Ggg had better get out of round play or his ass is fired, especially when he leaves a premier league captain and the leading goal scorer in a top 5 league off the squad.

I can't imagine taking a gamble, especially up the spine with CB's, with only 3 matches to get out of the group.

Ken Scarborough said:

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Ggg had better get out of round play or his ass is fired, especially when he leaves a premier league captain and the leading goal scorer in a top 5 league off the squad.

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Not sure how Pepi got a place and Pefok didn't. As far as Ream goes, I've just never been impressed with him. Too slow. His leadership is great but I'd rather see a younger guy get a chance.

OregonAggie said:

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Ken Scarborough said:

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Ggg had better get out of round play or his ass is fired, especially when he leaves a premier league captain and the leading goal scorer in a top 5 league off the squad.

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Not sure how Pepi got a place and Pefok didn't. As far as Ream goes, I've just never been impressed with him. Too slow. His leadership is great but I'd rather see a younger guy get a chance.

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He's been poor because Ggg doesn't play to his strengths.

That's fine if it works. If he leaves a PL team captain off the team and we struggle, tons of second guessing from fans to US soccer leadership.

I may have read it here, or twitter, or on the interwebs elsewhere, but Pefok may be a chemistry/coaching issue as he doesn't speak English well and there are no French speakers on the team. Maybe Dest. But that's 1.

But, i'd rather have Pefok over Arriola or Morris, even if we include Pepi.

With 26, we could bring 4 forwards with Sargent able to deputize as a winger of last resort

akm91 said:

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With 26, we could bring 4 forwards with Sargent able to deputize as a winger of last resort

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It's funny. I said that as soon as the roster dropped and now other people are saying it too. Makes sense. Sargent is scoring more in a higher league than Morris.

So the game this friday is at 7:25 am ?

Yeah, and then next Tuesday at 2 pm ET.

This is the only place I've ever read about language being a reason why Pefok isn't making our rosters.

Yeah I made the Pefok comment and I was largely making an educated guess based on the fact that every interview I could find is done in French… but the chemistry thing was sheer speculation on my part.

That said, he's thriving at Union despite the language barrier (he's clearly not comfortable speaking German either because he's speaking French in those interviews too); however, among the top 5 Euro leagues, I'd argue that the Bundesliga is the best at accommodating other languages because so little of the world speaks German.

I'm sure I'll get run out on a rail for saying this, but I'm not a fan of having guys on the team who've lived their whole lives abroad. On one hand, sure let's get the best guys we can, but for me, it just reeks of what's happened in major college sports for decades and is now formalized in NIL - which is having hired guns who give zero F's about the school and/or being a student. To me, it just cuts against the very fabric of what makes the competition special. If you want to see the best players, go watch Premier League or the NFL. International soccer and college sports ought to be about being a part of something bigger.

So that's the reason for my speculation… maybe the players on USMNT are more magnanimous than I am - I am quite an ass sometimes… but I'd be pissed if I were a player and someone who's legally an American but never lived here was taking a spot over other good US players I knew. In my book, it's human nature. Dest might get away with it since he's so good (and does speak English), and same for peak John Brooks a few years ago, but I think if you're not clearly worthy of a call up, there's going to be some animosity.

I apologize for the soapbox.

jeffk said:

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This is the only place I've ever read about language being a reason why Pefok isn't making our rosters.

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Not saying there's veracity to it....

I have 2 conspiracy theories:
1. Pefoks English isn't the best and the only one ik of who can speak fluent French is Tim Weah. And he's not in the roster so he left Pefok off lol.
2. He's a lock for the team and wanted to give the others a run out to see who's the third striker.

— I Love Football ⚽️ (@JamesBl305) September 18, 2022

I wonder if the language barrier is part of it. Pefok doesn’t really speak English. I am recalling that during Nation’s League it was important that Gioachinni was on the roster to translate. That could be a part of it.

— MonkeeBread (@MonkeeBread) September 13, 2022

Woke up with a question in my head: With neither of the #USMNT ’s fluent French speakers (Weah and Giaochinni) in the first window of WQC, how did Pefok understand anything? Konrad has a strong French background, and is improving quickly, but prefers English and Spanish.

— SoccerDan (@DanielC00635829) September 14, 2021

I have a feeling Pefok struggled in some of his USMNT games figuring out what Gregg wants b/c of the language barrier. His English is at a basic level. Weah translates for him and he did the Football Americas interview in French. Gregg overcomplicates shit for native speakers....

— Eldin Hasic (@EldinHasic) August 27, 2022

Would probably depend if any of our coaching staff speak French, maybe.

Am I the only one who thinks the language thing is a cop out? Dude plays on a Bundesliga team full of guys from all over the world and is making it work, not to mention most Europeans speak at least a few languages.

jeffk said:

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Guy with two last names goes out, you have to replace him with another two last name guy.

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Erik Palmer-Brown called up.

(Also Mark McKenzie and Johnny Cardoso.)

fig96 said:

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Am I the only one who thinks the language thing is a cop out? Dude plays on a Bundesliga team full of guys from all over the world and is making it work, not to mention most Europeans speak at least a few languages.

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That's why it works in Switzerland and Germany. There are coaches and players that speak multiple languages.

If Weah or Giaochinni aren't there, there isn't a French speaker.

If he struggles with beyond basic English, it might be hard to coach him.

fig96 said:

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Am I the only one who thinks the language thing is a cop out? Dude plays on a Bundesliga team full of guys from all over the world and is making it work, not to mention most Europeans speak at least a few languages.

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The potential difference is that at the club level, that's the norm. You're going to be supported. You "fit in" despite differences because everyone is different. Everyone is used to having to wait on translators in practice. Everyone is used to maybe speaking simple English or Spanish so most of the team understands.

I definitely know nothing, but it's not hard to imagine a situation where everyone speaks fluent, native English all the time and Pefok is on the outside looking in. Even if I'm dead wrong in my previous post about hard feelings (and I probably am), it's not hard to imagine him not clicking with the team simply due to the language barrier.

Every time I've ever been hired or hired someone, the question is rarely "can this person do the job?" - the most pressing question is typically "is this the right fit?" So amongst many candidates with similar qualifications (the historic mediocrity of our 9's) - you'll take the guy who's a fit over the guy who isn't. Has Pefok's game risen to a level now where that shouldn't matter anymore? Maybe so, but for now, this isn't a selection choice I'm going to gripe about. Rest assured, I'll find something else

Reminds me of an interview that Adams, McKennie and Sargent did. It was young Americans in Germany.

They were asked what their favorite German phrase was, and Sargent said something. Adams and McKennie giggled and they asked what it meant. And Sargent said, "Deep runs."

Basically, these coaches use basic terms that none German speakers learn easily.

Ggg has a very complicated system that basic English commands might make it harder.

That being said, you'd think a national teams player would speak the language of the country he represents. (Of course this very well might be conjecture and Pefok speaks perfect English and understands completely.)

A third of the roster for these matches play for clubs in non English speaking countries, I don't buy that they can't make it work enough to at least have the guy in camp even if he doesn't play much.

fig96 said:

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A third of the roster for these matches play for clubs in non English speaking countries, I don't buy that they can't make it work enough to at least have the guy in camp even if he doesn't play much.

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you're missing the point. There are English speakers on every club. Multiple.

but if you're the only non english speaker and no one else speaks your language, what will you do?

Ken Scarborough said:

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(Of course this very well might be conjecture and Pefok speaks perfect English and understands completely.)

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If he does, he deserves a yellow for simulation.



Also his answer to this first question really shapes the negative opinion of him as an "American" player I expressed earlier. But I'll stop beating a dead horse and let y'all have a turn.

It looks like doesn't speak a word of English but understands it.

Ken Scarborough said:

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fig96 said:

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A third of the roster for these matches play for clubs in non English speaking countries, I don't buy that they can't make it work enough to at least have the guy in camp even if he doesn't play much.

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you're missing the point. There are English speakers on every club. Multiple.

but if you're the only non english speaker and no one else speaks your language, what will you do?

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I understand the point. I'm saying that this isn't a unique situation and is being made into a bigger thing than it probably is in practice.

deadbq03 said:

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Also his answer to this first question really shapes the negative opinion of him as an "American" player I expressed earlier. But I'll stop beating a dead horse and let y'all have a turn.

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He's really just the latest in a long list of guys who were never truly "American" that played for the USMNT.

I'd wager it's only pretty recently that we haven't had a ton of those guys actually. Even now there's Dest and several others that have rarely set foot in the states.

fig96 said:

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Ken Scarborough said:

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fig96 said:

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A third of the roster for these matches play for clubs in non English speaking countries, I don't buy that they can't make it work enough to at least have the guy in camp even if he doesn't play much.

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you're missing the point. There are English speakers on every club. Multiple.

but if you're the only non english speaker and no one else speaks your language, what will you do?

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I understand the point. I'm saying that this isn't a unique situation and is being made into a bigger thing than it probably is in practice.

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I think he understands English fine based on that video so it's moo anyway.

Yeah, and it looks like he's also able to magically make a translation appear to people he talks to.

Seriously? They likely just cut out his translator re-asking the question in French.

Personally, I think i would bring him as a situational sub, but I dont think we really play a style that plays into his strengths.

JJxvi said:

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Yeah, and it looks like he's also able to magically make a translation appear to people he talks to.

Seriously? They likely just cut out his translator re-asking the question in French.

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So they edited so he would laugh at the exact appropriate moment? That was pretty good editing.

IDK, those accounts you quoted have less than a thousand combined followers.

I just don't buy it as a reason for his exclusion. When I was coaching in Houston we had a half dozen languages spoken on our squad and we made it work with little to no support staff. US Soccer on an unlimited budget can make it work if they want to. Additionally, functional language skills are definitely high enough to facilitate training and tactical communication. Players might not be conversational, but that's not getting them left off a roster.

I just don't think he fits what GB wants to do as well as a couple other guys at his position. There might be something else chemistry-wise going on, but I think people like to make an issue to have something to talk about. Also, he might be on the final squad anyway - I think this is a last-gasp effort to see if Pepi can do something to show he belongs on that plane. If he doesn't, I bet Pefok takes his spot.

I have no doubt that he can understand some English. Maybe a lot. Most educated people around the world can… and a lot of uneducated can because our movies and music are everywhere.

The issue for me has always been about fit, and I'm absolutely speculating, but I have a hard time believing that guys like Aaronson and Adams who are fired up to be representing the US in Europe are super thrilled working with a guy whose mom didn't want to raise him here and whose family didn't understand/support his choice to join the USMNT. A guy who's just here because we're way better than Cameroon and a France call-up seemed highly unlikely.

I give zero F's about people kneeling for the flag. They might be misguided, but they do what they do because they want America to be better.

This dude wants nothing to do with America other than to use our team so he can be an "international" and get better contracts and easier work permits.

Man I need to stop. Stupid slow work day.

Ken Scarborough said:

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JJxvi said:

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Yeah, and it looks like he's also able to magically make a translation appear to people he talks to.

Seriously? They likely just cut out his translator re-asking the question in French.

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So they edited so he would laugh at the exact appropriate moment? That was pretty good editing.

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The way the interview was edited, I took it as him responding separetely to translated questions anytime it went full screen.
He likely has some understanding of English, so you see him react with laughing and whatnot like you talked about in split screen, but not fully enough to go back and forth with him in split screen like you would normally see.
Makes for a better interview that way.

deadbq03 said:

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I have no doubt that he can understand some English. Maybe a lot. Most educated people around the world can… and a lot of uneducated can because our movies and music are everywhere.

The issue for me has always been about fit, and I'm absolutely speculating, but I have a hard time believing that guys like Aaronson and Adams who are fired up to be representing the US in Europe are super thrilled working with a guy whose mom didn't want him to raise him there and whose family didn't understand/support his choice to join the USMNT. A guy who's just here because we're way better than Cameroon and a France call-up seemed highly unlikely.

I give zero F's about people kneeling for the flag. They might be misguided, but they do what they do because they want America to be better.

This dude wants nothing to do with America other than to use our team so he can be an "international" and get better contracts and easier work permits.

Man I need to stop. Stupid slow work day.

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This last part is clearly just pure speculation on your part, but I think there is something to having your locker room all be of one mind.
I dont know that a player has to have grown up in America, or spent a lot of time here, but the ones that succeeded in the past DID embrace that aspect of it.

Locker room chemistry matters.

deadbq03 said:

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The issue for me has always been about fit, and I'm absolutely speculating, but I have a hard time believing that guys like Aaronson and Adams who are fired up to be representing the US in Europe are super thrilled working with a guy whose mom didn't want him to raise him here and whose family didn't understand/support his choice to join the USMNT. A guy who's just here because we're way better than Cameroon and a France call-up seemed highly unlikely.

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How is that much different than Tillman, Musah, Jedi, etc.?

fig96 said:

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deadbq03 said:

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The issue for me has always been about fit, and I'm absolutely speculating, but I have a hard time believing that guys like Aaronson and Adams who are fired up to be representing the US in Europe are super thrilled working with a guy whose mom didn't want him to raise him here and whose family didn't understand/support his choice to join the USMNT. A guy who's just here because we're way better than Cameroon and a France call-up seemed highly unlikely.

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How is that much different than Tillman, Musah, Jedi, etc.?

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I would guess there is no difference for him.

jeffk said:

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IDK, those accounts you quoted have less than a thousand combined followers.

I just don't buy it.

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I didn't say I bought it. I was just saying it wasn't just here.

After watching that video, and watching him with Berholter, I don't think it's an issue.

He clearly was listening to the questions and reacting appropriately.

Since none of you are going to do it....Pefok = Devid Regis!!!!