Latest news with #TaylorTwellman
Arab News
2 days ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Apathy and anger cloud US team a year out from World Cup
MIAMI: A run of four straight losses, including a 4-0 hammering from Switzerland on Wednesday, has left Mauricio Pochettino and his US team feeling the wrath of critics a year out from the World Cup they will co-host. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The US head into their opening game of the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday having lost on home soil to Panama and Canada in the Nations League in March before friendly losses to Turkiye and the debacle against the Swiss. 'I think it is the most embarrassed I have been for the US national team in a long time,' said Kasey Keller, who played in goal for the US 102 times between 1990 and 2007. While there were plenty of American fans venting similar feelings on social media after the loss, what will perhaps be more concerning for the US Soccer Federation is supporters voting with their feet and not attending games. There were thousands of empty seats in Nashville for the Switzerland defeat after poor turnouts for March's games in Los Angeles. 'There's just a sense of apathy around the United States men's program and I don't think that's a hot take,' former striker Taylor Twellman told NBC Sports. Alexi Lalas, a star of the US team the last time they hosted a World Cup in 1994, has built a career in 'hot takes' for Fox Sports but even he was struggling to fire himself up for a Star Spangled rant after the latest disappointment. 'I'm having a hard time even conjuring up that and that makes a little sad. In the past when I was angry at what was going on, I felt compelled to express it and now they are not even worth that, not worth me expressing how disappointing this is right now,' he said on his podcast 'State of the Union'. Pochettino has been forced to field a largely second string squad in this month's games with the likes of Tim Weah and Weston McKennie on Club World Cup duty with Juventus while captain and talisman Christian Pulisic has opted to take some rest along with some other members of the first choice squad. That latter decision prompted fierce criticism from some ex-players, including Landon Donovan, the country's all-time joint top scorer who during commentary of Portugal's win in the UEFA Nations League hit out at the absentees. '[Ronaldo is] 40 years old. He's played a long-ass season. He's tired. He's out there grinding. Hurt himself in the process, and I can't help but think about some of our guys on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It's pissing me off,' he said. That led to a sarcastic reply on social media from Pulisic's father Mark who posted a reminder of Donovan's own 'sabbatical' from the US team. But there is also pressure mounting on Pochettino, the Argentine former Tottenham Hotspur manager, who was appointed to the US role in September. The coach said he would take the blame for the showing against Switzerland where the US were 4-0 down by halftime. 'It's my responsibility the choice of the starting 11. I wanted to give minutes to certain players, but we were never in the game,' the Argentine said. While Pochettino's job may be safe, some are wondering if he might not need some assistance. 'It looks like he doesn't know the team, it looks like he doesn't scout the players, has no idea of the pieces he has at his disposal,' said former USA forward Hercules Gomez on You Tube. 'The US Soccer Federation, why not place somebody who has some experience with the player pool to help Pochettino out because it looks like he has no idea who his players are? With a World Cup on home soil that is a disaster,' he added. The US will co-host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Apathy and anger cloud US men's team as Pochettino's side slump ahead of home World Cup
MIAMI, June 12 — A run of four straight losses, including a 4-0 hammering from Switzerland yesterday, has left Mauricio Pochettino and his USA team feeling the wrath of critics a year out from the World Cup they will co-host. The USA head into their opening game of the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday having lost on home soil to Panama and Canada in the Nations League in March before friendly losses to Turkey and the debacle against the Swiss. "I think it is the most embarrassed I have been for the US national team in a long time," said Kasey Keller, who played in goal for the USA 102 times between 1990 and 2007. While there were plenty of American fans venting similar feelings on social media after the loss, what will perhaps be more concerning for the US Soccer Federation is supporters voting with their feet and not attending games. There were thousands of empty seats in Nashville for the Switzerland defeat after poor turn-outs for March's games in Los Angeles. "There's just a sense of apathy around the United States men's program and I don't think that's a hot take," former striker Taylor Twellman told NBC Sports. Alexi Lalas, a star of the USA team the last time they hosted a World Cup in 1994, has built a career in 'hot takes' for Fox Sports but even he was struggling to fire himself up for a Star Spangled rant after the latest disappointment. "I'm having a hard time even conjuring up that and that makes a little sad. In the past when I was angry at what was going on, I felt compelled to express it and now they are not even worth that, not worth me expressing how disappointing this is right now," he said on his podcast 'State of the Union'. Pochettino has been forced to field a largely second string squad in this month's games with the likes of Tim Weah and Weston McKennie on Club World Cup duty with Juventus while captain and talisman Christian Pulisic has opted to take some rest along with some other members of the first choice squad. That latter decision prompted fierce criticism from some ex-players, including Landon Donovan, the country's all-time joint top scorer who during commentary of Portugal's win in the UEFA Nations League hit out at the absentees. "[Ronaldo is] 40 years old. He's played a long-ass season. He's tired. He's out there grinding. Hurt himself in the process, and I can't help but think about some of our guys on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It's pissing me off," he said. That led to a sarcastic reply on social media from Pulisic's father Mark who posted a reminder of Donovan's own 'sabbatical' from the USA team. Pressure But there is also pressure mounting on Pochettino, the Argentine former Tottenham Hotspur manager, who was appointed to the USA role in September. The coach said he would take the blame for the showing against Switzerland where the USA were 4-0 down by half-time. "It's my responsibility the choice of the starting 11. I wanted to give minutes to certain players, but we were never in the game," the Argentine said. While Pochettino's job may be safe, some are wondering if he might not need some assistance. "It looks like he doesn't know the team, it looks like he doesn't scout the players, has no idea of the pieces he has at his disposal," said former USA forward Hercules Gomez on You Tube. "The US Soccer Federation, why not place somebody who has some experience with the player pool to help Pochettino out because it looks like he has no idea who his players are? With a World Cup on home soil that is a disaster," he added. The USA will co-host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada. — AFP
Reuters
29-01-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
MLS introducing primetime 'Sunday Night Soccer' game
January 29 - Major League Soccer is introducing "Sunday Night Soccer," a primetime matchup that will "spotlight the league's most compelling matchups," according to an MLS news release on Wednesday. The games will stream free for Apple TV+ subscribers, and they will air up against both "Sunday Night Baseball" programming on ESPN and NBC's "Sunday Night Football" package throughout the 2025 season. The first "Sunday Night Soccer" game of the regular season will feature expansion team San Diego FC against reigning MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy on Feb. 23. Drawing fans in the fall against football could be a tough task for MLS, however. Heading into the 2024 season, "Sunday Night Football" was the No. 1 primetime show on TV for 13 consecutive years. Therefore, MLS and Apple will need to bring something special to the broadcasts. In its release, MLS promised "dedicated pre- and postgame shows, enhanced production and studio programming, and bespoke graphics in English and Spanish." MLS Season Pass broadcasters Jake Zivin, Taylor Twellman and Andrew Wiebe will call the English broadcasts, and Sammy Sadovnik and Diego Valeri will handle those airing in Spanish. Apple and MLS are in the midst of a reported 10-year, $2.5 billion deal.
