Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I do not doubt the extent to how much soccer can be played in America, but the relative interest of soccer events to other sports is significant. American football and baseball by far general a great deal of interest and money. Hell, they managed to turn the college level of football into a sport unto its own complete with round the clock coverage when it is played by EPSN. Soccer rarely gets touched upon outside of ESPN or by more international citizens of America (Latino immigrants for instance).

WarOne wrote:I do not doubt the extent to how much soccer can be played in America, but the relative interest of soccer events to other sports is significant. American football and baseball by far general a great deal of interest and money. Hell, they managed to turn the college level of football into a sport unto its own complete with round the clock coverage when it is played by EPSN. Soccer rarely gets touched upon outside of ESPN or by more international citizens of America (Latino immigrants for instance).

As you imply somehow in your reply, I think that the popularity of the sports depends on the media coverage, and hence, of the commercials. (So, more minutes in TV = more people talking about it in the street)

The amounts of money that teams like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona move in Spain is INSANE. When you see in a newspaper the new signing of a player for a brutal amount of money next to the numbers of the economical crisis... it's disgusting. Makes me sick.

WarOne wrote:As an ethno-centric America, not too concerned with the global soccer thing-a-ma-jig going on. Heck, can't even name a current or past soccer player or team for the life of me.

So here goes my America Basketball prediction:

I believe the Lakers will take the NBA Finals in six games.

But if I had to pick a country, does Mexico currently have a team in this event? Sounds like America doesn't do so well in soccer, so might as well be someone from North America.

We just beat Mexico 3-1 in a friendly. And we were playing poop.

Hans_posthumus wrote:Yeah The Brits here don't sound to confident about there own team. I think England is equally gifted with players to spain. I mean, you have John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney not to forget!

Have a little bit of faith in your country!

I have a lot of faith in my country, faith in football far less so, and a credible faith in Rooney is hard to source.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/teams/england/7812294/World-Cup-2010-Wayne-Rooneys-short-fuse-could-blow-Englands-main-chance.html

Sod it! I'll throw my hat in the ring and with national pride bursting through my chest like an Alien -

ENGLAND FTW!!!!

We have a number of factors pointing us towards ultimate victory;

1. Decent leadership
2. A good set of players
3. No Rio "kicking long balls makes me a defending play-maker but am otherwise lazy fether" Ferdinand in the squad
4. No David "dead-weight" Beckham in the team
5. South Africa pretty much has the same time zone as us, ensuring maximum watchability
6. Climate is not too bad for us.

I'm really looking forward to Saturdays opener against the USA (my Birthday, Woot!). This promises to be a good game, I know I for one would like to see a game where it really matters between The USA and us. Also how will US Soccer fans react to 20,000 drunken Brits singing "England till I die" in the African sun promises to be a highlight.

I predict that Englands traditional slow start vs the USA's positivity will result in a drab 1-1 draw. I will be so drunk this will not matter to me!

At least the diplomats are getting into the spirit even if Warone isn't!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/us_and_canada/10270467.stm

If we beat the USA too much we may lose our "special friendship".

Although I would laugh if the USA suffers some "friendly fire" and score a couple of own goals

[jingoism]As long as England lose, Scotland wins[/jingoism]

*runs away from thread*

Someone lock this thread before mattym gets here!

That pesky fething Scotsman just had to show up didnt he! :-)

The US has a decent team and I can see them qualifying for the knockout stages as runners-up. The only problem with that is they're likely to face Germany and that's only ever going to end one way...

England can do it, I just think it will rely on Capello doing what no England manager has dared to do - NOT PLAY GERRARD AND LAMPARD TOGETHER FFS!!!! [/rage]

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:[jingoism]As long as England lose, Scotland wins[/jingoism]

*runs away from thread*

Don't worry

Matty doesn't care about football, and the rest of the English don't really care about the Scottish

Aye ive not much interest in footy like, It seems a bit purile to get so excited about a ball game, especially one that our nation is only mediocre at. I DO have an interest in cans though if anyone wants to talk about that.

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:[jingoism]As long as England lose, Scotland wins[/jingoism]

*runs away from thread*

[jingoism]As long as Scotland fails to qualify, everyone wins[/jingoism]

*celebrates! no jocks yay!*

The quantity of flags and bunting there is around some parts of where I live almost makes me think I've gone through a time warp and am seeing VE day just after the war

Although that might also be because most of the people around here still seem to live like it is the 1940's

SilverMK2 wrote:The quantity of flags and bunting there is around some parts of where I live almost makes me think I've gone through a time warp and am seeing VE day just after the war

Although that might also be because most of the people around here still seem to live like it is the 1940's

The trouble is in the mind of much of the populace the World Cup is more important. Fething chavs.

I think we have a much better chance this year than before, just because Capello is a sound Manager, and it has been proved time and time again a good Manager can get more from his team.

So I won't say we have no chance, but I fear as usual we will blow up at some point with a crucial Sending off or something.

After Spain preformance yesterday I'd say thats some scary form just before a tournament, so they'd be up there for me.

Personally I have a wierd feeling about Argentina, almost didn't make it through the qualifying, and on a good day their team is awesome.

Morathi's Darkest Sin wrote:I think we have a much better chance this year than before, just because Capello is a sound Manager, and it has been proved time and time again a good Manager can get more from his team.

So I won't say we have no chance, but I fear as usual we will blow up at some point with a crucial Sending off or something.

After Spain preformance yesterday I'd say thats some scary form just before a tournament, so they'd be up there for me.

Personally I have a wierd feeling about Argentina, almost didn't make it through the qualifying, and on a good day their team is awesome.

So long as both teams win their group, which is not unlikely England and Argentina cant meet until the Finals. That I would find very interesting on a purely nationalistic level.

mattyrm wrote:Aye ive not much interest in footy like, It seems a bit purile to get so excited about a ball game, especially one that our nation is only mediocre at. I DO have an interest in cans though if anyone wants to talk about that.

Pfft! Talking about cans is like drinking about philosophy.

Orlanth wrote:

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:[jingoism]As long as England lose, Scotland wins[/jingoism]

*runs away from thread*

[jingoism]As long as Scotland fails to qualify, everyone wins[/jingoism]

*celebrates! no jocks yay!*

Touche!




Bumface!

Is Scotland even allowed to enter? I thought you had to be a country to qualify for the world cup, not a county

No Scotland are a country, but I heard that they were barred from going to the finals as they calculated that that many sun burned ginger people would overload the South African health system.

After reading up a bit more of current state of the team, and that Dunga is coaching/managing, I'm actually a bit more confident of my boys in Green and Yellow.

Go Brasil!

As a person that grew up playing soccer, (and also american football, baseball) Soccer is an fun game to play. The problem is watching "American" soccer is boring. The way the game is played over here compared to the way it is played in the English premier league, La Liga, and the Bundislega is like night and day. The big difference is the amount of effort that I see put into european soccer vs American soccer. It's that extra effort to chase down the ball carrier, and the crisp passing and ball control that you see in the European game that is missing in the American game.

After watching Man-U. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and many others and comparing them to MLS. MLS is boring. That is why soccer is lagging behind in America.

GG

Hah, I really like where this discussion is going!

I'm at work right now, but I'll edit the first post of this topic with an tournament overview when I'm at home. I'll even post every outcome of the matches played and keep track untill the final!

What you think of that?

I really think you should be covering American basketball than watching people kick a ball through a 24 foot net.

But then again, go any North American team!

Thats the spirit Warone!

Now drink till your incoherant and you will be set for the full World Cup experiance!

generalgrog wrote:As a person that grew up playing soccer, (and also american football, baseball) Soccer is an fun game to play. The problem is watching "American" soccer is boring. The way the game is played over here compared to the way it is played in the English premier league, La Liga, and the Bundislega is like night and day. The big difference is the amount of effort that I see put into european soccer vs American soccer. It's that extra effort to chase down the ball carrier, and the crisp passing and ball control that you see in the European game that is missing in the American game.

After watching Man-U. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and many others and comparing them to MLS. MLS is boring. That is why soccer is lagging behind in America.

GG

I think there are several factors. American sporting culture is based on excellence. There's no such thing as a 'gallant loser' who plays the game in 'the right way'. Winning is everything. The simple fact is that US teams can't compete at the highest level, and as long as that is the case, soccer will not be as popular in the US as other sports.

Why is this?

Well, as long as soccer is less popular (and thus, less lucrative) the top athletes are going to play other sports, simple as that. If Thierry Henry had been born in the US he would be a track athlete, and Wayne rooney would be a boxer if he ws American. That said, there is an enormous pool of talent in the USA - I believe that the USA could be the next Brazil in about 20 years, but that will only happen if TEAM USA enjoys significant success, and the domestic league takes off. It's a catch-22.

Also, soccer is low-scoring - American fans in general seem to want to see points on the board, and if they don't see enough (or worse still, they get a draw!) then the game is derided as being boring. For football fans, footy is an art as much as it is a sport - just watch someone like Henry, Zidane or Ronaldinho on the ball! Until there is that aesthetic appreciation, I think soccer will remain a niche interest in the US, and that will translate into mediocre performances by the national team.

Saying that, I think the USA has the potential to have a good tournament - they could conceivably beat England (with a bit of luck), and that is the thing I love the most about The Beautiful Game: anything can happen.

For evidence of this, watch the Liverpool v AC Milan Champions League Final - probably the best game of football I have ever watched.

Albatross wrote:I think there are several factors. American sporting culture is based on excellence. There's no such thing as a 'gallant loser' who plays the game in 'the right way'. Winning is everything. The simple fact is that US teams can't compete at the highest level, and as long as that is the case, soccer will not be as popular in the US as other sports.

Why is this?

Well, as long as soccer is less popular (and thus, less lucrative) the top athletes are going to play other sports, simple as that.

The funny thing is that youth soccer is HUGE here. I'm sure the overall youth coaching isn't remotely up to snuff compared to what it's like in the football power nations. Still, it's a ton of little kids kicking the ball around.

But yeah, the best athletes migrate away from soccer to pursue sports that offer more of a future (in the U.S.). Which is good for the rest of the world. I mean, imagine athletes like Chris Paul and Darrelle Revis with a lifetime's worth of good soccer coaching.

Albatross wrote:....Also, soccer is low-scoring - American fans in general seem to want to see points on the board, and if they don't see enough (or worse still, they get a draw!) then the game is derided as being boring.

I don't think the problem is low scoring, because baseball and hockey are low scoring, and even american football can be low scoring at times.

The thing that I appreciate about watching Euro soccer is the quality of play is just soooo much better. The "art" aspect of the game is what I enjoy as well. This is similar to Basketball as played in America. A lot of those players are artists, with the way they pass the ball and maneuver around their opponents to score, or pass the ball to create a score. This is very similar to how a Ronaldo or a Messi will manuever the ball to get open shots.

I think's it's a misconception that Americans can't appreciate the "art" of the beautiful game, because many of us allready appreciate the "art" of American basketball. Unlike if we were to watch some Euro team play Basketball, it would be boring.

I don't know if you have ever watched a game of MLS, but if you are used to watching Premier league or Bundeslega you would see the difference right off. MLS just seems to be running in low gear compared to Euro soccer. And quite frankly I find it boring. Which is quite opposite to my experiance when I watch a euro game. I especially enjoy the champions league.

GG

One of the problems with Association Football (I'm sorry in deference to our American friends but I just can't bring myself to use the 'S' word ) is that it is impossible to include ad breaks.

Money rules in US sport (as it does to a greater or lesser extent everywhere) and without ad revenue the game will never recieve the national media support it needs to become a top tier game in America.