Revisiting the 1989 U20 World Cup

Bill Reno January 15, 2016

1989 was a historic year for US soccer. Not only would the senior team return to the World Cup stage for the first time since 1950, but the U20s quietly had the best performance of any team before or since. The 1989 tournament saw the US finish fourth, losing to Nigeria in the knockout stage in overtime. However, the trip to the U20 World Cup began in bizarre fashion. Originally the American team did not qualify for the tournament, losing out to Costa Rica and Mexico. Soon after, rumors of Mexico using overage players during qualifying began to surface. FIFA came down heavy on Mexico, banning them from the U20 World Cup as well as the senior World Cup in 1990. (More on the scandal can be read here.) With Mexico removed, the third place team, USA, would take Mexico's place at the tournament in Saudi Arabia.

The two goalkeepers that travelled to Saudi Arabia would be future USMNT goalkeeper Kasey Keller and Markus Roy, who was a freshman at Northern Illinois at the time. Markus recounts memories from the World Cup, now seventeen years ago this February. Scroll down to the bottom to see memorabilia and photos that Markus did a great of job of holding on to from the tournament.

What was the qualifying process like, after initially not qualifying then hearing that you would be going to the U20 World Cup?

At the time, [qualifying] was in Guatemala. We trained in Mexico for some training and some friendly games. It was against Canada and... I’m trying to think... I want to say it was for a week, before qualifications, just to get used to the altitude and this and that. I think at that time either Coach [Bob] Gansler or Coach Perez, I’m assuming it was Coach Gansler, had the Mexican pro league’s big manual of all the teams and photos and players. It was a good scouting tool for Coach Gansler at the time and we didn’t think anything of it but he was looking at the players because it was basically a free, you know. You could look at all the players and what teams they played for and it gave their real age. So I think Coach Gansler used that to his advantage.

We ended going to Guatemala and obviously we didn’t qualify at the time but I think on the way to the airport, they told Kasey and I, “We’ll be seeing you guys again about all the stuff so don’t let it get you down.”

I’m not sure what time of year that was or when that happened but I don’t think we thought anything of it. We got a call - I’m not sure how much longer after the qualifying round - that said, “Get ready to go. We’re going to qualify.” So it was pretty exciting obviously for the players from not qualifying to having a team disqualified for using ineligible players.

What was your time like playing with Kasey Keller?

He was there, I think, a couple three years before me, maybe more. So he had always been there and always was there, for years afterwards, obviously. I came in and I beat out their best backup. I’m not sure who it was. They always had goalies there so you never knew if you were going to be the backup or the starter, which is good. I think it even made Kasey work that much harder because he didn’t look at it like he was the starting goalie the whole time. He was really positive about anyone playing. I texted Kasey a couple months ago and I showed him one of those pictures I showed you. One of those from Russia or something. So that was pretty cool, back in the day. *laughs* But I think that’s how he was as a pro. He worked harder every day and it made me a better goalkeeper as well. He was always, “We’re a team here.”

What was preparations for the World Cup like?

Well I think it’s probably different now than it was, with all the academies. It’s more year round now. We were always brought together for a couple weeks here, a couple weeks there. And the club soccer was probably different back then for us as well. It wasn’t as developed as the academies are now. Plus a majority of our players, if not all, were collegiate players, playing three-four months out of the year. And February was in our off-season, the [time of the U20] World Cup. So we were not “in season” per se. We were in condition and in shape but I don’t think it’s like it is nowadays. They would fly us in two-three days before and, if I’m remembering, in Saudi Arabia we came in a week before, maybe even longer than that. It wasn’t like we were there for 2-3 weeks, or a month like some teams are now.

I think Bob Gansler was excellent in scouting the opponents, really finding their strengths and weaknesses. And our team knew specifically what their roles were. It was amazing what the players did from Kasey Keller through the defenders, and the rest of the team. I don’t think there were that many superstars on the team at the time.

Group Stage Results:
Mali 1-1
East Germany 2-0
Brazil 1-3

Knockout:
Iraq 2-1
Nigeria 1-2 (aet)
Brazil 0-2

Did the team expect to get out of the group and progress as far as you did or was it somewhat surprising ending up in the fourth place game?

Probably a little bit of both. Because now you see players on social media. There’s all this video on anyone on YouTube. I can Google a kid on the U20 team for Brazil and find it or whatever. At the time, we were just focused on being away for a month and we didn’t really know otherwise. And I thought the guys did a tremendous job. I think one of the biggest games was when we beat the East Germans, which that was a huge upset. And I know our expectations against Brazil were, you know, we didn’t think they were world beaters but obviously a different side than us. Playing against Iraq was more of a political thing where, at the time, we were still pretty young but politically um… I’m trying to think of something to say *laughs* It’s Iraq versus USA. It doesn’t happen very often in any sport. So I think at the time with the world struggles, it was a big thing for their country as well for the US.

Not many highlights have survived the 1989 World Cup. This is the only one involving the US.

USA reached the semifinal game, where they lost in overtime to Nigeria 2-1. What do you remember from the last knockout game?

They were in a lot of youth World Cups and have done real well over the years and they always do real well, the young Nigerian teams. From what I remember from the game, we put everything on the field. All those weeks in Saudi Arabia, we left it on the field. Our tanks were empty and we did the best we could. It was an overtime game and could have gone either way. I think, maybe, they were bigger than us, stronger than us, but we were in the game the whole time. I just think our tanks were empty, which wasn’t a bad thing.

How long did the buzz last when you came back to the US?

You know, it’s unfortunate at the time that there wasn’t any social media, nothing. So it died pretty quickly but you heard it in some soccer rooms. Even today you hear once in awhile, you know, “the best finish for the US was this team” and I’ll think, “yeah I was on that team!” But you don’t hear a lot of it. It’s unfortunate because if the league was around, MLS, when we were playing, I think a few more players, could have made it to the next level and may have gotten a little more recognition. A few guys did a great job in their club careers, Keller obviously being the top player.

I think the buzz is still around for the players who are on the [current U20] team but it’s not so much for anyone else [that played on previous U20 teams], which is fine. Soccer has changed so much. I don’t think there was as much pressure for us to win. I think that’s why one reason we did so well is because we came in as unknown college players. And now the U20 teams, a lot of them are professionals. So it’s a lot different now for Tab Ramos. It’s good and it’s bad but that’s the way soccer has changed around here in the US.

Looking at the pictures, you’re in most of them. Who was taking the pictures?

You know, I want to say it was one of team representatives. I think they had pictures for everybody and I just took the ones I was in. There are a few that I took. Or the ones of Kasey, Troy [Dayak], and myself, I think I had my camera with me and said to one of the players “Hey take a picture of us.”

The pictures of the stadium, which one is that?

Is that the one that kind of looks like a tent?

Yeah, there’s an aerial view and one from inside, which is the same one, I’m pretty sure.

Yeah, that was the third place game. That was in, I think, Riyadh. They had the final at that stadium.

Tell me about the one with the camel and you’re holding some flags. What’s going on there?

That was one of the days we had off and I want to say that was taken by one of the players. I think we all had a chance to ride on the camel. We were away with a couple guys and the people over there in Saudi Arabia, you know, we’re tourists and foreigners, so they’d let us get on the camel for free but to get off the camel you’d have to pay some money. So they kind of suckered us out for that. We got off the camel and the guy was yelling at us but we’re walking away to the bus saying, “We’re done. We’re not paying you. We didn’t know how this worked. We weren’t looking to get scammed for a couple bucks.” But that’s what happened on that one.

Where are you in the picture where there’s water behind you and, I think, a flag pole?

I think that’s got to be uh… oh man, I want to say… I think it’s the Red Sea. One of those seas that we took a walk and it was a nice day and I remember even that day as well that it rained and it never rains there. Like when we have a snow day in Chicago, kids don’t go to school here but when it rains outside [in Saudi Arabia] they let the kids go home to go play in the rain. You can see the clouds in the sky there, which doesn’t happen a lot, I guess.

We did a lot of that stuff. We didn’t go out a lot during the day because it was so hot. But that day was overcast a bit and not so hot.

There’s another one where you all have an Arab headdress on. What was the reason for the photo there?

So that was at the hotel. We played in two or three different cities and every city we got a little gift bag or something from that area. And that’s one of those headdresses. From what I remember, they were worn for a couple reasons. I think there were religious reasons but also the headdress just basically kept their bodies cool. But I thought it was pretty hot to wear. I think it was made from cotton or something. But yeah we wore that kind of stuff in the hotel and the guys in the photo thought that was pretty funny.

The pictures below are scans of memorabilia and photos taken by the U20 backup goalkeeper Markus Roy.

For questions, you can email me at everybodysoccer@yahoo.com or tweet at @letsallsoccer.

35 Years of USYNT Goalkeepers: Stars Hide Inefficiencies

Bill Reno September 21, 2015

The US Olympic qualifying roster was released this past weekend and the notable omission is Jon Kempin, who topped my list back in June as the most likely goalie to make the team. Sporting Kansas City has taken their time with the youngster, giving him few starts over the past couple years, but there's no denying the talent. Last year he came off the bench with a resounding "hello" and just recently he posted this save for MLS SOTW contention. Needless to say, the lack of his name on the roster was odd to see, especially given the three that were chosen.

Zack Steffen / Photo: Icon Sportswire via AP Images

In November, the U23s will kick off their Olympic qualifying run with Zack Steffen, Ethan Horvath, and Charlie Horton. On paper, the choices seem fine and with the reputation that America has for producing goalkeepers, it's second nature to assume every goalkeeper associated with any USYNT will become a starter in MLS someday. However, it's interesting that the goalkeepers for the qualifying roster include three goalkeepers whose average age is under 21. For a U23 competition and a country renowned for their goalkeepers, are there no goalkeepers a few years older that were better options? Admittedly, there is some expectation for Horvath and Steffen to compete for the starting spot in 2022 but even still, a player playing up two years is not an easy task. A closer look makes the decisions a little less confounding.

Ethan Horvath / Photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe

Meet the Cast

Charlie Horton (left) training with Leeds

Assumed starter Zack Steffen will be remembered for his penalty-saving-summer during his time with the U20s. Save after save, he pushed the US to the edge, where they lost in a shootout to eventual winner. That said, Steffen is not without his faults. Despite his physique, he has struggled in the air. (Even Steffen's previous backup, Santiago Castano, had his troubles with aerial service, which starts to become less of a player's issue and more of a coach's.) The opening goal against Myanmar in the U20 WC was less than ideal and recently, with SC Freiburg II, Steffen essentially gifts an own goal on a simple cross (watch the play at 10:25). Giving up nine goals in four games in fourth division Germany isn't quite what fans are expecting from for their U23 starter.

Moving to Ethan Horvath, there is good reason to be excited for the Colorado native, who has started in Europa League matches before turning twenty-one. It's easy to project that if he is this good now, then perhaps he could start for the USMNT in 2022, if not 2018. However, he's still under 25 career starts with the toughest opponent being... Croatia's Dinamo Zagreb? While he has the most first team experience of the three goalkeepers, patience is required for any heralding for a goalkeeper who will likely not even start during qualifying.

Last man in, Charlie Horton, has never had a professional start in his life and is easily the biggest head scratcher. His inclusion really begs the question, "Would he even be in the discussion if he wasn't playing overseas?" U23 Europe-based camps saw him, Tyler Miller, and Cody Cropper get time with the U23s but watching Horton play, he doesn't standout in any recognizable way over his peers. After already being dropped by an English club twice, he's shown determination by landing with Leeds this summer but the lack of playing time and quick club movements are worrying.

The issues range for the three goalkeepers but a bigger problem lies hidden with USYNT's approach to selecting goalkeepers.

All-Time USYNT Goalkeeper List

Looking back at previous USYNT goalkeepers, the track record gets a lot less exciting once we move past the centennial-capped goalkeepers. Sure, there's Howard, Keller, and Meola but after that the standout goalkeepers become sparse, if not completely unrecognizable.

(Since there's no extensive list, I searched for each USYNT goalkeeper over the course of a week. Please let me know of any errors or missing goalkeepers.)

Year - Name - Years Involved - Professional Appearances - Time with USMNT

Since 1980, only 379 of 556 caps (68%) for the senior team's goalkeepers have come from USYNT-raised goalkeepers. Obviously the stat is heavily dominated by Howard, Keller and Meola so it's no surprise that only nine of those thirty goalkeepers spent any amount of time with a youth team, while the other 21 goalkeepers had no experience at all. There are late bloomers and several reasons why a goalkeeper can arrive on the scene late. However, when less than a third of your senior goalkeepers went through your program specifically designed to get players to the national team, the youth program is clearly not doing its job.

Digging further, of all the goalkeepers that have spent time with a US youth team, a quarter of them never reached a topflight league. Another quarter are ending their professional career with less than 50 appearances, a low amount considering teams can easily play 20 games a season, even in the 80s. Half of the "best" youth goalkeepers the US has to offer are failing to become successful professionals when others are taking their positions from them later down the line.

If the U20 or U17s were to search out more quality goalkeepers, we would see a "rising tide" effect that pushes all players to a higher level. Each age group is only seeing about eight different goalkeepers each cycle, around four for each age year. After spending five years with the U17s and U20s, it would make sense to regularly bring in other top goalkeepers from around the country to push the group forward instead of letting complacency set in. As of right now, 70% of our senior goalkeepers are expected to develop outside of the USYNT. We know there are hidden gems and in 2015, finding them is at an all-time ease.

“As of right now, 70% of our senior goalkeepers are expected to develop outside of the USYNT. We know there are hidden gems and in 2015, finding them is at an all-time ease.”

To be fair to Andi Herzog, the coach for the U23s, he did call a camp for players on the fringe but somehow there was a feeling that it was more a formality instead of a chance to really look at some dark horses. The four goalkeepers called in, Wade Hamilton (Cal Poly), Jonathan Klinsmann (Cal), Kendall McIntosh (Santa Clara), and Andrew Tarbell (Clemson), are all respectable goalkeepers in their own right but multiple questions are raised when looking at the selections. Only Tarbell didn't have USYNT experience before the camp, which hits the point home again of just how exclusive the group is. There 200+ D1 men's soccer programs and there aren't any other goalkeepers without USYNT ties out there worth giving a shot? Additionally, none of the goalkeepers are over 21. Is the '93 group of goalkeepers really that weak? Moving down the list, Klinsmann's name is a shock to see. The connection to his father, a head coach of a nearby senior team, wouldn't raise some ethical concerns if Jonathan was at least starting for his university, which the eighteen year old is not. If there is a better goalkeeper out there, Senior Alex Mangels, surely it would make more sense to call him in instead. Lastly, for anyone who has followed Kendall McIntosh's career at Santa Clara, "mixed" would be an appropriate review for the goalkeeper who has largely relied on his physical strength rather than technique. But yet again, the USYNT badge has trumped merit. These are four good goalies but the selections made this exercise look more like a formality instead of a real test to see who could move up the depth chart.

No Intent to Change

After seeing the U23 American roster, an anonymous Canadian remarked, "I can only imagine the field day you'll have if one of them pulls a Sean Johnson." Unfortunately, it doesn't matter what any USYNT goalkeeper does. Regardless of the number of mistakes they commit, the youth national teams will pick familiarity over talent. Heck, I was able to write an entire paragraph of just listing blunders made by Cody Cropper and he was the expected U23 starter before he hurt his knee. (Here's another freebie that didn't make the list.) Cropper has shown improvement over the years and there is the expectation to become an established professional, but there is no need to let mediocrity be rewarded for the sake of consistency. Austin's Devin Perales has looked great for the Aztex and the college game has multiple goalkeepers that are worthy of honest looks, Zach Bennett (Michigan State), Paul Blanchette (Loyola Marymount), and Eric Klenofsky (Monmouth), to name a few.

There is always dirt on any goalkeeper to dig up. It's not impossible to go back and find a weak goal conceded or a poor stretch of games on any goalkeeper. The issue here is less about the quality of the current three goalkeepers on the Olympic roster and more about how the USYNT goalkeeper position is essentially an exclusive club that is incapable of giving outsiders a fair shake at cracking the roster. All three goalkeepers on the roster should become established professionals, which is the expectation that comes from being on a USYNT. However, USYNT's track record with goalkeepers is blown out of proportion and can be classified as "unsuccessful" in more than one way. Regularly giving a shot to other goalkeepers will either reveal hidden talent or make the current starters even better. Within a country that has been hounded for not spreading their talent search wider for thirty years now, the USYNT is still content with maintaining the status quo.