US Soccer - "Preparing" for Mexico

August 9, 2009

ESPN (Soccernet News Services) has said that the US side will be meeting in Miami beginning today to begin preparation for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Mexico. Sadly, Miami is at sea level. If the side plans to train in Miami, (US manager) Bob Bradley may have made a terrible error. Hopefully the US will sensibly train at altitude, perhaps in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center. Three days isn't a tremendous time to acclimate to the altitude and smog of Azteca. Three weeks of training are required for athletes who live and train at or near sea level, in order to acclimate to athletic activity at high altitudes. There are artificial methods of accomplishing this goal, training at low altitude but also doing exercise in an artificial low oxygen environment, and perhaps this is what Bob Bradley has in mind. Another possibility is that the US isn't releasing the location of it's training camp for the Mexico match to the media. Maybe they are heading to high altitude. It is debatable that it will make a difference as the US team will leave for Mexico on Tuesday.

The bottom line is: If the United States aren't prepared for the altitude in Mexico City, how can they possibly be ready to take on the Tricolores at Azteca where Mexico have beaten the US every time with an exception of a draw in 1997.