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Bedoya looks to make mark in his first U.S. camp

AlejandroBedoya (Orebro) 

By ADAM SERRANO

A year ago, Alejandro Bedoya was a college standout making the difficult choice of heading to Europe to try and find success rather than staying in the United States and signing with MLS.

While other Americans have seen that decision not work out, Bedoya's first year in Europe has been a successful one, with the evidence of that success coming in the form of a U.S. national team call-up he admits he didn't see coming.

When the U.S. national team opened its January training camp earlier this week, Bedoya was one of the new faces taking it all in. A 22-year-old left winger who earned a starting role with Swedish club Orebro SK in his first season as a pro, Bedoya is a rookie all over again, with U.S. head coach Bob Bradley casting a watchful eye as he searches for players who could potentially make the U.S. World Cup roster.

“This is a great opportunity for me to show what I can do and learn from this experience,” Bedoya said after training on Wednesday. “Hopefully, I can impress the coaches for the future and see if I can fit in."

The January camp is the second time the midfielder has been chosen for a U.S. national squad, having been selected to the initial roster ahead of the Beijing Olympics. However, Bedoya was not among the 23 who ultimately traveled to China. Despite being chosen for this camp, the former Boston College product admitted his surprise upon receiving a call up to the United States national team.

“I hadn't heard anything about the full men's team at all,” said Bedoya. “I wasn't expecting this. I hadn't heard anything through rumors or anything that I would get a call (to the national team).”

As one of the rare natural left wingers in the U.S. pool Bedoya will have every chance to play himself into a prominent role on the U.S. team, though he is fully aware of the competition he will be facing as he tries to establish himself.

“Right now, the team has plenty of midfielders, but I think my two way skills in attack and defense can be very helpful to the squad in terms of being able to contribute offensively,” Bedoya said.

Whether or not Bedoya manages to earn his first international cap when the U.S. team faces Honduras on January 23 at Home Depot Center in Carson, the Orebro midfielder is enjoying the experience and will be looking to benefit from the veteran midfielders he is competing with.

“I’m very interested in learning from the midfielders who have been here before,” Bedoya said. "I look to guys like Sacha (Kljestan), Benny (Feilhaber) and Robbie (Rogers) to compare experiences and to bring my ability to their level. I feel that if I can bring my level to that of those who have been here before, then I can contribute.”

Comments

  1. “…bring my ability to their level. I feel that if I can bring my level to that of those who have been here before, then I can contribute.”

    Very well said, politically, especially for a newbie. However, don’t just try bring your ability to their level – plan to surpass it. Good luck!

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  2. BB is the first to cap J Bornstein, Castillo, Jose Torres, M Orozco…
    He recalled Corrales for the first time in the 2000s
    Now he called in Bedoya, and Gonzalez

    He’s played Pablo Mastreoni quite a bit this 4 year cycle.
    He also gave Benny F his first cap (although technically Brazilian)

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  3. Here here on Torres! Its a absolute shame he hasn’t been called up more! But hey, hes a mid, Bradley jr. is a mid, J.Jones will be here come W.C. I mean, I’m just sayin…..

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  4. Ives. I thought you promised to butcher all Swedish club names from now on. (Or was it that you wrote “O” instead of “Ö” in Örebro?)

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  5. That list makes me excited but at the same time a bit sad. Half of those guys will be over 25 and playing in their FIRST World Cup whereas the vast majority their age will be in their second or third.

    I think that’s the major downfall of US soccer – their inability to bleed youth early. Half of our proposed starters won’t have been their before so they won’t know how to handle the environment so we can not expect them not to make errors.

    The college system is a nice buffer for those who can’t make the jump to pro but I think it is too easy a place to camp out through the most pivotal 4 years in a soccer player’s life. Academies and bringing back the reserve league can not come sooner for US soccer.

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  6. They have tried to. It’s the fact they play in Mexico that has stunted his ability to call them up. Torres needs to play more but also must make himself available.

    Get in there Bedoya, anything to add quality depth – take your chances!

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  7. To me this is another positive sign for the USNT, albeit a sign for the future and not the present. Since I don’t really see him as making the 2010 WC squad (Unless he really shines) and you look ahead to the 2014 WC there could be a seriously strong Midfield for the US. Bradley (26), Edu (28), Holden (29), Torres (26), Zizzo (27), Castillo (28), Pontius (27), Rogers (27), Donovan (32), Dempsey (31), Adu (25). There is serious potential from this group of players to field an incredible midfield if they stay healthy and/or continue to develop their game.

    Add in a Strong Keeper Mix of Howard (35)/Guzan (30), a Defense with Spector (28), Marshall (30), Gonzalez (26), Orozco (28), Cameron (29), Lichaj (26), and forwards Jozy (25), Grella (27), & Tracy (27). And they could be a formidable team.

    Again if they stay healthy and continue to develop.

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  8. No one can objectively look at what Torres brings to the team when he’s on the field and not think Bob is either limited in his vision or just plain obtuse.

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  9. people are irrational…

    the only one that deems a position on the field ATM is Torres. Now, i will say it seems as though Torres has been given the short end of the stick, but MB, Clark and Feilhaber have worked well so far. HOPEFULLY Torres will get more of a look on the field in March.

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  10. Why? Is he wrong? Castillo and Torres are both talented left sided players, Torres should feature FAR more regularly, and yet they are scrambling to even get a plane ticket. Quite simply, Bob doesn’t know how to use anything that isn’t bunker conducive.

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  11. If he didn’t get called in, people would complain.

    If he gets called in, people will comaplain that he didn’t play.

    If he plays, people will complain that he didn’t start.

    If he starts, people will complain that it is out of position.

    If he starts in his position, people will complain that it is only because others were injured.

    If he started over healthy competition, people will complain that Bradley’s tactics use him incorrectly.

    If, and only if, Bradley plays him 90 minutes every single game while basing the game plan around him entirely will people stop bitching.

    But don’t hold them to it.

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  12. Another Latino?

    He’ll get called up, but never play.

    When Bob does call him, he’ll make him play out of position and in a formation that we normally don’t play him.

    Good luck to Alejandro.

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  13. He’s available and Bradley, at some level, believes he’s competent enough to help out in a training camp that includes the likes of Dax McCarty & Brandon McDonald.

    Maybe he’ll be good enough for the full Nats but he’s probably still more of a prospect for the future vis-a-vis current contenders like Beasley, Castillo, Bornstein and Pearce (if he’s being contemplated for defense).

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  14. I’m kinda getting excited to see this upcoming match with Honduaras. Fresh faces are always fun. Not the most attractive soccer but it give alot of guys a great oppourtunity. Good luck Alejandro.

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  15. I wish Bedoya all the luck. I remember the last fairly-obscure BC product who was succeeding in the Swedish league and how well he did when he was called up to the national team…

    I know it’s not fair to compare him to Davies for a number of reasons, but you never know where the next national team star will come from.

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  16. DaMarcus Beasley probably is not happy to hear this. It’s good to see some fresh blood in the mix. Bedoya’s story sounds very similar to Charlie Davies.

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