A steady and cold rain put a damper on proceedings at day two of the U.S. national team training camp, but players were still in a good mood to talk about a variety of topics.
Here are some highlights from Tuesday's day at training camp:
Oguchi Onyewu, Clarence Goodson, Benny Feilhaber and Alejandro Bedoya, will undergo physicals on Wednesday and won't train with the team until Thursday.
Jonathan Spector cleared up a misunderstanding pertaining to a recent story that quoted him as saying he preferred playing at left back rather than his more natural position of right back. "Either I mis-spoke or he may have misunderstood what I was saying, Spector said. “I don’t prefer the left. I probably prefer the right, though I’m certainly comfortable on the left."
Spector revealed that he has one year left on his West Ham deal and expects to be back with the London club next season.
Going along with the "Where do you prefer to play" theme, Landon Donovan acknowledged that he prefers playing on the wings rather than up top, but will play up top if needed. No, not that surprising.
Donovan answered a variety of questions in a post-practice press conference. Among the things he revealed was that his recent divorce has played a major role in helping him grow as a person. He also stated that he believes the current U.S. national team is the strongest he's played with.
"We have the most talented team during my national team career, but the team with the least experience, so we will see how it goes," Donovan said. "To play in a World Cup is very difficult and for those without experience it's going to be something different, but I'm confident in the talent we have and over four years we've constructed something good here."
When told about Oguchi Onyewu's new deal with AC Milan, which will include a season he will play for free to make up for missing most of this past season due to injury, Donovan joked, "You can tell Bruce (Arena) that I'm not playing for free any time soon."
Stuart Holden revealed that he was on the same flight back to England after the Netherlands friendly as Nigel DeJong, the player who broke his leg with a studs-up challenge. There was no apology from DeJong.
These are just some of the tidbits from today's training. Look for a story on Jay DeMerit shortly, as well as some other items on today's practice later tonight.
What do you think of these developments?
Share your thoughts below.
Torsten Frings
POST OF THE YEAR!!!
Jonathan it doesn’t matter what FB position you play, you must stay tighter on the winger and pressure more crosses. You should have CB and DM help if they slip past you.
Landon Donovan is at the top of mine.
loved this comment
Sure, but they’re OUR classless sissies.
I think you guys are overanalyzing things a bit.
Ok. Well, we’re going to expect some exclusive inside info now. lol.
I think everyone is assuming that DeJong knew the diagnosis. Also did they x-ray then or when he got back to Bolton? I think without knowing the details we cannot really judge DeJong in this situation.
I’ve broken a guy’s collar bone in a HS game. He was trying to elbow me in the gut, but I slide for the ball so that it missed and he tumbled on his on weight and messed himself up. It punctured his skin too. I didn’t apologize. Never saw him again though…
But seeing how Holden wasn’t trying to injure De-jong, he could have at least asked how Stu was doing if not an apology. Seeing how cheat Terry (though he survived for the WC) foul-master Ballack went down, De-Jong’s time will come.
DeRossi apologized to Mcbride in 06′. Ballack got an apology today. DeJong is a big ol’ doo doo head. I wish his bones the worst.
Members of the US team do all of the things you just mentioned.
4.Rafa Marquez
He said that during his loan spell for Everton he was “Outstanding, absolutly outstanding”
Ok then how about this…Now that i look at it its a better lineup!
Spector-Gooch-Demerritt-Boca
Holden-Bradley-Beasley
Donovan-Jozy-Duece
Yes.
Yes, I’ll meet you there.
Stu make sure to mark down the two Man City games next season.
woops! Format error haha. Bornstein should be at left back
he did use that formation against costa rica and mannnn was it ever a disaster! The midfield was so full of holes. The Costa Ricans easily linked passes and dribbled right through. It also didnt help that Torres wasnt doing a great job in helping Bradley make their presence felt in midfield. So Bradley Sr. scrapped that formation even before half time. I forget but I believe at that time it was:
——–Howard
Wynne–Onyewu–Boca–Bornstein(Beasley??)
Holden(Kljestan??)–Bradley–Torres
Dempsey—Altidore–Donovan
Male pattern baldness is actually sex linked and passed down from the mother’s side, so he’d more likely have his maternal grandfather’s hairline……but his hairline still starts at the midway point of his head either way and it intrigues me
I have noticed that in every picture I’ve seen from the camp. He has absolutely no confidence.
way to go. 🙂
what SAF say about DONOVAN???
man im just surprised findley, klejstan, and bornstein are there if 3 of 3 go i shoot my self if 2 of 3 go I take an eyeball out if 1 of 3 goes it will be bornstein which is as bad as having the 3 going, bornstein startin any WC games = USA OUT OF WC in 1. 2. 3.
My “list” now has three names:
1. Carlos Ruiz
2. Oswaldo Sanchez
3. Nigel DeJong
Blanco was on the list since the ’02 World Cup, but the spirit he showed with Chicago has him temporarily in my good graces.
That’s kind of how that works, you know.
oddly enough I’m good friends with one of the girls he’s seeing now.
I lost all respect for Netherland’s team after that game. Poor tackles, diving all over the place, and bitching & moaning.
What a bunch of classless sissies.
I just watched a video of the first day of training on ussoccer.com……Michael Bradley certainly inherited his father’s hairline.
It’s not much more logical and the players aren’t in their preferred positions. Clark and Edu are simply not suited to play on the wings in the midfield. That’s crazy.
Plus, if you watch the MNT at all, you would know that the team won’t ever line-up in a 4-3-3 under Bob Bradley. Not that I think that is a bad thing–not many teams can work success with a 4-3-3–I am just saying that Bradley has never used that formation and won’t give a try in the World Cup.
This will not happen.
I bought the training jacket (blue with red collar and cuffs) for $80 today I highly recommend it. Very nice jacket
I can’t believe Sacha got that far on to the pitch without being tackled by a security guard
Agreed
Thank you Thanks for posting these little gems from the press conference, Yves. I really like reading these quotes that often don’t make it into stories. Keep ’em coming!
The most frustrating part of Holden’s injury is that he had already overcome thuggery in Europe that derailed his first opportunity in England. He had long since satisfied his grit beats bad luck requirements. As to DeJong’s silence on the return flight, if you break an opponent’s leg on a play that should have earned a red card, and then you have an opportunity to apologize, but don’t, then you are either a coward or a scoundrel.
nice for Sir Alex to say that about Donovan. Hey Fergie, think about buying him from the Galaxy? 😉
If Gooch has been in full training with ACM then having 4 days to train the the USMNT should be sufficient for him to at least see a have to 60 minutes of PT in the first friendly. Then we can see how rusty he is. If he’s sharp play him the full 90 in the second & 3rd friendlies and put him into the starting line up. Same goes for everyone else with minor injuries (Boca, DeMerit, Holden, etc…). The first friendly should be to get the core on the field for a half then try to incorporate in some of the bubble players to see what they can bring. 2nd and 3rd matches are the real tell-tail for how we’re likely to do in the WC Group.
Robbie Findley in the back of the running pack is an ominous sign for the RSL forward. Sacha is in the middle of the pack but is there only to fill out the 30 man roster.
Dejong is classless for not apologizing for hurting an important national team player in a FRIENDLY game! If it was a league, WC qualifying or actual WC match I can see that tackle being made and chalking it up as part of the game. It was still a weak tackle and would get a quick yellow or perhaps a red in a more competitive game.
Does De Jong know who he is? You have to at least know who the dude is to apologize, he does not exist.
Ah okay….thanks!
Women weaken legs!
Perfect!
Getting seriously pumped up for the World Cup. Time has gone by too fast this year and I can’t believe it’s all ready time for the camp.
So Gooch will only have 3 or 4 days of training before the first friendly? A bit worrying. He needs the training more than anyone else.
Donovan cracked me up with his comment about the money. I’m increasingly appreciating his sense of humor.
Lets ask Carlos Johnson if Holden apologized to him after breakings his foot.
Heath Pearce
Dirty tackles are part of the game?