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Jermaine Jones leaves USMNT camp to continue injury rehab

Photo by Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports
Photo by Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

Despite spending the past several weeks out with a knee injury, Jermaine Jones was called into U.S. Men’s National team camp for a closer look. It appears that closer look revealed that the Colorado Rapids star wasn’t as far along as Jurgen Klinsmann hoped.

U.S. Soccer announced on Wednesday that Jones has departed USMNT camp. The veteran midfielder has returned to the Rapids, where he will continue to undergo rehab for a knee injury. As a result, Jones will miss Friday’s visit to St. Vincent & The Grenadines as well as Tuesday’s clash with Trinidad & Tobago in Jacksonville.

Jones last played an MLS game on July 4 and has missed the last eight matches for the Rapids. In those matches, the Rapids have gone 2-2-4 and currently sit third in the Western Conference.

With Jones’ departure, the USMNT will have seven midfielders available for Friday’s match, as Michael Bradley will serve a one-match suspension due to yellow-card accumulation. Jones joins Gyasi Zardes and John Brooks as call-ups forced to withdraw from the USMNT squad.

What do you think of the news? Who do you expect to feature in the midfield for the USMNT’s next two games?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I wondered why Klinsmann called Jones knowing it
    was obvious that he could not play, this time to JK
    stop calling certain players who really have done a
    lot for our team but that will not be solution to the
    team here two or three years enough Jones, Wondo,
    beckerman, Zusi, orozco, perhaps bedoya.

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  2. As to why JK calls in players like this, well if JJ were a marginal player of course he wouldn’t be called in. But remember, Bradley isn’t available for the first game and JJ is still an excellent midfielder. I’m sure he (JK) talked with the player and various physios and figured that he would take a chance, roll the dice as it were. He gambled and lost. We should still qualify. Personally, I wish he had called in Danny Williams, but he seems to be out of favor right now, for whatever reason. I think Williams comes closest to being the same type of player as JJ–defensive with a knack for the occasional good goal.

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  3. Why does JK keep doing this? So have an injured player fly thousands of miles (which typically worsen injuries) for what? Not only is a waste of time and resources, but it’s doing nothing but hurting the players.

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  4. I know clubs have to release players during international windows, but are they able to refuse if they deem a player injured and unable to play? It seems really unnecessary for Jones to make a cross country flight for the National Team to declare, ‘Yep, he’s really injured.’

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    • 1-MLS Does not adhere to international break schedule (MLS games Thursday and Saturday this week…)

      2- when I saw jones was headed to jville (mind u, this was 3 days before rosters were set for release) I sincerely figured it was just to check in, be with the boys for a couple days, get an update/beer with JK and head back home unless he stayed to watch the TnT game

      It is a little odd for sure but not wild. I also didn’t think it was incredibly odd when Jozy reported to a us camp with a leftover injury only to be sent home early.

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      • DLOA, you didn’t answer his question, which was can a club refuse to release injured players. I am also not sure what the answer is. I am guessing yes, but what if the National Team calls bs on the injury claim, then what? And I mean in general, not just specific to this Jones situation.

      • I think it is FIFA regulation that clubs HAVE to release players for FIFA international dates. Now a player can rule himself not eligible to play due to injury (especially if he ha not been playing). A player can refuse the call-up for whatever reason, but the club does not really have a recourse outside injury.

      • I thought, though I could certainly be wrong, that while the league may not take a break for all international windows, that they had to release players for official dates.

      • SDSoccer that is correct. While MLS sometimes does not take international/Fifa breaks off, they are still required to release any player called by a national team.

    • I tried to post an answer but it doesn’t appear to have shown up. So if this is a duplicate I apologize.

      The club has to make the player available for the national team to examine, if they feel travel will impact the injury it will be done at the club. If the player doesn’t feel well enough he must notify the nats in writing. If Colorado said he was too hurt to play for US and then played him on Saturday the could be forced to forfeit any points earned.

      Also, there is no max number to be called for this camp, so no spot was taken. There is no reason JK couldn’t have called JJ, Williams, and Lynden Gooch all together. The only time you need a specific number is for the game itself.

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  5. I’m not surprised with Jones being returned to his club in order to continue his rehab. I was surprised that he was even called up considering how long he’s been sidelined with this injury. The question before Jones now is can he return to the level of play that is going to be required in order to maintain in consideration for the USMNT in the future. At 34 and with the number of injuries he’s sustained over the past couple seasons you have to start to question if his body can hold up under the strain associated with International & Club games.
    You have to think that Nagbe gets the start in place of Jones for these 2 matches and if he performs well than he will likely be seen as the starter for the remainder of the year (so long as he stays healthy). We also have Pulisic, Gooch, Kitchen, Williams, Morales, & Hyndman pushing for inclusion. If these guys get hot the pressure will be on the older generation (Beckerman, Jones, Dempsey, Zusi, Bedoya) to try and keep a grip on their involvement with the USMNT.

    Reply

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