

Discover more from No Grass in the Clouds
Why the Next USMNT Manager Won't Be Who You Want It to Be
And, among other things: why it doesn't matter!
It’s been a month since the last newsletter. In my defense: I’ve had COVID. Had to skip the Sloan Conference and pretty much spent the last four weeks in my bed. It’s not fun. My first time: zero-out-of-10, would not recommend.
But I’m back … ish. Played golf the other day, finally exercised for the first time the day after that, flew on a plane twice, ate something other than soup, can smell scents that aren’t only metallic vinegar, and etc.
Stay safe and well, everyone.
Everything Else
The USMNT isn’t going to hire a star manager because star managers almost never manage national teams. And when they do? It rarely works out like everyone wants.
One of the best soccer players in the world was playing in the Georgian first division a year ago. What can the rise of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia tell us about how talent develops and gets identified?
Despite what Carlo Ancelotti said after the game, Barcelona dominated Real Madrid last weekend. To quote one of our great non-Greek philosophers: Barca are Real’s daddy — but for how much longer?
Sometimes soccer is simple: the guy with 42 goals in 37 games is probably the best player in the world.