It’s been a week of soul searching for the soccer community of the United States. The defeat on Tuesday night at a deserted and washed-out Ato Boldon Stadium against Trinidad and Tobago cost the national team their place at a World Cup for the first time since 1986 – a place that before kick-off looked nailed on.
That failure has brought widespread examination of soccer practices in the US about issues such as parents having to pay to play, the lack of promotion and relegation in MLS and the ability of American players to cope with the pressure of high-stakes soccer.