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MLS All-Star Notes: Injured Beckerman replaced by Ridgewell, Cahill to play despite injury and more

Kyle Beckerman

Photo by David Bernal/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

PORTLAND, Ore. — The MLS All-Star Team has had a number of players drop in recent days due to niggling injuries, and you can add another one to the list.

Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman has been forced to withdraw from Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game against Bayern Munich because of a knock sustained in RSL’s 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids this past weekend. MLS All-Star head coach Caleb Porter replaced Beckerman on the roster with one of his Portland Timbers players, selecting defender Liam Ridgewell.

“Under the circumstances in losing a player at this late point in time, I felt it was best to pull in a player that wouldn’t disrupt the other clubs and their preparation this week,” Porter said. “Liam will be a quality addition.”

Ridgewell, 30, signed with the Timbers on June 25. He has started in the three matches in which he has featured for Portland this season.

Here are more MLS All-Star notes from the Rose City:

CAHILL SET TO PLAY DESPITE INJURY

Tim Cahill’s habit of fighting through injuries will be on full display on Wednesday. Even if it is just a friendly.

Cahill is currently dealing with some groin tightness that limited him to just the first half of the New York Red Bulls’ 2-1 win over the New England Revolution this past Saturday, but is still expecting to be on the field for the MLS All-Stars when they face Bayern Munich.

A knee injury prevented the Australian from playing in last year’s MLS All-Star Game vs. AS Roma – the first he was selected for since joining the league in summer 2012 – and he seems intent on not missing out again.

“I’ve played a lot of games, the groin is sore, but I want to be a part of this,” said Cahill on Tuesday. “This is all football. If it’s too much, then I’ll manage it but it’s nothing really too bad, probably just fatigue over 10 games in the last month. It’s good to be here.”

HENRY DISCUSSES DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM IN U.S.

Thierry Henry is one of the more knowledgeable players in MLS. He’s always up to date with the form of teams across the league and still has a desire to learn.

In fact, the latter aspect has seen Henry ask his teammates on the New York Red Bulls about the development system in the United States. Henry is well aware that it has produced some very talented players, but he also believes it would be beneficial to alter it to the point where younger players are practicing and playing more often like counterparts around the world.

“How you improve and how you progress is hours of repetition and work,” said Henry. “It’s kind of difficult for some of those kids sometimes because if you step out of a university at 23, 22 or 24 like you do sometimes here – in Europe, you’ll be training every day since he’s 13 years-old – so all that time that you’re losing is huge at the end.

“But somehow there are guys like (Clint Dempsey, Matt Besler) that are performing, but you’ve got to concentrate on your youth. That’s very, very important. That’s the future of the game. How you improve is time, work and repetition.”

YEDLIN INSISTS HE HAS NO PROBLEM STAYING PUT THIS SUMMER

The buzz surrounding DeAndre Yedlin since the end of the U.S. Men’s National Team’s run at the World Cup has been immense, and he again faced the question on Tuesday of if he will change clubs this summer.

Yedlin, 21, has been the subject of much transfer talk since his impressive showing in Brazil, and the rumors continue to swirl with the summer transfer window deadline fast approaching. Yedlin addressed his immediate future prior to the MLS All-Star team’s practice on Tuesday afternoon at Providence Park, stating that he is just as open to a move abroad as he is to staying put with the Seattle Sounders.

“If it’s the right situation. You never want to go to a situation where you’re sitting on the bench,” said Yedlin when asked about the prospects of playing abroad. “If it’s the right situation, you know it’s something I’d look at. If it’s not, then the MLS is a very good league and I have no problem staying here.”

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Wish someone more deserving would have replaced Beckerman or do you understand the selection given the short window before the match? Think it is wise for Cahill to play? Do you see Yedlin making a move this summer?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. While I understand Porter naming Ridgewell to the roster per his comments and given Ridgewell’s quality and proximity, it is a bit of a shame that some deserving MLS player won’t get to play where as this guy just arrived in the league and gets to play in the All-Star game.

    Reply
    • DeMerit retired. Get over it!

      Porters team is mostly offense and they needed last minute sub. Ridgewell is probably taking a bench spot.
      Plus Bocanegra said all of that disparaging stuff in the Sporting News article about Porter.

      Reply
      • He said “some deserving MLS player.” Nowhere did he say “some ex-USMNT player.”

        I personally agree with Mark. How does playing in 3 matches make you an All-Star? Last time I knew, there were 18 teams other than Portland in the league, and I’d bet you could make a case for at least 1 defender from each of these teams over a guy who hasn’t been here long enough to even know what MLS stands for. (Please note my sarcasm in that last statement)

    • Agreed. It cheapens what is already a cheap game. He’s only played three games and makes the roster over someone like Kitchen who has killed it in Beckerman’s role for DC. Porter and Kitchen used to be really close. I can’t understand why he didn’t bring ole’ Perry.

      Reply
      • I think there are logistical reasons as to why he made the decision. Bringing Kitchen all the way across the country on short notice was probably unlikely even if Kitchen is deserving. But I’m sure there is a D-Mid or defender at Vancouver, Seattle, the LA sides or San Jose that could have made the trip more easily.

        And take it easy Horsewhistle, I’m not hating on Porter. I get why he’s doing it, but seems as though there had to be another play who had earned that spot who could have made the trip fairly easily.

      • Yep, that seemed to be the issue. Logistically not very possible for an east coaster. Personally, I wish there were no timbers in the game. Would rather the focus be on the regular season. That said, I doubt it will be extremely strenuous, and maybe porter was looking to get the great savior on the backline some more game minutes. If so, it’s not fair to many other players who OBVIOUSLY deserve more than Ridgewell…but life is not fair, and it’s his call. Next year, we’ll be complaining about another coach being unfair in this situation…

    • Remember, All-Stars get bonus money. For a DP, it doesn’t impact them much. But I’m sure there are at least a few guys who are more deserving of a spot and and could use the cash a bit more. That is the part that upsets me most about this. Otherwise, I wouldn’t care, but throw in the money and it would have made sense to bring someone in from a western conference team.

      Reply
  2. Great. Cahill’s hurt and Henry never plays on artificial turf, but they’ll both okay in this farce. If one if them comes up with a serious injury, so help me . . .

    Reply
  3. I am realizing I genuinely do not care what Yedlin does as long as he can own the decision and be pleased with it. Chapter 1 of the Easier Said than Done Handbook…. make sure you send Fabian Johnson a thank you note, kid.

    Reply
    • Considering Yedlin says he doesn’t want to be benched, I can’t see him starting for Atletico. More than likely he goes to Holland or Portugal if he’s looking to start. He isn’t ready to play a full season abroad.

      Also coming out and saying you don’t want to play for a team that’ll bench you might put off coaches who planned on benching him for a season to learn. They might think he has the wrong attitude.

      Reply

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