Photo by ISIphotos.com
By ADAM SERRANO
CARSON, Calif.–The U.S. Men's National Team is set to head to Florida for its upcoming match against El Salvador, where the focus will be on reviewing the domestic players who expect to be contenders for World Cup roster slots in June. With the club traveling to Central Florida on Sunday,those who find themselves on the bubble are looking to make their case known to Head Coach Bob Bradley.
"Anybody who comes into a January of February camp during a World Cup year understands the importance of doing well. It's never an easy camp," said Bradley. "The last camp when we looked at everything, we weren't satisfied because we didn't play well enough against Honduras so now we'll see if this time will be different "
One player fighting for a spot is Columbus Crew winger Robbie Rogers, who is eager to play in his first World Cup. Rogers started and played 90 minutes against Honduras in January, but he played a majority of the match out of position, moving to left back after an early red card forced a move from midfield. He is fully aware that Wednesday's match could be his last chance to showcase himself for a full match.
"When you're on the bubble, you still have to keep working hard," Rogers said. "This is going to be an important game for me and our team and we want to get our first win of 2010 to get that momentum going into the World Cup.
"It's a chance for me to prove to the coaches that I should be considered for a spot and that I deserve that spot."
In recent weeks, the impressive play of a number of the European based players like the resurgence of Freddy Adu has signaled an increased pressure for the Columbus Crew winger. Despite the increased competition, Rogers remains undeterred at continuing to look for improve as he pushes for a place on the roster.
"I think I need to be consistent and score some goals for the team and work on the defensive part of the game. You have to have the whole package and prove that you're hungry to get on the squad," said Rogers.
Another big story on the final day of the team's LA based camp was the continued rehabilitation of defender Oguchi Onyewu. The AC Milan center back participated in light training for a third day even taking part in a number of small training scrimmages with the rest of the squad.
Onyewu who is preparing for a return to Italy has looked impressive by all accounts during training seeming very active while participating in drills. Head Coach Bob Bradley was vocal in his approval of Onyewu's continued development.
"He's starting to do a lot of individual ball work and he's just starting to get on the field in small team exercises where he has that opportunity to take that next step and that's what has happened," said Bradley. "It's a sign of progress and a reward that the work has paid off to get back to this point and hopefully he'll keep pushing. He has worked incredibly hard."
Coach Bradley also made a point to praise the recent play of Landon Donovan who shined today in Everton's 3-1 victory over Manchester United this morning.
"(Everton) has played well in this stretch and he has been a big part in the effort of every game. It's great for (Landon) and his confidence," said Bradley. "It says a lot for what we're all about."
The national team released its travel roster on Saturday and three players were sent back home. Philadelphia Union defender Michael Orozco and Los Angeles Galaxy centerback Omar Gonzalez were each sent back to rejoin their respective club's preseason program while currently out of contract goalkeeper Kevin Hartman also left camp.
the bottom line is that bob doesnt give torres, orozco, gonzalez, castillo etc one fifth the chances that he gives his son, klejstan, ching etc
if you are latino you will have a harder time seeing the field under bob than everyone else
Yeah, he assisted Honduras in the 2nd goal by playing no defense and in every other run down the wing where he didn’t know how to be near his mark or at least within 5 yards of him to prevent crosses!
I know he was out of position, but a true “winger” is supposed to be able to attack AND defend 1 on 1’s. He didn’t, he would square up with the Honduras wingers and give them such a cushion that his man would usually just fake a cut back inside to then only seperate himself and send in a nice quickly taken cross
ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought you started off your post with a sarcastic note and were serious about Rogers proving he’s good! LOL
Well by 2014 guys like Wallace, Castillo, Bedoya, Franklin & De la Garza (they can play left and right wings) and even the young guns from the U-17’s and U-20’s who are in Europe will be better.
Torres will be much more experienced with hopefully 2 Gold Cups in his resume and 2 qualifying runs as well as maybe a 2nd Confeds Successful run, who knows maybe we can get a competant coach and do well in Copa America if CONMEBOL forgives us for taking such an inferior squad in 07.
Finally, someone who actually watches games and understands that Bornstein is only gonna improve with more games under his belt. He’s shown some improvement since the summer.
1)he dribbled out of bounds nearly everytime on the wing against Honduras. 2) McCarthy is trash too. 3) “Holden” a.k.a Naruto has been through it all and is too popular with the fans to be criticized, and he has better delivery, ball control and technique.
Maybe Gonzalez and Orozco didn’t show as well as the other defenders.
In particular I’ve wondered about Orozco’s lack of speed when I’ve seen him play with San Luis. He has also looked pretty nervous at times. Mind you I’ve only watched a few times, and not recently.
Michael himself mentioned in an interview on Univisión’s República Deportiva that play with the Nats is faster and more physical(“más rudo pues”) than Mexican League play.
This is a majority middle class country, Brazil, argentina, the majority is poor. This argument about paying is so played out, you have to pay to play basketball, football,baseball, hell you even have to pay more money if you play an instrument. But that argument doesn’t hold serve in any of the other sports. You don’t here the inner city kids complain that they had to pay for basketball camp or to play in the league, they do it becuase it will help them achieve their dream. You need to re evaluate your idea of suburbia, I have grown up in the suburbs my entire life, I am Black, my friends are white,hispanic, asian, and mixed if they want to be pros at anything, and their parents can help them I do not see whats wrong with that, it doesn’t make them any less of a soccer player. If you can’t afford college you get student loans or a scholarship no one complains about that, but for sports especially soccer there seems to be more complaining then anything else. How do you propose they make soccer free for eveeryone? Who is going to pay for it?
You need to pay attention more. Mexican league players like Castillo are NOT in this camp since their teams are playing. Only MLS types are in this camp.
Cutting someone can be a great motivator.
Rogers just needs to step up and put some weight on his shoulders. The kid has all the talent, just needs the confidence of being a mature player at the top level. He needs to step out of himself and get some fire.
Maybe Gonzalez y Orozco showed enough that Bob sent them back and is considering them for another match with better players. Its possible he is really taking a look at players that are really bubble players that always get called up for the C Team. Those two maybe B players that get looked at later. How knows with him, its not like he is ever going to tell us anything. Surprised he came out and said that much about Landon (him being specific).
I believe that the race card is uneceessary in this debate. As an African-American male myself, I take pride in seeing players like DMB, Mo Edu, Jozy, Gooch, Findley, EJ, freddy take the field. BB is no racist
I think you are overlooking the fact that a lot of talented inner city and/or minority athletes whether latino, african-american, asian, etc. end up choosing to play or focus on sports that are more popular in America. I am not against setting up youth rec leagues in inner city areas, but as long as the big stars and big bucks are in the NFL, NBA, MLB kids in America (no matter what their racial/ethnic background is) will dream of playing those sports as much or more than soccer.
I’m not making the inner kids the savior of American Football. I just believe that everyone deserves a shot of being a national whether you have the money or not. Players in Brazil come from all over there classes:rich middle or lower class. Here in the US the middle class is producing our players.
Why would we still stop playing the race card when the riches of the world are still controlled by Caucasians in 2010.
But Bob not choosing Latinos is no fault of Bob but of American youth systems that are well above the money of Latino and Black families. Which is why Caucasians suburbans are the vast amount of players available in the National pool.
This country will not get better players until free youth systems are in place and until the inner city kids get in on the fun.
tell that to bob
Why you all getting worked up Bob is not going to pick Rogers unless some of our starting XI and starting reserves get hurt. And Rogers does his job like I said before his job is to assist and he does that. he is not gonna be like Landon and get a goal each game. He is an assist mister. Not scoring mister. Have you ever seen Rogers play in an attacking position on senior level. Nope ! because he is an winger and he assist. What game was it when Rogers, dribbled that many times out of bounds. You all say McCarthy is better what has McCarthy done for the national team. You all don’t bash Holding. Holding has not looked that impressive for a while, but no you all always wanna bash Rogers, lol.
Rogers is fast and can crack a shot every now and then but his touch was horrid against Honduras. I think he may one day be at national team level, but he has a lot of maturing and improving to do before he gets there. His speed and athleticism warrent him getting the look though.
Bornstein gets blasted unfairly. He’s been good for the USA the last 6 months. The wingbacks in Bob Bradley’s playing system have to cover a whole lot of ground. Dempsey and Donovan have assignments that push them centrally often, and its up to the wingbacks to provide that width on the attack, as well as cover all of their defensive responsibilities too. Its the system that is occasionally going to leave the wingbacks alone chasing an attacker cutting in at full speed. Bornstein has been much better than many realize. If we had had him in 2006, we might have advanced as Eddie Lewis was much worse than Bornstein has been this cycle.
+1
“pistolero”
To answer your questions.
Cameron is versitale and deserves this shot after two impressive seasons he was in the camp last year as well and got hurt.
Pontius plays an attacking position, if you haven’t noticed we need strikers and players who shoot first and can open the game up for other players, thats why he’s getting the look.
Conrad started cause he is a veteran who made the last world cup, he played ten minutes cause he’s an idiot and got red carded.
Gonzalez is young, getting called in to the camp should be enough of an honor for him, but defense is something that shouldn’t be tinkered with, he’s not going to beat out marshall and goodson. Him getting called back he essentially replaced conrad, if there is another injury then gonzalez would most likely make the team, but his exclusion isn’t as big of a deal as some are making. Same with orozco, he got his look now he knows what he needs to do to make it, this is only his second camp as well, let these guys develop.
wow, your an a**. maybe they aren’t going to beat the guys in front of them. its 2010 don’t you think its time to STOP playing the race card!
Bornstein and Goodson are my picks. Not really Bornstein, he’s Bradley’s pick
we wanted to criticize. It’s human nature.
Rogers=the only pro I’ve seen who managed to dribble the ball out of bounds 5 times against the same team at a national level. If Adu keeps going well BB should be fired if he choses someone like Rogers over him. A half fit beasley who can play a half would do better than Rogers. We have so many midfield options anyway that adding an ineffective winger not make any sense. People often seem to forget he played against Slovakia. Why? Because he didn’t go anything!! If Rogers looks for tickets now he should be able to make it to SA and say he was at the games.
Man, you beat me to it….
Rogers will impress and show he deserves to make the squad, in 2014 after Beas retires…
I don’t understand why the Rogers hater took time to read an article, where the title and main story line is about Rogers ?
Anything that leaves Wynne on the roster is disappointing.
Geoff Cameron and Chris Pontius are on the travel roster and they have 0 caps. They are young and Pontius was a rookie last year in MLS just like Gonzalez. Does he have a shot of making the team? Conrad played central defense last game for 10 minutes, why?
“This is going to be an important game for me and our team…”
Yeah I can’t wait to see which of the 1 to 3 players from this roster makes it to the World Cup. All of which I will hope never make on the field because if they do that means we are in some serious trouble.
I can’t see Robbie Rogers ever being good enough on the national stage. If we end up taking him to the world cup even as a reserve I know we are in real trouble.
too latino for bob
finally, a true statement… ha!
I guess they suck…
Maybe that means Castillo will get a look. If he does, I’ll get over no Orozco or Gonzalez, though I am extremely curious to watch all three.
Beasley and Adu >>>>>> Rogers, Sacha, McCarty
Davis>>>>Rogers
I assume that since this is a game for World Cup hopefuls that it was too late in the game for Gonzalez and Orozco to play their way in.
Hard to call/consider a player for the World Cup roster after only one appearance in a friendly, especially for a defender.
Which is why Bradley stuck with the guys that for better or worse have played for him these past few months.
Rolfe > Rogers
We don’t know if he IS the backup/replacement of Gooch if he hasn’t played a game at international level yet, like you said. He deffinatly has potential but lets not put such high expectations on a player that doesnt have a cap yet.
Yes, I love the pronunciation in Spanish. I also like the Spanish for Kasey Keller, that would crack me up, too bad he’s not suiting up for the Nats anymore.
I am pretty disappointed about the exclusion of Gonzalez for this game. I’m not sure why he has been dismissed as not ready for International play, when he has not been given one chance to play. Why are Marshall Goodson getting the automatic nod over Omar? Big mistake from Bob B. Omar should be playing 90 come wed. he IS the back up or replacement of Gooch.
The only positive about Robbie Rogers being on the national team is when I watch games via the Spanish feed. They call him Robbie Roy-yers and it makes me laugh. As for his play on the field… eh, nothing special.
God the fact that Bob’s only carrying 5 defenders bothers me, and he leaves Heath Pearce on too? WTH?
How is this guy still in the depth chart?
Tell me how Boca, Bornstein, Castillo and even Spector and Beasley aren’t better than this fool?
Please don’t let Casey see the field, we already saw what he can do, which isn’t much, if we are going to see what Findley has to offer or Cunningham for that matter and even Ching coming back from injury, the team needs someone who will service them like Brad Davis!
I hope Davis and say McCarty are on the wings and Beckerman and maybe Cameron? But I’m willing to bet Bob starts Sacha in the middle!
So what Bornstein, Marshall, Goodsen and Wynne?
Ives any idea if we’ll see Pontius? Or who you think won’t make the 18 dressed? I’m hoping Evans and Gaven are left off, would have been fine with leaving Sacha off for 1 of the defenders but what can you do?
Nevermind.
Alston?
Did they say why those players were left off?
Official roster is here:
http://www.ussoccer.com/Teams/US-Men/Rosters/100220-MNT-SLV.aspx
Any reason given for the release of Orozco and Gonzalez? I was really looking forward to seeing Orozco at RB. The only other true RB on the roster is Wynne – argh! Or might we see Cameron at RB? I forgot which other midfielders can play RB.
I do NOT want to suffer through another 90 minutes watching Wynne flail out of position. I’m pretty much done with that guy.