Futbol Failure
Geoff Cameron: Tactical arrogance caused USMNT to fall short of World Cup
Yesterday, Stoke City's Geoff Cameron joined Glenn Davis on Soccer Matters and shared his thoughts on his career in the EPL and the shortcomings of the USMNT. Make sure you click on the link above to listen to the first part of the captivating interview.
Cameron joined Stoke City in 2012, and has virtually played every position in the back four for his team. He began the interview giving us a proper look at what it has been like to play in the most competitive league in the world, The Premier League. He explained why Stoke had such a tough start, how injuries crippled the team, and what eventually led to the sacking of Mark Hughes.
On January 15th, Paul Lambert was appointed as the new manager of Stoke City, replacing Mark Hughes. Cameron immediately noted a difference with the appointment of Lambert. Whether it’s calling out his players or having two-a-day practices, Lambert is no-nonsense. Despite being manager for less than a month, Cameron has already noticed how stylistically different Stoke has played since his appointment, and his emphasis on high pressing.
Glenn and Cameron then got deeper into their conversation as the topic changed to Cameron’s experiences with the United States National Team. He addressed the “buddy- buddy” relationship many claim he had with former manager Jurgen Klinsmann. He also discussed how different he was as manager than his successor and the bad taste his relationship with Bruce Arena left in his mouth.
Cameron, then, dove into one of the most controversial moments in US Soccer History, losing to Trinidad 2-1 and failing to qualify for the World Cup. He shared his perspective on why he did not play, the overconfidence of the squad, and the “tactical arrogance” of Bruce Arena.
Cameron’s openness made for a very compelling interview. It's no secret that Glenn and Cameron have a history dating all the way back to Cameron’s time with the Houston Dynamo. This open conversation on yesterday’s edition of Soccer Matters was only half of the conversation Glenn had with the Stoke City center back.
In the second half, Cameron goes into deeper detail on the failure of the national team to qualify for the World Cup. That half of the interview will air next Wednesday, February 14, on Soccer Matters from 7-9 pm.
