All’s not well in 'House That Bob Built'

A disastrous performance in San Jose, Costa Rica, an ignominious defeat to Italy in the Confederations Cup with perhaps more of the same to come against the Brazilians, and the prospect of being forced to fight all the way to secure World Cup qualification means that US soccer fans face a decidedly nervous next few months.

While the Ticos were always a tough nut to crack, the manner in which Bob Bradley’s team was swept aside, two weeks ago, and their subsequent struggles with Honduras in Chicago, underlines a change at altitude in CONCACAF football.

Not so long ago Brian McBride, Joe Max, Tab Ramos and Co. would have been backed to see off the Catrachos in short order, but no more apparently. Carlos Costly netted an early goal at Soldier Field and it was not until twenty minutes remaining that the home boys finally pulled ahead. Even then the Central Americans were unlucky not to steal a late point.

Not the type of form Bradley would have wanted to take to South Africa and the Confederatons Cup, and typically, once in open waters, the screaming eagles found themselves out of their depth against more sophisticated opposition.

A quick glance at the CONCACAF qualifying bracket sees the USA looking up at leaders Costa Rica, with Honduras three points worse off and Mexico one further back. But should the Aztecas complete their comeback from the brink of disaster, as coach Javier Aguirre claims they will in defeating the Ould Enemy in the heat of Mexico on August 12, then it’s ‘game on’ across the Rio Grande.

Trips to San Salvador and San Pedro Sula in September and October respectively could complicate the process, but reality suggests that Bob Bradley’s team will eventually make it to next year’s World Cup.

"Eventually" may mean via a complicated playoff for the fourth-placed CONCACAF nation leading to a home-and-home meeting with the fifth best in South America -- take your pick from Ecuador or Uruguay. It shouldn’t come to that, but even so the power seems to have gone out of the US punch at present –--Clint Dempsey bears all the signs of a tired Premier League player, Jozy Altidore hasn’t lived up to expectations, and DaMarcus Beasley has seen better days in his country’s colors.

Or perhaps US soccer has stagnated while others have raised their game.

When all is said and done, hopefully with the US safely installed at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa next summer, these may be remembered as the good old days for US fans.

Football folk in other parts of the world, and particularly in Europe, will quite rightly point to that continent having to forego one of its qualifying slots to accommodate CONCACAF (and quite likely be placated by FIFA next time around), where only the Mexicans have traditionally succeeded at the big show.