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World Football Thread XIV - Italy: Hail to the Champions

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  • THANKS BRUCE!



    U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati announced Friday that U.S. Men's National Team coach Bruce Arena, the longest-tenured national team coach at the World Cup, will not return to the U.S. team after his contract expires at the end of the year.

    Arena met with Gulati and U.S. Soccer Secretary General Dan Flynn for five hours Thursday at LaGuardia Airport, and a decision was finalized Friday morning.

    Gulati said a worldwide search to find a replacement will begin immediately. Speculation will center on Jürgen Klinsmann, who coached the German national team to a third-place finish in this month's World Cup. Klinsmann, who lives in California with his family, stepped down from the German post earlier this week, saying he felt, "burnt out."

    "Bruce expressed a desire to continue," Gulati said. "I'm sure he'll have opportunities. He had a great opportunity before the World Cup, but he didn't want to be distracted. No doubt there will be multiple opportunities in the soccer world in the U.S. and outside if he wants them."

    Arena, hired in October 1998, will leave the national team as the winningest coach in its history. He coached the 2002 U.S. men's team to the quarterfinals of the World Cup, the Americans' best World Cup showing more than 70 years. But Arena's squad disappointed at this year's World Cup, failing to advance out of group play as it lost to the Czech Republic and Ghana and tied eventual World Cup champion Italy.

    "It comes down primarily to eight years being a long period," Gulati said. "I'm not going to say we felt the need to change directions. The direction Bruce has set is very, very positive. We didn't get the results we wanted in the World Cup, but Bruce didn't become a bad coach in three games with a few bad bounces of the ball."

    "It's tough to see a good coach leave, especially with what he's done for the sport of soccer in this country," Clint Dempsey, the only U.S. player to score during the 2006 World Cup, told ESPN.com. "The way I see it, if it's not broke, don't fix it. But I guess the federation was disappointed in our performance in the last World Cup and decided to go in another direction."

    Ron Scheffler/US PRESSWIRE/Other
    After eight years, it was time for Bruce Arena and U.S. Soccer to go in different directions.

    Dempsey felt it was unfair for critics to solely blame Arena for the Americans' World Cup disappointment, which included a 3-0 tournament-opening loss to the Czech Republic. After tying Italy 1-1, the Americans could have advanced out of group play with a victory over Ghana, but they lost that match 2-1 after a controversial penalty call late in the first half.

    "You can't put that entirely on a coach," Dempsey said. "It's on the players, as well. We didn't do what we needed to do. He put us in the position to be successful, and we came up short. Both parties should be blamed, but that's not the way it works. And it's tough that he gets the blame."

    Arena compiled a 71-30-29 record during his eight years, including records for consecutive games unbeaten (16 in 2003-04) and most wins in a calendar year (13 in 2005). In addition to his team's performances in the World Cup, he coached the U.S. team to two CONCACAF Gold Cup championships (in 2002 and 2005) and a third-place finish at the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup.

    His 71 victories and .658 winning percentage are U.S. soccer records.

    "I would like to thank the players, coaches and staff who have been with the program over the last eight years," Arena said via a statement. "Their tireless effort has helped transform the national team program into something we can all be proud of, and I am extremely grateful for their commitment. I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience, and I would like to thank U.S. Soccer for the opportunity and their support throughout my tenure. I am proud of how far the organization has come over the last eight years, and I am extremely optimistic about the future of the sport in our country."

    On Friday, Gulati said he hadn't talked to Klinsmann in six months but acknowledged the former German star could be a potential candidate.

    "He's a very inquisitive guy," Gulati said. "He comes to coaches conventions; he'll ask Anson Dorrance how he motivated his North Carolina teams. All those sorts of things. He's intelligent, multilingual. He has a lot of positive qualities."

    Arena, on the other hand, said he plans to take some time off before weighing future coaching opportunities here and abroad.


    I wish him the best of luck. He took the US squad from an utterly horrific 1998 and really made the team respectable and able to compete with anyone. Thanks for the World Cup Quarterfinal and dominating CONCACAF for the first time . Unfortunatly we played like ass in WC '06 (except against Italy) and you were canned . Best of luck in your next job, Bruce!
    “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
    - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

    Comment


    • Herr Coach Klinsmann: Bitte haben Sie gute Vacations und dann kommen Sie bäk tanned, rested und ready um die Team USA zu den Semis des nächsten Worldcup zu coachen.
      Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Ben Franklin
      Iain Banks missed deadline due to Civ | The eyes are the groin of the head. - Dwight Schrute.
      One more turn .... One more turn .... | WWTSD

      Comment


      • Guys, I'd just like to offer my sincere apologies.

        I tried. I really tried to act like an ignorant, pain-in-the arse, nationalistic butt-head.







        I have been pwned.


        . . laurentius
        I don't know what I am - Pekka

        Comment


        • Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
          I like when Materazzi says that he doesn't even know what "terrorist" means. Yeah... right.
          I finally realised there are worse things in life than agreeing with Imran...

          *shudders

          Originally posted by Agathon
          Oh and, if it comes out that Materazzi used a racist insult, he needs to lose his winner's medal and be banned for a season.
          Here's a better suggestion,..


          Amendment to article 55 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code
          Non discrimination

          Par. 1: Anyone who publicly disparages, discriminates against or denigrates someone in a defamatory manner on account of race, colour, language, religion or ethnic origin, or perpetrates any other discriminatory and/or contemptuous act, will be subject to match suspension for at least five matches at every level.

          Par. 4: If any player, association or club official or spectator perpetrates any kind of discriminatory or contemptuous act as described by par. 1 and/or 2 of this article, three points will automatically be deducted from the team concerned, if identifiable, after the first offence. In the case of a second offence, six points will automatically be deducted, and for a further offence, the team will be relegated.
          In the case of matches without points, the team concerned, if identifiable, will be disqualified.


          I don't think it's likely to happen. And considering that Germany got to keep their trophy after the Schumacher incident, this would be taking PC to a whole new level.

          But, wouldn't it just be the icing on the cake for a tournament characterised by lousy sportsmanship and God-awful officiating?

          Should Italy be disqualified and stripped of the trophy?
          Last edited by Terra Nullius; July 15, 2006, 16:51.
          I don't know what I am - Pekka

          Comment


          • Originally posted by C0ckney
            all the people condemning matterazi here have clearly never played football in their lives.
            Done better than that, mate.

            I played hockey.
            I don't know what I am - Pekka

            Comment


            • Originally posted by Terra Nullius

              Done better than that, mate.

              I played hockey.
              Can hockey (I assume this is ice hockey) players hear each other under all that heavy armour, do they just beat one another round the head to communicate?

              Comment


              • Originally posted by Terra Nullius
                Should Italy be disqualified and stripped of the trophy?
                Yes, most definitely
                "I have been reading up on the universe and have come to the conclusion that the universe is a good thing." -- Dissident
                "I never had the need to have a boner." -- Dissident
                "I have never cut off my penis when I was upset over a girl." -- Dis

                Comment


                • I might be girls hockey.....

                  Comment


                  • Why are people still suggesting that Mazza used a racist insult when IIRC Zidane has already confirmed that it wasn't?

                    Personally I have much sympathy for the great French No. 10, but I don't think people should be so quick to decide that a particular crime has been comitted when there is no evidence for this apart from a few press-hired lip readers who all contradict each other.

                    Comment


                    • Why are people still suggesting that Mazza used a racist insult when IIRC Zidane has already confirmed that it wasn't?




                      When did Zidane ever do anything close to that?!
                      “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
                      - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by Cort Haus

                        Can hockey (I assume this is ice hockey) players hear each other under all that heavy armour, do they just beat one another round the head to communicate?
                        Translated.
                        Originally posted by Cort Haus
                        meowrrrrr! ftt ftt!
                        (\__/)
                        (='.'=)
                        (")_(") This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your signature to help him gain world domination.

                        Comment


                        • Bottom line: (for me!)

                          Zindane got sent off for reacting to something that happens all the time. It's not nice that Matterazzi said what he said but ZZ is supposed to be a profesional.

                          ZZ fooked up, don't blame Matterazzi.

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by Cort Haus
                            Why are people still suggesting that Mazza used a racist insult when IIRC Zidane has already confirmed that it wasn't?

                            Personally I have much sympathy for the great French No. 10, but I don't think people should be so quick to decide that a particular crime has been comitted when there is no evidence for this apart from a few press-hired lip readers who all contradict each other.
                            It's unimportant.

                            What matters is that the Italians get stripped from the cup
                            "I have been reading up on the universe and have come to the conclusion that the universe is a good thing." -- Dissident
                            "I never had the need to have a boner." -- Dissident
                            "I have never cut off my penis when I was upset over a girl." -- Dis

                            Comment


                            • Bottom line: (for me!)

                              I like Zizou more now. He appeals to the Canadian in me. He still fooked up, but I like him more.

                              And the Canadian in me hates no talent ****-disturbers even more than we hate people who occassionally play to injure.

                              Pecking order:
                              Skilled players who have heart > Less skilled players who have tons of heart >>> Journeymen who get the job done, game in game out >>> Skilled players who float >>> Dirty players, skilled or no >>>>>> **** disturbers and trash talkers >>>>>>>> **** disturbers and trash talkers who go down like they've been shot when someone makes them pay the price (Matarazzi). The lowest of the low.
                              (\__/)
                              (='.'=)
                              (")_(") This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your signature to help him gain world domination.

                              Comment


                              • Thats the game mate. ZZ is no angel as I'm sure most people would agree.

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