You are generous to refer to anything that I wrote about the European birth rate as “analysis.” It was just some half-serious (half-baked?), musing about the future. Of course you are right about immigration’s effects–I was looking at last year’s comments and see that someone else had raised that issue. I shouldn’t have neglected its role in providing young European players in the decades to come.

Thanks for stopping by…though this blog is essentially defunct.

I´ve emailed you some links and info regarding the fans of a particular club in Brazil, but apparently the email you put here doesn´t exist. Would you like to e-mail so I can send you that email?

Cheers,

André

Your analysis really depend on what you call Europeans. If you consider them only as the “original” people who have been living in the continent for centuries, then it might be true. Nonetheless, immigration has always existed in Europe, as well as invasions – in the past.

So basically, there will still be lower classes in Europe as well as young children to play football on the “streets”. The only thing is that they might be most or all of foreign origin.

I don´t see football losing its post of most popular sport, which means that the kids of every new family immigrating into the continent will tend to play the sport.

Also, generally speaking, (and I am not an expert in this field) I believe a decrease in the world´s population is a very good thing. The issue there is that it doesn´t happen in the right proportion. Basically, the population is actually still increasing, with the base of the social pyramid getting wider and the top narrower. Having that and your analysis on who practice football into consideration, the sport only tends to gain, even in the Old Continent.

MLS players making the move to Europe has worked for some players, which is why I had to stop and think about it. Made the mistake of going to work and I forgot about what I was saying.

There are advantages and disadvantages of playing for a pretty big club. The advantages are, you’re playing for a big club or a club that compete in one of the best leagues in the world with some of the best talents in the world as Altidore is. Also, like in Altidore’s case, you get to practice with some great players who have been on the big stage. However, the disadvantages for someone like Altidore (since he was not seen as being good enough for them or even Xerez) are that he may be practicing with those great players, but it’s practice and the pace is usually not game speed during practices. He’s also only playing against his own team, he’s not seeing anyone new. I think that is something that should be on the minds of MLS players who get offers from those “larger clubs.” Can’t players reject a team’s offer if they want playing time? Personal opinion coming: I think Altidore would be a better fit on a team like Porto (haha), Benfica, Sporting Lisbon, Ajax, PSV, or AZ Alkmaar. He’d likely get more playing time and would see Champions League competition. Also, those leagues/teams develop their players well so they can move on to the bigger clubs. Aly Cissokho, Porto’s former left back has just made the move to A.C. Milan. He was with the club for just this year.

I can say this now because I’m not in this position (nor will I ever be), but if an offer came my way from a large Spanish club like Madrid and I was already a starter for my MLS club. I would be asking these questions:

Who did they sell to make room for me?
How talented is their overall roster?
Who is already on their squad who had been waiting for that position to open and are they anyone familiar (popular name), how long has he been in their system?

That’s just me, I would want playing time. If there has been some other player waiting in the wings for the spot and has been a part of their system for quite some time, they are going to know what the coaches are expecting from that position better than the new guy who may have to sit and learn. In Altidore’s case he never really had a chance to learn, Villarreal loaned him away to the Spanish second division, which would have benefited him if he got playing time but he didn’t.

Enough of that…

The U.S. should walk through the group stage of the Gold Cup. Compared to what they just went through, their group is nothing. The U.S. have three “threats” in this tournament: Honduras, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Two if you want to cross of Costa Rica because the match won’t be at Saprissa this time LOL.

Have a great fourth!!!

Well, I’m not worried about us playing down to Concacaf teams, because after that wretched Costa Rica match, I’m a bit psyched out.

Wow, Venus Williams has just smashed and crushed Dinara Safina in less than an hour…actually Safina did not even show up for that match. Venus had a very muted, classy reaction to her victory–happy, but not exuberant. I’ve never seen a #1 seed (as Safina was), walk onto the court looking so completely psyched out. It was, as John MacEnroe said, “beyond embarassing.” Safina seems like a really tragic head case. Now I’m worried that Venus did not get enough tough preparation for the final against Serena–and I always want Venus to win. Six Wimbledon singles titles would be pretty sweet. As you can see, I’ve taken a mini-break from soccer and am now in Wimbledon mode. I’ll return to soccer with the first Gold Cup match!

Have a great 4th of July, Adam!

I was also a little miffed finding out the Rossi could have played for the US, but chose Italy. But he said Italy was always his choice since he was little. I can’t argue with a boyhood dream. Nice word! Jingoistic, had to look that one up!

Altidore should have at least got some playing time while in Spain. I’m a little concerned that Villarreal bought him, then loaned him out to Xerez, where he still didn’t see playing time. I think his prowess for the goal and his strength, will have Villarreal thinking twice about him next season. I had this whole thing written about how I think MLS players shouldn’t (i.e. not in their best interest to) make the jump from the MLS to a team like Manchester United or Inter Milan. But I just got back from work and have forgotten most of what I was thinking when I started writing this reply.

I was pleased with the way the U.S. played against Brazil, even though they blew the lead in the second half. It’s true, a 2-0 lead is the most dangerous lead in football. I just hope they can keep up their intensity throughout the rest of qualifying and the Gold Cup and NOT “play down” to their CONCACAF opponents.

Altidore’s goal would have made my day even if we had ultimately lost the match. He really showed his potential. It seems to me that he’s grown during the past year, not just in height but in weight. It must be hard to get used to this (not that I would have any experience of that-haha), especially when you are getting no playing time. He’s looked ragged in the previous matches this month, but he’s obviously regaining his form. Nothing could demonstrate what he can become better than that goal. Let’s hope he gets the playing time he deserves in the coming season. I’ve even been wondering if it would be better to return to MLS just to get those crucial minutes.

I saw the Gold Cup roster somewhere and Adu is on it, but I don’t remember about Torres. I hope so. I think he plays in the Mexican League? Great experience, if so.

I did watch part of the Italy match, late at night during our big week last week. I would say that we didn’t look terrible, especially since we were a man down. I was very bitter when that Rossi guy came on and scored right away. I’m not overly rah-rah and flag-waving, but it does irritate me that he blew off the US to go play in Italy. I don’t even know what club he plays for, actually. What could be better than leading the US in international play, especially if he is that good that he can play for Italy? He could have really made a difference for his native country. Grumble, grumble…I’m really only jingoistic when it comes to soccer/football!

All we can do is sit back and enjoy Sunday’s final match and be glad that we made it there against the odds. My only hope is that we play better than we did in the first match against Brazil. Oh who am I kidding? My dream is that Jozy muscles through the defense for another brilliant goal, then Brazil scores on a set piece (like Dani Alves’ goal yesterday), and then Charlie Davies wins it with a bicycle kick in stoppage time!!

The red cards are a huge issue, 3 in 4 games. Don’t think the commentators put up much of a fuss about Bradley’s because the score was 2-0 over Spain. If they were to fuss over any of the red cards given, that one would have been the one. It seemed that Bradley was more on time with the tackle than Clark and Kljestan were. The tackle on Gattuso was just atrocious by Ricardo Clark, the tackle by Kljestan was just as late. However, Bradley’s tackle if anything was studs up but on time, he got the ball. That’s a yellow. Bradley’s red was very harsh.

“The Miracle on Grass”, indeed. Maybe, Miracles. The first one was the astronomical odds that were against the U.S. on the last day of the group stage. Who would have thought Italy would be crushed 3-0 by Brazil, let alone the U.S. winning 3-0 over an Egyptian squad playing the way they were? Those things just don’t happen in a normal world. The second is the obvious 2-0 victory over Spain. Can there be a third looming?

Torres has the potential to be a strong midfield distributor. I saw him in the Costa Rica match, and his control and foot skills were among the best on the field for the U.S. Since then, he has not seen any playing time. Torres has great potential, Bradley just needs to play him…and Adu.

Altidore’s goal was a thing of beauty against Spain! I still can’t get over how he out-muscled Capdevila (his teammate at Villarreal I think) for the goal. Altidore just stood there and Capdevila fell over him.

Don’t want to speculate who’ll win the final on Sunday, still haven’t finished eating my words from the Spain match.