England is lucky to have drawn an easy group (unlike the US). Theyll compete with Sweden for first place. How is Owen recovering? I know he will probably be ready come tournament time but will he be fully fit? Crouch looked great in his last game, do you think he'll start?
As for soccer becoming big in the US, I see it becoming a popular sport, but i dont ever see a World Cup final being as widely watched as a Super Bowl but i do see soccer becoming popular. If the US team does well the whole country will grow a sense of national pride and people will start paying attention to the team.
The MLS is growing rapidly. Some teals are building their own stadiums and every year new teams are added to the league. That is a good sign for the future of soccer in the US.
Your right about the US not winning, but they have a great squad for the future. Most of their key players (with the exception of McBride) have 1 or 2 world cups left in them. Donovan, Beasly, Onyewu, Dempsey, and Convey are all playes that they can build a great team off of. Not to forget Freddy Adu, who is only 17(?) now. Although i admit, he is a bit overrated, he has potential.
The US isnt my favorite team though. Belguim didn't qualify for the world cup and are going to have to go through a long rebuilding stage.
Interesting again Gozimm, are you actually Belgian and living in Belgium, or just of Belgian extraction and living in the USA?
Michael Owen is fine, he's over his own injury problem and has come through the last couple of England 'friendly' pre-World Cup warm up games unscathed.
Nobody was sure about Peter Crouch a few weeks ago, he's basically only got his chance due to the Rooney injury, but boy has he ever grasped it with both hands. He's scoring regularly and looks the perfect foil for Owen up front.
You're right, England aren't in a tough group to begin with, but there are no easy games in a World Cup, every single participant apart from Brazil (the holders) and Germany (the hosts) have had to win arduous qualifying groups to even be there, so it's foolish to take anything for granted.
I actually quite like the USA's chances of progressing through to the 2nd stage. They seem to be talented, well drilled, experienced, and with no obvious weaknesses or injury problems. In their group (Group E) they should be able to defeat Ghana with no problem at all, which leaves the Czech Republic as the major stumbling block to them progressing. Italy are clear favourites to win Group E but they always make really hard work of the early stages of a World Cup, and so it wouldn't surprise me at all to see Italy struggle. If the USA can win the first game next Monday against the Czech's then they are well on their way. I'll certainly be watching.
Most English sports fans will be glued to their TV sets for the next 3 weeks or so, so there won't be much work done and there's a danger the economy could take a temporary turn for the worse!! It's going to be like the 1940's war years with the women running the county whilst the men-folk are off somewhere otherwise engaged!!
England will also be the best supported team in the tournament apart from the German hosts, the estimate is that up to 50,000 English fans will be making the short trip across the English Channel to support the team ~ I just pray that most of them behave themselves and don't get too drunk, though let's face it would be the first time in living memory if they did!!
USA coach Bruce Arena seems very highly respected and he worked wonders with the team in 2002 so I really wouldn't underestimate him. I know he was coach at DC United for a time and had much success there, so all the more reason for Nats fans to get behind Arena and his boys!
I know D C United play their home games at RFK Stadium. Maybe I should adopt D C United as my MLS team (my team in England is Bolton Wanderers who play in the Premier League and had another good year, and I live about 10 minutes from their stadium). I think a lot depends on big performances from Beasley and Donavan in Team USA.
Anyway, look forward to chatting a whole lot more about the World Cup as we move along.
GO ENGLAND!!!!