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Cooper, Marshall and Franklin among 25 called in to US national team camp

Kenny Cooper 2 (ISIphotos.com)

U.S. Olympic team standouts Sacha Kljestan, Marvell Wynne and Stuart Holden headline a very young group chosen for the first U.S. national team training camp of the new year.

Here is the 25-man roster for the January training camp:

GOALKEEPERS– Jon Busch (Chicago Fire), Will Hesmer (Columbus Crew), Troy Perkins (Valerenga IF), Matt Pickens (out of contract)

DEFENDERS-Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland), Sean Franklin (Los Angeles Galaxy), Cory Gibbs (Colorado Rapids), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Chris Wingert (Real Salt Lake), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)

MIDFIELDERS – Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Brian Carroll (Columbus Crew), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Jack Jewsbury (Kansas City Wizards), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), John Thorrington (Chicago Fire)

FORWARDS- Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire)

Kenny Cooper, Chad Marshall, Sean Franklin, Robbie Rogers and Will Hesmer are just some of the fresh faces included in this MLS-heavy roster. Cory Gibbs joins Brian Ching as two of the only veterans in a very young group.

What are my initial thoughts on the list? I think it's a great group of young talent and we see several players who are coming off strong MLS seasons. Surprise inclusions? Geoff Cameron, Chris Wingert and Jack Jewsbury are all pleasant surprises as three underrated talents who showed versatility and skill all season.

The camp, set to kick off on Jan. 4 in Carson, California, will conclude with the U.S. team's friendly against Sweden on Jan. 24 at Home Depot Center.

What do you think of the group? Happy to see all the young guns get the call? Excited to see Chad Marshall back in the mix? Any inclusions or exclusions that surprise you? Share your thoughts on the squad below.

Comments

  1. Bradley should have a look at Chris Konopka… keeper for Bohemians, champions of the Premier League of Ireland, which is not currently in season

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  2. I like a lot of these additions, but seriously, at this point adding Ricardo Clark is a waste. It’s obvious he will never be a fixture on the USMNT. Personally, I’d like to see Charlie Davies and Troy Perkins play a full 90. When is Jemal Johnson getting a callup?

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  3. yes, last year’s january friendly was a B team affair. what ever could be the difference between this year and last year? couldn’t be the looming Mexico affair three weeks later, right?

    if Bradley doesn’t use this game to see how a couple of other parts integrate with other starters, it’s a waste of time. why give a runout to a full B squad? you learn nothing, and gain nothing to practice against Mexico. it won’t be a full A squad, but some certainly will be. Camp is one thing, the game itself is something else entirely.

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  4. NO euro players will be in the final roster for SWE, save Scandinavian league players, the USA v SWE friendly is a B team v B team scenario….look ! last year’s game.

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  5. Just to be clear all players have to be released by their clubs (even MLS) to do this and all will miss some preseason training. ALL the euro players will make the final roster and play in the friendly against Sweden or the foriegn clubs will be pissed. BB isn’t in the business of pissing off foreign clubs for friendlies.

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  6. Add Beckerman to the roster of “The People’s Selections” with Kenny Cooper and Jozy Altidore. Honestly, Beckerman always KILLS FCD, he had a wonderful year last year, what’s the hold up with him?

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  7. why is matt pickens still being called in? i understood it last year when he was coming off a strong MLS season and looking for a team in europe, but at this point he hasn’t played professional soccer in over a year – why is he still on the radar?

    Busch may have had a very good MLS season, but he’s got no business being on national team roster either.

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  8. My quesitons:

    1) What does the inclusion of Kljestan, Wynne and Cooper say about their prospects for a January transfer to Euro??? I would think they need to be available to train with prospective Euro teams and meetings.

    2) Maybe I’m not up to speed on his situation, but what about Twellman?

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  9. I like the Jewsbury call up. The insertion of Jewsbury and Arnaud into the KC midfield totally turned their season around. Jewsbury’s got decent skill on the ball, a good shot and a lot of bite. I don’t see what Carroll or even Clark have on him. I like the Wingert callup as well; he’s got a good cross and good ball skill as well. Really looking forward to see the lineup that Bob puts out against Sweden…

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  10. Congrats to Wingert. I think it shows how much of a difference RSL’s defense was this year if Bradley took note and is calling up a defender. I would like to see Beckerman get more call ups as well. The guy is all over the place, and isn’t afraid to do the dirty work.

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  11. Dudes, it isn’t as if Sweden is going to have Ibrahimovic trotting out top. Its going to be a B/C team against a B/C team. It’s not an official FIFA date therefore no reason to expect clubs to release players. This has nothing to do with the USSF. This camp has traditionally been to take a look at fringe players from the MLS with an occasional Scandavian thrown in for good measure.

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  12. Is there a limit on how much players you can call? If not then more players should have been called such as (Coner Casey, Torrington, Jeremiah White, Lee Ngueyn, Benny Felihaber, Bobby Convey, I know I’m

    missing some others.

    Torres and Orozco where not called because the Mexican Interlingua starts this week. Go Pachuca, Chivas, San Luis.

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  13. as a crew fan it is a joke to see gaven get called into camp. why is he being rewarded with a call-up for another season of mediocre play?? On the other hand, i am happy for marshall, rogers and hesmer who really deserve it!

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  14. Jewsbury’s not a bad MLS player, but what’s the point? He’s not young, doesn’t have much upside, and has no chance at being an even moderately signficant part of the national team. And they’ve already got Clark and Carroll filling the same role that Jewsbury plays.

    Again, not to say I dislike Jewsbury. I don’t.

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  15. “I wonder if the situation would have been better had this game been held in Sweden”

    The weather would seem to make this an unlikely option, wouldn’t it?

    Seriously, I’m glad to see Rolfe and Thorrington in the roster. Looking forward to a friggin’ game on Jan 24th.

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  16. Chris Wingert was fantastic for Salt Lake all season, it is a well deserved call up. He has a fantastic first touch, crosses the ball well, and always seems to be in the right place at the right time. It’s nice to see BB notice some new defenders.

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  17. ______________Hesmer___________
    _Wynne_Franklin_Marshall_Wingert
    ______________Clark_____________
    _Gaven_____Kljestan_______Rodgers
    ________Davies___________________
    _________________Cooper__________

    I’m fairly happy with the selections. (Except, where’s Kyle Beckerman?? Seriously.)

    Congrats to Mr. Wingert!

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  18. Im with Jig.

    plus….he helped Josh Wolff score….JOSH WOLFF! Thats gotta count for something.

    JP

    But really hes a fiery player and i have to wonder how he would do against a team like Switzerland.

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  19. No hate for Jewsbury from me. Just surprised.

    I have to disagree with your contention that he’s “as solid of a defensive midfielder as there is in MLS.”

    But then again I’m not a Wiz season-ticket holder and don’t look at his play through Wizard-blue-colored glasses.

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  20. It is not a bad group of guys brought in by Bob Bradley, let’s see what he makes of it. I’m glad to see a handful of Dynamo boys getting a look at, hopefully Holden and Cameron impress. Cameron was used in the back and in the midfield throughout this past MLS season so a bit surprised he got a call up so soon, but I can see why. Cameron can also benefit greatly from this experience for the Dynamo, so definitely happy about that.

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  21. Could someone (A.S., scott47a) please explain the hate for Jewsbury? After watching him play all year from no further than 6 or 7 feet, I can tell you first hand that he’s as solid of a defensive midfielder as there is in MLS. He keeps the ball on the deck, tackles well, is as athletic as any other midfielder on this roster (excluding Rico), can play any outfield position you ask of him and ups his level in big moments.

    Please, someone enlighten me.

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  22. Actually Justin I did thanks for reminding me. My B.

    there are players left out of course yes but some players BB has been keeping his eye on for a while. It took Buddle a little while to get in form and start scoring. Players called up like Jewsbury have been good BB just hasn’t really had the time or space to call them up. Now with a few players obligated to their clubs and a few players that have proved they shouldn’t be called up to the national team, He has space, and a whole year to test some of these. John Thorrington will be my Spain of the roster.

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  23. ———-Cooper———–

    Rogers—————Davies

    ——Kljestan–Holden—–

    ————-Clark———

    Bornstein————-Wynne

    ——-Marshall–Gibbs—–

    ———–Perkins———

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  24. I vote for bringing headliners into camp, even for Friendlies.

    USMNT games should be as much about marketing to non-soccerheads as developing talent. Soccer has NEVER been marketed well in this country and the people we need to attract to the Beautiful Game will only show up when a) they know about the games and b) there is a compelling reason to show up. US Soccer sucks at providing either and sending out B-teams ensures the would-be fans who show will watch one mediocre game and never come back.

    Bottom line – every game, regardless of sport, needs some star power and the players above don’t provide it. I’d rather we played our best 11, crushed an opponent 6-0 and gave people something to talk about the next day…and, more importantly, a reason to come back.

    My two cents,
    BBB

    Reply
  25. Chris Wingert? He’s terrible! What has he done to justify getting a call up? Do they like defenders who consistently give the ball away?

    Reply

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