By AARON CRANFORD
Landon Donovan is ready to lead his side in the 2015 MLS Homegrown Game after announcing his 22-man roster Monday.
As the head coach, Donovan called in notable young talents, including Chicago Fire midfielder Harrison Shipp and Vancouver Whitecaps and Canadian Men’s National Team midfielder Russell Teibert. Three U.S. Under-20 players were also included in the roster, as San Jose Earthquakes forward Tommy Thompson, Real Salt Lake defender Jordan Allen and Sporting KC defender Erik Palmer-Brown all made the cut.
Donovan’s side will take on the Club America Under-20s on July 28 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (9 p.m., MLSsoccer.com).
Check out the full 22-man roster for the MLS Homegrown Game below and Club America’s U-20 roster as well:
MLS HOMEGROWN ROSTER
Goalkeepers: Matt Lampson (Columbus Crew SC), Jesse Gonzalez (FC Dallas)
Defenders: Eric Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake), Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids), Jalen Robinson (D.C. United), Oscar Sorto (LA Galaxy), Tyler Turner (Orlando City SC)
Midfielders: Harry Shipp (Chicago Fire), Russell Teibert (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Alex Zendejas (FC Dallas), Jordan Allen (Real Salt Lake), Jay Chapman (Toronto FC), Sean Davis (New York Red Bulls), Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union), Memo Rodriguez (Houston Dynamo), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids), Ben Swanson (Columbus Crew SC)
Forwards: Tommy Thompson (San Jose Earthquakes), Coy Craft (FC Dallas), Kianz Froese (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Anthony Jackson-Hamel (Montreal Impact)
CLUB AMERICA U-20 ROSTER
Goalkeepers: Omar Lascari, Jonathan León
Defenders: Edson Alvarez, Bryan Colula, Rodrigo Gonzalez, Jonathan Hernández, Edgar Portilla, Gustavo Rodriguez, Jesus Veyna
Midfielders: Saulo Cabrera, Francisco Córdova, Brandon Garcia, Jonh Gonzalez, Antonio Lopez, Javier Rabadán, Juan Rodriguez, Victor Rodriguez, Carlos Rosel, Daniel Vázquez
Forwards: Alejandro Díaz, Fernando Gonzalez, Sergio Rodriguez
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Think this roster can compete with Club America’s Under-20 team? How do you think the MLS Homegrown players will fare? Are there any players you wanted that made the roster?
Share your thoughts below.
i think i see where you guys are going with this. can LD’s team be competitive? what would a real HG best 11 look like? and how would it stand up to real competition?
i think you split this into 2 separate events. 1) LD’s “HG camp” for HG’ers during the offseason or early pre-season. 1 or 2 weeks, together, with LD. pick his brain. bond together, etc.
then, 2) the actual competitive event during the summer. coached by (no offense to LD intended) an experienced, proven coach (the best available). put together the best HG 11, play to win.
does LD have a future as a coach? i’m guessing no, tv analyst.
I’m guessing players like Wil Trapp, Scott Caldwell, Diego Fagundez, Gyasi Zardes, Ashtone Morgan, Matt Miazga and Ben Speas declined (plus Hamid injured). Too bad, it’d be fun to see a real best XI of homegrown talent.
Think Landon has a future as a coach? Would love to see it
If the game is taken more or less seriously, the MLS side will face an organized defense while the MLS defense will have little time to get acquainted. That does not bode well for the MLS side.
If both sides decide to treat it as if the result is not so important and try to attack first and defend only as an afterthought, the MLS team should do OK,
my 2 cents about the Homegrown players exhibition game. and LD being the coach.
i think it’s great.
the league will get money from Chipotle.
the homegrown players get to hang out with LD.
and with each other.
and be on tv together for one special night.
and the public can become more aware that mls has more homegrown players this year probably than ever before.
and, yeah, i’ll bet LD enjoys this. a chance to ‘give back’ a little bit.
i see only positives. i think it’s great.
i read all of the above posts. my 2 cents:
LD deserved nothing less than a proper testimonial match at Home Depot/Stubhub Center in front of a packed LA Galaxy house and supporter’s section. Nothing less than that.
i hear someone saying “that’s european” and that’s a fact. but i think the testimonial match is now american, too, since dominic kinnear taught us yanks how to do it a year and a half ago when bring ching retired.
and a proper testimonial it was, is the impression that i get from reading this article:
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/12/13/long-goodbye-houston-dynamos-brian-ching-hangs-em-after-testimonial
“Hijinks ruled much of the second half, as Craig Waibel pulled a fan out of the stands, outfitted him in a jersey and cleats and trotted him on the field in his place. Steve Ralston climbed on Hunter Freeman’s shoulders in order to defend a corner kick, and Donovan ran the length of the field to join in another corner kick.”
“[brian ching] was then subbed out, earning a standing ovation from fans and players alike, as a cheer of “Thank you, Brian” rose from the stands, putting the final touches on a truly special night honoring a truly special player.”
i respect that people have their different opinions. i love these testimonials. i think they make a lot of sense. after years of football, both fans and player alike want this. a chance to say goodbye.
I think we are of the same mind to an extent. The fault, if there is one, is with the Galaxy and maybe Gulati, but really the Galaxy. All US Soccer should have done was provide funding and advertising. Galaxy shoudl have handled everything else. However, you can only do it after he retired. which would sometime this year.
It’s over, though!
“Why not come down on Arena and the Galaxy who did not host a testimonial. It should be at Home Depot Center if you want one. ”
i agree with you. somehow, BA dropped the ball on this one. (something he usually doesn’t do. makes me wonder if there was more to the story here?)
Gulati? i think he has nothing to do with this (i think the responsibility for the testimonial match would fall to the club coach, not FA or national teach coach). just my opinion. BA should have arranged it and Gulati can attend or watch on tv just like the rest of us, i think.
true, it’s over. but we must talk about it to try to understand what happened or else as a soccer culture we don’t move forward. yes?
The banner pic screams: “Landon Donovan: Dictator For Life.”
It’s official, Landon Donovan is more annoying than the Kardashians. He shouldn’t be relevant anymore.
On a side note for those keeping track of me, my team Game of Throw-Ins won the league championship 4-3 yesterday.
Cool story.
But in all seriousness, that’s best team name I’ve heard in a long time.
Game of Throw-Ins? Are you in Boston and play in an indoor league last winter?
No sir, outdoor 8 on 8 in Santa Monica
haha…funny thing is that there is a soccer team in Boston with the same team and I thought you were part of it. Ah well, just off by 3000 miles and 3 time zones.
Nah, I think you attitude is irrelevant. What have you’ve done for US Soccer? Do tell RB…
THIS IS NOT APORPRIATE JUST LOOK AT DONOVON
No BJ IV? I am disgusted with this coach leaving it’s best MLS Homegrown player off the roster
has he been cleared to play again? you might want to relax before saying stupid things
HAHAHA I BRADFORD JAMIESON IV HAHA I JUST FOUND OUT WHEN MY PHONE NOTIFIED ME HAHAHAHAH
Must be a personal grudge.
He’s getting ready to take over for Klinsmann after his contract runs out. But where’s Hat Trick Rick?
Scoring goals.
My name says it all…Meh
Miazger?
Apparently Miazga declined. Smart kid.
Relatedly, anyone losing it over this or that player not making it, if your snub has a key role on your team, he probably declined.
Plenty of Homegrown talent that are too busy playing in real games.
Miazga, Acosta and Ulloa. Why put the miles on them for a meaningless game
Anyone else get the feeling that this whole “Homegrown Game” spectacle is going to be kind of uncomfortable and weird?. If MLS is trying to showcase the progress of its homegrown program, I can’t see much upside in this “novelty game”, which apparently consists of taking a picked-over assortment of emerging young homegrown talents, giving them a couple of hours to practice with their Special Celebrity Guest Coach, and sending them off against a club U-20 side and “seeing what happens”. Hey, maybe it works out… even still, I’m not sure what this proves.
They should hire an English oompah band to play “Rule Brittania” throughout the entire match to highlight the confusion.
This is the true “Don“.
Pinky ring and all. Look out, Garber.
I would love to see Donovan get proper goodbye from USNT.
He was given a testimonial.
A friendly is not a testimonial
For international play – it’s as close as you’ll come to one.
He needs a statue outside of LA Galaxy’s Stadium.
Plus we need a full statue outside the hall of fame if it ever gets built.
Personally I would have changed the logo to his outline like the NBA and Jerry West.
But that’s probably enough.
I still expect he will come back in two years to play a little more for the galaxy
“He needs a statue outside of LA Galaxy’s Stadium.
Plus we need a full statue outside the hall of fame if it ever gets built.
Personally I would have changed the logo to his outline like the NBA and Jerry West.”
That right there is a Forrest Gump sized man crush. Either that or some next level parody. Either way, I salute you.
This has nothing to do with the original post I responded to, Rory, but you aren’t wrong (except for coming back to play).
What the hell do you want? Get the hell off his jock. I like the guy, but HE IS JUST A SOCCER PLAYER! LA Galaxy had a send off he played in a friendly send off. If he wants charity match send off, let his publicist organize it.
OMG! People act like he is Jesus reincarnate when he wasn’t even the top 100 in the world during the time he played (shocking!).
He is US Soccer’s Jesus…
lol what does not being in the top 100 in the world have to do to with anything? Most Americans grew up watching him and he made the league and national team get attention. Maybe doesnt mean anything to the world but who cares?
This is my world now. You belong to me!
Most Americans did not grow up watching him. A majority of hardcore soccer fans are older than Donovan or maybe his age so did not grow up watching him. The ones that did “grow up” when he was playing are in their late teens and early 20’s. That demographic is not most soccer fans. Finally. most Americans do not follow soccer. You, I, and everyone on this board does. So most is a hyper bole that should not be used.
Listen, I am BIG Landon Donovan fan because not only did he give you a lot of goals, he also set many goals up. He is the best 10 or offensive weapon the US has produced. Period! Sorry, he is. However, sometimes people give him more credit than he deserves in raising profile of MLS & USMNT. The growth of MLS has a much to do with other publicity from developing players that went on to success, marketing the tragic story of Freddy Adu (I remember ESPN him for the first time & casual soccer (world Cup fans) still know of him), and addition of well-placed DPs.
*I remember ESPN covering Soccer Extensively for the first time due to Adu & casual soccer (world Cup fans) still know…..
“A friendly is not a testimonial.”
All testimonials are friendlies.
That’s not a testimonial.
Donovan deserve proper goodbye, not first half friendly during Galaxy’s playoff, and not in So Cal.
Scott e Dio93
I get it. You like him and I like him too. However, LET IT GO!!! MLS did a good-bye tour because he announced he was retiring. They names their MVP award after him. If US Soccer want to do something, it would not be with this team. All testimonials are done with players, he played with or grew up with and the coaches of their choosing. That is the way it is done everywhere else. However, it is NOT an American thing. If you want, then it would probbly be a Bruce arena coached team and 90% retired players (honestly,with a couple exceptions). Only a few guys from this team would be included.
I have never liked testimonials and I think this is some way Americans do not have to be like everyone else.
Donovan was the first American worthy of a testimonial. Poor taste from Garber and klinsi.
Why does this have anything to do with Garber or Klinsi? First of all, Garber has nothing to do with the national team and Klinsi has nothing to do with MLS. If you want to blame someone for not putting this together, blame Gulati because this falls under the auspices of US Soccer. People are exposing their biases. Why not come down on Arena and the Galaxy who did not host a testimonial. It should be at Home Depot Center if you want one.
That being said, I do not know why people really want a testimonial. People here complain that we are trying to be too European, we are America this etc, Testimonials are not America. Why do them? We play all-star games, retire jerseys etc.
“Donovan was the first American worthy of a testimonial”??? What kind of nonsensical statement is that? So you don’t think McBride, Claudio Reyna, Bocanegra, Keller were worthy of testimonial? Testimonials are more common than you think, but I don’t think we need to adopt them.
Americans don’t do testimonials?
Yeah, what they do is have long drawn out extended retirement year good by circus tour, ( see Jordan, Michael, Jeter, Derek).
At least a testimonial game gets it all out of the way at once.
McBride…Bocanegra…Beasley…Jones…Keller…Freidel (and his accent)…Pope
All were deserving of a testimonial/farewell game
How about if instead of playing the national anthem MLS commissions someone to write a hymm about Landon and require Jozy to hold his hand over his heart while it is played.
For the USMNT every uniform shirt should have his face silkscreened where normally you have advertisements.
And the have 10% of every game’s gate receipts donated to the charity of LD’s choice.
Finally change Major League Soccer to Major Landon Soccer.
and make him commissioner once Garber retires or gets canned.
Jesus Christ it’s time to move on
I know, right…
I think I’d rather drive by house every night until he recognizes his mistake and comes back to me – Garber