Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend (A moment of great opportunity...)

[J Tull]

I don't think a 10-year deal has anything with him actually trying to coach 10 more years.

Agree...it doesn't matter how long he coaches (though I hope it's many years here), but he needs the optics of a ten year deal for recruiting purposes.

 

[J Tull]

'If this has already been said in the first 7 pages, I apologize. But if UM is hired, it seems to make sense for all involved for Ash to stay on as DC. He’s done a good job, would provide continuity, UM knows and likes him, and UM will need a good DC anyway.'

Could not agree more. Our D has improved as the season has developed, and with no shut down CBs. Also Urban won a Natty with Ash as his DC. Urban actually praised Ash on set once this season.

I would like to keep the D staff to the extent Urban is comfortable, assuming it winds up being Urban.

 

[Ketchum]

(Buy) You misspelled 95%.

That's the funniest thing you've ever written!

 

[Ketchum]

Ketch, Facebook and other social media websites are burning on fire with this right now. What do you make of it? https://247sports.com/college/texas...r7fO1bgycRf8WMQbTCY6P3ng3wk0XbCj20u2zokUCCyQ8

Don't visit facebook.

 

[Ketchum]

The knockout stages of WC and the Euros are the most passionate events I have ever attended. It is also when the best national teams find just enough chemistry. They will never play like the well oiled club machines of Pep and your boy Klopp, but the talent is on full display and unlike club the effort is 110%.

I never find club effort to be lacking, I suppose.

 

[Ketchum]

I see the quality of reporting remains consistent...

Indeed.

 

[Iceman]

Messi

Soccer is a team sport. You can do everything right, do everything the best, and never win a trophy. But, if you win a trophy, no one remembers your failures. No one remembers that Maradona was held scoreless in 78% of the games he played for the National Team, that he didn't score a goal in the entire 1990 World Cup or that he was actually held scoreless in the 1986 World Cup Final. Why? Because his teammates rose to the occasion in one game: the 1986 WC Final. And so, because he hoisted the trophy, he is cemented in the minds of non-Argentine fans as an all-time great.

Maradona's accomplishments at the international level are a fraction of that of Messi's. He isn't even a Top 2 player in Argentina National Team history, even with his '86 WC showing. The two best, without any question, are Messi and Gabriel Batistuta. Look up the most combined goals & assists in Argentina's tournament history and Maradona shows up 2 times in the Top 15. Messi shows up 7 time! Only once in 8 tournaments has Messi failed to score at least 2 goals. Maradona failed to score at least 2 goals in 5 of 7 tournaments. Messi has goals per game than any Argentine in National Team history, more assists per game than any Argentine in National Team history, cup Finals than any Argentine in National Team history, more cup "MVPs" than any Argentine in National Team history. He owns the Copa America record for assists. He owns the Argentine record for World Cup goals and assists. All told, he has 71 goals in 128 NT games vs 34 goals in 91 games for Maradona. And, he's been to 5 cup finals vs 2 for Maradona.

If Higuain hadn't bottled the one-on-one he was gifted vs Neuer or hadn't been a hair offside on the goal he scored in the 2014 World Cup Final.......if he hadn't missed an open goal from 3' on a beautiful pass from Messi or missed his PK in the 2015 Copa Final...........or if he hadn't missed an empty goal on Chile's defensive error in the 2016 Copa Final.........Messi has a trophy and we're not even having this discussion. But, why is Messi's brilliance for the National Team overshadowed by failures of his teammates, but Maradona's failure for the National Team are glossed over because his teammates capitalized in the '86 World Cup? Does Higuain failing to capitalize change any of what Messi did in international play? You can't own every record worth owning, for both your country and in tournament history, and not be the GOAT at international play. Also, it's worth noting, Maradona had just 3 managers in his 17 year National Team career. Messi has had 9 in his 16 years! The best Argentine managers of Messi's era have all refused to coach the NT because of the incompetence and corruption of the AFA. That wasn't the case in Maradona's era. They had great managers and continuity.

 

[Ketchum]

Agree...it doesn't matter how long he coaches (though I hope it's many years here), but he needs the optics of a ten year deal for recruiting purposes.

simple as that. With a younger coach or one without health issues, a five-year deal would be fine. With his issues, the length will be used against Texas in recruiting.

 

[prohias]

I'm not saying I don't somewhat agree. I would simply make the following parts.

a. It feels like judging a player at United and saying his inability to lift the team in the last near decade would be HIS fault (imaginary situation, I know, but hang with me). Ultimately, United's disfunction behind the scenes has been a real issue. I feel; there is reason to believe it's even worse with the Argentina national team, based on the reporting from the last few years. It just sounds like an absolute shit show. Drama behind the scenes can undo anything, anywhere and at any time.

b. Messi's club success, numbers and overall achievements are so absurd that it offsets his failures in country IMO.

c. I think the romanticism of the WC and it's impact on forever greatness is dwindling, as club country continues to overtake it in terms of importance. I wonder how many of the future great players of future eras will ever be defined by their country success. Messi will be remembered as the 1st of a new kind of soccer superstar in terms of the way he's judged.

English announcers and fans probably agree with point c.

However keep in mind that:

1. England has the most popular league in the world.
2. England is the biggest WC underachiever of the last 50 years.
3. If England ever does win the WC, I expect that view to get reversed.