World Cup Qualifiers - CONCACAF

Opie

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Well the El Salvador and USA game was a borefest from the go. I know away games in CONCACAF are notoriously very hard but we just came out flat and never really took the advantage which we should have done. A point is a point I suppose and several qualifiers left but disappointing never the less.

Ah well on to Sunday against Canada in Nashville where I will be in attendance😁
 

Opie

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On my way to Nashville now to watch US vs Canada:)

Canada are way better than they used to be; hopefully we come out better than we did against El Salvador and get the needed 3 points. Looking forward to singing my heart out for the guys.

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
 

ADRossi

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Weston McKennie out tonight due to a violation of team policy. Maybe the reports out of Italy about him being a headcases weren't just Juventus trying to rationalize selling him.
 

Opie

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Just got back to my car. What can I say but another subpar performance from us; we really got to pick it up or its gonna be Russia 2018 all over again. Here's to hoping for a better performance at Honduras Wednesday.

Off to my hotel room and need to find a liquor store that's still open lol.
 

Broseph Stalin

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Is it bad that I don’t give a fuck about the US national team? The feds are not going to strip me off my US citizenship, right?
 

ADRossi

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Is it bad that I don’t give a fuck about the US national team? The feds are not going to strip me off my US citizenship, right?
The majority of this country doesn't. There are millions of great athletes in this country, but there are five to seven higher paying sports people would rather have their kids play. That will never change, and thus the results won't either.
 

Ethor

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Weston McKennie out tonight due to a violation of team policy. Maybe the reports out of Italy about him being a headcases weren't just Juventus trying to rationalize selling him.
Guess he violated the Covid-19 protocols. Drinking two fingers of George Dickel with the boys was more important. Grande.
 

Opie

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The majority of this country doesn't. There are millions of great athletes in this country, but there are five to seven higher paying sports people would rather have their kids play. That will never change, and thus the results won't either.
That is very much the case unfortunately. Soccer has become a bit more popular over the past decade or so, but as you say deffo still way below american football, basketball, and baseball in the pecking order. Until that changes, then nothing will improve as it should.

We have some good players in Pulisic, Reyna, etc but with how our big the US is and how many top tier athletes their, we should truly be a top 5 team in the world.

Still 12 games left and at the end of the day I do think we will qualify even after this piss poor start. Regardless though, we will never be a soccer power until we demolish all other CONCACAF teams and put more effort into the soccer program.
 

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McKennie dismissed by USMNT for two COVID protocol violations, including bringing unauthorized individual into bubble - sources​

United States midfielder Weston McKennie was sent home by national team manager Gregg Berhalter for spending a night outside of the team's COVID-19 bubble in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as bringing an unauthorized individual back inside the bubble to his hotel room on a different evening, both of which violated the team's coronavirus protocols, sources told ESPN.

The news of an unauthorized person in McKennie's hotel room was first reported on TUDN's "Hablamos Soccer" podcast.

McKennie was suspended for Sunday's 1-1 draw against Canada in a World Cup qualifier for what Berhalter described as a "violation of team policy"; this after the player was seen taking part in the team's final training session at Nissan Stadium on Saturday. McKennie later posted on his Instagram account that he was suspended for violating the team's COVID-19 policy, and he was dismissed by the national team on Monday.

A source also confirmed a detail from MLSSoccer.com that following the El Salvador game, McKennie told teammates that there needed to be more accountability within the U.S. team, only to later engage in the aforementioned protocol violations.

Berhalter was asked multiple times during Tuesday's Zoom call about his decision to suspend McKennie and the reasoning behind it. The U.S. manager declined to answer most of those queries, saying he did it for the good of the team.

"I think when you talk about team policies and team roles and what we're trying to accomplish as a team, the team absolutely comes first," said Berhalter. "And we made this decision not only for the short term, but for the long-term health from the program. It's not an easy decision, trust me.

"Countless coaches are faced with decisions where they have to take talented players out of the lineup for some reason or other, but we did it for what we think is the good of the group and good of the team. And it is what it is when obviously, we're going to be missing Weston for Wednesday. But it doesn't rule him out for the future, but we know that we'll be without him for Wednesday."

Sources confirmed that McKennie's multiple violations factored into Berhalter's decision to suspend the midfielder and send him back to club side Juventus ahead of Wednesday's World Cup qualifier at Honduras.

The issue of possible COVID-19 infection has been a concern for U.S. Soccer since the start of the pandemic in early 2020. Attacker Christian Pulisic tested positive on Aug. 18 while still with club side Chelsea. Two members of the U.S. delegation -- including Manchester City goalkeeper Zack Steffen -- have tested positive for COVID-19 since the team began to convene on Aug. 29. At the time Steffen's positive test was announced, U.S. Soccer stated that every player and staff member had since tested negative multiple times.
"I think the morale is great. I think people make mistakes," Berhalther said. "Weston apologized to the group, he apologized to me and things happen. I guess the most important message that we're trying to get through is that, you know, we're here in camp for seven days and that the intensity is incredible. It's three finals in seven days and we need everyone single-minded focus on what we're trying to accomplish.

"And that's the most important thing. What I'd say is that, by and large, the group is there, the group is focused on that. And sometimes when when people aren't, then you have to have a talk with them and you have to sometimes enforce enforce standards. That's all part of it."

McKennie's off-field behavior has become a source of concern for club and country. The Juventus midfielder, who tested positive for COVID-19 last October, was suspended by then-manager Andrea Pirlo this past April for hosting a party that included teammates Paulo Dybala and Arthur.

The news surrounding McKennie has overshadowed the team's preparations for Wednesday's match. The absence of McKennie was felt in Sunday's match against Canada, the U.S. team's second consecutive draw to start World Cup qualifying.


It's rumoured the person McKennie brought to his hotel room was Pulisic sister.
 

Opie

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Weston is coming off like a straight idiot in this going by the reports.

Everybody wants to get some but wait until after the qualifiers lol👍
 

Opie

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I really hope we come to play against Honduras tonight.

Absolutely fucking massive 3 points
 

ADRossi

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I really hope we come to play against Honduras tonight.

Absolutely fucking massive 3 points
Not looking good.
 
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Opie

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Not looking good.
It wasn't for sure, bad goal to give up. But glad we got it together and rattled off four good goals. Very happy to get the 3 points. Feel less anxious about the whole process now.

Impressed by Aaronson every time I see him.
 

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It wasn't for sure, bad goal to give up. But glad we got it together and rattled off four good goals. Very happy to get the 3 points. Feel less anxious about the whole process now.

Impressed by Aaronson every time I see him.
Really liking Aaronson too. Just seems to have the mentality. He came across a little cocky in his interview after the Canada game but I kind of liked it. We need a bit or arrogance because we have an inferiority complex when it comes to this sport.

Pepi looked great too. Hopefully he gets a move over to Europe in the next few years.
 

Opie

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Really liking Aaronson too. Just seems to have the mentality. He came across a little cocky in his interview after the Canada game but I kind of liked it. We need a bit or arrogance because we have an inferiority complex when it comes to this sport.

Pepi looked great too. Hopefully he gets a move over to Europe in the next few years.
Oh yeah for sure he is cocky but in a good way and will only get better. I can't see him being at Salzburg too much longer.

Agree on Pepi as well; Bundesliga loves Americans so that would be a good fit or someone like say PSV or a Championship team in England to start with.

Really love our young crop of players and the future the brightest it has even been for the USMNT. As long as these young guys play to their potential we should be ok for years to come.
 

Opie

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Just bought ticket for game in October in Columbus versus Costa Rica:)

Next batch of games is home versus Jamaica, at Panama,and then home versus Costa Rica. Really should be getting all 9 points but we shall see.
 
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