What is it about North American attitudes when it comes to Spain and England?

Following some themes we've touched on in this and previous issues of Futsal World, we'd like to point to some of the things we think United States Youth Futsal is working to accomplish.

You'll may remember the article we posted by Doug Reed, the English National Futsal Team member who also plays futsal in Croatia. Doug's article (posted on the four6zero.com Facebook page) pointed out similarities between the strikerless formation that Spain and Barcelona have employed to much success and Spanish futsal.

The underlying idea was that futsal and the Spanish style of outdoor soccer were intertwined, with possession, quick interchanges, skillful players and high pressure being the common denominators.

If you haven't read it, we suggest that as a futsal coach or player that you do: http://www.four6zero.com/10/2012/four6zero-formation-rooted-in-futsal/

Gary Kleiban, 3four3 editor and assistant coach

With Doug's insights as a starting point, we point you toward another good resource. Gary Kleiban maintains a Facebook page devoted to emphasizing possession and improving the outdoor game. His page is called 3four3 and can be found at http://www.facebook.com/3four3

Brian Kleiban

We won't go into the details here, but Gary works with his brother Brian coaching outdoor soccer, most recently FC Barcelona Academy in Southern California.

Gary Kleiban's blog post, "Why does the American soccer community hate Spain," and a comment by one of his readers tie in well with one of our themes: that outdoor soccer in the U.S. developed from the English model, ironically one that both countries are trying to shed. Futsal is an area of common ground for the more progressive elements in the U.S., Canada and England.

We don't ask you to agree with Gary's thesis (or, for that matter, Doug Reed's or our own), but one of the newsletter's goals is to stimulate thought, discussion and, hopefully, positive developments on futsal courts and soccer fields.

It's what USYF is dedicated to, as well.

We've edited Gary's article slightly, to conform to our newsletter style and language standards. 

His brief article comes first and is followed by a comment by a reader on June 29, 2012.

-- David Knopf, Editor

Why the American soccer community hates Spain

By Gary Kleiban, 3four3
   

Maybe not the individuals …
or maybe so (think of all the s..t that’s said about Busquets).
 
But moreso, it’s what they represent.
 
They have been exposing all of American soccer's shortcomings and fallacies in a way that’s unprecedented. 
What they’ve been doing has gone against what the American rhetoric has been for decades.
 
They represent the opposite of the dominant American worldview.
 
But what really pisses people off, is that Spanish football has given the few in this country with their head straight a strong platform to speak from.
 
And you know what that does? It introduces a second, and different, voice in the market. That brings accountability that wasn’t there before.
 
Oh yes, the general American soccer community secretly holds hatred for Spain (and obviously Barcelona). They’re boiling inside! They root against them, they try to identify any loose strings in the red jersey and pull. They can’t f.....g wait for them to lose!
 
This Spanish era is like a reign of terror for the entrenched American community!

Comment by a Tyler, a reader

“American soccer” hates Spain because it (the American brand) is really “British soccer” and the love affair for big, strong, fast, direct play. The British have had a huge influence on the game here because the game was embraced by suburban folks and the British speak English. 

The suburban folks want their kids to go to college and the English coaches realize this, realized that’s where the money is and we have a marriage made to the detriment of our soccer culture. 

We, and England, look like us. Our college game is built for the same kind of athletes the English choose/develop and we have a never-ending cycle.

I’ve always wondered why there aren’t more Hispanic coaches running leagues and coaching the suburban kids –- it all comes down to English and the perception that the English accent affords the British coach/player (erudite).

The academies might kill this horror, but it will take many, many years –- especially since we don’t have promotion/relegation. Promotion/relegation would allow new voices to influence the game directly, visibly and quickly … just like CALFC (Cal Football Club, which surprised some professional clubs in the U.S. Open Cup) did for a brief time –- but how many really saw that? How many paid attention and think about what it means for their worldview?


There are some English coaches that “get it”; I even know a couple … but the majority talk a good development game, but will pass up the diminutive and technical player for the big, fast, strong player. After all, they’ve got to get them into college and college wants athletes.