The Importance of The Copa America for the United States
The most important tournament since the World Cup 2014 is about to take place. That is the Copa America. Well for the United States Men's National Team. Some will say that this is hyperbole, but allow me to explain. Jurgen Klinsmann was brought partly because Bob Bradley had struggled in these kind of tournaments. Klinsmann had come in to elevate the United States Men's National Team from the perceived failure that the Bradley regime had become. But after a series of embarrassing setbacks(failure to qualify for the Olympics, the 2015 Gold Cup, the failure to qualify for the Confederations Cup) it appears that Jurgen's tenure may hang in the balance. The United States Men's National Team's identity that Jurgen has tried to craft hangs in the balance, another poor showing and Klinsmann will most likely be fired. In essence the direction of the USMNT hangs on this tournament.
The composition of the team going into the tournament is a hodgepodge. The roster shows that the Men's team is not taking this tournament lightly. Of course there are some mainstays on this team: Clint Dempsey, Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Chris Wondolowski are all familiar names to even the most casual of fans. Future stars Zardes, Christian Pulisic, and Darlington Nagbe are also on the team. If their names are not familiar to most, they sure will be by the end of this tournament. These youngsters are some of the most talented players to come out of the United States system in a long time. There is also a blend of MLS and European talent on this team. Of those on the Copa roster for the United States there are 11 MLS players(including Tim Howard), 9 players from European clubs, 2 from Liga MX, and 1 player whose future is up in the air. So before all the "Jurgen hates MLS" crowd comes out(hi Sirius XM FC), take a look at this roster.
However, the selections lead to some obvious questions. Two in particular. The first being what backline is going to show up? In the two lead up friendlies to the Copa,the backline had 2 clean sheets. But in context those two opponents Ecuador and Bolivia are not a murderers row of teams. Still the line held up well. Yet there is another possibility that the same defense that was torn apart in the Gold Cup will show up. After all this was the same defense that gave up two goals to Iceland and was humiliated against Brazil. While Fabian Johnson and Deandre Yedlin make for a good back pairing the major question will be the centerbacks. If Geoff Cameron can stay healthy throughout the tournament he will bring stability to the young line. If he is not 100% or reagrivates the injury these young centerbacks will be in trouble.
The other question is why is Brad Guzan starting over Tim Howard? I know that Howard took a sabbatical and just came back to the team recently. However, Jurgen has this weird grudge he holds against players that take sabbaticals. It hurt the team in 2014 and it may hurt the team again at such a critical juncture. And yes Howard was terrible for Everton this year, but Brad Guzan was worse. I have never understood the Guzan hype. Every game I have watched he has looked poor and unremarkable. Not only that, but Guzan is coming off a season in which he was regarded as one of if not the worst keeper the the Premier League. His weakness was on full display in the playoff against Mexico to get into the confederations cup. His ability to make smart decisions with the ball can be called into question. Let us not forget that there was a string of games in 2015-2016 where Guzan would hit the ball incorrectly and flutter in front of the other team who easily capitalized. Then there is Tim Howard. Everyone knows his accomplishments and what he has done in major tournaments. Why Jurgen in a tournament with his future potentially on the line did not go with Howard is beyond head scratching.
There are other questions about the construction of this team that are warranted. One of the biggest omissions to most people is why Wondolowski, the 2014 World Cup scapegoat, is on this team over young player Jordan Morris. Wondolowski has looked good this season in the MLS, while Morris has been unspectacular for the most part this season. Still with the apparent youth movement going on within this team, it is odd that Klinsmann decided to not bring Morris. Perhaps Jurgen sees this as a chance of redemption for Wondo, only time will tell if this was a good move. If the men's team does not advance far in the Copa America, look for this to be one of the "what if" sceneries that is brought up.
For years, United States fans have been told that Jurgen has a strategy for developing young talent. That while the older players of the national team remained unspectacular, they would be removed by the young guard coming up. Well the Copa America offers a chance to showcase the young players. In fact the hopes of the United States in the Copa fall on the shoulders of the young players. Namely both Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic. Nagbe, the Portland Timbers sensational midfielder, should be starting. He offers more creativity and pace than any other midfielder on the roster. Against Colombia, the men's team will need to show creativity if they want to win. Nagbe should start to give the team just that. Then there is Christian Pulisic, the 17 year phenom who plays for Borussia Dortmund. Many believe the future of the men's team is in the hands of this young man. He has experience playing in one of the best leagues in the world and has shined. Again Pulisic should start. It is time to see what exactly the future holds. Give the young men experience against some of the best competition in the world. The Copa America will do just at.
The Copa America will be held in the United States. The games will alternate between Levi Stadium and Citi Field. Here is a chance for the United States to show that this game has grown in the United States. In fact the Copa America is a rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup. There is no better time to be a soccer fan in the United States than this summer. Here is a mini World Cup right on our own doorsteps. Of course there are some people that will say they will be concerned due to poor friendly attendances. Of course these are the same people that bitch just to bitch(again hi Sirius XM FC). But what these people fail to realize is that Americans are a sucker for large events. We do not even have to know what is going on, if there is a party then we are there. Well there is no bigger party this summer than the Copa America. There is not that same type of excitement for weekday friendlies. The fans will be there and the United States will allow the growing soccer generation to move to the forefront.
The Copa America is not the World Cup in terms of size or stature. Yet for the United States Men's team this is the most important tournament in recent history. There are so many stakes going into this tournament for the national team. The chance for Brad Guzan to finally put a end to the USMNT #1 goalkeeper debate. To show that he is the successor to Howard. The tournament offers a chance of redemption for Chris Wondolowski the scapegoat from the 2014 World Cup. A chance to see if the young players like Nagbe and Pulisic live up to the hype. The Copa America will also determine the fate of Jurgen Klinsmann as the man in charge of the United States Men's Team. If Klinsmann can make a significant run in the tournament, then he can point that his process is working. But if this team does not advance and gets eliminated early in the group stage, then the Klinsmann will be labeled a failure and a change will need to be made.
