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CONCACAF World Cup 2018 Qualifying ... HEX starts 11/11/16

Draw against Honduras .... lots of work yet to do for the US.

Currently 4th trailing Panama by one point.
 
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And we're back for the last 2 matches of the Hex.

Friday:
US v. Panama
Mexico v. Trinidad & Tobago

Saturday:
Costa Rica v. Honduras

Tuesday:
Honduras v. Mexico
Panama v. Costa Rica
Trinidad and Tobago v. US

Mexico has already clinched a spot in the World Cup. Costa Rica might as well have, they're 6 points and 6 goals ahead of the US. There is a 3 way battle for the 3rd and 4th spots. Panama is 3rd on 10 points. A US win tonight will go a long way toward knocking them out. Honduras and the US are tied on points for 4th but Honduras trails by 8 goals. Top 3 automatically qualify, the 4th place team plays a 2 leg playoff against the winner of the playoff between Syria and Australia. They drew 1-1 in Syria and play the 2nd leg on Tuesday.

In other qualifying news, Argentina is on the brink of missing the World Cup. They're 6th in the standings and the top 4 teams from CONMEBOL qualify and the 5th place team plays New Zealand. They drew with Peru last night and are at Ecuador on Tuesday. In Europe, the 9 group winners qualify and the 8 runners up with the best record against the teams in 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th in their groups advance to a 2 leg playoff. Belgium, Germany and England have qualified.
 
The pitch at T&T is practically a swamp. No news on whether the match will be put off or moved, or if they will just muck it out 1930s NFL style.
 
Back to sound the death knell for the USMNT, which forever more will stand for US mutant ninja turtles.

A 2-1 loss to T&T combined with other results placed the US in FIFTH in the final Hex standings. See ya, Russia 2018 ... on TV. I’ll be rooting for Iceland where they know how to professionally manage a national team program.

So. Fire every body who wears a tie or a track suit to work and let’s get started fixing this mess.
 
Back to sound the death knell for the USMNT, which forever more will stand for US mutant ninja turtles.

A 2-1 loss to T&T combined with other results placed the US in FIFTH in the final Hex standings. See ya, Russia 2018 ... on TV. I’ll be rooting for Iceland where they know how to professionally manage a national team program.

So. Fire every body who wears a tie or a track suit to work and let’s get started fixing this mess.

It has to start with Gulati. Besides alienating the only successful national team, he hired and then extended Klinsmann and kept him longer than he should have. And giving him the Technical Director job was administrative malpractice. On the plus side, Engand and France both missed in 1994 and recovered, with France winning in 1998. It's possible, but it requires serious change and commitment.

In other qualifying news, Lionel Messi single-handedly dragged Argentina over the line. Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay also qualified from CONMEBOL. Peru plays New Zealand for another spot.

In UEFA, The Netherlands failed to qualify for their 2nd straight major tournament, having missed Euro 2016 too. Iceland qualified for their first ever World Cup, after qualifying for Euro 2016. Belgium, England, France, Germany, Portugal, Poland, Serbia and Spain were the other UEFA qualifiers. Croatia, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland are in the 2 legged playoff for the last 4 spots.

From Asia, Iran, Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia qualified. Australia plays Honduras for a spot.

From Africa, Nigeria and Egypt (for the first time since 1990) qualified. There are 3 more spots open pending the last round of group play next month. Tunisia, Morocco and Senegal lead those groups.
 
If Sunil cared as much about US soccer as he does his position in FIFA, he’d have looked in the mirror this morning, taken a deep breath, called a presser and announced that he’s not standing for re-Election in February. As it was, he passed the buck ... again. “Not good enough” was all he could muster. Pitiful.
 
Bruce Arena is officially out as US coach, in one of the least shocking moves in American history.
 
Bruce Arena is officially out as US coach, in one of the least shocking moves in American history.

Just as inevitable as him replacing Klinsmann. The ball is in your court now, Sunil. Please follow Bruce out the door.
 
Just as inevitable as him replacing Klinsmann. The ball is in your court now, Sunil. Please follow Bruce out the door.
By all accounts Gulati has every intention of standing for re-Election in February ... I believe because he cares more about getting the credit for bringing the World Cup to North America in 2026 than anything else.

I no longer trust his motives and priorities and I don’t believe anyone else should either. Letting him pick the next permanent national team coach would be negligent at best. Two bombs in a row and not handling letting a Bradley leave with the dignity he deserved is enough for ANYBODY. He would be absolutely drummed out of office in virtually any other country.
 
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