Just to reiterate what has been said before, Soccer America has a different focus then EPL Talk so you have to take that into consideration when you look at their work. The readers of SA want to know about information focused on the American game and not about the politics, current stories, or history of the European professional leagues so why should of the guys at SA asked those questions you listed?

Gaffer, remember not to get so wrapped up in the agenda of your own site that you forget that fellow writers have their own audience & missions they are trying to accomplish; and remember most that although you don’t work for the same companies, these other writers are your colleagues and they deserve better then being called inept.

My problem with English Soccer fans are multi folded however.

1- The English assume any American players in inferior to any English player. While this is a general rule it is NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

2- The majority of English Soccer fans look down on Continental Football. Yet when you can learn from the French system and success as the SA writers were trying to learn (and I’m sorry Gaffer’s explanation that they could have done the research doesn’t fly- hearing from the horses mouth so to speak about specific training techniques for youth are worth asking questions not merely looking up on the internet)the majority of English would be more eager to put down the French League and talk about how much better England’s midfield play is and how much more pace the English game has, thus when a game has more pace it is better and if it lacks pace it is worse. (A terrible rule- for example MLS is a much quicker league the Mexican League but is also an inferior league to the Mexican League.) I always hear English fans complain about how slow the Italian game is and how that means the English game is actually better. It does not mean that!

3- English Soccer fans are always anxious to force their opinion or game down foreigners throats. If the game isn’t played the way that is familiar for them, then it is not real football. I except many of our British friends on this site from this general rule. For example, I know TT watches games from across the globe and appreciates the differences.

4- Something is wrong with MLS/USL goes the logic of English fans because we have divisions and a season played from April to November. Strangely the Irish League and all of the leagues in Scandinavia play on the EXACT SAME CALENDER AS THE MLS/USL DOES though this is scarcely noticed or acknowledged in any English paper except the Guardian/Telegraph. In addition we have divisions because if you haven’t noticed this country is HUGE. Instead of boarding a coach and taking a two hour drive to a road game, in this country take a USL trip from Seattle to San Juan. 8 hours by plane across 4 time zones. In MLS you can go from LA to Boston- 6 hours and 3 time zones. The body needs time to adjust to this as we all know what long plane flights do especially since our clubs are poorer and the players generally fly in Economy Class.

I could go on and on. I actually enjoy English Football but the problem is the majority of English media and fans are so xenophobic in everything they do and cover that they feel the need to tear down anything that isn’t theirs and they can’t claim or they are unfamiliar with.

I was actually telling somebody tonight that when I have traveled to France, Germany and Italy and have discussed American Soccer/Football with the locals their has been mostly respectful discussion and constructive ideas on how to improve the America
n game. When I have gone to England I have gotten mostly snickers, laughter and an attitude of “how can a bloody yank pretend to know this game, our game?” Now why exactly does not happen to me in Paris or Rome? I think the answer is obvious.

The second point I wanted to make was that I actually agree with PART of gaffers post. Let me stress that it is only the part that it was bad journalism to ask obvious questions that could be found out by research. Its a journalist’s job to ask the questions that others haven’t thought of, not repeat those that people know the answer to. However, I do not agree that a question about an English topic would have been more appropriate as Gaffer suggests. This was obviously a convention on AMERICAN soccer, so the questions should have been about AMERICAN soccer.

I hope people don’t misinterpret my comments because I honestly dont have anything against Americans or their right to enjoy the game of soccer (football). To those who are almost definitely going to accuse me of being another ‘Brit snob’ a big middle finger and also another middle finger to that idiot in Seattle….because we beat you (as did your much laughed at neighbours Mexico) in the world amateur boxing tournament.

You forgot to mention how American’s are ruining English football by buying Man. U. and winning championships with them. Just something the Eurosnobs always seem to forget.

You have advocated well the different focus of American football and this whole post might be an example of the American way in action. I would like to point out that the USMNT without getting one of the many players in has in the EPL
in the line-up beat a strong Swedish side. just think if we had our best players that we “loan” to the EPL.

For the rest of you…..

here in the US where our ingenuity can conquer anything , we want to learn from the best. This was a coaches convention and for those attending Houllier’s view on Hicks and Gillett is less important than training methods, how the French develop and how to structure a youth and national academy program. The Anglo-philes don’t care because England doesn’t have a national academy or a national training ground. They invented the game so they are the all mighty and we are simply the inferior heathen Yanks who aren’t allowed a say or opinion about the game since we didn’t invent it and we mean to ruin it.

Cheers,
The Gaffer