The USA: Another Surprise?

Unfortunately for the US of A, soccer has long been a sport of the suburbs. Until the tentacles of 'soccer' reach into the less affluent areas of the community, football (sorry, soccer) will be played by those who lack the hunger for success.

All the great players have come from dirt poor backgrounds. Wayne Rooney from the council estate in Liverpool, Pele from the backstreets of Brazil, Georgie Best from troubled Belfast corporation estates. But this opinion comes in the face of a FIFA ranking of 5 for the USA!

Because the USA play most of their competitive games against similarly weak opposition the ranking is artificially high. So how do we think they will fare. One of the chief sportswriters of The Guardian shares my opinion that this World Cup will see a return to the old guard. The heat and humidity of Japan and South Korea in 2002 is replaced by a much more hospitable climate. A major factor for Western European teams.

Sean Ingle writes "The old order will dominate. In 2002, Senegal, Turkey, South Korea and the United States were shock first-time quarter-finalists. It won't happen again: there's no sapping humidity this time around, and the big names aren't beat-up and battered. Germany 2006 will be more like France 98, when Brazil, Argentina, Holland, Italy, France, Germany, Croatia and Denmark made the last eight. Boring, but true."

He also has a damnining indictment of the USA's chances in Germany, he adds, "The United States won't make it past the first round. Group E isn't that difficult - Ghana's defence is ropey and the Czechs are an ageing team - but most of the American hacks reckon the US aren't as strong as in 2002. They'll be fit and well-organised, sure, but with Landon Donovan, Claudio Reyna and DeMarcus Beasley all having indifferent seasons, they probably don't have the quality."

I however do hold out a bit more hope for the American's progress. In a group with Italy, Ghana and the Czechs, I can see them pulling off one of the surprises of the tournament. What Mister Ingle has failed to accentuate is the fact that the Czechs have a terrible defence. A great attack but a woeful defence. Also Italy never really fire on all cylinders until the second round and perhaps USA could do what they did to the Portugese last time. Although, this time the element of surprise is not something they can count on.

The Observer newspaper also commends the American Head Coach by saying. "The brilliantly named and abrasive Bruce Arena, who was also in charge in 2002. 'He's the same old Bruce,' says captain Claudio Reyna. 'He still has that brash New York attitude.' His very fit and well organised side are hard to beat."

True, to an extent. America do have the jump on most of their competitiors in the fact that their players would not have been through the gruelling European seasons that their European Competitors would have. With 12 of the squad based in Europe and 11 relatively fresh - it's early in the Major League season - there are possibilities of progressing from a tough group. But unless they win it, they would probably come up against Brazil, who knocked them and everyone else out of USA 94. Much depends on Captain America, Claudio Reyna. Everything goes through him in the middle.

So who's the man to watch for our American readers? With the much touted Freddie Adu not selected, the USA are looking to Eddie Johnson. The Golden Boot winner at the 2003 Youth World Cup, Johnson scored on his full debut against El Salvador in 2004 then recorded a hat-trick as a substitute in his second game, against Panama.

I just hope (Unlikely though it is) that they get to play Iran at some stage....