There will be those who say yes, and those who say no. Isn’t it always that way.
Like US Soccer’s pick for the Under-23 team that fell on its face in Nashville, TN, and failed to qualify for the London Olympics, that team’s head coach, Caleb Porter, was a rookie coach, Ramos was a rookie, too.
But that is where the comparison ends. Ramos had an extensive career playing the game professionally in Europe and in Mexico before returning home as the first player signed by Major League Soccer.
He began his coaching career at the grassroots level, with his own soccer academy in New Jersey. The game’s the game. Only the players get bigger as they get older.
If there was ever an American coach with a vast international pedigree as a player, it is Tab Ramos.
Was he the perfect coach? No! Did he make mistakes? Most likely! Did [show_disconnected][show_to accesslevel=’Subscriber’]he make all the right decisions selecting players? Probably not!
Should Ramos be one and done, as was the case with Porter, who is now the head coach of the MLS Portland Timbers? Absolutely not!
Players need to play for years at a high level to develop as players. Coaches need to coach for years in big-game settings, to develop as big-time coaches.
In the 2013 U-20 World Cup in Turkey, the U.S. went three-and-out. The American team has not gotten out of group play and into the knockout rounds since the 2007 team that featured Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley and Freddy Adu.
Everyone knew the U.S. had drawn a bad hand when the groups were announced and the USA was in with Spain, France and Ghana.
We were outclassed by Spain 4-1 and outmuscled by Ghana 4-1, and played well to tie France 1-1. We could have moved on with a draw or win against Ghana, but we have no history of doing that against one of the top teams from Africa.
After all, Ghana’s senior team knocked the U.S. out of the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups.
Most disturbing about the U.S. results was the porous defense that allowed nine goals in three games.
“I’m disappointed that in three games we gave up nine goals,” Ramos said after the tournament. “You certainly can’t move on in a World Cup giving up nine goals in three games.
“But overall, we came here to compete. I think the unfortunate part is in two of the games the results don’t show it. But I think our team showed up and competed in all three games and in a very difficult group against three very difficult teams.”
One might point out that Ramos was without several key players who could have made a difference.
German-America defender Anthony Brooks couldn’t make a decision to play for the U.S. or wait for Germany to give him a call. His future is still undetermined.
Former Furman All-America central defender Walker Zimmerman, now starting for FC Dallas in MLS, was coming off an injury and not selected by Ramos for the team.
Up front Marc Pelosi was expected to provide goals for the U.S. offense. But Pelosi, on the verge of moving up to Liverpool’s first team, suffered a broken leg in a club reserve match.
There were some positives from Turkey. There was the 3-1 win over Portugal in a pre-tournament game. Luis Gil played well, and scored against Spain. The team showed heart in coming back for the late goal to tie France, and there was the CONCACAF final where the U.S. played Mexico heads up before losing in extra time.
Will there be other national team assignments for Ramos? Let’s hope there is!
He played his first international for the U.S. at age 14. The Jersey boy who grew up playing with and against Tony Meola, John Harkes, and Claudio Reyna didn’t become a World Cup player overnight. Same for him as a national team coach.
The players will move on for the next cycle, and US Soccer would do well to keep Ramos with the Under-20s.
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