Photo by ISIphotos.com
German-born midfielder Jermaine Jones will have to wait a while longer to make his U.S. national team debut.
Jones is skipping next week's USA-Brazil friendly after initially accepting the invitation. Jones and Columbus Crew defender Chad Marshall have been replaced on the U.S. roster by World Cup forward Jozy Altidore and Los Angeles Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez, who has yet to be capped by the national team. Marshall withdrew from the squad, with no explanation provided by U.S. Soccer as to why.
German reports stated that Jones and Schalke manager Felix Magath determined it was too early for him to take part in international duty after being sidelined for nearly a year with a broken leg. Here is a statement from Jones, released by U.S. Soccer:
"I would like to thank Bob Bradley and the U.S> Federation greatly for my first official invitation," Jones said. "It is an honor that I have been working towards for over a year, and while I initially felt like I was ready to make my first appearance, it is also extremely important to me that I am 100 percent fit for my first national team game and that I make a good impression on the manager and my teammates.
"I hope to receive another invitation and finally fulfill my goal of playing with the U.S. national team in the very near future."
Jones missed the entire 2009/2010 club season as he dealt with a leg fracture that failed to heal properly. He has since return to action with Schalke this pre-season, even scoring in a match against Hamburg last week.
Jones has been with the U.S. national team once before, having come in to spend time with the team during the team's friendly against the Netherlands in March (the above photo is from that visit).
Jones' next chance for a call-up is likely to come in October, when a rumored friendly against Poland is in the works.
The United States takes on Brazil on Tuesday at the New Meadowlands Stadium. More than 55,000 tickets have already been sold for the match which will feature a U.S. roster with 15 World Cup players against a young Brazil squad.
What do you think of these developments? Disappointed to not see Jones? Happy to see Altidore coming in? Excited for Omar Gonzalez?
Share your thoughts below.
Jones out Omar and Jozy in. We should drop one more Sacha Klesten to even it out
What? He’s 20 years old! The ignorance of some of our fans just dumbfounds me. He has a World Cup, a Confederations Cup, a goal in La Liga at 19 years old, and a full premiership season under his belt…oh and a goal against Spain. If he was 28 with those stats, I would say give him the boot….but he’s 20 years old. Good God you instant gratification idiots!
exactly my sentiments.
I highly doubt Gonzo will get PT. This is simply an invite to bring him more into the fold, to gain exposure to the atmosphere/feel/speed of an international match (even though it’s a friendly), and begin seeing himself as a part of the National team.
I wouldn’t worry about Jones. Dude is kinda in debt to us for our docs fixing him up.
I would have left Jozy with Besitkas myself, but whatever, its not like half of their squad won’t be away on international duty themselves.
I was looking forward to seeing Jones too, but as long as his pulling out doesn’t burn any bridges that’s fine.
What is wrong with you?
That’s a very respectful comment made by Jones. I’m very happy he really wants to play for us and make a good impression with his teammates. I also think it’s pretty smart of him to put it off a little bit. Can’t wait until he suits up for us.
Out-the-Door stinks
Wasn’t Santos embarrassed by the Red Bulls this year? I don’t remember if Robinho played, but Neymar did not exactly embarrassed the Red Bulls defense. Neymar is a great talent, but he is still quite young.
yes, way to stick it to the man! what will the usmnt do without marshall? we’re doomed.
There will be plenty of scouts checking out young Brazilian talent at this game. It gives Altidore a chance to impress potential suitors. If he gets injured, he is under the contract with his Spanish team – he gets paid regardless of his playing status – it’s the playing time that is the issue. I am glad that Bradley is bringing a defender how actually has a decent chance to play in 2014. Nothing against Dolo and Bocangra, but they are too old to count on for the next WC. Putting Gonzo next to these veterans is a good move for him to learn the ropes and could make a nice mix of youth and experience in this friendly.
Umm, I’m betting we won’t, since he’ll be in the middle of the season for his club, and it’s not an official FIFA date. They don’t call it camp cupcake for nothin’. The majority of the January roster will be MLS and Scandanavian players, not guys playing with Euro clubs.
As esteemed as Jones is internationally, and as convenient as this opportunity seemed to be, I think Edu is going to claim that spot and hold it for the foreseeable future. He’s already fighting to be MVP for Rangers, and he is contributing on the score sheet as well. Also, Gonzalez may be raw, but throwing him into the big leagues early seems like the best way to give him perspective and an idea of what is required.
Nothing is sealed. If it were, he wouldn’t be practicing.
Jozy is supposed to be signing with Besiktas in the Turkish League. So that is pretty muched sowed up from what I have read.
he was implying that we need to look for someone to partner Jozy, seeing as that was a glaring hole in the World Cup. I think Jozy should stay with Villareal and get back into shape, and maybe break into the squad.
i would love to see castillo get in a car wreck.
If I were Marshall I wouldn’t play until Bradley was gone. Complete idiocy that he wasn’t on the national team for the world cup.
Does anyone know anymore about the USA v. Poland friendly in October? Will it be in New Jersey? The Redbull will also be playing on October 9th if that’s the date set.
We’ll see him soon. I just wanted to see him against Brazil.
i doubt hell play and if he does hell be a second hhalf sub a best
Then I’m Crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree Gonzales will get ate up if he plays. I think he should get playing time against a Concacaf team (Panama, Guatemala, Jamaica, Barbados, etc)to build his experience then maybe have him play against a top 10 Fifa rated team (Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, etc).
This is the type of game Omar nor any USMNT rookies should not play in to begin his USMNT career. If Man U and its speed troubled Omar in an All Star game, A couple of speedy moves from this young Brazil side which has a lot of speed could cause some confidence issues. The guy deserves a cap but maybe against a team like Poland first.
Does Josy want to make a good impression in Europe or is this an audition for other teams?.
For Gonzo, I agree that he’s not ready, but the way he’s going to GET ready is by taking his lumps against his Brazilian contemporaries.
It’s a friendly. Don’t look at outcome. Look at growth and progress.
are you implying jozy wont be helping in 4 years? i could have just read it wrong
That’s not quite what I meant. I apologize for not being clear.
Jozy, at 24, will ABSOLUTELY be on that team, unless he gets himself into a car accident the night before the final WC2014 qualifier.
I’d like to see some of the OTHER striker options called up rather than the stale Findley, and the out of form Buddle (Seen him lately? He’s a mess.)
how do you manage to blame bradley for this one? jones is pretty much at 100% to the point that if someone looks at him playing, they would think he’s at 100%. so after that, if jones tells him he’s 100%, bradley is supposed to get into his mind and feel whether he actually is or not?
this is ridiculous, when davies ISN’T called up when not 100%, people are outraged, and when jones IS called up when not 100%, the same people are outraged.
Hmmm…I actually think Jozy will actually help in 4 years…but your probably right, his career is basically over.
He is supposed to be signing with Besiktas in the Turkish League. So that is pretty muched sowed up from what I have read.
Disappointed about Jones because I was excited to see him. It makes sense though. He should focus on Schalke for now. What doesn’t make sense is Jozy making a Trans-Atlantic flight to play in a meaningless friendly after he just got to Spain less than a week ago when he should be focusing on A)Fighting for a spot on Villarreal, or B)Finding a team to go on loan to.
This leads me to believe that he will not be staying at Villarreal this season.
“know the guy is a freakish physical specimen, but his ball skills and positioning seem sub par for the USMNT ”
So you mean he’s younger Gooch, then?
*busting not busty, lol
I was looking forward to Jones busty some skulls in the midfield, but am definitely excited to see him at 100%, which he isn’t right now.
I must be the only person who isn’t impressed by OG. I know the guy is a freakish physical specimen, but his ball skills and positioning seem sub par for the USMNT at this point in his career. He still has a huge upside, but he isn’t ready yet IMO.
I would have loved to see Edgar Castillo get a call up.
Good to see Gonzalez get in there. I wonder why Marshall declined. Oh well, he was disappointing in that last gold cup. Good to see Altidore, he’ll get to play in his hometown. I wonder how fit he is though. I’m sure Jones well get called in for the October friendlies.
I’m ok with Jones withdrawing, disappointed, but ok with it. Though I must say that if I’m Bob Bradley, I’m embarrassed. Call up guys who are 100% ready to go.
Also, Neymar and Robinho are gonna eat Gonzalez alive, if he even plays.
Damn, Jones was the only reason I was excited for this match and now he’s replaced with overrated Jozy Altidore. Should be interesting to see Gonzalez out there, but the last thing LA players seem to need is another game…
There isn’t time to experiment. Its only a one day camp prior to the game and the players head out again right afterwards.
Happy for Gonzo. Not ready for primetime yet…but getting there.
I love Jozy as much as the next guy, but let’s trot out some strikers that might actually help in 4 years (Bowen, Tracy, Bowen) and let Jozy get used to the obscene caffeine levels in Turkish coffee.
Makes sense for Jermaine Jones to work on club fitness at this time. There’s time for him to be on the team.
Jones will get his chance. Good to see Omar Gonzalez coming in. It’s clear that BB doesn’t want to experiment much in this friendly. He wants to win.
agreed. He just got to Villareal this week and is only reovering from jetlag now…doesn’t make sense for him to go back to US for a friendly
Also Ream > Gonzalez
😎
Yeah, sad that we have to wait on Jones but it’s the right careful decision. Very exited about Omar though, he’s better than Chad in my opinion.
Shouldn’t Jozy be concentrating on his club status first?
It only makes sense he’d stay with his club. We’ll see him in January.
Stinks Jones isn’t coming but glad both Gomez and Altidore. If only Findley would decline as well
I’ve got no problem with Jones pulling out of this match, and anyone that does is crazy.