Fred Oliver is a name that you may have heard about if any of you have been closely following soccer's development in America. This Pawtucket Free Wanderers defender, forward and centerback was a Pawtucket native. In the United States' early soccer history, African Americans were the first to play in a senior league. Although his career started in a bolt factory in Mississippi, he became a star for the team and was awarded a place in the first edition World Cup.
African Americans have played in a senior league
The United States has a long soccer history, but little is known about it. Unfortunately, the leagues lack the ability to document this history. Instead, sports historical societies are created to uncover these stories. The Society for American Soccer History recently published information about the first African American soccer players. The report, titled Fred Watson and Oliver Watson, outlines the earliest known soccer players of African descent in the United States.
Even though the game is getting more diverse, there's still a significant problem with the executive positions. Only 1.6 percent of soccer executives are black. Burton Albion and Salford City, which are both low-profile English third/fourth tiers, are the Black owners of professional football clubs. Black owners are partly responsible for the low number of Black managers, coaches. The Society hopes to change this though by offering a platform for African American athletes.
The NASL declined during the early 1980s
The NASL struggled to stay competitive as the 1980s approached. The league suffered from overexpansion, as well as disputes with its members' union. At the same time, unemployment had reached 10.8%, the highest level since World War II. As owners attempted to reduce costs, it was clear that the league was losing cash. In 1982, the league was on the brink of collapse.
The league's financial problems started to have an impact on the clubs. In 1977, only 18 teams were in the league and over 70% of its budget was spent on salaries. A lack of financial resources by the NASL led many owners to drop their weaker teams in favor of six. Although 24 teams were in existence by 1978, this was not enough for the league's growth.
The U.S. enjoyed a great 1986 World Cup.
The U.S. was not victorious in the World Cup. However, their success was evident right from the beginning. The attendance was greater than at any other time in U.S. Soccer history. In the opening round, the U.S. defeated Yugoslavia 4-2 in front of 97,451 fans at the Rose Bowl. In the semifinals, Brazil defeated Italy 2-1 before 83,642 Stanford fans.
The United States qualified into the World Cup through its performance on the qualifying stage. After a slow qualifying stage, Jurgen Klonsmann was fired and Bruce Arena, who had won three of the eight qualifiers, was hired again. Sunil Gulati, president of U.S. soccer, stated that the U.S. had set a goal for the qualification campaign.