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Americans Abroad: A Look Ahead

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Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

A new era in U.S. Soccer is soon to begin, and with it comes a clean slate for Americans everywhere.

With a friendly against Mexico looming, the portion of Americans Abroad already in action will want to make a good first impression on their soon-to-be named national team coach in order to earn consideration.

Jose Torres is one player looking to get himself back in the picture, having not played with the U.S. team since last summer's World Cup. Torres is coming off a less-than-stellar season, and he could use a solid outing against DaMarcus Beasley's Puebla this weekend to springboard a comeback year.

More established national team players also aren't free from needing to make a statement. Steve Cherundolo, who has continued to play well despite being on the wrong side of 30, begins his new season with Hannover 96 in a first-round DFB Pokal match against Anker Wismar.

Another fullback likely to play in the German tournament is Timmy Chandler. The versatile 21-year-old and FC Nurnberg play Arminia Bielefeld in a game that could make or break a call-up to the U.S. team for the Mexico match, one that U.S. fans will surely want to see him in given the circumstances that transpired at the Gold Cup.

Here is who the Americans Abroad play this weekend:

FRIDAY

Michael Bradley and Borussia Moenchengladbach play SSV Jahn Regensburg in the first round of the DFB Pokal.

Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play VfL Osnabruck in the first round of the DFB Pokal.

Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play OH Leuven.

SATURDAY

Maurice Edu and Rangers play St Johnstone.

Dominic Cervi and Celtic play Dunfermline Athletic.

Matt Taylor and SC Paderborn 07 play Rot Weiss Ahlen in the first round of the DFB Pokal.

Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play Arminia Bielefeld in the first round of the DFB Pokal.

David Yelldell and Bayer Leverkusen play Dynamo Dresden in the first round of the DFB Pokal.

Ricardo Clark and Eintracht Frankfurt play Hallescher FC in the first round of the DFB Pokal.

Eugene Starikov and FC Tom Tomsk play Terek Grozny.

Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play FC Copenhagen.

Gale Agbossoumonde and Djurgadens IF play Malmo FF.

Josh Gatt, Sean Cunningham and Molde FK play Valerenga.

Jonathan Bornstein and Tigres UANL play Queretaro.

Joe Corona and Club Tijuana play Monterrey.

Sonny Guadarrama and Atlante play Santos Laguna.

Michael Orozco and San Luis play Herculez Gomez and Estudiantes Tecos.

SUNDAY

Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 play Anker Wismar in the first round of the DFB Pokal.

Edson Buddle and FC Ingolstadt 04 play FC Oberneuland 1948 in the first round of the DFB Pokal.

Luis Robles and Karlsruher SC play Alemannia Aachen in the first round of the DFB Pokal.

Daniel Williams and SC Freiburg play SpVgg Unterhaching in the first round of the DFB Pokal.

Alfredo Morales and Hertha Berlin play ZFC Meuselwitz in the first round of the DFB Pokal.

Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04 play FC Teningen in the first round of the DFB Pokal.

Clarence Goodson and Brondby IF play AC Horsens.

Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro SK play Gefle IF.

Mix Diskerud and Stabaek IF play IK Start.

DaMarcus Beasley and Puebla play Jose Torres and Pachuca.

Edgar Castillo and America play Toluca.

Adrian Ruelas and Jaguares de Chiapas play Chivas de Guadalajara.

MONDAY

Chris Rolfe, Marcus Tracy and Aalborg BK play FC Midtjylland.

Ryan Miller and Halmstads BK play GAIS.

Samuel Petrone and Mjallby AIF play Kalmar FF.

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Which matches are you most looking forward to? Do you see Torres playing himself back into national team consideration? Expecting another strong season from Cherundolo and Hannover? Eagerly waiting to see more of Chandler?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Holden is a box-to-box midfielder and Torres is a holding midfielder and both are far from number 10s. Adu is far from developed enough to be given the keys of the offense in a number 10 position and from the national team. Add on to the fact that number 10s are coming close to extinct in world football and the idea of building the usmnt around a number 10 won’t work.

    I do agree with the rest of your comment though.

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  2. The one of the best things about Bradley’s departure is that we may have a more objective selection of center midfielders. I guess I should not have been so shocked to already see the Torres propaganda machine begin again on SBI.

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  3. Adu does not seem to have the soccer brain for it. Torres can make great passes and is rarely loses possession, but so far can’t seem to take charge either at Pachuca or on the nats. Holden is still more of a hustle, hard-work, good tackler kind of player than someone who can lead and pull the strings. Of course, any of those guys might develop into the kind of player you are suggesting they are still fairly young. But it is way too early to ordain any of them as the guy to “build a team around”.

    Meanwhile, it is not the “star” system we should be looking at, but rather one based upon cohesiveness and teamwork.

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  4. A USSF can’t get players in for a friendly any more than in the past unless the squad will consist of almost completely non-US-first-team starters. It must be an international date, or the club coach must be accommodating (which they generally are not if the player in question is a starter or a regular sub). In January, MLS players and some northern european based club players can be available, but again some of those european clubs run their own training then and are loathe to have important players miss it. The schedule of friendly games will not change much and not at all if you mean games where the preferred players are available.

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  5. I hear ya that we don’t have plenty of forward at this moment but I think there are players in the U20 that can play forward, with good control, technical and speed in the U20 and some are int he U17 will be ready for WC18 but we have some good one playing in the MLS. Remember we need a Coach that let the player play with passion, style, and free to show what they can do with out playing like if they are reading a playbook. I think with these new comers from the Youth Systems playing in Europe and MLS some in Mexico. It will be more technical.. Like Gyau, Josh, Wood, Garza, Coner, Chandler, Lleget, Salgado, Bunbury, Agudelo, Starikov, Mixx, Holden, Adu, Edu, Bradley, Shea Come on there are more more player

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  6. Similar to David Yelldell’s situation (stepping in as #1 keeper due to injury), Quentin Westberg is the #1 for Ligue 1 side Evian. He’s only 25 and has had some huge games in his young career (beat Marseille in the Coup de France last year), so depending on his performaces this season, he may get a look as a #2 or #3 keeper

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  7. Wait…are we actually expecting Euro-based players (Chandler) to be called in for this friendly on 8/10?

    I thought it would be all MLS guys since it’s right at/near the start of the season in Europe, so those clubs will be in no mood to release guys back to the US.

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  8. I agree with the idea we need to build around a true #10, and I agree it needs to be Adu, Holden…or Torres. Somebody who can distribute and create.

    Much as I often didn’t like Bob’s tactics or approach, though, he was very correct in switching to a 4-5-1 because the USA’s forward pool is dismal at the moment. Unless you count Dempsey as a forward (and I think our new coach will), right now Altidore remains our best forward and that’s not good…you can see real younguns like Agudelo, Omar Salgado, and hopefully Danny Mwanga coming up but while all of those guys have the long-term goods to be big-time strikers they certainly aren’t there yet. As they say in football, though, talent will always eventually trump experience, especially if you’re willing to give talent experience….

    I actually think our new coach has a lot more to work with than people realize…in 2-3 years. Right now, though, it’s a lean transition time for Team USA.

    Reply
  9. German press is reporting that Michael Bradely will not accompany the team to SSV Jahn Regensburg for the first round of the DFB Pokal. I’ve seen a few stories this week in the German press quoting the Gladbach coach and general manager saying that they are aware MB is looking for a new team, and that the Gladbach is proceeding as if MB will not be around this season. The team is desperately hoping to get some money out of an MB transfer, otherwise not sure what will happen with him if he remains on the payroll–either try to bring him back in the fold or pay him for sitting in the stands. A lot of Glabach fans writing in forums want to see him gone, but some would to give him one more chance.

    As for Jones, German news stories have said, and this is hard to believe, that he pulls down 4 million euros a year and I think has a contract through 2014. Apparently Schalke wants to unload the expensive contract, but apparently no one yet nibbling at the steep price.

    Reply
  10. Forgot to mention, Bradley’s agent has been angling for a move to serie A but so far there haven’t been any clear bidders, though Bologna and Napoli have been linked to him. Greg Seltzer said there were a couple Bundesliga teams after him, but BMG was asking for too much $. So far only Spartak met their demands and Bradley turned them down.

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  11. eleven,

    Jones just got back to Schalke and played in a charity match, but they are looking to sell him due to his huge contract. There was interest in Russia reported. Bradley seems to be training away from the squad, not played in any of the first team friendlies, not in the squad for today’s game and is basically waiting for someone to buy him. He already turned down Spartak Moscow. I assume both of these guys will have new clubs by September, but their current clubs will probably have to lower their transfer fee demands.

    Reply
  12. I hope that the new coach start looking at our players aboard and here in the MLS. The USSF need to start making a lots of Friendly with lower team and Team that are World Cup contender. Start calling a mixed of player from everywhere and I mean aboard and MLS. Young players mixed with some good Veterans. I think is time to build a team around Adu or Holden our new number 10. The list of American Aboard is way way more. especially with all this German/American born.

    Reply
  13. Is there anything happening with either Jermaine Jones or Michael Bradley as far as their club situation goes? We need both of them getting consistent quality minutes.

    Reply
  14. Biased much Franco? Beasley is in need of a comeback too and he is someone who has shown he can make a significant contribution at the international level?

    Reply

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