http://theoriginalwinger.com/2008-07-23-edgar-castillo A Bumpy Pitch Production Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:59:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 http://theoriginalwinger.com/2008-07-23-edgar-castillo#comment-2294 Alejandro Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:15:49 +0000 http://theoriginalwinger.com/2008-07-23-edgar-castillo#comment-2294 Frosch's article brings up an issue that I have with U.S. coaches and commentators (and the occasional fan): the obsession with a player's size. Too often I here praises about a U.S. player based on the players size and seeming strength. Sure, size can be useful, but technical skill always trumps. Some of the greatest players have not been physical giants, by any measure: Pele' is 5' 8.5"; Maradona is 5' 5"; and Bobby Charlton is 5' 8". And some of today's greats are of "lesser stature": Lionel Messi is 5' 6.5" while La Liga's leading scorer, David Villa, is 5' 9". These guys don't muscle their way to scores. Instead, they have great technical skill and tactical awareness. That's what makes for "sexy football". Until U.S. coaches learn this lesson, we will continue to lose talented players such as Castillo. Frosch’s article brings up an issue that I have with U.S. coaches and commentators (and the occasional fan): the obsession with a player’s size. Too often I here praises about a U.S. player based on the players size and seeming strength. Sure, size can be useful, but technical skill always trumps. Some of the greatest players have not been physical giants, by any measure: Pele’ is 5′ 8.5″; Maradona is 5′ 5″; and Bobby Charlton is 5′ 8″. And some of today’s greats are of “lesser stature”: Lionel Messi is 5′ 6.5″ while La Liga’s leading scorer, David Villa, is 5′ 9″. These guys don’t muscle their way to scores. Instead, they have great technical skill and tactical awareness. That’s what makes for “sexy football”. Until U.S. coaches learn this lesson, we will continue to lose talented players such as Castillo.

]]> http://theoriginalwinger.com/2008-07-23-edgar-castillo#comment-2281 Whitey Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:22:40 +0000 http://theoriginalwinger.com/2008-07-23-edgar-castillo#comment-2281 Exception rather than the rule? I highly doubt that assessment from Gulati. And you don't have to talented and Hispanic to be missed by US soccer. Don't we know of young Americans who went through the ManU system who also were bypassed? Pareja would have been quoted in this but he just left US Soccer. Still tremendous gaps in the US program IMHO. Exception rather than the rule? I highly doubt that assessment from Gulati. And you don’t have to talented and Hispanic to be missed by US soccer. Don’t we know of young Americans who went through the ManU system who also were bypassed? Pareja would have been quoted in this but he just left US Soccer. Still tremendous gaps in the US program IMHO.

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