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We are a month away from U.S. men's national team coach Bob Bradley calling the first camp of the year, and the MLS-heavy camp should feature some new faces who have played their way onto the radar.
I touched on the subject in my Friday ESPN.com column this week. The names I cover are some you would expect to see next month, and some you may not have thought of. Robbie Findley and Geoff Cameron are on most folks radar as two players who should and likely will get looks, but Kevin Alston, Alejandro Bedoya and Marcus Tracy are three players I think merit a look and a chance to train with the team that will convene at Home Depot Center next month.
If you were wondering about some players who weren't listed, here are a few explanations:
Jose Francisco Torres, Edgar Castillo and Michael Orozco will be in training camps with their Mexican teams in January, so they aren't likely to be available.
Jeff Larentowiczis someone who people in MLS circles like, but he's also a free agent and will likely be spending January trying to secure a deal in Europe.
We should expect to see some familiar faces in the camp, such as Brian Ching, Conor Casey, Sacha Kljestan, Robbie Rogers, Chad Marshall and Jimmy Conrad to name a few. Jeff Cunningham, Dax McCarty and Kyle Beckerman are others who we should expect to see. Some we won't see? Landon Donovan, Stuart Holden and Ricardo Clark will all be dealing with European moves and aren't likely to be available.
So here is my question for you: Which MLS players would you like to see called into the January USMNT camp?
Share your thoughts and suggestions below.
I don’t think January will reveal anything new for SA call ups. Hopefully it is used to get an idea on some of the up and coming talent for 2014.
Buddle? I’m a Galaxy fan and that is too funny. Buddle has less vision then EJ and his work rate is abysmal. He had a good string of goals 2 seasons ago but he has not impressed in a long time.
In all honesty I’m hoping we trade him or he does a complete turn around and begins to improve his game.
wynne? hello no. simek? yes!
——–Perkins——-
Freeman—Goodson—Barnes—-Pearce
——-Diskerud—Beckerman——
Rolfe———————–White
——-Cunningham—Tracy
Subs: Rogers, Marshall, Califf, Findley, Bedoya, and Pontius
If people think Cunningham doesn’t have the technical ability to compete on the international level, there’s no way in hell buddle does.
If you’re not an established international by now, then you’re probably nothing more than practice fodder.
We know which guys will be involved come June.
Lee Nguyen should seriously get a look he’s not in season and is definitely better than those names up there.
If Buddle was in SA team, I wouldn’t watch US games.
…”What about Adu???”
…Why don’t we just try to find JOB while we are at it, and ….. the Clint freaking Mathis…….suggestion was pure comedy!!!?????
Come on…are any of you SERIOUS…?
Agreed, los Gringos are established. Bradley needs to insist this once.
what about simik?
You know, why is it that torres, castillo and orozco always get the bad end of things. When does the camp start and why is it that they seem to always be left off even though they possess so much more skill than others. I hope that Bradley really understands how important they are to the team and if he would let them play they would reallly surprise him just like davies did.
Evans played out of position in GC, he was Arena’d.
still don’t see a call up.
So what did J. White do? ….What “transgressions”….???
The Gold Cup featured the whole gamut of MLS players from youngsters to retirees. Evans is still young at 24 and could be a contributor this next cycle for WCQ. Im not nominating him for an award, I just wouldnt be surprised to see him called in.
I kind of feel like this is what we go with:
—————–Cunningham—-Ching——————
Rogers———-Beckerman—-Cameron————-White
Pearce————-Conrad—-Marshall————Wynne
————————Perkins———————–
aftersubs
———————-Ching—-Findley—————-
Davis—————————————–Kljestan
—————-Thorrington—-Cameron—————-
Pearce——————————————-Wynne
——————–Goodson—-Gonzalez—————
———————–Perkins————————
Probably not how it’ll go down but the only thing I can think of that makes remote sense at the moment.
Some of those comments are so great, they’re worth reading over and over again….
Mikkel Diskerud what about him?
Buddle! Are you having us on? He can’t hold a ball to save his life. Have another pint mate.
Some of you really need to learn how to read. Seriously.
Ali Bedoya is atrocious and is a one-dimensional player, Tracy is just a bootleg version of Jozy. None of these kids are gonna help. Jermaine Jones is only guy out there that can help the US that hasn’t already played for the NATS.
Beasley? He needs somewhere to showcase while he fishes for offers to get himself out of Scotland…
I’d like to see Geoff Cameron and Edson Buddle
JAY HEAPS BABY!!!!
Agreed. With heduk’s poor form. We need a player who has experience and still has the fire. McBride fits the bill, and he could teach altidore how to score in the EPL.
Gonzales & Cameron….never to early to start thinking beyond Gooch and Boca.
I agree. If he is seen as having a future with the team why not bring him in now and give him at least the camp experience. Who knows, he could impress enough to get a cap.
we’re not that bad at centerback. id rate goodson, parkhurst, conrad, demerit and marshall all ahead of gonzalez at this point. thats obviously not including onyewu and bocanegra as well.
No Omar Gonzalez? Really? We are lacking defensive depth. Bring him in.
Rogers still has one more year on his contract according to beat writer Shawn Mitchell for the Crew and from other insiders I have heard from he will be in Columbus next year. Personally I don’t see why guys getting PT in MLS would risk a move across the pond where they may not be guaranteed a chance to start in a World Cup year and they are a bubble player. I would think they would realize that PT here would benefit them more than the bench.
What’ this about torres and castillo not being available? They are fringe and need to gel with the squad and style of play in one of the few chances before the WC. I would be surprised if Bob did not make a hard push for them to be allowed to come to at least part of camp.
Oh, and Brad Evans ain’t even close to Intl caliber. This is from a SSFC season ticket holder. Nice guy and key for us, but not at that level yet.
From Scandinavia, I imagine Goodson, Califf and White will get looks, along with Tracy, Bedoya and Perkins. I wonder if Jay Needham would get a call? Parkhurst probably gets a call, too. From last year’s MLS, Cameron, Findley, Cronin, Alston and Chris (no “t” at the end) Pontius, Gonzalez, Rolfe and Davis, along with the familiar faces you’ve mentioned. And, maybe some college players coming out, like Bone, Duka, Opara and Bunbury.
I second Jeremiah While. Let bygones be bygones for past transgressions.
We need a shockingly slow striker who is 37 years old and hasn’t played for the nats for 3 years (poor olympics aside)?
I’ll assume you’re joking. But if you aren’t, who isn’t getting a flight on the plan if you bring McBride on?
(I’m a fan of the Fire by the way)
I thought his knee injury was only going to burden him for 3 weeks or so. By the time Bob calls the camp it’ll be mid January.
I really think Davis could do some damage on the left wing. He’s got a wicked left foot and really great vision on the field, I’d love to see him get a call up.
We need McBride. No if’s, and’s, or but’s… even if just as a sub. His experience and proven ability to score at a World Cup is priceless.
Bob, send him a Christmas card and a health basket from Harry and David’s, he needs to be on the 23 man roster come June.
What is Rogers’ contract status? For some reason I thought he might be on the move as well….
Brad Evans? Really?? He was awful in the Gold Cup imo..
Is Adu available?
What’s Edu’s injury status? Would he be ready by then?
I wouldnt be terribly surprised to see Brad Evans called in for a look – I know he didnt see much playing time at the Gold Cup but the possibility persists. I would also expect to see Sam Cronin called in and wouldnt be surprised to see Chris Seitz there.
Got to bring in Beckerman. What about Rolfe? Is he available before he moves to Denmark?
Wouldn’t mind an old veteran presence like John Thorrington, Brad Davis or even Clint Mathis.
I’m just basing this off speculation, but I’d imagine that his club would want to hang onto him. And I think that they’d be reluctant to let him go when he is still recovering from an injury.
I want to see Bedoya and Tracy.
Will Kenny Cooper be a possiblity?
I’m interested most in Pontius, Bedoya, Tracy, and Findley. All exciting players.
rolfe
Mike Grella
(SBI-He’s in season.)
Call in Christ Pontius
I think Jeremiah White’s contract ends in January. Is there a possibility that he could be called into camp if that’s the case? Also, could we possibly see Heath Pearce and Danny Califf make a return?