Thanks Matt, a very heartfelt and honest take on what ended up being a very complicated ending for the USMNT. I lived and coached my kids and other kids in the US for 30 years before heading back to Europe and I have a real sense of the shared desire for soccer to take its place in the pantheon of major sports for US fans of the game. The numbers for the last game audience wise are worth celebrating, 55 million tuned in to the Belgium game, the highest sports audience outside of Superbowl and NFL playoffs. The earlier USMNT games pulled in more eyeballs than the Stanley Cup Final, so arguably soccer has achieved its goal of being the 4th Major Sport, even if it is a way behind the big three.
It is well known that "Everything Trump touches dies" and it was a real sadness to see all that goodwill be pissed away by the ridiculous appeal to the feckless FIFA for Balo's red, I accept your point that it was probably more US Soccer and the Mango Mussolini taking all the credit. But viewed from outside the US you went from everyone's favorite underdog to get by a tired and aging Belgium, with all the good wishes and good will from everyone except the Belgians, to the "cheating" team we wanted the Red Devils to torch, a reminder of how thoroughly corrupt FIFA is, how US Soccer continues to be an impediment rather than a catalyst for the sport of soccer's growth and success.
I would love to see the sport develop more in the US but with the current system I have little expectation. I think the dependence on the touring club to college development route and MLS Superdraft process, the Major League franchise approach will exclude poor kids and especially put off the millions of young Americans who come from a Latin American background and are born loving the game. For the lucky kids who do make it through and ply their trade in Europe, it is the best path to testing themselves and reaching levels of reward that are not currently available in the MLS, like you I side with the Pro-Europe path and am happy to see players like Ream, Richards and Adams playing in Europe and thriving.
Fulham will hopefully have enough ups and downs to keep us engaged and the excitement for the new coach and his highly talented staff is paplable, who knows maybe he will actually appear on camera soon!
Matt, I truly appreciate and can identify with everything you said about being an American and following European soccer and loving Fulham because of the American connection that introduced me to the club in the early 2000's. I know you're journey... I've lived it too. I understand why you would bring politics into this article because of the recent involvement of our current President, but I would encourage you to separate sport and politics in your articles as much as possible. Following sport is a way to get away from the political rhetoric and to unite us fans from so many backgrounds with our fandom. Having read this article we have vastly differing opinions on politics, which is fine, we can still be brothers in our love of all things Fulham FC. My basic comment to you would to not be so bold to brush others of a different political view as uninformed and uneducated as the root cause of our differing social and political views. There are many well informed Americans, such as myself from South Mississippi, with broad international interest and understanding of the current geopolitical and social landscape who fundamentally simply have a Christian faith based view of the world and world events, and the role our nation has to play in that, and that view differs but not because of ignorance. So be a little more open minded in your belief that ignorance is the root cause of political difference (I do totally agree there are plenty of socially and politically ignorant people in America and around the world!) but there are plenty of us like you and me who are thoughtful deliberators of our world and our country and what's best for the preservation of our American values here and around the world. Soccer in America is something that should bring us closer to our European and International friends and to be able to have a fierce debate about the performance (or lack there of) of our men's national team is what is making soccer not "big" but important and a part of the American "culture" and I think that is awesome! Keep writing and stand firm with your beliefs, and remember we all have more in common than differences. I'm excited to see what the new coaching staff does with new transfers (I hope there are many to come in the next few weeks) at the Cottage this year. COYW
I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts! And, while I am no fan of Trump, I don’t really hold him accountable for what happened (or anyone who supports him). I put the blame on the - likely - liberals at US Soccer who went via trump to overturn the red card suspension. Trump did what he does. And, I was also on board with freeing Balo, as were many of my (mostly liberal) friends. We all should have known better and maybe - US Soccer - had the best intentions but it was a giant misread of the situation. It’s ironic because we thought it could help us achieve the dream but ended up killing it. The dog caught the car and got run over, so to speak. I like your point about making soccer more part of culture rather than just big. And , to be clear, I think most Americans - across the political spectrum - are clueless about what happens overseas (not just one side). Also, while I won’t promise I won’t write about politics again, because it is more and more relevant and integral to sports, I can assure you that my interest - and focus and future articles - is mainly about the team and data. COYW.
Took me a couple of weeks to dig this out of my inbox—Matt this is an absolutely fantastic account of what it’s like for USMNT fans that also have developed a fandom of an overseas club. I am sure a US-based Palace or Villa or Spurs fan could very much relate. I too started as a strictly FulAmerican—but with Brian McBride, not Dempsey like most!—but I knew I had become a fan of the club and not just the associated when, in 2011 or so, I had the uncontrollable urge to shout “dammit Duff” at my TV when he failed to pass the ball to Dickson Etuhu.
As a kid growing up in England all I needed to play the beautiful game was a tennis ball, kicking it or a larger ball around in the back garden, or in the hallway! Many evenings were spent in the park playing pick up games.....no proper equipment, just what we came in. It has always struck me as odd (and expensive) that American kids from about the age of 5 all seem to have jerseys; boots, and all the paraphernalia for whatever sport they are learning. This proper gear mentality has to change in my opinion. Why don't parents rebel? I know no other country that is like this.
I now live in Southern California with our diverse community playing lots of soccer everywhere.
Fulham have been a passion since the early 70's. My mother even lined up, and got lucky at the Cottage to get me a 1975 Final ticket, as I was in college at the time. Motherly love!
Your piece reinforces a feeling I’ve gotten that, in the long run, Alex Freeman is the most important US player. I haven’t done a careful count but it may well be that USMNT is the most “Caucasian” national team. (Jedi and Flo English!) This at a time when US basketball, football, and baseball are otherwise. We need to overcome cost barriers (not affecting Freeman) that diminish soccer’s access to all US communities.
But, as a Fulham fan take heart. The real reason Belgium romped is that Castagne was 3/4 of Fulham’s defense with Ream snd Jedi, knew well their weaknesses and helped Belgium exploit them.
Thanks Matt, a very heartfelt and honest take on what ended up being a very complicated ending for the USMNT. I lived and coached my kids and other kids in the US for 30 years before heading back to Europe and I have a real sense of the shared desire for soccer to take its place in the pantheon of major sports for US fans of the game. The numbers for the last game audience wise are worth celebrating, 55 million tuned in to the Belgium game, the highest sports audience outside of Superbowl and NFL playoffs. The earlier USMNT games pulled in more eyeballs than the Stanley Cup Final, so arguably soccer has achieved its goal of being the 4th Major Sport, even if it is a way behind the big three.
It is well known that "Everything Trump touches dies" and it was a real sadness to see all that goodwill be pissed away by the ridiculous appeal to the feckless FIFA for Balo's red, I accept your point that it was probably more US Soccer and the Mango Mussolini taking all the credit. But viewed from outside the US you went from everyone's favorite underdog to get by a tired and aging Belgium, with all the good wishes and good will from everyone except the Belgians, to the "cheating" team we wanted the Red Devils to torch, a reminder of how thoroughly corrupt FIFA is, how US Soccer continues to be an impediment rather than a catalyst for the sport of soccer's growth and success.
I would love to see the sport develop more in the US but with the current system I have little expectation. I think the dependence on the touring club to college development route and MLS Superdraft process, the Major League franchise approach will exclude poor kids and especially put off the millions of young Americans who come from a Latin American background and are born loving the game. For the lucky kids who do make it through and ply their trade in Europe, it is the best path to testing themselves and reaching levels of reward that are not currently available in the MLS, like you I side with the Pro-Europe path and am happy to see players like Ream, Richards and Adams playing in Europe and thriving.
Fulham will hopefully have enough ups and downs to keep us engaged and the excitement for the new coach and his highly talented staff is paplable, who knows maybe he will actually appear on camera soon!
Matt, I truly appreciate and can identify with everything you said about being an American and following European soccer and loving Fulham because of the American connection that introduced me to the club in the early 2000's. I know you're journey... I've lived it too. I understand why you would bring politics into this article because of the recent involvement of our current President, but I would encourage you to separate sport and politics in your articles as much as possible. Following sport is a way to get away from the political rhetoric and to unite us fans from so many backgrounds with our fandom. Having read this article we have vastly differing opinions on politics, which is fine, we can still be brothers in our love of all things Fulham FC. My basic comment to you would to not be so bold to brush others of a different political view as uninformed and uneducated as the root cause of our differing social and political views. There are many well informed Americans, such as myself from South Mississippi, with broad international interest and understanding of the current geopolitical and social landscape who fundamentally simply have a Christian faith based view of the world and world events, and the role our nation has to play in that, and that view differs but not because of ignorance. So be a little more open minded in your belief that ignorance is the root cause of political difference (I do totally agree there are plenty of socially and politically ignorant people in America and around the world!) but there are plenty of us like you and me who are thoughtful deliberators of our world and our country and what's best for the preservation of our American values here and around the world. Soccer in America is something that should bring us closer to our European and International friends and to be able to have a fierce debate about the performance (or lack there of) of our men's national team is what is making soccer not "big" but important and a part of the American "culture" and I think that is awesome! Keep writing and stand firm with your beliefs, and remember we all have more in common than differences. I'm excited to see what the new coaching staff does with new transfers (I hope there are many to come in the next few weeks) at the Cottage this year. COYW
I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts! And, while I am no fan of Trump, I don’t really hold him accountable for what happened (or anyone who supports him). I put the blame on the - likely - liberals at US Soccer who went via trump to overturn the red card suspension. Trump did what he does. And, I was also on board with freeing Balo, as were many of my (mostly liberal) friends. We all should have known better and maybe - US Soccer - had the best intentions but it was a giant misread of the situation. It’s ironic because we thought it could help us achieve the dream but ended up killing it. The dog caught the car and got run over, so to speak. I like your point about making soccer more part of culture rather than just big. And , to be clear, I think most Americans - across the political spectrum - are clueless about what happens overseas (not just one side). Also, while I won’t promise I won’t write about politics again, because it is more and more relevant and integral to sports, I can assure you that my interest - and focus and future articles - is mainly about the team and data. COYW.
Took me a couple of weeks to dig this out of my inbox—Matt this is an absolutely fantastic account of what it’s like for USMNT fans that also have developed a fandom of an overseas club. I am sure a US-based Palace or Villa or Spurs fan could very much relate. I too started as a strictly FulAmerican—but with Brian McBride, not Dempsey like most!—but I knew I had become a fan of the club and not just the associated when, in 2011 or so, I had the uncontrollable urge to shout “dammit Duff” at my TV when he failed to pass the ball to Dickson Etuhu.
Very well written article.
As a kid growing up in England all I needed to play the beautiful game was a tennis ball, kicking it or a larger ball around in the back garden, or in the hallway! Many evenings were spent in the park playing pick up games.....no proper equipment, just what we came in. It has always struck me as odd (and expensive) that American kids from about the age of 5 all seem to have jerseys; boots, and all the paraphernalia for whatever sport they are learning. This proper gear mentality has to change in my opinion. Why don't parents rebel? I know no other country that is like this.
I now live in Southern California with our diverse community playing lots of soccer everywhere.
Fulham have been a passion since the early 70's. My mother even lined up, and got lucky at the Cottage to get me a 1975 Final ticket, as I was in college at the time. Motherly love!
Your piece reinforces a feeling I’ve gotten that, in the long run, Alex Freeman is the most important US player. I haven’t done a careful count but it may well be that USMNT is the most “Caucasian” national team. (Jedi and Flo English!) This at a time when US basketball, football, and baseball are otherwise. We need to overcome cost barriers (not affecting Freeman) that diminish soccer’s access to all US communities.
But, as a Fulham fan take heart. The real reason Belgium romped is that Castagne was 3/4 of Fulham’s defense with Ream snd Jedi, knew well their weaknesses and helped Belgium exploit them.