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Nowak names training camp roster for Olympic qualifying

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                                                         Photo by ISI Photos

U.S. Under-23 national team coach Peter Nowak has named a 24-man roster for training camp ahead of next month’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Jozy Altidore, Freddy Adu, Maurice Edu and Chris Seitz were among the standouts chosen.

Players not on the training camp roster include Michael Bradley and Jonathan Spector, who could still be added to the official 20-man Olympic qualifying roster up until two days prior to the tournament, which begins on March 11 in Tampa.

The United States will face Cuba (March 11), Panama (March 13) and Honduras (March 15), with the top-two teams in the four-team group advancing to the tournament semifinals in Nashville, Tennessee on March 20 (The other qualifying group includes Mexico, Canada, Guatemala and Hait). The winners of the two semifinals will automatically qualify for the Olympics in China.

If you are wondering about Bradley and Spector, they could still be added to the qualifying roster and it is believed that one or both may travel to Nashville to take part in the semifinal match, assuming the Americans reach the semis as expected.

Here is the complete roster:

GOALKEEPERS: Dominic Cervi (Chicago Fire), Tally Hall (Esbjerg fB), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS: Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Hunter Freeman (New York Red Bulls), Kamani Hil (Vfl Wolfsburg), Patrick Ianni (Houston Dynamo), Michael Orozco (San Luis), Mike Randolph (LA Galaxy), Nathan Sturgis (Real Salt Lake), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)
MIDFIELDERS: Arturo Alvarez (FC Dallas), Benny Feilhaber (Derby County), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), Sal Zizzo (Hannover 96)
FORWARDS: Freddy Adu (SL Benfica), Jozy Altidore (New York Red Bulls), Chad Barrett (Chicago Fire), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake)

So what will the starting lineup look like? Here’s one crack at what it could look like for the first round matches:

———————-Altidore————————-

Alvarez—————-Adu——————–Holden

—————Kljestan—–Feilhaber—————-

Freeman——-Sturgis—–Edu————–Wynne

————————-Seitz————————–

What could a semifinal lineup look like? Here’s one possibility:

———————-Altidore————————-

Alvarez—————-Adu——————–Holden

—————Bradley—–Feilhaber—————-

Spector——-Sturgis—–Edu————–Freeman

————————-Seitz————————–

What lineup do you see being used? What do you think of the roster? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. @ Austin: “Blanco highlighted Barrett’s inability in huge flashing lights last summer.”

    Maybe… but he came through towards the end of the year… notching 7-8 goals and 1 assist (maybe)… he fits right into the average MLS striker…

    there are others id like to see in there (bernardo, Ferrari, smith, etc..) but everyone who’s been training with barrett has said that he’s matured alot as a player… most of last season was young dumb mistakes… blast the ball as hard as you can, rather then placing the shot… he keeps getting the call-ups, perhaps he’s solidified it….

    anyhow, do we truely expect to see much of him with the lineup of forwards we have?? Jozy, Adu, Findley, Davies…. all of which have seen Nats time i believe… Barretts at the bottome of the pecking order, so hope he enjoys his time training, and hope he learns some things from the group and develops his game

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  2. I’m geting the impression that Nowak prefers Arturo over Robbie. But nonetheless RObbie can play both wings. I think the starter at LW/LM should depends on the opponent. My preference woudl be to start Robbie every game.. his is on par with arturo’s vision and skill.. but i think robbie trumps it with his ridiculous speed.. and yet I think that Nowak values Arturo’s experience more.

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  3. I think Dax McCarty is underrated. I would like to see him in the starting lineup either as a central mid or a right wing.

    Also, I agree with everyone saying “WTF is Chad Barrett doing on this list?” Blanco highlighted Barrett’s inability in huge flashing lights last summer.

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  4. It doesn’t matter what age they will be by the time the tournament starts, but the rules of the tournament is 1985s and above only. Although I believe in the above list of 84s you named at least 2 of the 3 overage players that will be named if we qualify.

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  5. TheT, I posted this earlier — the matches I believe will be shown on ESPN Deportes. I think it’s showing the whole tournament, actually.

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  6. “Rogers can’t play center mid like Feilhaber can.”
    how so?
    I have seen rogers play, hes good with the ball plus he can finish,,I mean beasides that one goal aganist mexico I have not seen much from Feilhaber. Plus I dont think he is as crucial to the MNT as some think he is..

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  7. To add to Tim Crawford’s statement about Kenny Cooper,
    here are a list of players from the 2007 senior pool that will still be 23 in the olympics:
    Bornstein (11/7/84)
    Cooper (10/21/84)
    Mapp (10/18/84)
    Simek (10/13/84)
    Guzan (9/9/84)
    Pearce (8/13/84)

    I’d love to know what the exact cut-off date is for this thing, since this is a nice chunk of the senior team which seemingly could play for the olympic team.

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  8. Is it only Toronto fans that are hoping the US somehow doesn’t qualify? Losing Wynne & Edu in the middle of the season will not be fun.

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  9. Rogers can’t play center mid like Feilhaber can.

    At this point, we need Feilhaber to play as much as possible. That’s why he’s in this squad. He’s important to the success of the senior team, so we need him playing games.

    Also, Spector was a CB through his junior club career in Chicago.

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  10. I almost like the line up Ives has, but i’d rather have alvarez and holden switch. And Im not sure about Feilhaber, only because I dont think hes match fit, second we have a better mid fielder than him in Robbie Rogers…
    just my thoughts.

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  11. but he’s OCTOBER 84. That means he’s 23, and will be through the summer. How is he not on this team!? KENNY COOPER! He’s played for the full team already for goodness sake.

    Reply

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