Today I have seen two different pieces on what the US U20's bomb out in Egypt means for player development in the US. (See these great pieces, Phil Schoen's here and Glenn Davis' here.) Player development in the US, or at least what passes for it, is a serious problem. I've always maintained that the elimination of the MLS Reserve League was about one thing only, reducing the player pool available to potentially strike or (more likely) be locked out should the negotiations for the new CBA somehow fail. Click to continue reading...

Whose fault is it?

That is the question some U.S. national team fans are asking after the U.S. Under-20 national team's early exit from the Under-20 World Cup. Who is to blame for the failings of a collection of what is supposed to be the best Under-20 players this country can produce?

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Whose fault is it?

That is the question some U.S. national team fans are asking after the U.S. Under-20 national team's early exit from the Under-20 World Cup. Who is to blame for the failings of a collection of what is supposed to be the best Under-20 players this country can produce?

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Sad? Kinda...
Though the team was headlined by a dude named Brek Shea, and even those that follow this kind of thing weren't too hopeful of the American side.
Still a little depressing that we weren't even a high-enough ranked third-place team in group stage to stay alive.
The coach Thomas Rongen (above) blamed his player's lack of game experience. Click to continue reading...

The US was eliminated today from the U-20 World Cup being held in Egypt. With only three points and a minus three goal differential after a win against Cameroon and losses to Germany and Korea Republic, the U.S. needed certain results in Group E today to go their way.

With Brazil defeating Australia, U.

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The US was eliminated today from the U-20 World Cup being held in Egypt. With only three points and a minus three goal differential after a win against Cameroon and losses to Germany and Korea Republic, the U.S. needed certain results in Group E today to go their way.

With Brazil defeating Australia, U.

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The US Under-20 team, in Egypt for the U-20 World Cup, went down to South Korea today 3-0. The Americans never really threatened their opponents, and while they maintained possession for decent...

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The 2009 U-20 World Cup began with high expectations for Team USA. With twelve professional players, and withdrawals and extenuating circumstances elsewhere the US looked a sure bet to make noise.

Now, the US must count on other results to continue in the competition. The US has advanced to the knock out stages of six consecutive U-20 World Cups, but making a seventh is now in severe doubt.

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The U.S. Under-20 national team has its fate in its own hands. A win or a tie today vs. South Korea (12:45pm, ESPN2) in its final Under-20 World Cup group match will put the Americans into the second round of the tournament. A loss would leave seriously jeopardize the U.S. team's chances of advancing.

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South Korea, that is.Coach Thomas Rongen runs the same eleven:Perk; Williams, Opara, Agbossoumonde, Flores, Arguez, Jeffrey, Duka, Cruz, Shea, TaylorWe're under an hour from kickoff, back in a spell...--- Greg Seltzer Click to continue reading...

Thomas Rongen changed half his team, but stuck with his formation, and a decision that started out looking like it might be a stubborn mistake wound up being a smart move that has the U.S. Under-20 national team in great shape at the Under-20 World Cup.

The Americans trotted out a 4-3-3 formation for the second straight match, doing so despite the same formation being largely ineffective in a 3-0 loss to Germany.

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Thomas Rongen changed half his team, but stuck with his formation, and a decision that started out looking like it might be a stubborn mistake wound up being a smart move that has the U.S. Under-20 national team in great shape at the Under-20 World Cup.

The Americans trotted out a 4-3-3 formation for the second straight match, doing so despite the same formation being largely ineffective in a 3-0 loss to Germany.

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With a forgettable opening game performance in the FIFA U-20 World Cup behind his team, U.S. coach Thomas Rongen had some advice for his players as they prepare for their second game against Cameroon on Tuesday. Throw away the tape.

Tuesday
U. Click to continue reading...

With the apparent head injury to team captain Kyle Davies, multi-dimensional United States Under-20 player Jorge Flores may be spending his immediate future at left back for head coach Thomas Rongen's squad. Click to continue reading...

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                                                                              Photo by ISIphotos.com

It was an ugly loss, but one you came away feeling didn't have to happen.

The U.

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                                                                              Photo by ISIphotos.com

It was an ugly loss, but one you came away feeling didn't have to happen.

The U.

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The German U-20 national team easily defeated their American counterparts 3-0 in the first match for both teams at the FIFA World Cup in Egypt Saturday.

The U.S. started auspiciously, with sloppy defensive errors, briefly regained their balance then gave up a penalty kick that was easily converted by Semih Aydilek.

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The American U-20 national team gets things underway in Egypt's port city of Suez, when Thomas Rongen's team takes the field on Saturday against a highly rated but undermanned Germany squad. Click to continue reading...

I am glad to say it is Friday. Somehow this week has flown by me here but thankfully we have a weekend full of soccer ahead of us here. Two games tonight, with one just about underway in New York, and plenty more tomorrow and Sunday. Nearly every game has playoff implications surrounding them.

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Thomas Rongen has a tough job. The long time coach and scout has been the subject of intense criticism from US fans in the past over his choices for the U-20 national team. Click to continue reading...

A left knee injury suffered while playing for FC Dallas will keep St Petersburg native and former USF Bull, Anthony Wallace, from playing in his second U20 World Cup later this month.
Wallace [above, in action for the USA in the last U20 World Cup] played in the 2007 U20 World Cup when the USA made it to the quarterfinals. Click to continue reading...

Stabaek midfielder and soon to be US U-20 World Cup team member Mikkel Diskerud is thrilled with his inclusion in Thomas Rongen's final roster, after having been on the outside looking in as recently as this spring. Click to continue reading...

This year is proving to be a good one in terms of evaluating domestically-based American players. The Gold Cup featured a bunch of young MLS players playing in their first international tournament at the senior level. Also this year, we have seen USA U-20 coach Thomas Rongen put together a team consisting largely of MLS and college players. Click to continue reading...

We've added more information including an auction you can participate in today.

As you know, as a reader of MLSR, we support good causes and that is why we post the following story about the Nicole Cup. In the interest of full disclosure, we should note that one of our contributors' cousins was awarded a scholarship by the Nicole Megaloudis foundation.

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USA U20 coach Thomas Rongen has selected his squad for the upcoming U20 World Cup in Egypt and St Petersburg product Anthony Wallace [pictured right for FC Dallas] is among his selections.
Wallace, who plays in the midfield, enrolled at USF after high school and played just one season with the Bulls. Click to continue reading...

CHICAGO (Aug. 28, 2009) U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team head coach Thomas Rongen has finalized the 21-player roster that will represent the United States at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup from Sept. 24-Oct. 16 in Egypt. The roster features a blend of professional and collegiate players, including two players with prior U-20 World Cup experience in UCLA goalkeeper Brian Perk and FC Dallas defender Anthony Wallace.

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CHICAGO (Aug. 28, 2009) U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team head coach Thomas Rongen has finalized the 21-player roster that will represent the United States at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup from Sept. 24-Oct. 16 in Egypt. The roster features a blend of professional and collegiate players, including two players with prior U-20 World Cup experience in UCLA goalkeeper Brian Perk and FC Dallas defender Anthony Wallace.

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Steve Hunt has a great piece on Brek Shea in which Shea expresses his frustrations. I'm surprised MLSnet was willing to publish it. Click to continue reading...

Over at FIFA.com there is a good feature on former Tampa Bay Mutiny head coach Thomas Rongen [left]. After a coming over to play in the NASL from his native Holland, Rongen wound down his playing career with the old Ft Lauderdale Strikers of the NASL.
His coaching career has included a stint with the ASL Strikers before becoming the first coach in Mutiny history. Click to continue reading...

by TRAVIS CLARK

Bummed that the Champions League isn't on today? The newly renamed UEFA Cup takes place today, and will have to fill the void left by a otherwise sparse European schedule. A number of Americans could be in action as they take part in the Europe League.

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Thomas Rongen said early in the match that since both teams were playing with a 3-5-2 formation, it was likely that the team with the most individual talent would win. If you add up all the talent on United's roster and all the talent on Toronto's roster, United might prevail. But unfortunately games aren't actually won and lost that way. Click to continue reading...

It's been in the back of my mind all summer that the U-17 and U-20 World Cups were approaching, but I wasn't sure who, what, where, when, why, etc. Well, the U-17 World Cup draw just happened, and it doesn't look too bad:

GROUP E

United Arab Emirates

Malawi

Spain

USA

Based on my limited knowledge of the U-17 game, I'd say the USA should be a favorite to make it out of their group.

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Gale Agbossoumonde will not be going overseas just yet. Two days after USL-1 rival Puerto Rico Islanders advanced in the Champions League, Miami FC has upgraded its squad just before making the trip to face the Islanders.

Miami FC today signed the US U-20 team Central Defender who should fill in a key role as a defender for Thomas Rongen's side in the upcoming U-20 World Cup.

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The newest Q&A is up and taking questions, but there was still the matter of the last batch of unanswered questions from the June Q&A. They're finally done and ready to go.

There were plenty of national team questions, including a few about U.S. coach Bob Bradley. There were also questions about journalists, Kenny Cooper and world soccer regions.

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The newest Q&A is up and taking questions, but there was still the matter of the last batch of unanswered questions from the June Q&A. They're finally done and ready to go.

There were plenty of national team questions, including a few about U.S. coach Bob Bradley. There were also questions about journalists, Kenny Cooper and world soccer regions.

Click to continue reading...