Of course it does!
But that’s the same for every sport/event.
I disagree. There are critical windows for specific skills that involve velocity and coordination, as well as strength and coordination. Combining coordination with execution of skill at high levels of power and velocity is different than hitting a stationary golf ball or juggling a soccer ball. Having worked with a number of top level gymnasts, I can see exactly where this plays a role.
Not all motor skills are created equal. I see it on a daily basis. I believe if you choose to ignore this fact, you could be missing out.
I am in agreement. There is so much we don’t know about brain development and the subtleties of learning and adaptation - physical, intellectual, emotional, etc. Everything counts and it should be analyzed as such.
I agree also
It’s not an exact science yet, but the patterns have been established with a great many athletes and not just athletes - achievers in many domains.
While I agree to an extent, there is much recent research showing this is not 100% true … or rather the interpretation of it has been simplified and the brain has far greater abilities to adapt it’s self (I mean physically).
Much of this has been done in animal research, which in itself is very controversial.
There is also alot of research being done in the East that supports these concepts too, but it’s coming from a different angle.
You said it!
My brain is still trying to adapt to being married with kids!
That is a clear example of adaptation.
Here is info on the selection process for the US National Teams:
The US Youth Soccer ODP Philosophy:
To identify players of the highest caliber on a continuing and consistent basis, which will lead to increased success for the U.S. National Teams in the international arena.
Purpose:
The US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program was formed in 1977 to identify a pool of players in each age group from which a National Team will be selected for international competition; to provide high-level training to benefit and enhance the development of players at all levels; and, through the use of carefully selected and licensed coaches, develop a mechanism for the exchange of ideas and curriculum to improve all levels of coaching.
How do I participate?:
Contact your local US Youth Soccer State Association office to find out more about getting involved with US Youth Soccer ODP. You can find State Association by clicking here. Or, simply contact the US Youth Soccer National Office
Program Description History:
In 1979, the program expanded, the organization became more efficient and multi-year plans were developed. State Associations were encouraged to develop programs which supported and worked in tandem with National and Regional programs. At the beginning of 1982 a formalized program for girls was created, with the addition of a full committee (one member from each Region).
Current Organization:
From 1982 until the present, international events for youth national teams have increased substantially and the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program has kept pace by instituting trials and player pools for five age groups in the boys’ program, and five age groups in the girls’ program.
The US Youth Soccer ODP Selection Process
Each State Association holds ODP try-outs on an annual basis. Age Groups and try-out dates may be different from state to state, based on seasonal and state considerations. Your first contact should be to your State Association for try-out information.
How are Players Selected?:
Players are selected, in most states, on the basis of open tryouts. These tryouts are conducted by state association coaches who are recognized for their ability to identify and train players with superior skills. Some state associations combine scouting techniques and invitations to certain players with the open tryouts. Selection of these players is not an easy task. The state association head coach or State Coach will, in most cases, be assisted in the selection process by several other qualified coaches from the club or league level. Players are evaluated on the four components that make up a soccer player:
- Technique
- Tactics
- Fitness and Athletic Ability
- Psychological Component (attitude)
(NOTE: In years past, coaches from youth clubs who also coached for colleges were selected as state ODP coaches. This lead to many athletes being by-passed due to club allegiance in the case of two players being equally talented. Typically, the players in question were usually not going to make the regional camps, but situations like this do make the entire process somewhat skewed by the politics involved. Also, state ODP tryouts cost $100US to participate. Although the website says ODP is non-profit, I have heard reports that the coaches involved earn several thousand dollars for their participation.)
What are Regional Camps?:
US Youth Soccer is divided into four regions, each which offers a regional camp for state association ODP teams in each eligible age group. The camps are designed to provide high level competition and training for participating players. During this training and competition, players who are capable of performing at a higher level of play are identified for possible national team camp, pool, or team participation. Each region varies somewhat as to the specifics and the cost of their camps. Your state association or regional administrator should be contacted for more information.
What is a National Camp?:
National Camps and Interregional events are held throughout the year at various locations in the United States. The National Team Coach or a National Staff Coach is present at these events to observe, train, and indentify players for placement in the national pool or on a national team.
What are the Benefits of Participating in US Youth Soccer ODP?:
- Development as a player. The opportunity to train and play with the best player’s in one’s age group.
- Quality instruction from nationally licensed coaches.
- Quality competition. Games against other state association ODP teams.
- Exposure to regional and national team coaches.
- The opportunity to represent one’s state, region, or country in competition.
- Exposure to college coaches. (Note: many are coaches are the regional and national team levels. The college coaches tend to come from the more successful programs)
Re Selection and #3 fitness. How are they determining this on an athlete by athlete basis? Do they have some specific testing protocol or is it more of a consensus among the coaches as to who’s fit and who’s not?
Not sure. I have 12 division 1 soccer players this summer, not one went through ODP after about U14. I would guess some fitness test (ala Beep, cooper, the common fitness tests etc).
I have had one player a few years ago (U14), was told he was too slow, but they had never formally tested his speed, was made on observation only.
I have found it common for coaches to cut players (or demote them to the B teams) for “lack of speed.” My response to parent is “so your kid was the slowest kid on the team?”
Typically they say no. It appears “lack of fitness”, “lack of speed” etc are excuses to eliminate players without telling them they aren’t good enough. I had one coach tell a U11 girl, she has everything, just needs speed… so she plays on B team 
Must not have everything else then.
Listened to a pretty basic discussion on a podcast (Spider and the Henchman) regarding why the USA is still not near the top in World Cup soccer.
http://adamcarolla.com/SHBlog/2010/07/08/219/
Once you get past the Tommy Lasorda interview, they talk with Jon Weinbach about US soccer. Not a very advanced discussion, but still interesting to hear their opinions.
Because the competition right across the board is so high. Everyone is raising there game. It doesn’t matter which part of the world your from, if you raise your game your going to be hard to break down. Your Country doesn’t have to be hugely populated, Uruguay proved that (More people live in Berlin).
One of the reasons Germany were great at this years World cup was down to Jurgen Klinsmann’s development programme (ditching several veteran players, bringing in fitness trainers from Arizona, using US coaching philosophies, insisting on a 4-2-3-1 formation etc.
Hes on the top of his game right now (based in Southern California too) & “out of work”. Seems logical his next employment should be with the US Federation, although Bob Bradley I believe is doing a fantastic job, I like him a lot. Although having Jurgen on board could give a big boost to the US. If Germany hang onto him, there young squad have the potential to go much further.
I think soccer in the US & the US team are going places & the thought of NY gaining a second team is great.
What makes Spain tick…
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/teams/passes.html
Over 1000 passes more than the Netherlands during the whole tournament, with a far higher success rate. They were also the fittest team (distance covered) of the top 4.
Mexico were the fastest team (32.15 km/h).
Anybody with µTorrent.
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Fittest? Or most active possibly? Just because they covered more ground during the match does not mean they were fitter than everyone else.
Also, from posts from Charlie on the first few pages of this, avg distnace of spain of 10.9 km/match (~6 miles). = avg speed of 7.26 km/hr (4.5 mph). Blazing fast 
Uruguay actually ran in total 336.72km without the ball (almost a massive 100km more than Spain), jeez. But Spain ousted them in Total distance covered (767.39km).
Keen to note that the teams that underperformed so badly at the World Cup, Italy, France, Nigeria topped the table for Distance covered not in possession (km) of the ball. POOR WORKRATE off the ball.
Seems to me the teams working on speed as opposed to stamina (workrate) are going the wrong way (according to the stats) for success at the World cup, although Spain were 5th (Top speed) with Mexico & Greece top 2.
Which proves one massive point. You don’t have to be blazing fast to be successful in soccer.
Agreed
Be careful drawing conclusions from physical data
Again, be careful assessing that data.
Most of the teams that went out early obviously only played poor teams, in poor matches.
Secondly does poor stats show poor fitness or poor skill levels?
Do you need to work harder against poorer teams?
How do you know that the team who ran less with (or without) the ball had poorer fitness.
I.e. The biggest question not answered there is % possession.
There are many, many ways to interpret the data.
Guys,
I see a lot of confusion, a lot. Players are with the national team for approximately 3 weeks before the start of the work cup, it is a long time full of opportunities if you want to destroy someone, not a lot of time if you want to improve. Do you really think that fastest players were fastest because of the 3 weeks spent with the national team?
Players are selected and not trained, in a general sense (of course when they are playing with the national team, less so with their clubs).
Soccer is a complex sport like many others, in which the result is determined by a multitude of factors and not easily identifiable. You look a the data, fitness, average velocity, ball possession and so on, at the end maybe the only goal was scored in a corner.
In track and field, let’s say 100 m dash, it is easier to look at quantitative data and have insights (reaction time, start and drive, max V etc.).
For example, ball possession is not a good indicator of winning probabilty, especially in the last decade, maybe two. If any of you have seen the statistics of the semi-final of Champions’ League, Barcellona-Inter, ball possession was around 70% for Barcellona, but you remember who won, don’t you?
There was a paper published a few years ago, where it was shown that lesser teams against better teams ran substantially more. You can thus conclude that lesser teams were more fitted, can’t you?
Wrong conclusion. They were chasing all the time.
Italy, England & France were ranked 5th, 8th & 9th respectively in the World rankings.
Uruguay, Paraguay, Ghana were ranked 16th, 31st & 32nd.
Your definition of a poor team?. Italy, England & France all ranked in top 10 & eliminated early? or Uruguay, Paraguay & Ghana who went further into the tournament?.
Evidently it shows poor performances through early elimination. The team with the highest distance covered, best passing completion rate, suprise, suprise won the tournament. Team with the best stats won. Teams in general with poor stats dropped out early. Good indication.
Such as Uruguay, Paraguay & Ghana? Yes! If you want to reach the latter stages of the tournament.
Because there yardage outputs & work rates during games fell short of the teams who reached the latter stages.
Not that I have much to add but it seems that looking at average speed doesn’t really say much.
I mean an average could represent so many different distributions (including both the fastests fasts and slowest slows and everything in-between) that I don’t know if it ‘proves’ that high speed work is somehow unnecessary.
Certainly most of the time seems to be spent moving slowly (and a certain work capacity is required for that) and the durations moving slowly would tend to skew the average way down but that doesn’t mean that the high speed bits are either irrelevant or unimportant to overall performance.
Lyle