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USMNT Daily Update: CONCACAF change adds value to 2013 Gold Cup (and what two summer rosters could look like)

Michael Bradley, Giovani Dos Santos

By IVES GALARCEP

The 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup was shaping up to be the tournament nobody cared about, what with World Cup qualifying in June and Mexico’s participation in the Confederations Cup taking priority. Without a berth in the next Confederations Cup on the line, there just wasn’t much reason for the region’s powers to devote maximum resources to this summer’s Gold Cup.

That has changed now, with U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati revealing on Friday morning that CONCACAF was changing things up, and having the winners of the 2013 and 2015 Gold Cups play each other for the berth into the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia.

That changes things considerably, and it certainly provides some more motivation for the U.S. Men’s National Team to try and send as strong a team as possible to the July Tournament.

Why? Mexico won’t be sending anywhere close to a strong team to the Gold Cup because of the Confederations Cup, and while the U.S. team’s top stars still aren’t likely to take part because of the load of playing three key HEX qualifiers in June, Jurgen Klinsmann could still call on some players to pull double duty and take part in the May-June USMNT matches as well as the Gold Cup.

Gulati suggested as much, and CONCACAF’s roster rule changes for the Gold Cup, announced on Thursday, which will allow teams to make as many as four roster changes after the group stage. That could allow Klinsmann to bring in some reinforcements later in the tournament in an effort to make a run at the championship.

So what could two separate USMNT rosters look like? Here is a breakdown of what we could see for a May-June squad, and a July Gold Cup squad:

PROJECTED SUMMER USMNT ROSTERS

USMNT MAY-JUNE ROSTER

GK- Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Nick Rimando

D- Geoff Cameron, Matt Besler, Omar Gonzalez, Clarence Goodson, Fabian Johnson, Timmy Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Edgar Castillo

M- Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Jermaine Jones, Maurice Edu, Graham Zusi, DaMarcus Beasley, Jose Torres

F- Jozy Altidore, Herculez Gomez, Eddie Johnson, Terrence Boyd

USMNT GOLD CUP ROSTER

GK- Brad Guzan, Sean Johnson, Bill Hamid

D- Edgar Castillo, Michael Parkhurst, Tony Beltran, Carlos Bocanegra, Justin Morrow, Oguchi Onyewu, George John, Amobi Okugo

M- Joe Corona, Danny Williams, Sacha Kljestan, Jose Torres, Josh Gatt, Brad Davis, Brek Shea, Kyle Beckerman

F- Terrence Boyd, Juan Agudelo, Jack McInerney, Will Bruin

(Knockout Round replacements- Josh Gatt,

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Keep in mind, these are just projections to give you a feel for what a Gold Cup team might look like. There could be other options, but this group gives you a sense of the level of talent that will likely be available for the Gold Cup. The centerback position is particularly interesting, because Klinsmann could call on someone like Clarence Goodson or Matt Besler for the Gold Cup depending on which of them doesn’t play much in the June qualifiers.

(UPDATE- I moved Beasley to the May-June roster. After his showing in March if he is healthy he should get an invitation to the May/June matches. Brek Shea’s lack of minutes for Stoke City could cost him his spot on the May-June roster. That frees up a roster spot for Josh Gatt on the Gold Cup team. I’ve always felt he would get a look in the Gold Cup and it could be a great event for him.

One player still missing is Mix Diskerud. I just don’t know where he fits in at the moment, and I really don’t see him getting a May-June call and the Gold Cup roster has some other options at the positions he plays. Joe Corona’s rapid rise has probably cost Diskerud his spot on the pecking order.

Let me say again, that these rosters are more an attempt to show you what level of quality two summer rosters could look like. We’ll wait a few more weeks before getting into projecting the May-June roster, and eventually the Gold Cup roster.)

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What do you think of the potential squads? Think our projected Gold Cup roster could win the title? Do you like the balance of the rosters, or do you feel the Gold Cup squad isn’t quite as strong as it could be?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I have a huge feeling that adu will do good and will be on the gold cup roster i also think that mix and gatt will be here also but only for the knock out rounds

    Reply
  2. Hello! Die-hard USMNT fan here. I watch every US game and there is never a game that doesn’t matter, even if it’s Camp Cupcake. I’m sure some people might not care about this year’s edition of the Gold Cup since there isn’t a FIFA Confederations Cup on the line, but I’m not one of them! Go USA!

    Reply
  3. Beitashour, he was called in for the Mexico friendly last year and he was in the January camp but got injured there. True, he hasn’t played yet this year, but he is capable of getting forward from his RB position and serving great balls into teammates in the box.

    Reply
  4. People here seem to be down on Amobi and Jack. Amobi has the athleticism of a center back with the feet of a center mid. Whoever said he get’s torched frequently clearly has not watched him play very often. Jack simply finds spaces other strikers don’t. He makes the diagonal runs and can finish with his head and both feet. He scored 8 goals in 25 games last year, often with less than stellar service. Oh yeah, and he was 19 for over half the season. Doesn’t turn 21 til August.

    Reply

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