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Who will be on the U.S. Men’s Olympic Team?

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With the deadline for naming the 18-man roster just a month away, U.S. Olympic coach Peter Nowak and U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley will spend the next few weeks hammering out the roster that will represent the United States in the Summer Olympics.

Who will be on that roster? When you consider that three overage players will be on the team, that leaves just 15 spots for the rest of the Olympic age-eligible players. So what might the 18-man roster look like? Here is the way I see the group shaking out:

Projected USA Olympic Team

GK- Brad Guzan, Chris Seitz

D- Dan Califf, Maurice Edu, Michael Orozco, Nathan Sturgis, Marvell Wynne and Kamani Hill,

M- Freddy Adu, Michael Bradley, Sacha Kljestan, Danny Szetela, Robbie Rogers, Eddie Gaven and Stuart Holden

F- Brian McBride, Jozy Altidore, Chad Barrett

———

A few quick points. So why Dan Califf as the overage defender? Bocanegra and Onyewu will be busy with the national team qualifier against Guatemala, as will Demerit, who will likely be dealing with a transfer move. On the MLS front, does Peter Nowak take someone like Jimmy Conrad away from his MLS team for a month? Califf seems like the best option.

The midfield was a tough call but I think this is the best group. Maurice Edu makes it seven but I think he’ll see action in the back because of the thin options there. No Dax McCarty, who hasn’t been playing regularly with FC Dallas. I’m not sure what Benny Feilhaber’s injury status will be come a month from now so he’s out.

Jozy Altidore is the big question mark at forward. Will he be available or will he decide that staying with his new club, Villarreal, is more important? I say he plays and if he wants to play he will be on the roster.

I know some folks will question the inclusion of Chad Barrett. I personally wouldn’t take him. I would take either Charlie Davies or Robbie Findley, but this 18-man roster is the group I see being selected.

What do you think of this roster? What would you change? Who did I miss? What do you think the team is missing the most? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Lloyd Heilbrunn- califf did well against Argentina’s A-Squad, i think he’ll do fine in this squad…

    however, as someone pointed out, it seems he’s bound to miss 5 regualar season and some UEFA games?? i can see that hindering his chances….

    GK- Guzan, Seitz

    DEFENDER- Orozco, Edu, Hill, Wynne, Franklin, Bornstein

    MID- Rogers, Alvarez, MB, Szetela, Zizzo, Holden, Kljestan

    FOR- Jozy, Adu, McBride

    Guzan

    Wynne Orozco Edu Bornstein

    Kljestan Szetla MB Rogers

    Adu Jozy/McBride

    id like to see Shea get a call up due to his performance in France (which is exactly what the whole purpose of that tourny was)…. but im not sure if he will or not…

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  2. wrong- waste McBride’s time?? Jozy needs this?? sorry but i feel that McBride has earned the right to represent himself in the oldest know competitions amoungst countries…. what McBride wants, McBride gets…

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  3. Will- clearly you didnt catch SBI Monkey’s true meaning… as you clearly overlooked the “/whinysmartass” comment….. clearly Monkey is being sarcastic…

    he’s simply making fun of all the posters who constantly whine about the USSF not calling up players such as Subotic… the same thing occured with Rossi… and there are a few others that are fringe players between countries and there will be more… perhaps it is you who needs to get a clue 😀

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  4. andy b. and Marc- let me start off again saying that Zizzo was my fav. player while watching the U20’s…. i agree he brings ALOT to the table… and i wouldnt have a problem with him getting the nod, execpt i doubt he’s game fit… at best he would be a sub player, and even at that point, not seeing any PT in germany, would his touch in games be at the right level…

    you can say what you want about Gaven… ie. he’s less skilled, he’s slower, he’s lazy ect… but Gaven is at least getting PT for the Crew and is able to get touches in actual games that are at pace and physical…. Gaven played a HUGE role in our adv. in Quals… i wouldnt be shocked to see him added..

    But then again, i wouldnt be surprised if LD is selected as our RM….

    either way, if Zizzo is selected i wont be upset… in fact i hope he uses the olympics as a tool to show his growth and development to his club, in hopes of a loan or some PT….

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  5. I’m one of those who say’s you go for broke at the Olympics. Our U23’s are a big piece of the Nats at this point, so the roster will be ‘decimated’ But when we play for a 0-0 tie in Guatemala there is no reason to not bring your best, and for me that is LD.

    GK- Brad Guzan, Chris Seitz

    D- S. Franklin, N. Subotic, Michael Orozco, Marvell Wynne, Kamani Hill, J. Bornstein

    M- Maurice Edu, Michael Bradley, Sacha Kljestan, Danny Szetela, Robbie Rogers, Stuart Holden, A. Alvarez

    F- L. Donavon, Jozy Altidore, Freddy Adu

    Overage players are Guzan, Donavon & Bornstein. Subotic will choose the U.S. for this tourney….(OK I hope) Edu backs up the back line, Adu moves up front with Landon (If Altidore chooses not to go the role of a #9 falls to C. Davies). Really too bad for Dax and Spector they were key to the defensive side of the ball, if they were in I wouldn’t bring Guzan and bring some more firepower up top.

    Starting lineup:

    Guzan

    Wynne Subotic/Franklin Orozco Bornstein

    Donovan Klejstein Bradley Rogers

    Adu Altidore

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  6. Hey, I just had a brand new idea: there’s some kid in Spain who could be US-eligible, called Rossi or something. Why hasn’t USSF done anything about this? Man, Nowak and BB suck. They are so stooopid. Also cap Edson Buddle. Also Seitz sucks. Also Drew Moor > Bocanegra. Where is John O’Brien? Also any chance Eric Wynalda could be one of our overage players? That guy is awesome. C’mon, USSF, stop being so stupid.

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  7. RE: Subotic

    Sorry for the delayed post. He can only play for U.S., Bosnia or Serbia. After signing the big deal with Dortmund, it pretty much is assured that he will wait until the last minute to make a decison on country.

    Don’t expect Olympics or even early round CONCACAF games. His birthday is in December so he has until Dec. 2009 to decide.

    Fingers crossed…

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  8. Ives, is there any chance of Subotic making his decision before the Olympics? That lineup looks pretty good everywhere but in the back. Unlike seemingly everyone else, I am not completely sold on Michael Orozco.

    I know he’d miss a qualifier, but can’t we just take Gooch anyway? It’s one position for one game in a spot where the national team has some depth. I think it’s extremely unlikely that one guy in one game will mean the difference between us getting into the hex and not getting into the hex. Califf just seems like such a significant downgrade.

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  9. The point of the overage rule is to add guys who are good enough to have a major impact.Califf is not that guy.

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  10. Landon will NOT be part of the Olympic roster, because he will be part of the qualifying roster. Neither will Lewis or ANY other overage player that will start the qualifier. Guzan is expendable with Reis or Hanneman available for trip to Guatelmala. The first game is Aug 20 and the team will be together for at least 3-4 days plus travel to Guatemala. You can be guarenteed Pablo will be one of and hopefully the only defensive mid. Ching will be holding up top, especially because it is a road qualifier and they formation will be conservative. I would like to see the following 4-5-1

    ——-Ching

    Lewis———-Dempsy

    —Beasley—Donovan

    ——-Mastro

    Pearce Boca Gooch Dolo

    The bench will be where we are thin in this qualifier. I will expect to see Ralston on this first qualifying roster based on current form and experience and because so many guys will be in China.

    Also, what is the Olympic schedule for the US? Any chance if they do not qualify out of the group that some of these guys could leave early for reserve roles in Guatemala?

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  11. let’s not waste mcbride’s time. honestly, jozy needs this, there is enough talent, and mcbride and jozy play the same role (hold up, tall, strong forward) and thus both can’t play at the same time, and it would be a huge waste to have one of them on the bench. also, spector? simek? benny feilhaber will be on the team.

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  12. @Posted by: Will | June 24, 2008 at 07:18 PM

    He’s played for us at the U-17 and U-20 level. He would have played at the U-20 WC if not for injury. There is interest on his part.

    Reply
  13. Zizzo was starting to see more time at his club and played well and he has done well every time he is called up. That is reason enough to call him in.

    Chad Barrett couldn’t start on the U-14 team so I see no reason to bring him into the Olympic team. That would be a tragedy.

    Jorge Flores should be, nay, NEEDS to be on this team. He has great technical skills and really could be the answer to a lot of questions if he lives up to his early promise.

    Oh and Subotic needs to be asked again about playing. Francisco Torres should be enticed into the side as well. No better time to try to lure him back to the US by letting him play in the tournament El Tri Jr. didn’t qualify for.

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  14. I would add Brek Shea to the roster believe it or not. He has so many qualities nobody else has. I think he can contribute somewhere. I would drop Gaven & Barrett. Gaven has done nothing in MLS & Barrett is not mentally strong enough, yet.

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  15. will: sbi monkey’s post was clearly a joke about every cliche comment on SBI.

    What I would like to see:

    GK: Seitz, Westberg

    D: Freeman, Orozco, Conrad, Edu, Wynne, Hill, Sturgis

    M: Bradley, Feilhaber, Rogers, Kljestan, Holden, Zizzo

    F: McBride, Altidore, Adu

    I don’t willingly include Freemnan, but he can play on the left and is age eligible so yeah

    Reply
  16. Hey, I just had a brand new idea: there’s some kid in Germany who could be US-eligible, called Subotic or something. Why hasn’t USSF done anything about this?

    Get a clue man. The US has asked him but he has refused so far! I’m tired of reminding you guys about this.

    Reply
  17. Hey, I just had a brand new idea: there’s some kid in Germany who could be US-eligible, called Subotic or something. Why hasn’t USSF done anything about this? Man, Nowak and BB suck. They are so stooopid. Also cap Kenny Cooper. Also Barrett sucks. Also Brek Shea > Bocanegra. Also any chance John O’Brien could be one of our overage players? That guy is awesome. C’mon, USSF, stop being so stupid. /whinysmartass

    Reply
  18. Other than Barrett, that doesn’t seem too bad a roster. I was still hoping they could convince the kid from Pachuca to play for us.

    Reply
  19. While I think Califf would be a good choice, he is with a new team and could potentially miss 5 league games and 3 UEFA cup games during the Olympics, which I don’t really see happening.

    Reply

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