The Future of U.S. Soccer

The United States soccer program took an embarrassing loss against Trinidad and Tobago in qualification for the World Cup. Not just the men's senior team, but the entire programs flaws were highlighted in that defeat. The United States just needed a draw to qualify, but a loss would not see them through. That was exactly how it panned out. A painful, gut wrenching two one loss to a team they should easily be beating.

Since the dust has settled, leaders, coaches, players, and fans alike have all taken a good look at what they think should change with failing system. And the truth is, a single loss has blown open an entire program, from the center to the outside. Pundits, both former players, and outsiders have identified key problems in the system. So what needs to change in the American soccer program, from the men's senior national team all the way down to AYSO and basic youth soccer in the United States?

Lack of Leadership from the Top

Sunil Gulati. The name reminds those supporters of anger and disappointment. Ultimately, he was not the man on the pitch playing the soccer in that loss to Trinidad and Tobago, but he is the leader of the system and a clearly flawed system. Unwilling to step down repeatedly, Gulati was the man in charge of a program that theoretically should have been running. All the pieces are there for the United States soccer program to succeed.

Yes, there is no doubt that Gulati built up the infrastructure that U.S. Soccer is sitting on top of and continues to build off of. However, the United States is still growing as a soccer nation. And the World Cup would be a big boost for the motivation of young soccer players here in the U.S. As Taylor Twellman and Landon Donovan put it - two former United States National team players, young American soccer players need to see American players playing on the international stage. American young players need American inspiration. Unfortunately, that kind of inspiration won’t be present and cannot exist for another four years which could be could be detrimental to the growth of the entire soccer nation.

Lack of Pitch Leadership A captain on the field is always vital to any national team performing well. Michael Bradley, current captain of the United States soccer team need to take some blame to. It was Bradley who oversaw the loss to Trinidad and he need to be the man on the field to galvanize the team. With the United States losing in that game, they looked like they were going through the motions. They lacked excitement and urgency. Critics say that one bad game doesn’t mean that major changes need to be made, but the argument otherwise is that the U.S. isn’t producing enough leaders on the field. No one was willing to take that game by the ‘scruff of the neck’ and it shows through the ranks of soccer. Youth teams, club teams, and AYSO teams don’t want to name a captain in their team because “everyone is a team player” and “it shows too much superiority”. But when those youth players arrive to the top, no one knows what to do in desperate situations.

Overall

The United States has some major changes to get back to the World Cup stage. It’s clear that there is plenty of time to make changes - four years - for everyone from top to bottom to try something new, because trying the same things over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity, something U.S. soccer is practicing religiously right now.