Over 323.1 million people of many different cultures currently reside in the United States which should provide the country with a pool of soccer players that can compete with any country in the world. The sad truth is that the red, white and blue doesn’t. 86 years ago, the United States finished in third place in the first ever World Cup and since, their only other relevant finish came in 2002 during a run to the quarter-finals.
For the last twelve years, Sunil Gulati oversaw the U.S. Soccer Federation, which has experienced highs and lows expected out of any growing soccer nation. But more rampantly, fans have witnessed stagnation in progress while making runs to what has become known as the country’s current ceiling, the round of 16. Fans have also witnessed historic lows in unexpected losses and most recently missing the 2018 world cup for the first time since 1990.
This type of inconsistency and downward trajectory is unacceptable for such a diverse, populous nation. Although soccer is not the number one sport by any measure, it cannot be denied that the resources are there to compete with every nation in the world. This twelve year buildup of inconsistency and lack of progress will be what Sunil Gulati is most known for. What does the Federation do next?
Carlos Cordeiro as U.S. soccer president, will only bring forth more stagnation to an already subpar soccer culture.
The logical answer is a complete overhaul. However, the recent election of Carlos Cordeiro proved to fans and people all over the globe that the United States wants more of the same. Carlos Cordeiro’s most notable achievement is being Gulati’s vice president. The New York Times states “Cordeiro, a well-connected vice president of the federation, has been a board member of the organization since 2007, serving on a variety of committees. A former Goldman Sachs banker, he is a longtime associate of Gulati’s…”
This election was a failure of greater magnitude than missing the 2018 World Cup. Carlos Cordeiro as U.S. soccer president, will only bring forth more stagnation to an already subpar soccer culture. It is almost comparable to the recent presidential election in which Americans saw two lackluster candidates and ended up with the subjective “best” of the worst. The federation was fearful to implement a person capable of bringing truly fresh ideas to the forefront.
The old way is not working, and soccer fans will now see more of the same in the recent elect. The establishment has proven inconsistent and age-old problems that US Soccer has endured will continue to persist. Cordeiro, Gulati and co. have proven inept in getting results and making the necessary moves to advance the youth academy to new heights. In major tournaments, the United States, no matter the age group, far too commonly fall to nations with less population and resources. The new guy better show something and show something quick, or the U.S. will fall behind for good.
My question to our nation’s soccer leadership in this new structure: will we not see more of the same? Our new USSF soccer president’s main calling card in the soccer world as experience goes is working under the failed Gulati.
The most pressing need is clearly an uproot in the way the United States’ youth structure is set up. Youth and senior success within the USSF will start with soccer education. If the new soccer president wants to implement any sort of change, then the people in charge of the low-level age groups need to be properly educated throughout the country in the widest scope possible. This will help increase efficiency in key developmental stages that is needed to compete with other global soccer powers.
The increased financial backing promised by Cordeiro should be used to implement 10 “regional coaches” in the Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, and the West (which since it is such a big region will demand twenty regional coaches). These “foot soldiers” should be tasked with hitting a niche of prospering youth leagues & academies in their respective regions repeatedly to increase soccer education and put forth a unified soccer mission. This should have a domino effect as it will create an environment in which the educated become the educators. As this falls into place the United States will develop its own progressive soccer style and culture.
It must be demonstrated to fans that Cordeiro’s platform centered around increased spending, a shared vision for youth development and transparency among leadership can improve the state of US Soccer. The first two pillars of the president elect’s platform seem to be reasonable and the type of changes that would positively affect results for years to come. The third pillar is most troubling.
For the American Outlaws, the language Cordeiro is using here seems to portray an idea that he will be different and transform the leadership structure from the ground up. You should not be deceived. This is highly unlikely. My question to our nation’s soccer leadership in this new structure: will we not see more of the same? Our new USSF soccer president’s main calling card in the soccer world as experience goes is working under the failed Gulati. In this transparent leadership system, you will only see more leaders emerge from the establishment headed by Gulati and now carried on by Cordeiro. Ideas will still not be dynamic enough and leadership will not be willing to put forth the wide scale change needed to take that next step as a soccer nation. The ceiling will continue to crash down when reaching the round of 16 in a World Cup. The floor will remain missing the World Cup, which before 2018, had not happened since 1990.
The increased financial backing promised by Cordeiro should be used to implement 10 “regional coaches” in the Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, and the West (which since it is such a big region will demand twenty regional coaches).
Recent blunders by US soccer have become a nightmare for all who have had to witness. Fan’s hearts were broken when the team did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and these same hearts will be ripped out when the actual event starts. A prominent figure in the establishment of stagnation was voted in as president during one of the most perilous times in USSF history. Although this is not an ideal path, it is important to remain supportive of the federation, and hope that Cordeiro can stray away from his establishment buddies, and create an ideal environment for a US Soccer revolution that the youth academy so desperately needs. Let’s get started.