Final 2010 World Cup qualifying games
Bob Bradley has announced the 22-player US squad for the final 2010 World Cup qualifying games – and he’s probably hoping one notable absentee won’t make a difference.
The race for South Africa
The US face Honduras on 10th October and Costa Rica in Washington four days later knowing that a win in either game should virtually guarantee a place in the finals.
So why isn’t free-scoring FC Dallas forward Jeff Cunningham in the squad? That’s the question posed by the Los Angeles Times.
US squad includes LA Galaxy's Landon Donovan
Cunningham scored his 16th goal of the season against D.C. United on Wednesday, taking him one ahead of Conor Casey of the Colorado Rapids. LA Galaxy's Landon Donovan is five behind Cunningham. Casey and Donovan made the squad; Cunningham did not.
“No one is suggesting that Cunningham, 33, replace either in the American squad, but if Bradley could call up the powerful but ponderous Kenny Cooper, why not give a nod of recognition to Cunningham, who has speed to match that of Charlie Davies and is obviously red hot at the moment?”
According to former coach Bruce Arena, Cunningham may simply not be up to the job.
The paper quotes Arena as saying “There's a difference between playing club soccer and playing international soccer. I'm not sure this, right now, is the time.”
We’ll soon find out whether Bradley is right or not. He seems to have managed reasonably well without Cunningham so far. The FC Dallas man doesn’t appear to have played a single minute of the qualification campaign to date.
The US squad includes Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey.
Showing posts with label Los Angeles Times. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Los Angeles Times. Show all posts
02/10/2009
22/09/2009
Problems mount up for new Costa Rica manager
Rene Simoes was recently appointed to turn Costa Rica’s fortunes around in the two remaining World Cup qualifiers.
But it seems the 56-year-old Brazilian is running into trouble already, according to the Los Angeles Times.
L.A. Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, one of the players Simoes took to the 1998 World Cup for Jamaica, is not optimistic about his old coach’s chances.
“It's not a very good time to come in for Rene Simoes; he has two difficult games coming up” [home against Trinidad and Tobago and away against the USA], Ricketts said.
“It's a very tight group, and for him to impose his style on the Costa Rica team will be very difficult.”
The answer, says Ricketts, may be the counter-attacking game favoured by Simoes.
“When he came to Jamaica for the '98 campaign, we were unbeaten at home,” he said.
“[Simoes] plays a very tight defensive game. Everyone is pulled in and you beat them on the break.”
Complicating the new coach’s situation even more is the attitude of Costa Rica's top clubs, some of whom are not pulling their weight.
“Simoes has asked to have two weeks with his players leading up to the final two qualifying games [in October], but two of the country's top club teams, Saprissa and Cartagines, are refusing to release their players for that long.”
Costa Rica is currently behind the USA, Mexico and Honduras in fourth place. Only the top three automatically qualify for South Africa. The fourth place finisher faces a tough two-game playoff against the fifth placed South American team.
But it seems the 56-year-old Brazilian is running into trouble already, according to the Los Angeles Times.
L.A. Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, one of the players Simoes took to the 1998 World Cup for Jamaica, is not optimistic about his old coach’s chances.
“It's not a very good time to come in for Rene Simoes; he has two difficult games coming up” [home against Trinidad and Tobago and away against the USA], Ricketts said.
“It's a very tight group, and for him to impose his style on the Costa Rica team will be very difficult.”
The answer, says Ricketts, may be the counter-attacking game favoured by Simoes.
“When he came to Jamaica for the '98 campaign, we were unbeaten at home,” he said.
“[Simoes] plays a very tight defensive game. Everyone is pulled in and you beat them on the break.”
Complicating the new coach’s situation even more is the attitude of Costa Rica's top clubs, some of whom are not pulling their weight.
“Simoes has asked to have two weeks with his players leading up to the final two qualifying games [in October], but two of the country's top club teams, Saprissa and Cartagines, are refusing to release their players for that long.”
Costa Rica is currently behind the USA, Mexico and Honduras in fourth place. Only the top three automatically qualify for South Africa. The fourth place finisher faces a tough two-game playoff against the fifth placed South American team.
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