One of the most irritating football related articles i've read...

They are in for a shock then.

In the last decade; Spanish has increased hugely as the first language of the USA as the Latin American migration over the years finally takes hold in terms of language, culture and sporting preference.

Most of these migrants have a love for football and in due course; they will ensure that 'soccer' does secure a very strong foothold as a popular American sport.

I recall New York during the 70's and 80's; the NY Cosmos attracted the largest crowds in the old NASL due to the second and third generation of migrants who would attend matches. I used to sit with South American, Mexican, Eastern and Western Europeans galore at the Giants Stadium.

 

It will be good to see. I suppose that most of the schools are teaching soccer as well means that the younger generations of americans are also growing up with the sport will also help.

It will mean so much more when we beat them if we know that they actually take the sport seriously. It doesn't really count at the moment does it?

 

When I was growing up there it was the parents that ran the Saturday leagues and took charge of coaching and training etc.

Every Saturday you'd see playing fields full of kids playing football. When the NASL failed; the popularity of the game waned as younger kids (5 to 6 etc) teams just didn't exist anymore.

We left the States in 1984 to come back to Blighty and still kept in touch with old friends who for years said that the youth league was getting worse and worse for quantity of teams until it became impossible to run a league system.

I'll be happy if it regains it's popularity.

 

Please allow me to wade into this conversation.

I am an American, loving in Texas, who has supported Newcastle United since 1992 when I was stationed at RAF Lakenheath while serving in the American military. I saw Newcastle v Norwich, and not having a preference, fell in love with the entertaining style, and especially the skill of Peter Beardsley. Followed the team through its ups and downs, and have followed this forum for a couple of months. I have played all my life and would still play if my body had not given up.

Back to topic. That article is one of the dumbest I have ever read and does a disservice to the people in the United States who follow the game as religously as I do. There are Internet trolls who post things just to get a reaction and I expect that is what the author did. Most of the commenters called him an idiot and a few other trolls countered, to stoke the fire. I will tell you that I have never had trouble finding a game here and there are so many leagues at so many levels that it is the most played sport at the youth level. With the increasing influx of "foreigners" into the country, its population is growing. Please don't judge all Americans the same as this idiot...there are some ( a lot) who love the game and are doing everything possible to change the attitudes of the people who write this stuff.

 

And actually, there are a lot of countries that call football soccer, Australia (Socceroos) being an obvious example. I agree with your post, that's just a thing I'm sensitive about

 

why do we care if americans like football, they play baseball and american football, **** cricket and rugby, they cant even drive around corners, there only good at one thing and thats basketball, and even the spanish are better than them

 

Completely agree. A lot of people in Europe have the misconception that North Americans don't play much football, when in fact it's the most played (organised) sport by kids in Canada, and I think the US too (you'd know better than I the american statistics though). I will agree with an earlier poster who pointed to inferior coaching being a constraint to American success, because I have to imagine it will take a generation or two of lifelong football players to properly develop enough quality coaching in North America. But another point I'd make regarding constraints to North American success in world football is that with so many professional sports dividing up athletic talent, it's harder to keep the best athletes in football when they will also be drawn to american football, basketball, hockey, etc. Having said that, the US has a relatively strong national team (as much as I hate to admit it as a Canadian..), although not nearly the same standard of quality or depth across the country

 

The national team has certainly improved over recent years, so obviously there must be something going on at a younger level. The influx of a few big players from the European leagues that go over to finish their careers has to help the quality and interest too.

I just hate idiotic views like his. Why should the entire game, thats proved popular near enough ALL around the world, be changed to make it more inline with Basketball and American Football...
Yes 0-0 draws are, more often than not, boring, but the build up and pressure that leads to one goal is what makes it exciting for me. I'd hate it to be so watered down like Basketball were scoring just makes you feel nothing anymore...

Anyway, i pretty much dismissed the article when i seen that all the pictures and examples were taken from Womens football...

 

People constantly point this out, but the invention of the word is not the be all and end all. The fact is, we don't use it and they do, making it an americanism. We invented many words that the americans use or pronounce differently but that doesn't mean they are still English.

 

Not just American I agree, but soccer is a word which grates on me when said in an American accent. I think this is mainly due because they invariably belittle our sport when their national sport is just one big excuse to beat each other up. I don't like American football and think the rules are ludicrous, but as with anything else, everyone is allowed their opinion and I do not force mine on anyone. So when some American journalist talks about ways to improve a sport which he knows nothing about and belittles it by comparing to the nonsensical sport of American Football, I tend to get a touch agitated.

EDIT: I'ld like to point out I have nothing against Americans who leave football well alone and stick to what they know, or indeed enjoy football. Just those like the idiot that wrote the article who believe they know best about a sport they don't understand.

 

Nobody would tar all with one brush because of one idiot. What you say is very true, I know several Americans who play and watch football just like anybody else; this article writer is obviously a clown with a beef against the sport and has used his position as article writer to have a public rant.

 

This article is Just another fat headed opinion from "Planet America".

 

Kinda trampled on my point there a bit buddy.

 

I know alot of American's aren't like this and many would disagree with the article. Maybe an adaption of the game to include helmets, padding and time out's would help the game over there.

 

Football is slower and more boring than baseball? lolwat. Losing a man isn't a handicap? I concede 5, although they seem to think the referees are out there to fix games, not just mere humans trying to track 22 players and the ball and every thing that happens between them. For 6, unless we stop the clock when the ball is out of play (which I'd support) we need injury time, and more of it.