Photo by ISIphotos.com
Only two months separate the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team from trying to qualify for the 2013 Under-20 World Cup, and head coach Tab Ramos will further preparations and round out the year with a 24-man camp in Florida.
Real Salt Lake’s Luis Gil, Santos Laguna’s Benji Joya and Liverpool’s Marc Pelosi are just three of the players summoned by Ramos for a week-long training camp in Sunrise, Fla. The camp, which is made up of mostly players born in 1993, will run from Dec. 15-22 and will include an intrasquad scrimmage on Dec. 18 and a match against Venezuela three days later. Both games are closed to the public.
Other notable players selected by Ramos for this camp include Southampton goalkeeper Cody Cropper and forwards Jack McBean and Jose Villarreal of the LA Galaxy.
Here is the full 24-man roster:
GOALKEEPERS (3):Â Cody Cropper (Southampton FC; Maple Grove, Minn.), Tomas Gomez (Georgetown; Webster Groves, Mo.), Kendall McIntosh (Santa Clara; Santa Rosa, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (6): Dakota Edwards (Maryland; Sayville, N.Y.), Juan Pablo Ocegueda (Unattached; Riverside, Calif.), Boyd Okwuonu (North Carolina; Edmund, Okla.), Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids; Boulder, Colo.), Oscar Sorto (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Javan Torre (UCLA; Santa Monica, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (8):Â Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake; Garden Grove, Calif.), Benji Joya (Santos Laguna; San Jose, Calif.), Mikey Lopez (North Carolina; Mission, Texas), Collin Martin (Wake Forest; Chevy Chase, Md.), Daniel Metzger (Maryland; Holmdel, N.J.), Marc Pelosi (Liverpool FC; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Caleb Stanko (SC Freiburg; Holly, Mich.), Wil Trapp (Akron; Gahanna, Ohio)
FORWARDS (7):Â Brandon Allen (Georgetown; Old Bridge, N.J.), Daniel Cuevas (Santos Laguna; Sacramento, Calif.), Daniel Garcia (North Carolina; Dallas, Texas), Darius Madison (Virginia; Philadelphia, Pa.), Jack McBean (LA Galaxy; Newport Beach, Calif.), Mario Rodriguez (1. FC Kaiserslautern; North Hollywood, Calif.), Jose Villarreal (LA Galaxy; Inglewood, Calif.)
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What do you think of this roster? Any players you wish would have been included? Which of these players do you think will make the final roster for qualifying?
Share your thoughts below.
When did Juan Pablo Ocegueda leave Tigres? I remember reading about him being the LB of the future for the US.. MLS pick up?
The 1st team needs help at CB and 2. Bundesliga is on break for all of January, wouldn’t be totally surprised if Brooks gets called up if they select 30 for the camp. He starts for a team that has only allowed 14 goals in 18 matches that is sitting in 2nd in the standings. It doesn’t hurt that he is 6′ 6″ and has ups, tough to win a header if you the opposing team.
Brooks is actually 6’7″ now… hopefully he STOPS growing very soon or he may just grow his way out of a promising soccer career.
Nah. If Peter Crouch and Jan Koller can make it to world cup, not worried about JAB. Worst case scenario, they move him to forward and he doesn’t ever leave the penalty box. ( ;
We can start JAB and Omar Gonzalez at CB and be head and shoulders above the rest
Three Galaxy Homegrown players in McBean, Villareal and Soto. Future looks bright for the Galaxy and kudos to their Academy setup!!
Does Diego Fagundez never get called because he has stated he wants to play for Uruguay? I thought he had not decided yet…
He’s said it’ll be first come first serve basically and Uruaguay came first. He also is not a US citizen as far as I know so I think he would have to apply for citizenship
(Painfully slow process most of the time). However that being said hes obviously really young and far from making a decision so we should look into IMO because I have been watching him this past year at my revs and been impressed by his showings. I think he’s a good prospect and seeing as he’s lived in the USA longer than Uruguay and grew up with all American friends he could choose us but this next year will be important for him.
Fagundez is not a US citizen and won’t be one anytime soon. He was on US youth national teams when he was young enough that citizenship didn’t matter, but will not be able to play for any US youth team from U17 on up. He expressed disappointment at no longer being called up, which seems to indicate that he has no idea how all of that works. He has only stated that he wants to play for Uruguay because it’s the only country he can play for, like Najar (another player who was here illegally).
At this age all the players would be pros in any other country. We have a way to go.
Pros playing on U19 teams, U21 and U23 teams. Very few would be on a first team. College soccer has gotten much better. Teams are full of players that played in European academies. Iona alone has like 8 of them.
I think what he’s saying is that the US will field a college heavy team while other countries would field full professional squads at this age group.
Mexico and Costa Rica are certainly fielding mostly pro squads.
Very impressed with the midfield — every player there is talented. The strikers are definitely not the best set we’ve ever produced, but they could be serviceable, especially playing in front of that deep midfield.
I don’t really know anything about the defensive corps, but I was very impressed with what I saw of Gomez in the College Cup. I think he’s got the makings — he makes good decisions, he’s good at reading opponents and he’s a terrific shot-blocker. Seems very confident and comfortable. He didn’t get nearly enough credo for G’town’s run.
Cropper will be the starter at GK though.
Well — he comes in as the starter. I’m sure Tab will continue to evaluate who should be the starter.
Man, California is squirtin’ these kids out. nice.
The amount of homegrown talent that is going to end up with the LA Galaxy should FREAK OUT the rest of MLS. They need to have like three or four teams in the region (and for Chivas to not be a joke) to dilute the socal talent…
And has been for decades. Cali vs. the rest of the country would be a fun all-star game to watch.
Most of them of latino origin…. Guess thats the future of US soccer
That’s the future of the US.
lol
Past Californians have included Wynalda, Donovan, Heyduk, Kirovski, Cherundolo, Marvel Wynne, Chad Marshall and a whole bunch of others who aren’t Latino.
Pelosi is in Singapore with Liverpools Next Lions team. Should be interesting for him to travel to Florida from Singapore.
Isn’t this J.A. Brooks’s age group? If so, should we begin to ask questions? Other Europe-based players are on the roster.
He starts for his team, odds of them letting him go for a camp that doesn’t mean too much isn’t very good.
Uhm, dude Brooks is a starting Cb for Hertha now. This is not a FIFA release date. Don’t expect JAB to be with the U-20’s during qualifying as well. Will Packwood wasn’t called in either because he is apart of Birmingham City’s first team.
I could be wrong but I’m pretty sure J.A.B. is now 20 or just about to turn 21 so he is now in the U-23 age level – but please give me a big fat correction if someone can lock down the kids age
No JAB is 19 about to turn 20 and is elgible for the U-20’s.
JAB has also started favoring Germany…
Wonder what happens to players that still have finals next week in college?
Most athletes are pretty experienced at getting exams moved around. Comes with the territory.
I remember when the local college accapella group went to California to be on a reality show (took 2-3 weeks total, not knowing when they would finish up). They had to go to USC to have exams proctored. There’s a way to work around everything.
That’s probably the most random example ever.
Well, they had a lotta air time to fill on 4 weeks of shows…
Ramos is a horrendous talent evaluator. My god.
Who would you have preferred to see?
Really? And who would you have picked? This is not a FIFA date so clubs don’t have to release. The only legitimate names missing are Salgado( who is still nursing an injury), Bijev( Who hasn’t been good for the U-20’s). Julian Green and Zach Pfeffer who are slated for next cycles U-20’s.
JAB is a starter for Hertha at Cb nopw, and Will Packwood is in Birmingham City’s first team.
Again…not a FIFA date,
It seems to be that your knowledge of U20 players starts and stops with the kids who are in Europe. If you believe that a player in Europe is automatically better than a player in the US then we won’t ever agree on anything, so what’s the point?
Lol. You still haven’t given any names.
Oh and Salgado, and Zach Pfeffer aren’t European guys. Yes Pfeffer did recently go to Hoffenheim on loan. The only other players are Zimmerman or James Rogers from Furman and New Mexico. I follow players from abroad and here at home.
Guido isn’t going to crack into that midfield for the U-20’s. he is slated for next cycles as well. So c’mon give me some names.
My list is below. How the hell did you choose James Rogers out of all the other players? He’s definitely deserving but random.
Parzival those are all good players, but you can’t say that they are more deserving than many of the players on this roster. Ocegueda, O’Neill, and Sorto are all very promising defenders who have already played for professional teams. Gil, Joya, Pelosi, Lopez, and Trapp are loaded with potential at the midfield. I find it hard to complain about the strikers either, as Cuevas, Villareal, Rodriguez, and MacBean are all really promising professional players.
And what about your knowledge? He asked for names and you gave none.
How are you making this about Euro bias??
There are three kids on this roster from Europe. Cody Cropper, Mark Pelosi, Mario Rodriguez. THREE.
Drive by trolling?
Or are you going elaborate and maybe actually provide some specific examples?
Because if not, your comment is worthless.
Walker Zimmerman
Victor Pineda
Brian Gallego
Michael Ambrose
DeAndre Yedlin
Dillon Serna
Jalen Robinson
Alex Shinsky
Jonathan Top
Eric Miller
Jordan McCrary
Should I keep going?
So you’ve seen all of these kids play at least 10 times, as well as all the other kids picked to the team? Because that’s the only way you can possibly even consider getting fired up about this. So if you have seen all of these kids play 10 or more times, I want to know what cable package you have, cuz I don’t think it’s possible.
I’ve seen all of those kids play way more than 10 times. I actually watch college soccer instead of tuning in for the College Cup and calling myself an expert on our youth system.
Zimmerman is injured, and the rest of these kids have been selected at one time or another. Pineda is the only one that somewhat impressed the others not so much. Ramos and his scouting/coaching staff know far more than you do. So lets keep your Ramos bashing to a minimum.
Thank you.
Good points all around Bobb. You didn’t actually say anything of substance, of course, but thanks for the chime in.
Nice. Go with the old “Ramos knows more than you” and that’s an argument these days.
Franco, Ives, or whoever – question:
What’s the logic behind keeping the games and intrasquad closed to the public? I live in the area and would LOVE to drive up and watch the guys play. Isn’t it about time they started endearing the future of their product to the public?
Blows my mind, man.
Good quesiton! I can understand holding an intrasquad scrimmage behind the closed doors, but not a game against another national team.
Do we not have centerbacks at ANY level?
Okwounu is a pretty good CB but an average to mediocre RB. Guess where Ramos plays him.
Guess why Oscar Sorto was called in. Oh and Blackburn refused to let Adam Henley come to this camp.
I have no idea what your point is. Sorto being called in doesnt change that Okwounu is there playing a position he shouldn’t.
Exactly my point. Sorto is a RB. You see now.
Your point is that Sorto is there to play? What in the world does that have to do with Okwuonu being played out of position?
Henley and Sorto, not bad at RB…. hopefully if we qualify, Henley accepts and gets cap tied.
If he plays for us in any official competition he would automatically be cap-tied because he would have to file his one-time switch
We have John Anthony Brooks (Hertha Berlin) and Will Packwood (Birmingham City) at THIS level. They’re not at this camp because they’re in Europe, isn’t that what we want? Not to make excuses but it at least played a role in why our U20 and U23 teams failed in qualifying this past cycle, too many of the top players were not released by their teams.
If all our players were in college like in the 90s, we could always call in the best ones, would you prefer we go back to that?
That’s fine, but Brooks certainly won’t be available for qualifying and Packwood might not be. You don’t think this has the makings of the 2011 U-20 and the 2012 U-23 qualifying fiascos all over again? And you wouldn’t agree that the US is producing conspicuously less talent at defense than elsewhere on the pitch?
P.S.: Who said anything about wanting our young players to be domestically-based?
No, what we want is depth.
Saying we didn’t have our best players for the qualifiers is ridiculous. That is known ahead of time since the qualifiers are not a FIFA date.