Re: USA vs. Portugal...
I was born 5 years later and played soccer for about a decade and loved it. As much as I would like for this "exploding" to be happening, I disagree that it actually is. I used to read/hear the same things about soccer when I was playing through the late 70's and early 80's. I remember reading a stat several years ago that said something like 70%-80% of all US children under age (maybe 10 or 12) played soccer but only like 10% of kids 16+ still played. US kids just have too many other choices.
no matter how much structured training we can provide, we will not produce players among the elites until the sport becomes a pick up game like basketball.
allen Iverson didn't learn his crossover at an AAU camp and Ronaldo didn't learn his foot skills at a training camp.
they each learned their moves "on the blacktop."
for those of us who grew up in the 70's and 80's following the sport, we can attest to the immense strides we have made nationally, but we've hit a wall developmentally.
although I played competitively until college, it wasn't until college that I started playing with guys that would get 4-6 people together, throw t-shirts on the ground for goals and play a game anywhere...in the yard, the street, a parking lot, a tennis court...anywhere...using a soccer ball, basketball, volleyball or even a bunch of shirts balled up together.
klinnsman understands this and is working to facilitate a less "American" way to bring kids up around the game.
he's a master of his craft and needs to be given time to implement his plan.