With the Olympics starting up soon, I wanted to talk a little bit about the rule that Olympic soccer players must be under 23 in order to compete in the games.
I think it’s a good rule. Why? Because it levels the playing field and provides for much better competition on the pitch. I also think that having three players over the age of 23 is a great rule and it’s interesting to see how teams use those three slots. Will they opt to go for 3 players that they know will start and have a large impact on the field? Or will they include a couple of veterans who could potentially contribute but are picked to the squad more so for their experience and their ability to mentor and guide the younger players.
The Olympics are also a great means for younger players to get noticed. A lot of players in the Olympics have yet to make a name for themselves in the professional game, and with the world watching, it’s a perfect situation for them to do just that. I even sometimes like to take notes on younger players who I think will be big names in a few years to see if I can predict correctly.
I’m disappointed that the United States didn’t make it to the Olympics. It’s still fun to watch, but not nearly as much fun as it is to root for your home country. It says a lot about the future of our senior team too. If our U-23’s can’t qualify for the Olympics, how good is the senior team going to be in 3-5 years? It’s just not very promising for us fans. Hopefully they can turn things around.
~ Steven Hold
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