The new year is still more than a week away, but we will learn quite a bit about the new year for American soccer after a pair of announcements later today.
The U.S. Men's national team will unveil its roster for next month's training camp in Carson, California, a roster of close to 30 players made up mainly of MLS players and Scandinavian-based players. Meanwhile, Major League Soccer will release the schedule of home openers for all 18 teams playing in 2011.
The U.S. camp roster will tell us which MLS players impressed head coach Bob Bradley enough to merit a lengthy look during a three-week training camp that will culminate in the team's Jan. 22nd friendly against Chile. I projected the squad two weeks ago and I can't say I see it being much different. One thing to note is that the upcoming roster may not be as large as the 30-man roster called into camp a year ago.
In MLS, the league will unveil home openers for all teams and it's a safe bet the long-rumored Seattle Sounders-Vancouver Whitecaps season opener in Vancouver (NOT Seattle-Portland in Portland) will be the marquee opener of the bunch. It will be interesting to see who Portland faces in its home opener and when that home opener takes place.
Here are some other notes to get your Monday going:
Beckham wants another loan move
Los Angeles Galaxy star David Beckham has spent the past two winters on loan to AC Milan and is now saying he would like another winter loan to help him stay fit and in the picture for the English national team.
Beckham won't be going back to Milan, and would only return to the Premier League to play for Manchester United, which will limit his options for a short loan.
Beckham's desire for a loan is a bit surprising considering his loan with Milan last spring ended in him suffering a torn Achilles that forced him to miss the 2010 World Cup and most of the MLS season. The Galaxy aren't exactly in position to deny Beckham's desire for a loan move given the fact Beckham is entering the final year of his MLS contract.
A Beckham loan for the remainder of the European season would also free up considerable salary cap space for the Galaxy, but the club is reportedly still wary of letting the 35-year-old Beckham go on loan again.
Wolverhampton reportedly eyes Findley
U.S. national team striker Robbie Findley is out of contract and seeking European club options and one English club has been identified as a possible destination.
The Daily Mail is reporting that Wolverhampton is eyeing a bid for Findley. The report doesn't offer much in the way of details so it's tough to tell the validity of it, but it would certainly be a surprising move for a striker who has struggled badly for the better part of the last year.
The Portland Timbers will be watching the situation closely after having acquired Findley's rights in last month's MLS Expansion Draft.
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Who are you hoping gets called in for the USMNT camp? Who would you like your team to play its MLS home opener against? Think Beckham should go on loan again, or think he's crazy for still wanting to play for England?
Share your thoughts below.
Sky Sports is reporting that Findley will be signing with Nottingham Forest after snubbing Wolves…
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11727_6605959,00.html
Presumably Beckham’s loan would end in time for the start of the season this year right?
Yeah, he’s just an irritant at this point.
Rogers has done a lot for the Nats. Bedoya was not even called up for youth squads. By the way Wingers are provided to cross and assist not to score a bagillion goals. Also Rogers has only scored 5 times in 51 appearances for his Swedish club that is not a good record.Goodson has a better scoring record then Bedoya and he is only a CB. -.-
Are we getting stiffed on the roster announcement? What’s the deal with US Soccer, I can’t take the anticipation!
(SBI-Tuesday, 1pm)
If I’m McCarthy’s boss, I tell him your number one priority is to avoid relegation.
If you want to buy players, or waste time on new ones,tell me what this guy can do for you right now since you have no time to waste on developing anyone since we might fire you if we get relegated.
I don’t doubt that Findley would be a better player for spending any time training with an EPL club: I just don’t see why they would bother when right now their primary objective is to avoid relegation.
I don’t doubt McCarthy has a healthy ego; but he is also a very experienced manager. So if this is all true, which I doubt, he must see something in Findley which he can use right now.
It makes no sense otherwise.
lrlegation.
Findley goes to Wolves he has to bne able to hlep I see no reason why Wolves would taek on a player
Moreover, how do you know we wouldn’t call in Rogers if it were Klinsmann or Arena? Are you a mind reader? No.
It’s this simple – He’s a developing young player with a lot of talent. We don’t have a lot of those nowadays.
Moreover – No skill? no speed? not quick on the ball? no dribbling skills? That’s all idiotically wrong. He’s got all of those things. Look at his goal against New York in 2008, he shows a lot of that.
Word. The ball bounced on him a little.
I think it’s because he’s played in the majority of the USA’s games in 2010, he’s allowed to play. I don’t really know the rule, but I think that’s it.
Get this guy in camp ASAP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8ywCuYSQrA
You’re right…a legendary wanker.
Bottom line, both England and the Galaxy need to move on.
Let Beckham go on loan, and then dump him. What a joke! He has done nothing for soccer in the US.
Hopefully this clarifys and addresses your confusion, GW:
Q:Do I believe a player (Findley) making a step up in competition would be forced to develop other facets of his game?
A: Absolutely. To think otherwise or proclaim Findley as a finished product/done developing would be niave as it is unrealistic. Especially when training facilities improve, competition within training and perhaps even day to day coaching.
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Q:Why would Wolves bring in Findley if he’s “useless” and can’t help him stat?
A: Useless was your word, not mine. Perhaps a reasoning to bring him in and take a chance would be fairly obvious: Trial/Free Transfer.
Yes, you’re correct the manager is probably desperate for any shock of talent. I think it’s completely realistic that the Wolves manager see’s Findley’s speed and feels he’s better suited to utlized said speed on the pitch, perhaps even at a different position on the pitch.
Speculative thinking but perhaps this manager (like 99% of them) has a healthy ego and believes he knows how to utilize a player better than his previous manager. Again, especially since it costs them nothing.
I have no idea what wages they would pay him and don’t see the relevance considering they’re probably minimal in comparision.
Whether or not you agree with his justification of bring Findley in for a look-see (if it’s even true) doesn’t discount the point that Findley needs to continue to develop all facets of his game.
ESPECIALLY considering he’d be making a jump to higher competition.
Hopefully that disolves your confusion on Findley not being a finished product, as it appears you believe him to be?
Roger is a good player but not for the USMNT…He is young and can develop but that he has to do on his own. There are way too many up and coming players around to bother with him (U-20, Generation Adidas etc). He has good passing ability but we have Donovan and convey that are the the masters of assists. Factor in Diskerud, Bedoya and feilhaber with their pace and control acquired from playing in a high paced league than MLS, then developing players like Shea and Agudelo and Rogers rides pine. Of all the players he’s been given the most opportunity and hasn’t made the best of it. He’s not in the top five in any category in the league (and we’re talking MLS), His not playing for a foreign club (not even training), 2009 scored 1 goal in 20 starts, 2008 scored 6 goals….You can’t compare a player like Rogers and lets say Freddy Adu, so why is he so especial to Bradley and is almost a guaranteed call up (and please don’t say regular play time because regular play time in “kindergarten” and riding pine in “college” is not the same)??
I bet you if we had Arena or Klingsmann as coach we wouldnt hear that name for a long time. When was the last time he was in the MLS best 11 or made headlines or scored a spectacular goal?
He’s not exceptionally skilled, he doesn’t have speed, he’s not quick on the ball, He has no dribbling skills…..so instead of asking why shouldn’t he be, lets ask why should he…..
“Hopefully going to Europe and playing with/around other elite players will cause Findley to develop other facets of his game, rather than relying on said speed”
Let me see if I get get your logic correct.
An American player lacking “facets of his game”, is going to Europe, to the EPL, to learn these things?
Unless I’m wrong Wolves are in a dire relegation battle. Why would they pay Findley more money than he makes here if he is so useless? McCarthy is in no position to be taking on players, however inexpensive they may be, who can’t help him, stat.
I don’t know the man but does it not make sense to you he would only bring Findley over if he thought he could help him like right now?
“This kills any notion that Beckham is committed to anything but his own international career, such as it is. Beckham’s desire to play for England “one last time” reveals the pathos of an athlete who doesn’t know when it’s time to move on.”
I have no problem with what Beckham allegedly wants to do.
Correct me if I’m wrong but in order for Beckham to have an international career:
A.- Someone has to ask him to play for England
B.- The Galaxy and the MLS have to allow him to go on loan
If I’m Beckham and Capello want me and the Galaxy and the MLS are cool with it and I really wanted to risk my health to play for England I’d do it. I don’t see where he owes anyone anything.
Life is very short and in a very short time he will no longer be able to play for England or anyone. If it works out he may be able to participate in Euro 2012,arguably the most difficult tournament of all to win.
I agree with City, I think he should give the wing a try it fits more to his strengths. To be the best forward in the field you don’t need to be the fastest, just need to be in the right spot at the right time and being able to FINISH it.
psg would be a great fit for him actually
This Beckham loan talk will prove whether Leiweke has the testicular fortitude to tell the star with whom he’s infatuated, “no.”
I’m betting money that he won’t.
I would love to know if Good Ol’ Tim has any second thoughts about this Beckham gambit.
DV, you’re right. This kills any notion that Beckham is committed to anything but his own international career, such as it is. Beckham’s desire to play for England “one last time” reveals the pathos of an athlete who doesn’t know when it’s time to move on.
I am really interested to see Findley play winger. In the Turkey game when he made that chip pass to Donovan then it led to the second goal. That was a play and winger would make.
Rogers is a good player and is very young and have done a lot for the USA Nats, of course he is not our best player, but he is a good player with his crossing ability.NO Bedoya !!! he looks like a fat fish out of water flopping around when he plays. He has not done anything for the Nats and I cannot not understand why people say Rogers is horrible and should be off the national team when Bedoya has not done jack or assisted nothing.
Like that you’re criticizing Beckham and England then calling Beckham a “wanker”, an extremely British term..
Say all you want about his stint at LA but the man is a legend of the game.