CARLI LLOYD and LIONEL MESSI

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CARLI LLOYD AND LIONEL MESSI

"It is fatal to enter a war without the will to win it."
   - General Douglas MacArthur

In a team sport such as soccer, the concept of best player is elusive. Nevertheless the tradition has established the attachment of the media and the general public to such subtle concept. In that context, Carli Lloyd and Lionel Messi are the best women and men players of the world respectively.

Still, there are colossal differences between one and the other. Let examine the facts:

Carli is a women and Lionel is a man. Carli was born and lives in the USA while Messi was born in Rosario Argentina but moved to Barcelona, Spain during early adolescence. Carli attended Rutgers University where she completed a bachelor degree in Exercise Science and Sports while playing collegiate soccer. Lionel never attended college. Carli plays for a modest women’s pro team in Houston, Texas and makes about 70.000 dollars a year. Lionel plays for Barcelona FC and earns more than 100.000 million euros a year. Carli sings the American National Anthem, while Lionel doesn’t do the same with the Argentine National Anthem. Both Carli and Lionel are extremely skilfull players. Carli won many competitions with her youth clubs, high school and College teams, plus she obtained twice the Olympic gold medal with the US National team and recently won the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Lionel on the other hand, won many top competitions (nationally and internationally) with his pro club Barcelona FC, but only the 2008 Olympic gold medal. Unfortunately, Lionel’s Argentine National teams failed to win any international tournament whatsoever. Both Carli and Lionel do volunteer work on behalf of humanitarian causes. Probable more than 90% of the world population knows and recognizes Lionel as a “celebrity”, but only a very few of them know who Carli is.

Those are some differences and similarities between Carli and Lionel, but the crucial contrast is related to recent events. In 2015, and almost simultaneously, the Women’s FIFA World Cup and the CONMENBOL Sudamerican Cup were played. The Argentine squad with Lionel as captain was one of the favorites to win the Sudamerican Cup, a tournament that Argentina hasn’t won since 1993. Carli’s US team was not the leading candidate to reach the finals of the 2015 Women’s FIFA World Cup, that the US won for the last time in 1999.  As it is public knowledge now, Argentina made the finals of the 2015 Sudamerican Cup and lost it against Chile after a weak performance by Lionel’s team. Instead Carli’s US Women National team defeated Japan 5 to 2 to obtain the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. In the finals Lionel did not shoot on goal even once (but scored the only kick from the penalty mark for his team). Contrarily, Carli scored 3 of the 5 US goals and was the MWP of the match and the Cup. She proved beyond any doubts that she deserves to be the best player of the world.

Then the question that annoys us is: how come, Lionel is unable to do it, as Carli did it? The answer is probably (I will take the risk of saying certainly) not simple: there are many different factors involved. But, nevertheless, there is one major reason that is obvious and painful. By understanding such reason, it may help Lionel be successful in the future. The reason is lack of real determination. Carli has tremendous leadership spirit and was able to motivate her struggling team to extract from them the highest level of performance. She was committed to win the Cup and made all the efforts and sacrifices to reach such goal. She pushed her team to play to win the final game. And she took the responsibility to motivate and demonstrate (she scored three wonderful goals in the first 16 minutes of the final match), she fought to the end to have the opportunity to hold the desired trophy. She clearly stated before the game "We didn't come here to take second place. We came here to win it, and there was something different in the air with these last few games with our team”. “If you don't have an aim, I kind of wonder, why are you playing? I want to be the best. Whatever I do in life, I want to be at the top. I don't want to be 'Yeah, I was a member of the team.' No, I'm going for the top”. Carly had both the confidence to do great things and the necessity to believe that she was required to continue proving for the team more than anybody else.

On the other side of the spectrum we have Lionel’s performance in the final match vs Chile: he had a forgettable day to the point that he was not even running in the second half of the match. For some reason, he gave up. Somebody must help Lionel understand that his well-deserved privilege and honor to be the best male soccer player of the world carries with it the responsibility of leading and performing with his National team in crucial moments. Soccer goes beyond being a game or a sport; it has major social, economic and political implication. And leaders must take responsibility to lead to victory or they must step out. That is why Churchill and not Chamberlain commanded Great Britain during WWII to defeat Nazi Germany. Leaders cannot afford the luxury of revealing negative feelings or show fatigue. They must looked and act confident. Furthermore, there is important to remember that the opportunities in life come very seldom and it is necessary to take advantage of those unique opportunities. One cannot be constantly planning and preparing but not finishing the job. It is mandatory to complete and terminate the project. Winners can’t blame others for mistakes made, neither they can be apologetic. Winners are people that are self-aware about their own mistakes; they understand that it’s their choices and decisions that brought them there. Winners don’t use excuses, they find solutions.

TEMPORARY SUB FOR PLAYERS WITH PROBABLE CONCUSSION

FIFA Laws of the Game, rule change proposal: Temporary substitution to allow proper evaluation of a player who has suffered a possible concussion

Dr. Daniel Meeroff and Dr. J.C. Meeroff

A concussion is a very serious problem affecting many soccer players.

A concussion is a complex pathophysiological process that affects the brain, typically induced by trauma to the head and/or upper body (traumatic brain injury or TBI). It can be caused either by a direct blow to the head, or an indirect blow to the body, causing internal biochemical changes in the brain. In soccer, those changes usually resolve spontaneously with no consequences, but in some cases they can lead to severe cerebral alterations resulting in cognitive changes such as memory deficits, sleep disturbances and eventually in some cases to severe conditions leading to permanent disability and even the death of the affected athlete.

A major determinant in the prognosis of concussion depends on the management of the initial impact. It is has been well established that  a second impact immediately after the first impact (second impact syndrome or SIS) increases exponentially the risk for severe complication and decreases the likelyhood of fast recovery. SIS carries a 50% mortality rate and an almost 100% morbidity rate.

In the US, repeated head trauma forced retirement of New England Revolution stra Taylor Twellman in 2010. Concusions also forced out DC United Bryan Namoff and Alecko Eskandarian, like Twellman a former league MVP. In 2012, Seatlle Sounders back up keeper Terry Boss retired because of complications from concussions

These are only a few examples of a problem of great magnitude. In response to these facts, the MLS and the NASL (the two professional men’s leagues in the US) have implemented a drastic policy mandating that a player suspected of having a concussion in a game or practice must be removed immediately and evaluated. In youth soccer in the US, the policy is that a player who has suffered a trauma that can cause a concussion must be substituted and prohibited to return to play in the game.

We propose to modify the current text of FIFA’s Law Three-The number of players- to allow for proper examination and management of a player who suffered a concussion during a match.

The proposed changes are as follows:

The injured player who demonstrates signs of concussion must be mandatorily removed from the field of play and a temporary substitution must be allowed (one substitution that will not count as one of the maximum allowable substitutions according to the rules of the competition) to permit the team to keep playing without disadvantage, while the injured player is evaluated by a neuro-trauma expert physician unaffiliated with the teams to determine if, the player can safely return to play. If he/she can indeed return, the temporary substitution ends. He/she is back on the field at the next stoppage of play, and the temporary substitute returns to the bench. And the team is not charged with a substitution. The player who came in as the temporary substitute in this case and was removed, may re-enter as an official substitute at a later time. Contrarily, if the player is in no condition to return to play, then the temporary substitution becomes official and counts as one of the maximum allowed by the Laws of the Game.

Examples:

Blue #5 is involved in a collision and exhibits signs of a concussion. Team medical personnel enter the field of play, and the player is removed for further evaluation by the neutral neuro-trauma expert. The Blue team is allowed to have #20 from the list of eligible substitutes enter as a temporary substitute.

Situation 1: Blue #5 is determined to have no concussion symptoms and is allowed to re-enter the game.

Then, Blue #20 is removed, and the team is not charged with a substitution. Blue #20 is allowed to enter at a later time as an official substitute if necessary and if the team has not used up its maximum number of substitutions.

Situation 2: Blue #5 is determined to have a significant concussion and is not allowed to re-enter.

Then, Blue #20 remains on the field and becomes an official substitute. The team is charged with one substitution.

Situation 3: Blue #5 is determined to have a significant concussion and is not allowed to re-enter. The team has already used up its maximum number of substitutions before the time of the injury occurred.

In these circumstances, Blue #20 is removed from the field, and the team plays short.

The process recommended here is similar to the one used in the American NFL, and it was suggested to be implemented in England by the British media after the concussion suffered by Tottenham GK Hugo Lloris in a match vs Everton last year. This idea of a temporary substitution has ample support from players and sport physicians as well.

References:

Doolan A.D., Day D.D., Maerlender, A.C, Goforth M. and Brolinson, P.G; A Review of Return to Play Issues and Sports-Related Concussion. Ann Biomed Eng 2011

American College of Sports Medicine. Concussion (mild traumatic brain injury) and the team physician: a consensus statement. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 2006: 38:395–399

Consensus statement on concussion in sports: The 4^th International Conference on Concussion in Sport held in Zurich, November 2012. Br J Sport Med 2013: 250-258

THE ACADEMY WIN THE GOLD COAST AGAIN

The Academy wins for the third consecutive time the Gold Coast Soccer Development League Competition

After finishing fifth in the robin round of the season, The Academy rose to the occasion and won the Rudy Lewis Memorial Cup of the Gold Coast SDL Winter Season. They defeated Boca SC in the quarterfinals, (cero-cero in regulation time and 4-2 in kicks from the penalty mark) then they beat the robin round champs, Oakland Stars by a score of 4-0 and Schulz Academy in the finals by the same score 4-0.

The final The Academy vs Schulz Academy was an excellent game. Schulz Academy dominated during the first half but the game was scoreless at half time. The substitutions made by The Academy coach J.C. Meeroff in the second half pay great dividends. The Academy midfield controlled the game, the last line of four was impenetrable and the forwards were very effective creating goal scoring opportunities. Stefano Bontempo scored with a blast shot from outside the penalty area at minute 7. Then The Academy had many chances to increase the difference but the great performance by Schultz Academy keeper Brandon Ryan denied those opportunities until striker Travis Brown scored again for The Academy at minute 24. With Schulz Academy desperately attacking to reduce the gap, Dumel Decius scored for The Academy on a great counterattack. Finally Roee Blicher mark the fourth goal on a penalty kick after Shulz Academy keeper Ryan took down captain Garrick Ferguson inside the penalty area.

The Academy keeper Derek Robbie was nominated “The Academy man of the match”.

The season was excellent and the level of play superb. It demonstrates that this is the way to go and to promote organized soccer in the US: local leagues with superior intensity and great quality. Congratulation to all participating teams!! We hope they will return to play next season/

CONGRATULATIONS Dr. MEEROFF

Our Director of Coaching Dr. J.C. Meeroff successfully completed the FIFA “A” level of education for soccer coaches, the highest international coaching license level.  

THE DIRECTOR OF THE ARGENTINE SCHOOL OF COACHES WAS IN TOWN

On January 8, 2014 the Director of the Argentine School of Soccer Coaching (ATFA), Mr. Victorio Cocco, visiting the US to initiate exchange programs with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, made a special presentation to the local soccer coaches and trainers regarding FIFA’s mandate to improve the quality and level of coaching education.

THE DAY OF GLORY

THE DAY WHEN THE MAGIC OF THE ACADEMY EMERGED

THE ACADEMY 4 vs CLUB ATLETICO BOCA 3

ANDRES SEVILLA PROFILE

Andres Sevilla was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  He starting playing soccer at the age of  three and by the age of 15 he was playing in a semi professional soccer league in the neighborhood  of Olivos.  Since arriving in the United States in 2001, Andres has focused on coaching, conditioning and training.  After playing briefly in the Gold Coast Soccer League, he began coaching youth teams across South Florida.  Andres holds the USASA National Coaching License and the NSCAA National Youth Coaching Certificate.