by Success breeds success, right? In the case of US Soccer, possibly not
... let's look at the program's notable successes on the world stage,
as well as the performances that followed:
U-17
1999 - reached semifinals
2001 - lost all three games
U-20
1989 - reached semifinals
1991 - failed to qualify
Olympics
2000 - reached semifinals
2004 - failed to qualify
World Cup
1994 - advanced from group stage
1998 - lost all three games
World Cup
2002 - reached quarterfinals
2006 - lost two games and drew the other one
Now, I realize that we can't expect one success to be followed with an
equal success; however, we shouldn't expect it to be followed with an
abysmal failure, either. In five events that followed an unusually
strong showing, the US has earned a grand total of 1 point and twice
failed to even qualify. Whether this reflects arrogance, complacency,
or just bad luck, it's a curious trend.
P