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CNN Live At Daybreak
Interview with Chris Cotter
Aired June 21, 2002 - 06:47 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM And MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk soccer again. Joining us with more World Cup chat is Chris Cotter. He makes his living talking about sports at Atlanta radio station 790, The Zone.
Good morning, Chris.
CHRIS COTTER, 790, THE ZONE: Good morning, it's fun to be here to talk about soccer. I don't get to do this very often. Maybe once every four years, maybe. And with the U.S. doing so well, I get an opportunity to do it a lot now.
COSTELLO: Yes, well let me ask you about that, is the U.S. doing so well because it's playing great or because the other teams are playing poorly?
COTTER: Because -- I think the U.S. is doing so well because they're playing great at the right times. They had a terrible game against Poland but it was OK because South Korea won and saved them. They played great in their first game. They played pretty well in their second game. They played great in their fourth game and it's gotten them this far. So they're playing right at the right times.
COSTELLO: OK. So we've heard the Germans are really big and the Americans are really small. So for the novices watching soccer this morning, what should they be looking for?
COTTER: You're exactly right. The Germans have a physical style game.
COSTELLO: They're huge.
COTTER: They're tall, they're big. The U.S. is fast, though, and that could work into their advantage so.
COSTELLO: And very clever.
COTTER: Run around and try and stay away from the Germans. And really, the U.S. has had problems on set plays where teams are crossing the ball from the wing into the middle and that's what Germany does best. So the U.S. really has to improve on their game in that area and they're going to have to get great, great goal tending as they've had all tournament long. They've been fantastic in goal.
COSTELLO: Oh yes, the goal keeping has been incredible. And he's from Cleveland.
COTTER: And he's from Lakewood, Ohio, that's right. He's from Cleveland.
COSTELLO: Yes, that's right.
COTTER: Football country.
COSTELLO: Football country.
COTTER: And he's playing soccer.
COSTELLO: Good for him.
Well let me ask you more about the game for the people watching. Soccer is a very subtle game and there are a lot of tactics that come into play that many Americans do not understand.
COTTER: Right.
COSTELLO: So what little things should they be looking for the American team to do?
COTTER: Well that's a very, very good point the fact that it's such an artistic game. It isn't all about scoring, it's about the artistry of the play. And the American team, they're going to have to, as I said, use their speed, they're going to have to keep possession.
So what the fans would look for is the American team not to turn the ball over, not to take too many chances going forward to try and make things happen offensively because that can come back to bite them going the other way for Germany. So play a conservative game. That's what most of the European teams do. They play a very conservative style. I think the U.S. needs to play that style against Germany otherwise I think they're going to get beat.
COSTELLO: OK, let me read you a quote out of "USA Today" yesterday. This is from a guy who was on the U.S. National team for '84 to '97. He said the world knows the American athlete is superior. Now it's only a matter of time before we could develop the world's best soccer teams and the world's best players. Is he right?
COTTER: Well, here's the issue with that. You're dealing with a country that is football, baseball, basketball oriented here in the United States. So there are a lot of great athletes. We all know millions of kids around this country play soccer.
COSTELLO: Yes.
COTTER: The thing is when they get to junior high school age, high school age, a lot of them opt to play football, baseball, basketball instead because they see the NBA, they see the NFL, big money on TV, oh absolutely. And in this country, unlike the European countries, South America, there aren't the major professional leagues. So that you know the MLS is here but it isn't the big money and the TV that all the other major professional sports leagues are so it's not as much of an option for kids in this country in terms of the glory.
And also to go to Europe, a lot of the players, half or more than half of the Team U.S.A. played a professional soccer in Europe. The problem is not too many Americans have had a great deal of success going over to Europe and playing. They usually opt to come back to the states.
COSTELLO: Got you. Well, we're rooting on the U.S. team today taking on Germany 7:30 Eastern Time and we'll all be watching. Probably univision (ph) because the announcers are so much more exciting to watch. Doesn't even matter if you understand them.
COTTER: All you have to understand is goal. I mean that's the -- you'll hear that in any language and you'll understand it, you'll pick it up. And if the U.S. scores a goal against Germany, if U.S. beats Germany, oh, this place will be pandemonium.
COSTELLO: Oh you're not kidding.
COTTER: I can't wait.
COSTELLO: Me too.
COTTER: I'm going to be on the edge of my seat.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chris Cotter, for coming in this morning.
COTTER: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: We appreciate it.
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