 season where they won the Super Bowl.

5:34: I start talking more directly with the gentleman from ESPN Deportes about player motivation and scoring chances. When one of the players for El Salvador breaks through the midfield and is on a 3-2 with the U.S., he opts for a shot that is kind of off-balance. When I mention that he should have passed the ball to the right my colleague to the right of me says that there is no way that he should have done this. “You don’t understand. He made that opportunity, he has to take that shot. If he passes the ball, he will be seen as a weak player in his teammates eyes,” the reporter says to me. This blew my mind. I had always assumed that players did have an ego, but I thought that this would be overcome by the ultimate goal of scoring a goal.  I had never really thought that a simple shot would be such an issue between teammates. Especially in a game against a team that is much more experienced.

5:49: After two additional goals by Landon Donovan and Eddie Johnson, this game is very clearly done. The United States has taken over all aspects of this game, and the Salvadoreans have resorted to hacking and fouling.

While the game is getting quite ugly, the stands are getting much worse. Most of the Honduran fans are starting to toss beer and trash at the Salvadoreans. Also, the Salvadoreans are beginning to get upset. In the past ten minutes, I have seen five fights and at least 6-7 beers being tossed from the top of the stands. While the American Outlaws seem to be more than prepared for whatever the stands might bring, the casual American fans seem a little scared. There is an older couple in front of me who are very clearly unaligned who are frightened by the fighting and the drinking. Throughout the match they have been constantly defending their seats from people who are trying to move in their area.

My friends ESPN Deportes tell me that the United States do not know how good of a player Brek Shea really is. They say that he is a really nice guy, and that he just needs to get the right opportunity. They wanted to more about the relationship between Landon Donovan and DeMarcus Beasley and the U.S. Midfield strategy. While I had been listening all throughout the match to these guys telling me what they know, it was kind of cool to provide some insight. I felt like a reporter.

5:59: After the United States beats El Salvador 5-1,most of the reporters start heading down to the Press Conference room to hear both coaches speak. I need a cup of coffee and some time to snag all of my Gold Cup stuff.

Overall, I found the other journalists to be very friendly, kind, engaging people. They helped me point out where I needed to go and were open to discussion about anything going on in professional soccer. I learned more about the psyche of footballers than I thought I would ever know.

6:05: Downstairs in the Press Room, I am sitting next some of the best soccer journalists in the country. I am sitting next to Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl, The Washington Post Steve Goff, and Soccer By Ives writer Ives Galarcep. There is something about sitting in a room with some of the best writers in the game that makes me very nervous. Not going to lie, I never thought I would be here 7 months ago.

The manager of El Salvador comes out first. Most of the questions come from the Spanish media and so I am trying to follow what they are saying as much as possible. The Salvadorean manager seems to be very humbled by the outpouring of respect by the fans in this game. He seemed to be very hopeful about his team’s future.

6:15: As I am waiting for Jurgen Klinsmann to come in, FIFA Executive Sunil Gulati walks by me with his son. I thought it was funny that his son is wearing a jersey with the last name “Gulati” on it. I guess since his dad runs the entire operation he cannot be partial to any one player. Though judging by the way he favored his left side as he pushed through people, I am willing to bet that he is a Clint Dempsey fan.

I have never seen a room stop like it did when Mr. Gulati entered the room. Cameras stopped, people turned off of their phones, and jovial conversations between colleagues ceased.

6:16: Klinsmann enters the room and immediately everyone focuses their attention at the podium.

He spoke quite eloquently about the team’s performance, and stressed that this is only a step in the larger goal of qualifying for the World Cup. He spent some considerable time praising the work of DIskerud, Corona, and Rimando.

I did try and ask a question. Most of the time it seems just trying to get the attention of the press official. My mind was racing as I was raising my hand. I had a few questions to ask, but in this moment they seemed to have been lost to me. I resolved to ask a question about the crowd, and how he thought this players would react going into the match to a difficult environment and what his final assessment was. Unfortunately, I did not get chosen.  It seems to me that the most senior members of the media get the first questions in, and if there is any time the rest of the bullpen will get their shot.

6:30:  As I walk out of the press room, I notice a large contingent of the press corps surrounding one player. It is Landon Donovan. Although I need to head out soon, I don’t think I could live with myself if I do not go over there and at least listen in. He is a very quiet person, who seems unfazed by all of the bright lights and questions. It is pretty amazing to be around this guy. Though we are only about 4 years apart, I have a great deal of admiration for his character and for what he has done as a member of the U.S. National Team. It cannot be understated the influence he has on the American game.

6:45 At this point, I have to head back to the Greyhound station so that I can get home at a decent hour. Given that soccer journalism does not pay, and I do have a day job I have to make sure I get some sleep and collect my thoughts. As I am walking back to the station, my parents call me and ask how everything is going. I explain to them everything that has gone on and they seem generally stunned. We have a laugh about the uneasy American fans, but I cut them off because the Greyhound station is confusing and I want to make sure that I get on the right bus and not Grand Rapids, MI.

When I started writing about the beautiful game 7 months, I never thought I would have one person read my work. So the thought of being in a press box with people that I consider to be some of the best writers in the game was amazing. To be considered an equal in conversation with them is truly humbling. This was a heck of en experience and hopefully I can do it again soon.

“Landon proved today how well he plays and how he can make a difference,” Jurgen Klinsmann said.

With the win over El Salvador, the stars and stripes are now in the Gold Cup semis for the 11^th time, the most of any other country. The victory extends the teams winning streak to nine wins and 31 goals, the longest in U.S. team history.

“We strive to be the best team. It doesn’t matter if it’s a world cup qualifier or not. You always want to be one step ahead of them,” DaMarcus Beasley said.

“This is a process. We are trying to catch-up with the big teams in the world and raise the bar,” said Klinsmann. “It’s all about speed. I’m talking about mental speed and passing speed. You’ll see players trying to keep the tempo high and create changes”.

It was this newfound speed that Landon Donovan credited as being the key to the win for the U.S. “El Salvador played well and defended well, but the key was to continue with a fast pace, “ said Donovan.

Veteran players like Rimando, Clarence Goodson, and Donovan laid the groundwork for younger players like Joe Corona to come in and finish plays.

“The younger players are getting better with each game. They’re showing they belong on the national team, Donovan said.”

The players and coaches also credited their collectiveness on the field as a key factor in the team’s victory.

“We have been together for three weeks, but it feels like we have been together for years. You can see that on the field,” said Jose Torres.

USMNT fans at M&T Stadium in Baltimore where overshadowed by a sea of El Salvador fans decked in blue, but that didn’t stop Klinsmann’s team from finding the back of the net.

“For every opportunity we made, the U.S. made two or three”, El Salvador’s coach said. “The U.S. was very consistent, we haven’t seen this type of level of play in this tournament”.

Coach Agustín Castillo said the U.S. team’s collectiveness challenged the team. “The U.S. almost play by memory. They can find their spaces and make the ball appear,” Castillo said. “Players like Beckerman in the midfield made it challenging for us.

The U.S.’s tempo changed in the second half. The second half brought in goals from both Eddie Johnson and Mix Diskerud. In the 60^th minute, Eddie Johnson scored off a header just 14 seconds after being subbed into the game.

“We knew that with Eddie Johnson’s goal the game was over,” said Klinsmann.

The team is one step closer to capturing the title. The last time the team won was in 2007. The U.S. will try to extend their nine game winning streak to ten when they take on Honduras in Dallas on Wednesday in the Gold Cup semifinals.

“They are the best team I’ve seen in this tournament and strong candidates to win the Gold Cup,” El Salvador’s coach said.

Group A has heavy weight Mexico, good Panama, a YOUNG Canada, and surprise Martinique. Mexico better roll in every game as their manager is sitting on a really hot seat at the moment. Canada is in search of direction so they are playing an extremely young squad. Panama is still in the race for the World Cup but need to find some more depth for further success. Martinique is happy to be here and willing to upset the apple cart if they can, remember Cape Verde in the African Cup of Nations? Winners: Mexico, Runner-up: Panama, 3rd and possibly in quarterfinals: Canada, Last: Martinique

Group B is the best of the three with El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, and Trinidad and Tobago. For Honduras the focus is building more depth for a side  that could seriously make the World Cup. Haiti sees themselves as being able to take the mantle of best in the Caribbean from Jamaica, who didn’t make the Gold Cup, and will see this side as one who will be ready to make a push and develop over the next few years. El Salvador is kicking themselves for not making the hexagonal but with a very young side will look for the future to build on. Trinidad and Tobago made the hexagonal in qualification for 2010 but missed a generation so are having to rebuild and will look to this tournament for assisting in that. Winners: El Salvador, Runner-up: Honduras, 3rd and possibly in quarterfinals: Haiti, Last: Trinidad and Tobago.

Group C is like A with a heavy weight in the USA, a newcomer in Belize, with Costa Rica looking for qualifying depth, and Cuba just looking for something. Cuba is a weird one. They do well at making youth tournaments for a county that is very much baseball and boxing first. They always seem to have a player defect during the tournament but are one of the best in the Caribbean. Whenever Communism falls on this island and helps develop soccer they could become formidable indeed. This is just a looking for depth USA team that has a lot of players who have been out of the loop, play in smaller leagues, or just have had recent bad luck. Enough said. Belize is making their first major tournament as they did so and caused Guatemala to miss out. Costa Rica is looking for more players to help in qualification. With the hex as it usually is that leaves few places in Brazil outside the USA and Mexico. Winners: USA, Runner-up: Costa Rica, 3rd and possibly in quarterfinals: Cuba, Last: Belize

Best Group Stage Match: Honduras v El Salvador, as much history as the football itself. In 1969, after a World Cup qualifier playoff game that was won by El Salvador and had massive violence surrounding the previous two matches that the playoff was played in Mexico City.

Quarterfinal matchups:

Panama v Honduras: Each team will need this for the same reasons, to find more depth for their ongoing World Cup qualifying campaign. Honduras seems to have more talent but Panama the better squad cohesion. Going with Honduras in a talent comes through.

Mexico v Haiti: Should Haiti make a massive upset there would be riots all over Mexico and a certain few head will roll and be on spikes or worse. But honestly the talent is so vast in diversity that it would be farcical to say Haiti would win. Mexico through.

United States v Canada: In hockey this would be a different story but this is soccer. Since 1986 the fortunes of Canada and USA have gone in opposite directions. Canada will be happy with their quarterfinal appearance but no shot against the US unless this was played in Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, or Edmonton. USA through.

Costa Rica v El Salvador: This is a fun one. Costa Rica is looking to find more depth while El Salvador is trying to usher in a new generation. The distinct advantage El Salvador will have will be they could fill M&T Bank Stadium and make the 12 man felt. Need an upset somewhere. El Salvador through

Semifinals:

Mexico v Honduras: Mexico has the better talent but if they don’t make the final it is because Honduras finds it in them to replicate what they did against Mexico early in the year and possibly one better, a 2-2 draw in Honduras. Common wisdom says Mexico will find a way to get a winner but this will be the most nerve racking of the semifinals. Mexico through.

USA v Costa Rica: the United States will see this as just another step in asserting their dominance of the region as they pry it away from Mexico. Costa Rica will give them all they can handle but it will be more of the same from the group stage match. USA through.

Finals: The big two will go at it again and depending on what comes from an all Liga MX side and the pressure their coach is under will mean what kind of opposition the US will face. The States gained so much confidence from winning at Azteca last August and the draw in March. Mexico has totally lost the mojo they had coming away from the Olympics. As feisty as this usually is the relatively inexperienced Mexican side will have difficulties dealing with the enormous pressure. USA as Champions

The U.S. men’s national team played to a scoreless draw against Mexico yesterday in a sold-out Azteca Stadium. The U.S. gained an important point in qualifying, which places them third in-group standings.

 Panama leads the pack in first with Costa Rica following in second. The scoreless draw against the U.S. marks Mexico’s third straight draw in qualifying, which places them fifth in the pool.

Although El Tri controlled most of the possession, they had an unlucky night with several missed chances and several fouls that were not called in favor of Mexico.  Less than half an hour into the match, both back-line players DaMarcus Beasley and Matt Besler were in a dangerous position after picking up yellow cards early in the half.

Klinsmann once again started with a 4-2-3-1 formation last night after testing it out against Costa Rica. With Jermaine Jones out after sustaining an ankle injury against Costa Rica, Maurice Edu was brought in to partner with Bradley in the midfield. Edu missed his opportunity to make himself present last night and was not able to catch up to the Mexican’s pace.

Klinsmann made another change to the line-up last night, which included adding Matt Besler to the central back-line. The start gave the Sporting Kansas player his second cap with the stars and stripes.

My man of the match honors go to both Brad Guzan and Michael Bradley. Both players gave a solid performance. Guzan made some major saves for the U.S. last night, which will serve to grow the U.S. fans’ faith in the future of the goalkeeping position after Howard. As usual Bradley was a standout last night getting most of the touches last night while also being active defensively.

The U.S. will once again be on the road on June 7^th for a qualifying match against Jamaica.

Should fans be happy with a scoreless draw?

Captain Dempsey vs. Costa Rica

The rivalry between the U.S. and Mexico heats up tonight-in Azteca. This comes days after the USMNT’s very cold 1-0 victory over Costa Rica.

The Costa Rican Federation’s complaint to FIFA asking for a rematch of Friday’s qualifying game in Denver was denied by FIFA. FIFA released a statement today saying, “The result of the match played on March 22 stands and is considered as valid.”

The stars and stripes will be playing their toughest match of their qualifying cycle. Last August’s win over El Tri marked the first time the U.S. won in Mexican soil.

Mexico is under pressure to win tonights match after coming off a 2-2 draw last Friday against Honduras and a scoreless draw against Jamaica on home soil. With the pressure on El Tri’s shoulders, the team will come out tonight in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation and come out attacking to avoid another home loss.

With several of the U.S.’s players out with injuries, the team will have to once again make several adjustments to the line-up.

The US will be without midfielder Jermaine Jones and his Snow Fro after he suffered a sprained ankle in Friday’s match. U.S. had announced that Michael Orozco Fiscal has been called in as a replacement for the roster. Orozco Fiscal scored the historic winning goal for the American’s against El Tri in Azteca last August. To fill Jones’s spot in the midfield for the tonight’s match Jurgen Klinsmann has the choice to go with either Kyle Beckman or Maurice Edu.

With Steve Cherundolo, Fabian Johnson, Timmy Chandler all out with injuries young players Omar Gonzalez, Justin Morrow, and Tony Beltran are available to play in back-line.

Klinsmann is likely to go back to a similar 4-2-3-1 as the one played against Costa Rica.

With all of the stories surrounding the USMNT, and with the talks of problems in leadership and in the team, a win is a must tonight not just for qualifying purposes, but to build morale between the U.S. players and grow fan’s trust in Klinsmann.

Here are the rosters for tonight’s game:

 USMNT

GOALKEEPERS: Brad Guzan, Sean Johnson, Nick Rimando

DEFENDERS: Tony Beltran, Matt Besler, Geoff Cameron, Omar Gonzalez, Clarence Goodson Justin Morrow, Michael Orozco Fiscal.

MIDFIELDERS: DaMarcus Beasley, Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Joe Corona, Brad Davis, Maurice Edu, Sacha Kljestan, Brek Shea, Graham Zusi.

FORWARDS: Jozy Altidore, Terrence Boyd, Clint Dempsey, Herculez Gomez, Eddie Johnson.

EL Tri                                                                                                

GOALKEEPERS: Guillermo Ochoa, Jesús Corona, Alfredo Talavera

DEFENDERS: Severo Meza, Jonny Magallón, Francisco Rodríguez, Héctor Moreno, Hugo Ayala, Diego Reyes, Jorge Torres Nilo), Carlos Slaked

MIDFIELDERS: Jesús Zavala, Gerardo Torrado, Jesús Molina, Héctor Herrera, Javier Aquino, Andrés Guardado, Ángel Reyna

FORWARDS: Giovani dos Santos, Oribe Peralta, Javier Hernández, Omar Bravo, Raúl Jiménez

U.S. Soccer and Nike have unveiled a new U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Team home kit that celebrates U.S. Soccer’s 100th year. A stylish and striking design pays tribute to the centennial milestone, giving the uniform a classic but contemporary look.

Known originally as the United States of America Foot Ball Association, the organization was officially formed on April 5, 1913. Three years later, the team played its first game against Sweden in Stockholm, winning 3-2, and the new kit is inspired by the uniform worn by those pioneers 100 years ago.

The new U.S. Men’s and Women’s National team kits will be available online and in stores starting today.

The jersey includes a solid white design with obsidian blue collar and sleeve detailing. The V-neck is noticeably wide and deep to match the 1913 kit. Vent details on the right and left hem represent the nation’s iconic stars and stripes, while the inner neck detail also celebrates U.S Soccer’s centennial year.

A standout feature of the new kit is the crest. The enlarged crest pays homage to the original kit, and is interwoven to maximize the top’s luxurious feel. The crest’s 13 stars and 13 stripes replicate the motif of the 1913 kit and symbolize the first American flag of the original 13 colonies.

The shorts are white with an obsidian blue trim along each side and have the full crest and a white swoosh detail. The socks are white and have “USA” woven into the design.

In line with Nike’s commitment to combining performance with lower environmental impact, fabric for the new kit’s shorts is made with 100 percent recycled polyester, while the shirt fabric is made with a minimum 96 percent recycled polyester. Each kit is made from an average 13 recycled plastic bottles.

The kit is constructed using Nike Dri-FIT technology to wick moisture and is made out of 23 percent lighter fabric with 20 percent stronger knit structure than Nike’s previous kits. The shirt also features laser-cut ventilation holes that promote localized cooling to help regulate players’ body temperature during a match.