After facing hostile crowds at home in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Tyler Adams says U.S. players hope to be better prepared in case American supporters are outnumbered at World Cup matches next year.
Sellout crowds of 22,423 at St. Louis’ Energizer Park and 70,925 at Houston's NRG Stadium overwhelmingly and loudly supported the visiting team during the U.S.'s 1-0 win over Guatemala in last week's semifinals and 2-1 loss to Mexico in Sunday's final.
“That’s an experience that they’re going to have because who knows what the World Cup landscape is going to look like in terms of fans and the turnout?” Adams said. “To play in a home tournament and have — feel like it’s an away game in a hostile environment, that’s such a good experience for every single player.”
First-round World Cup matches for the Americans are scheduled for Inglewood, California, and Seattle.
Adams, the U.S. captain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, spoke Tuesday from Wappinger, New York, where he worked with the lawn-care products firm Scotts to dedicate the Tyler Adams Soccer Pitch at Martz Field Recreation Facility.
Six of the American starters in the three Gold Cup knockout matches didn't play in World Cup qualifiers, where opponents often find difficult field conditions and loud fans.
“Giving ourselves an opportunity to play in a final is progress in and of itself,” Adams said. “So many guys gained experiences throughout the tournament: first time in crazy atmospheres, first time against Mexico in the final, so many firsts for so many players. That is going to be hugely valuable to the group in general.”
Adams said the five-week training camp was integral in getting to know coach Mauricio Pochettino, hired last year to replace Gregg Berhalter after the team's first-round exit at the Copa America. Adams introduced the coach to his family members.
“It creates a bond and a sense of the culture that he’s trying to build within our team,” Adams said. “He sat down after the game and he kind of spoke to us and it really sparked a lot of emotions for him in that final because he knows how hard we worked over the past five weeks and how much more we were hoping to accomplish with winning the trophy. But he couldn’t have been more proud and I felt exactly the same way of the whole group.”
Many regulars missed the tournament and some young players emerged. The first sign of how Pochettino reevaluates his player pool will be when he selects his roster for friendlies against South Korea on Sept. 6 at Harrison, New Jersey, and Japan three days later at Columbus, Ohio.
“Their job just got a whole lot harder,” Adams said of Pochettino and his assistants. “I think he saw a lot of guys grow and grow into big roles and guys that can play future big roles. And, of course, the next year obviously proves a lot, as well. You know, guys have to go back and perform and show that they’re at the level to be there."
Adams will report to Bournemouth on July 26 or 27 during its U.S. preseason tour ahead of its Premier League opener at defending champion Liverpool on Aug. 15.
In the meantime, he gets a few weeks off. Scotts approached him about restoring a field, and on Thursday he and the company launched a “Keep It Real” sweepstakes open through July 24 in which five youth sports organizations will be picked to have Scotts refurbish grass fields with the company's products.
“I mentioned doing something in my hometown where I grew up. They jumped at the idea,” he said. “I’m having the opportunity to sit on a field where I grew up, came to camp to.”
Adams would like to restore more fields.
“I would do 100 if I could,” he said.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
