Posts by Jonathan Barnes5

Dennis Doyle3 said:Miller isn't even playing for the US national team☕

They’re circulating clips from the game in Veszprem... Alilovic was holding his own during the Final Four too. In fact, he actually got his contract extended because Antonia Ortege insisted on it.
But I suppose you already knew all that.

Mirko just hasn't been performing lately, and there's really no arguing with that. Cupic acts like a total Choker when the pressure is on, yet somehow Duvnjak always seems to get a free pass. It’s hard to wrap my head around it; he’s arguably the best player on the court, but he consistently falls short when it matters most.

Paul Jones7 said:A true athlete doesn't react that way; they step onto the field and give it everything they have. It isn't their job to coach themselves, and honestly, having anyone else try to micromanage them like that is just a recipe for disaster.

And let’s be clear, Allicic wasn't the sole reason we missed out on the semifinals, whether it was against the French or anyone else.

God, this is exhausting... I'm reading through these threads and feeling a massive headache coming on. I seriously have to wonder if any of you people have actually ever played a competitive sport in your lives.
Think about it—he’ll eventually get hired as a head coach only to tell his team, "Don't look at me, I'm just not in game shape right now."
No one operating at the elite, professional level in America would ever approach things with such a nonsensical mindset.
Once an athlete loses that fundamental belief in themselves, it’s over; the flame is out, and the story is finished.
A player might struggle with their form or even face being cut by their club, but they can never, under any circumstances, stop believing in their own talent and worth.

Samuel Walker7 said:I honestly don't see what more Duvnjak can offer; he’s arguably the best assist provider in the tournament, holds down the line in that 5-1 defense, and racks up steals left and right. He doesn't need to overextend himself for the national team—we all know who actually needs to step up, so let's not go barking up the wrong tree; it just isn't fair. 🙂

It feels perfectly fair to me. You’re clearly just venting your frustration at Mirko, but what about Duvnjak? The man has struggled in every single knockout match we've played over the last five years. His performance was disastrous against Mexico in the semifinals, against France in London, against Denmark in Spain, last year in Qatar, and even in Sweden...

On paper, he's our heavy hitter and should be the cornerstone of the roster, yet he's stumbled once again during this tournament.
It’s great when he plays solid defense and picks up assists while things are going our way, but when the momentum shifts, he starts throwing wild passes into the stands or shooting blindly into blocks.
The reality is that this American squad can't find any rhythm without him, regardless of who is standing in the net. It’s especially glaring because, right now, we really only have two elite players: him and Strlek.

I really have no desire to engage in these tired, cliché comparisons to Karabatich, much like the ones being made regarding Omeyer here. Even so, Nikola provides assists, anchors the front in a 5-1, and creates turnovers, but when it comes to offensive production, he’s a total non-factor compared to Duvnjak—especially during those high-stakes games.

It reminds me of how people used to look past Balic. There was that one guy who was mocked for saying he wouldn't even call him to the national team unless certain things changed, back when Balic was still playing at an incredible level.
Then suddenly, he was the "last of the Mohicans," a romantic icon, or whatever other sentimental nonsense you want to throw at him. Meanwhile, Nikola is treated like a mindless robot.
It’s that typical mindset where players spend their days studying film and grabbing a few beers, skipping training sessions, neglecting their conditioning, and failing on defense. Then they act surprised when they get crushed by someone like B Gille, a guy who could probably bench 350 pounds straight out of the gate.

To wrap this up... we are lacking quality in the goal, and it’s highly doubtful we’ll find anyone on the level of Mirko Basic anytime soon. Vlado sola was basically Tonc Peribonio 2.0. On his good days, he's decent, but most of the time, he's just underwhelming.

Robin Fox2 said:I really appreciate how they're handling these foul calls; it gives you such a clear framework to judge almost any type of contact during an attack. 🤣

But then again😁...Handball is such a fascinating sport because of how much weight a referee's intuition carries. I can't quite pin down which specific game it was—maybe back during the World Championships when it felt like the officials were hyper-focused on stepping violations—but it seems like there's always room for interpretation. Whether it's traveling, fouls, or lane violations, everything is subject to a judge's perspective, which means anything could be called, even if it doesn't feel necessary.

Sam Murphy said:I’m looking at Pešić’s performance lately and wondering about his form in the net; with Ivić available and Stevanović still capable of stepping up, it might be time for Alilović to consider hanging it up while he's still ahead of the game.

On paper, Sego should be the one in that spot, much like how Kielce has four players represented in these tournament rosters—you can probably guess why Sego decided to step aside.

Lawrence Thomas77 said:Any kind of fanaticism tends to take on a radical edge; at the end of the day, the guy is just a basketball coach, not some ultimate moral compass for society..

🙏..extreme fanaticism🤣..

It’s a shame that Baker isn't a more polished strategist, because if he were, we might actually have an American version of Popovich..
#prophecyfulfilled

slyeagle512 said:I'm not entirely sure about 😁

We'll probably forgive that whole awkward situation with Thor; it was just a bit of youthful indiscretion,🍿...

But honestly, Baker is a great guy.🤣

St. Louis City SC🙏

Babic🙏🤣

It seems Mamelund hasn't quite mastered the nuances of offensive play🤣🤣..

Robin Fox2 said:I’d personally let the nurse go after a collapse like that.

It just doesn't follow any logical path. Before the World Cup even started, nobody gave us a prayer of making an impact...
But then we somehow stumble our way into the semifinals, and now suddenly everyone is acting like it doesn't matter.
The truth is, he essentially sabotaged himself; he put himself in a position to fail because, frankly, nobody was handing him any advantages to begin with.

Do we need a better head coach? Absolutely.

dustypanther6 said:What could possibly be wrong with Ivica Obrvan? He’s basically the godfather of the sport when it comes to Babić. I'm not sure where you're getting that bold claim from; as far as I can tell, the federation is one of the most financially stable organizations out there, second only to Brand and his crew.

Like I mentioned before, there isn't anything inherently wrong with him, but it's going to be an uphill battle for him to get a fair shot—given who is calling the shots—after everything that went down with the Chicago team.
If a major organization like Chicago had to make drastic cuts to player salaries, one can only imagine the kind of pressure the national federation is feeling right now.

Sam Murphy said:That argument doesn't quite hold water for me, because most of our guys play for major clubs abroad that wouldn't even consider them if they lacked conditioning; you can always find someone better elsewhere than what you have right in your own backyard.

I actually see it the other way around... it's much easier to "hide" those kinds of issues at the club level than it is when you're playing for the national team.
All the elite teams rely heavily on rotation. For instance, you look at how Doug manages things over at Milwaukee, where he rotates the roster roughly every fifteen minutes.
To be fair, our players have a bit of a reputation for being somewhat laid-back characters who don't always prioritize extreme self-discipline.
There's no question that the talent is there, of course.
The Americans have such a specific, structured approach to scouting and selection across all their sports, so I can't say I agree with you there. If we used their system, half of our best soccer, handball, and basketball players would probably be labeled as "unpromising" before they even hit the varsity level.

George Ward7 said:Well, you're being a bit too hard on Brozovic. Our left and right wings might not be the deepest part of our roster, but I don't see that being the core issue today. Kopljar went 4/4 and Slišković was 6/9. It’s not like they were shooting 1/8 and we lacked decent subs to step in for them.

In my view, this loss falls squarely on Babic's shoulders rather than a lack of bench depth.

Personally, I remain convinced that our roster lacks true depth, a point I've been making for several seasons now.
It feels like we are experiencing a kind of hyperinflation where we overvalue a handful of players who aren't actually elite.
Today, both Slija and Kopljar performed well, but the strategy seems to rely heavily on just two wing players, yet nobody else is willing to step up to that level.
Suddenly, everyone born around '92 is treated like a superstar—Obranovic, Vuglac, Pavlovic, Kaleb, Kozlina, Corice, Brozovic, Sebetic, Mandalinic... it's endless.
Brozovic has had a solid season or two, even fighting Corice for his spot early on, but there are plenty of players like him.
Most of these guys have spent their careers being "validated" by staying at one single club used as a stepping stone for overseas moves. To me, that style of development has lost its luster.
Why couldn't someone like Sliskovic from Nexe make the national squad?
Ultimately, it is clear that the head coach simply isn't operating at an elite level.
What I am trying to get at is that we are still leaking talent in too many areas.
On top of that, Duvnjak hasn't played particularly well in quite some time—think back to the semi-final against Mexico, London against the Frenchman, Spain against the Danes, or the stagnation in Qatar and Sweden against the Pole and Svedjan.
The reality is simple: when he isn't at his best, the whole American team feels significantly weaker.

George Ward7 said:Nobody is asking for a world-class superstar here; you just need to pick the best option currently available. It’s like looking at our history and seeing names like Obrvan or Vujović on the table, yet we end up choosing someone else entirely. I don't have anything against Babic, but when you're selecting a head coach, you really ought to go with the most qualified candidate. If you look at the coaching resumes of Obrvan versus Babic, the difference is quite clear.

Honestly, Obrvan likely won't get the job—you can pretty much count that out, especially after everything that went down during the Chicago era. I tend to blame some of the former players for this situation, as it seems everyone is cozy with the federation. They stayed silent while they were playing and even when the players were being let down, and now it feels like everyone is just lining up for various roles within the organization.
It’s the exact same pattern you see in both football and basketball.
The only one who actually seemed to try and offer some real criticism was Kaleb.

George Ward7 said:Where exactly are we lacking depth? We’ve actually leveled up across the board, with the exception of maybe the left and right wings—though even they aren't really finding their rhythm. Kopljar was absolutely stellar today, and Slišković played just as well. It's like how Marić is essentially the MVP for Melsungen, consistently putting up 6 or 7 points a game in the NFL; even Broz just signed with Kiel. I wonder when these guys will truly hit their prime; at this rate, they'll be eyeing retirement in five years.

The real issue here is the coach, who managed the game with total madness. After Stivi successfully guides us to the semifinals, he suddenly decides to rely on Cementar, who never seems to step up when the pressure is on. Against the Spanish team, they can't score from the perimeter because everything is being packed tight at the line, yet he insists on sticking to a 5-1 defense.🤦

What players are you talking about leveling up?.. Mamic ?..? Sebetic?.. Kozlina and Brozovic?..
That’s precisely why the goalkeeper duo is such a setback too. It feels like the only players left with any real talent are those who would easily crack the starting seven back home.
Broz signed with Kiel because they’re desperate after all those injuries to their pivots, especially since HSV is completely falling apart. I believe Anica signed as well.

Just one question... If we're insisting on hiring a world-class head coach, who is actually going to foot the bill? I'd hate for us to just settle for another selection like the last Child
I’d love to see someone like River, but let's be honest—he's pricey. It feels like the Federation doesn't even have enough in the budget for basic necessities. Someone like Noka wouldn't take the job for peanuts, and you have to wonder if he'd even be motivated to come here
What about Wenta? Or Schwalb? Maybe Gislason? Or Vranjes?

Edward Allen36 said:I spent some time watching the Spanish squad and specifically Garcia, and I have to say, it wasn't just a fluke performance; he made the most of his minutes during the tournament. He was a bit of a wildcard to me, someone I hadn't really tracked before, but based on what I saw, he deserves nothing but praise.

My apologies then, I didn't catch the full Spanish lineup. Garcia is a relatively recent addition to the national team, essentially stepping in to fill the void on that left side left by Gregg Popovich and Carlos Ruesg.
It’s much like how certain veteran players might be sidelined in professional sports; there are still plenty of highly experienced guys on the Spanish roster who didn't make the cut this time, much like Dan Sarmiento.

George Ward7 said:They have a head coach who truly understands the flow of the game, which was most evident during today's match. He always seems to have an answer ready, calling timeouts at exactly the right moments and rotating his goalkeepers with precision; his tactical depth is essentially what won them this game.

We were discussing the sheer depth of the Spanish roster even before this game started, and it's clear we just don't possess that kind of variety. Mamic and Sebetic aren't quite there yet—they're still just kids in this arena. With the Spanish side, even their youngest, Dusebajev, shows such promise, whereas on our team, not even our primary pivot has truly come into his own in a meaningful way.
It boils down to the fact that we lack the necessary rotation to maintain a high tempo, a luxury they clearly enjoyed throughout the contest.
To make matters worse, while their star player stepped up to justify his reputation, our main man once again struggled when the pressure mounted.

To be fair, the Americans are playing at a higher level right now, mostly because they have much more veteran experience under their belts..
It’s honestly impressive how Auguinagalde is dominating over at Kielce; he’s just too physically imposing for most defenses to handle. It’s like trying to stop a freight train—once he gets momentum, defenders just can't find a way to get past him for a dozen different reasons..
On top of that, they’ve got real depth in the backcourt with guys like Canellas and Entre Ríos, which creates this seamless rhythm and communication with the wings. And let's be honest, even Garcia had to step up and deliver something meaningful tonight..
I’m not feeling disappointed; it’s simply a case of one team being better than the other..