Top Stories

Bradley calls on Confed Cup vets to fill out Gold Cup roster

Jozy Altidore 9 (ISIphotos.com)

                                               Photo by ISIphotos.com

Jozy Altidore leads the group of seven American players added to the U.S. men's national team roster for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. U.S. head coach Bob Bradley called on seven players from his Confederations Cup squad to fill out the 30-man roster after CONCACAF granted the United States seven extra roster spots due to the U.S. team's participation in the Confederations Cup.

Here is the list:

  • Jozy Altidore

  • Jonathan Bornstein

  • Conor Casey

  • Ricardo Clark

  • Benny Feilhaber

  • Brad Guzan

  • Sacha Kljestan

These eight players will not be traveling with the 23-man U.S. Gold Cup squad, but will join the team for specific games during the tournament.

What do you think of the list? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Seriously Bob. Bornstein, Casey and Sacha. Those are the three that came on against Brazil and lost us the game. Once again Horrible coaching by Bradley that might cause us the Gold Cup. We could of brought in the Likes of Donovan, Dempsey and Gooch instead of those three mediocre MLS pets of Bradley.

    Reply
  2. jesus tapdancing christ this is becoming tiresome. please BB for the love of everything holy NO MORE KLEJSTAN, NO MORE CASEY, NO MORE LOYALTY TO THESE PISPOOR (and that’s being kind) PLAYERS! does sacha have incriminating photos of bradley or something? his inclusion is indefensible. bornstein played well in SA and so did benny so im happy to see them get some burn but to stick with these two underperforming players who have squandered chance after chance is downright infuriating. bradley needs to use this tournament mainly to develop and assess players like adu, rogers, holden, and cooper. jaqua wouldve been a nice addition but he was charged with sexual assault today so that may be why he’s out. wouldve been nice to see jemal but BB has proven to me he’s not the right man for the job and our success in SA was great but it tragically makes BB bulletproof as our coach and he needs to go and that wont happen now until after the WC in 2010. its truly sad that a teams’ success ends up punishing them b/c they remain stuck with bob the “special” needs coach. the master of terrible substitutions. the guy who took way too long than any rational coach wouldve to realize the potential and benefits of starting davies and jozy together. awesome.

    Reply
  3. What’s the deal with Casey??

    Why is he even allowed on the field? He is so friggin awful its ridiculous. Bradley still has no clue.

    Reply
  4. Ives, I second the person who suggest Bradley be on the roster. Mostly to be covered for any possible suspension. Also Torres would have been a nice addition.

    Reply
  5. Kjlestan is very close to Bob personally,thats all……………No other reason for give-away kjlestan to get minutes as that sub vs Brazil when we needed somebody like Adu who actually completes all of his passes. Casey is only their to protect the worth of MLS…..As the top American Scorer in MLS must be a international scorer too!!!!!!! Bornstein is ok. But how the hell does Jeremiah White,Jemal Johnson and Zak Whitbread not make this roster. My guess is that Bradley si tryig to protect the worth of MLS again by saying that playing in MLS is a better league than England League 1………….which we have no idea…And Jeremiah White who is a starter on benny’s new team..gets shafted makes no sense either.

    Reply
  6. Is it far-fetched to think that McBride will be called again for the WC?

    I mean Conor Casey? Brian Ching?

    Really?

    This guy was starting for Fulham at the biginning of 2008- and has practically played every game for the Fire. This guy can come in at the 70th minute and spell iether davies or altidore.

    I know he is retired but am I crazy here?

    Reply
  7. Bradley today on Torres:

    “Jose has had a very busy schedule with his club team and in discussions we felt that it was important that he have a little bit of a break before things start up again. When we look at all the different factors, certainly the idea that next summer players will be coming right from their clubs into the training camp that leads into the World Cup, you have to make very difficult decisions about if players can go a couple years without a break or if a player needs a little bit of a break right now.”

    Note the remark about next year’s cup – Torres is clearly on his cup short list.

    Sorry consipracy theorists. There’s nothing to see here…just move along

    Reply
  8. My point has been proven. I am puzzled as to how wanting to see some backup to support a factual assertion makes someone a “dumbass.” I think it is just the opposite. In fact, if you look at the “evidence” that was used by the poster who called me a “dumbass” to support the assertion that there was a “Locker room thing” between Bradley and Torres, you will see that it says nothing like that at all. Indeed, after this was pointed out by someone else, the poster admits he was “reading between the lines” to come to that conclusion. And I’m the dumbass?? Opinions are great, that’s the basis for these sites and one reason why I read them, but don’t tell us you have some kind of inside factual information when all you actually are doing is giving your opinion like everyone else. — dumbass

    Reply
  9. Bradley’s conservative crap caught up with him against Brazil. Playing with two defensive midfielders will not work in the long run! Torres or Adu should be starting at central midfield or there is no chance in the World Cup!

    This is like Arena all over again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Boring US Soccer!!!!!!!

    Reply
  10. Michael Bradley doesn’t have to be on the roster to serve any additional suspension. You don’t have to call a player into a roster and then bench them for a suspension to be served. All that has to happen is for you to miss (i.e. not play in) the next however many competitive matches (if the suspension was given in relation to a competitive tournament). Therefore the Gold Cup is huge because it keeps Bradley from missing Mexico.

    Reply
  11. Very good if Jozy and Feilheiber get substantial time with Davies and especially Adu, and I’d maybe add Clark to that also. Bottom line is that these guys need as much playing time together and individualy in competitive matches as possible, particularly to find out what Adu adds to the parts of the equation that already seem in place. Guzan is a good addition also. I suspect that we will only see the others as subs if we are in danger of losing an important match.

    Reply
  12. I really don’t like this 30 man roster rule. Now people like Klejstan and Casey who shouldn’t be called up anymore are going to take playing time away from Cooper and others who deserve a chance to show what they can do. I also don’t think Clark, Altidore, and Feilhaber should be there because they have already proven themselves to be worthy of a World Cup roster spot. I hope they don’t take playing time away from Holden, Adu, and Rogers.

    Reply
  13. I kind of want to see Bobby Convey as a left back or our right midfielder. We’re missing a true outside midfielder like Convey that can give us penetration down that right side and service. The thought of Convey and Donovan marauding the flanks ( at full form) just sounds like a good idea. Something like this:

    ————–Altidore—-Dempsey————

    ——-Donovan——————-Convey——

    —————Bradley—-Clark————–

    Bocanegra—–DeMerit—-Onyewu—–Cherundolo

    ——————–Howard——————–

    Of course that’s only if Brian Ching is hurt or if Convey makes an appearance off the bench. Either way, it would have been worth a shot.

    Reply
  14. I thought the MLS all-star game was a few weeks off?! Why do we not get a look at Whitbread, Lichaj, Simek, Szetela, Zizzo, etc. while we have a chance? I’m not a eurosnob, but a little balance would be nice.

    Reply
  15. The only position BB didn’t try to improve with these selections was CB; he must be pretty happy with Goodson, Parky, Marshall & Conrad. He’s likely looking for his 3rd & 4th options at that position for SA 2010. Califf is dropping and Boca is likely to move to LB with DeMerit & Gooch as the new starting pair.

    Reply
  16. Ives, why is Torres so deep in Bradley’s doghouse, (bad teamate, poor worker, lack of defense)?? Torres has publicy stated that he wants to play in the Gold Cup…I can’t understand why he would not be included in the 30 man roster, (unless Pachuca discouraged it…which doesn’t make sense to me given his lack of playing time at the Confederations Cup). Give the kid a chance!

    Reply
  17. Actually I like the selection. The only person that perhaps also should have been included was Torres, but he’s been pretty clear that he needs a rest.

    I agree that Casey, Kljestan and Bornstein were not equipped to play at the Confed level, but that certainly doesn’t mean they can’t play at the Gold Cup to try and get to WC-qualifying level.

    Altidore, Guzan and Feilhaber all can use more playing time as well.

    No complaints.

    Reply
  18. You guys just don’t get it do you? Casey was running and sprinting all over the place in South Africa!

    He gave his heart, his soul, and his all last week.

    BB is lucky to have a player with Casey’s abilities.

    He is so much better and faster than Altidore or Davies! He has scored 8…count them 8 goals in the MLS! That is not a small feat in this difficult league.

    We are lucky to have him playing here, because I heard Real Madrid offered 42.5 mil for his services and the MLS turned it down.

    Give thanks to BB and our new saviour on the field!

    Reply
  19. I don’t want to see any of them in any games. This is a chance to try other players, looking for people to fill out the roster. What will we learn by watching these guys again.

    Will Casey get faster, will Sasha stop making bad passes, will Bornstein finally find a level he can play at, We know what the others bring.

    The fact that every player added was at the Confed confirms that the only reason we were allowed to add more players was so that we’d add some more familiar names and sell tickets. At least BB resisted adding the biggest names.

    Finally, this must really hurt the morale of the group that was first named and that’s not fair to them. Those guys all deserve a shot at the brass ring. Mexico is sending a “B” team, why aren’t they being pressured to add more 1’st tier people. Lets hope BB resists actually fielding any of them and where the Hell is Torres?

    Posted by: zongzap | July 02, 2009 at 03:24 PM

    Dude read the article. It states that they’ll only be there for specific games, most likely the final. Apart from that, no one said they were going to PLAY it just stated that would be there; most likely for injury support.

    Reply
  20. These eight players will not be traveling with the 23-man U.S. Gold Cup squad, but will join the team for specific games during the tournament.

    So Ives, this means the players won’t travel, but just show up for the local games? I’m very confused about this situation.

    I thought Jozy should have been on the team from the beginning, he’s so out of form. Also there is no leadership on the current roster, who will be the captain, Dolo, Conrad? Ay yay yay…

    Reply
  21. Christian – it’s really cool to get an e-mail back from a reporter, blogger, or even the president or US soccer. Just because you get a response doesn’t mean they agree with you. There were no lines to read between in his response. If you see them, you made them yourself.

    Zongzap – I was thinking the same thing about the origional list of players. This adding players was certainly a $ thing. I posted the official CONCACAF statement earlier. If you read between the lines (lol) they pretty much say that.

    I do hope to see a lot of the fringe guys – Holden, Cooper, Rogers, etc. I think our B squad should get us through the group (Honduras will be tough) then maybe we’ll see the other guys in spots.

    Reply
  22. You know what folks? I like Torres. I thinkhe has some interesting skills and vision, and he may develop into a very good player. It is not popular to say this, but, current form excepted, Kljesten is a better player. That may change, but right now, he is.

    Reply
  23. Angel,

    Please for those of you who do not read Spanish so you know “Gringo” means white bread, honkie, any bad term for Caucasians and please lets refrain from Calling our boys that. There was an idiot,beto, that is calling all Mexican American Players traitors for playing in Mexico and representing the US of A which I for one find idiotic and offensive. Torres, Orozco and Castillo are not traitors since they were born here in this great country! I as a Meican American can say that the ret of you idiots that love your Mexican team should stop yelling “VIVA MEXICo” and should really think about what you say because some of you idiots have your hearts in mexico but your STOMACHs here in the USA. FOODSTAMP ABUSING HATErs!!!! iF SOME OF YOU ARE WONDERING wtf check the post from an idiot named beto on the torres article sorry peeps

    Reply
  24. Navarro, he’s not telling us anything we didn’t know or couldn’t piece together with pure common sense.

    Kljestan’s had a slump in form everyone knows that but we know what he can do. It’s just a matter of regaining that form we saw in January and this tournament wouldn’t be a bad place to start. It really seems like the whole reason Sacha’s not enjoying his football is because Chivas screwed up his transfer to Celtic and he’s not happy with the coaching staff, MLS, or anyone else in the transfer department.

    Reply
  25. I don’t want to see any of them in any games. This is a chance to try other players, looking for people to fill out the roster. What will we learn by watching these guys again.

    Will Casey get faster, will Sasha stop making bad passes, will Bornstein finally find a level he can play at, We know what the others bring.

    The fact that every player added was at the Confed confirms that the only reason we were allowed to add more players was so that we’d add some more familiar names and sell tickets. At least BB resisted adding the biggest names.

    Finally, this must really hurt the morale of the group that was first named and that’s not fair to them. Those guys all deserve a shot at the brass ring. Mexico is sending a “B” team, why aren’t they being pressured to add more 1’st tier people. Lets hope BB resists actually fielding any of them and where the Hell is Torres?

    Reply
  26. okay i would like to state several things:

    1) The next person who says “Where is Torres?” needs to be shot! Joking aside, Pachuca wants Torres back for preseason and Torres even admits he is dead tired. So please stop asking!

    2) You guys have got to give Bob Bradley and the USSF more credit. Im pretty darn sure that Michael Bradley wont be suspended and Bob Bradley and Sunil Gulati made sure of that so they didnt call him up.

    3) As for Casey, you guys are just judging from only one perspective. Casey only played like ten minutes or less a game and for all of you who expect him to have an impact in such a little amount of time are probably the same dull minded people who wanted Bradley fired for concentrating on the Gold Cup instead of Copa America (look how we did in Confed cup) and the same people who wanted Adu to unjustifiably start every game simply because he was freddy adu.

    4) one last thing, im not a bob bradley fan nor am i a bob bradley hater. I criticize him when he needs to be criticized and i praise him when he deserves praise. But rarely does Bradley ever get any respect. It was genius of Bradley to keep playing Dempsey when everyone wanted him benched. He found the most optimal position to use Donovan (who else thought left attacking midfield would work for Donovan?. He outclassed Del Bosque in terms of tactics and shut the down Spain (who thought that was possible?). Sure Bradley should be criticized for not changing his formation in the second half against Brazil even though everyone know Brazil was going to be way more attack minded. In fact alot of people did. Yet rarely does anyone give Bradley respect where it is due. Right now Bob Bradley does not deserve to get fired and is doing a decent job with the talent he does possess (his best players are a MLS star and a bench player from Villareal)

    Bottom line, dont be so one-sided cuz that is just plain ignorant

    Reply

Leave a Comment