What is this successful World
Cup for the u.s.? What?
What do they need to achieve? For it to be deemed a success?
Or what can they achieve? I mean, Nick Mandola. What do you
think is actually achievable now typical after the last
couple of games?
A few, a few weeks ago. I think it would've been a bit
different, but the your answer to this. But what's going on?
Yes, Step One is score, a score goal
that would be good.
Scoring a goal against a team that isn't like Granada no
offense to Granada would be a real step forward, this team
does not score against good teams.
He's and Christian polasek.
Some people weren't trying to make something of him.
Not dapping up her halter as he left the pitch to,
but he has said in interviews and we know
he's not shy about sharing his thoughts,
he said, in interviews that they don't have ideas.
So at this point, I'm moving the goalposts,
I am moving the goalposts and I'm saying they did, if they
get out of the group, it is a success for the group. Not
a coach saving success, but if they can get out of the group,
it is a success. Anything else is not Because that's the state
of this program, that's where we're supposed to be.
And even with a very young Midfield like this, just find
a way to finished above, whales and Iran.
Wow! I mean, yeah, Abdullah sign of their round of 16 is
enough. I think round of 16 at this point, Andy, that what,
we've just seen the last two games would be
a very good achievement.
And yeah, I think
I'm taking a deep breath here because of trying to trying to
think about all the u.s. fans out there. You're watching this
and watched along with us today and just the negativity, that's
have been around the program for a while. Now just doesn't
seem to have abated whatsoever, even though, qualifying for
the World Cup was an achievement, but with this young team,
the talent they have getting out of the group, should be the bare
minimum. But right now
that seems an achievement to me. And I think if the u.s.
makes it to the last 16, they've almost exceeded
the expectations right now, given the form that their players are
in and how Oh, they're playing on the ball harder. Is that
fair enough? And what
do you think they can achieve this team in the world cup?
It's up to Greg like it really, really feels like it's up to
Greg at this point. You know, we four years. We talked about
well, will you know, we don't have players at the top clubs
or plane in the top leagues. You
know, we've got guys, just kind of sprinkled all over
the place, we need players at the highest level, you know, doing
things that American players have never done. We've got
that, we've got more young players coming through.
Youth International Teams
coming through the domestically getting to Europe at a much
younger age than has ever been. The guy all of the things that
are in place to show real progress as a program. That's
what I've come back to this entire kind
of World Cup cycle was we know this is a young team, we know.
This is a team that's building
obviously want to do well in Qatar but really truly and for
the sport in this country building towards the 2026 World
Cup when it's on home soil when it's in Mexico, when it's in
Canada as well.
And so this is to me as about
progress and each one of them showing that they are a World
Cup quality player and this team can grow over the course
of an entire world cup cycle. I think there have been moments
and periods of that where we have
seen them, bounce back and respond to poor performances in
a positive way that we didn't necessarily expect at the time.
We've been this down on this team, a number of times
throughout
the world cup cycle. And I think it's important to
remember that that they have always answered the bell and
always come back from that. And so I do still believe that
they're The talent there is enough talent in this team.
There are players that have shown themselves for the US
Men's National Team that they are good enough to play in
a World Cup. It is now about the coach.
Please Greg, just put these players in the right position
to succeed and I don't just mean positions on the field,
but but every little detail this is not about you. Greg,
this is not about your system or your style or proving to
anyone that you were
right or even proving that you were the right guy for the job.
This is just about getting the team to have success at this
world cup because I remember 2010 was my first real kind of
out in the out, in the world world cup
experience. I remember what that was like around Kansas
City. I remember what 2014 was like, in Kansas City,
when that team had a, they didn't play the best stuff,
they played some awful stuff, but they did well at the World
Cup and that's what it was about. That's all we want. That
is all we want. So
to answer what they can achieve, they can get out of
the group. I think, if they just play to something close to
their potential, the problem is we've
Seen that for a while from this team now.
Yeah, you just want to play to their strengths and like you
said, put
systems to one side and just basically have the coach put
them in the right combinations. On the pitch, have some kind of
game plan to get through that group stage. I mean, Dalton's
got it. All figured out in the comments, their win against
Wales, draw against England
and find something against Iran and then you may be finished
second again
England has been playing great well sighs I've been playing
great Iran, had a good result the other day
so maybe Be there, the dark horses in that group, that no
one's really talking about but
this is, this is go time. Now, the last few years,
this young group of players, I mean, I remember
a few years ago before Bill hearts are came in. It's pretty
much been this squad, right? That day. Sarah can had after
the debacle of not qualifying for the last World Cup. These
players were given opportunities, and chances to
grow,
and they're not quite there yet. And that's okay. The
quality of the players is, is
the best group and Paula players that the US has
Had
at one time for a very long time maybe ever, right? And
that's how we're looking to the 2026 World Cup to be the big
moment
games on home soil.
And that is, that is going to be the measuring stick for this
group of players. And I think it's okay to admit
this Wolcott might not be the one but it will hold them in.
Good stead going forward? Like you said, Andy to get
the experience to really go to the next level. So
a lot of the comments are basically mirroring it's going
to be a miracle if we can get out. The group
manager situations
or there's another question. I wonder what Klinsmann would
have done with the squad. I do think when going down that
rabbit hole right now, but
there is,
there is a lot to, like, about this team, not trying to be too
down on them. It's difficult after two displays and results
like we've seen against Japan and Saudi Arabia,
but I think a successful World Cup for the usmnt
would be getting out of the group stage
and then you never know, right? They've done it in the past,
they've gone around it. Contains go on runs. You'd like
to hear a tacit acknowledgement that they absolutely have back.
Slid since the end of qualification, that's I just
that acknowledgement in
and if you want, if you won't give me that feel go post and
move it back to how we felt after they out. Well, not our
class, but out performed in Mexico, and that extra time
middle of the night Thriller and then a month, later, two
months later,
won the gold cup with a completely different side
against Mexico, The Vibes. Then what we were hearing about when
Musa committed to the The team when we heard about how
everybody in that camp was fired up in texting each other
and they can't wait to get back for
camp and now they look like they can't wait to get back to
their clubs. That's not good.
That's not good. And we're talking since
June beat Morocco draw, Uruguay be Granada drawl. Salvador lose
to Japan draw Saudi Arabia.
I want better going into a world cup. And I don't, if this
was their best group, or at least 80%, their best group,
and we just saw these performances,
maybe I'd be more Interested in writing it off, right? I'm not.
I'm very very down right now.