.png)
4 hours ago
5
Former US players, perhaps caught up in the swell of confidence brought about by the team’s 4-1 romp over Paraguay in their World Cup opener, have fired barbs at Australia, their next opponents. The Socceroos have fired back. And current US players are having none of it.
“All this talk is just nonsense to me,” US winger Tim Weah told the media on Tuesday, seconds after rolling his eyes and giving an incredulous look when told about comments from US pundits describing Friday’s match as a “layup”, or that the Australian team itself is “average”.
“When you look at the Australian team, they’re a young team that has a lot of fight, a lot of grit, and a lot of hunger, just like us,” Weah said. “We respect them in the same way that we respect any other opponent. I think it’s going to be a lovely game. I don’t know what the media is trying to do, but we’re not really focused on that.”
The comments have come most directly from three former players turned pundits. After the draw placed the US in Group D with Australia, Turkey and Paraguay, former US striker Landon Donovan called Australia coach Tony Popovic “smug”, adding “you can get back on the Qantas airplane and head back home, pal.”
Fox Sports commentator and US World Cup veteran Alexi Lalas said Australia are “an average team by any measure, and certainly not a great team”. CBS Sports pundit Mike Grella, in comments that most inflamed the Socceroos, called Friday’s match a “layup” for the US.
Australia’s players have taken note. “I mean, I’ve seen all the US stuff, and I’m just sick of it, to be honest I just am,” midfielder Connor Metcalfe said this month. “Like all this talk – it’s just – let’s just wait for the game, whatever happens, happens.”
Tyler Adams attempted to act as a peacemaker on Tuesday.
“I don’t think any commentary helps anybody,” the US midfielder said. “It’s not going to be a layup. If anything, it’s going to be one of the most difficult games we play.”
The US got a measure of what a match against Australia will be like last year, in a fiery 2-1 win in Colorado. That match, ostensibly a friendly, was notable for scuffles between the two sides – an experience that US players say gave them a preview of what’s to come.
“That game in Colorado was fun,” said Weah, who started and went 64 minutes in that game. “It was aggressive, and I think from that game in Colorado we’ve changed a lot, and we’ve got a bit more aggressive as well … I’m someone who respects Australia a lot.”
While Adams and Weah struck a conciliatory note, other members of the team emphasized this US roster has a strong sense of self.
“I think one [of this team’s core beliefs] is that we’re American. We don’t take shit,” midfielder Sebastian Berhalter said on Tuesday.
