Ouch, Double Ouch for Americans Home and Abroad

Poor Kasey Keller. Just four starts into his EPL homecoming and he's out till past Christmas. From foxsoccer.com:

Fulham goalkeeper Kasey Keller admits he is feeling "devastated" after being told his arm injury may keep him out until after Christmas.

Keller picked up the problem in training prior to the weekend's 0-0 draw with Derby County and may now require surgery.
Keller has made four appearances for the Cottagers since his free-transfer move over the summer and the USA veteran has expressed his dismay at the setback.

"I feel absolutely destroyed, devastated," said Keller in the Daily Mirror.

"It's hugely disappointing because things were going so well and then this comes along and now I have to start all over again.

"I just wanted to make my name here and I was doing that until I suffered this cruel injury."

Poor Nick, too. Just when he thought, maybe... just maybe Fulham would have a decent net-mindered to protect that sorry defense. Oh well... here's to another post-X-mas relegation fight for the Cottagers!

Greg Ryan Canned

The other big news of the day for Americans, and this time its state-side, is the firing of Womens National Team coach Greg Ryan. He'll be best remembered for benching starting goalkeeper Hope Solo in favor of aging legend Brianna Scurry for the team's semi-final against Brazil in this year's World Cup. I'm one to believe that the squad was hopelessly unprepared for that game against Marta and company, so give Scurry a break, but it is that preparation, that in hindsight probably cost Ryan his job.

"The Greatest Team You Never Heard Of" was Nike's marketing campaign in the run up to China 2007, but "The Greatest Team You Won't Remember Because They Blew It Big Time" might be a better (albeit less snappy) title for the squad. The U.S. team suffered from the high expectations game that so many of the talented men's squads suffer from when they fail in the World Cup. Argentina, Italy, Portugal, ENGLAND, etc come home to anger when they come short of "World Champions" and the coach is usually the first head to come rolling off the chopping block. Add 'keeper drama to it all and the reasons becoming increasingly easy to assemble when you want to force and talented, but disappointing coach from his or her job.

U.S. defender Cat Whitehill will you please back up my arguement with a timely quote? Thanks.

"With the standards our team has set, if you don't win, it's hard to keep your job," Whitehill said Monday, a day after players and Ryan were informed of the move. "Nothing against the way Greg Ryan coached, but we didn't play as well as we should have."

Care to add anything U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati?

"I'm not going to point to any one factor (bad World Cup preparation) or one individual decision (bad World Cup preparation). Obviously, coaches' decisions impact games (the benching of Hope Solo). All that was weighed in (I canned his ass)."

Foxsoccer.com added, "Gulati said he wants a candidate who is familiar with American soccer, who has experience coaching in international events."

Can I be the first person to nominate Jurgen Klinsmann?