U.S. men's national team head coach Bob Bradley has called in 24 players for the team's upcoming January camp in California and the squad is a young one.
Juan Agudelo, Teal Bunbury, Tim Ream, Eric Alexander, Zach Loyd and Sean Johnson are six of the young players called in to the January national team camp. All six enjoyed strong rookie campaigns in MLS in 2010.
MLS Cup champion Colorado is well represented, with four Rapids players getting called up. MLS Cup finalists FC Dallas has four current players as well as former player Dax McCarty.
Here is the roster:
GOALKEEPERS: Dominic Cervi (Celtic), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Matt Pickens (Colorado Rapids), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS: A.J. DeLaGarza (Los Angeles Galaxy), Sean Franklin (Los Angeles Galaxy), Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy), Ugo Ihemelu (FC Dallas), Zach Loyd (FC Dallas), Ryan Miller (Halmstads BK), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Anthony Wallace (Colorado Rapids), Marvell Wynne (Colorado Rapids)
MIDFIELDERS: Eric Alexander (FC Dallas), Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro), Sam Cronin (San Jose Earthquakes), Mikkel Diskerud (Stabaek), Jeff Larentowicz (Colorado Rapids), Dax McCarty (D.C. United), Brek Shea (FC Dallas)
FORWARDS: Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Justin Braun (Chivas USA), Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
The U.S. national team will be in camp in Carson, California from Jan. 4th to January 22nd, with the camp concluding with the team's friendly against Chile at Home Depot Center.
What do you think of the roster? Who are you most excited to see in camp? Anybody missing that you think should have been called in?
Share your thoughts below.
If you watched the recent exhibition games, BB is clearly experimenting with moving away from the 4-4-2.
This camp is all about new guys (like Wondo) and kids.
“The timing is right to assess many of the younger players and to broaden the player pool as we look forward to the next three years,” said Bradley. “These extended camps give the coaching staff an opportunity to work with these players closely, and at the same time expose them to what the environment and expectations are like at the international level. We have a good feel for the veteran players in the pool, several of whom are coming off long seasons, and we certainly expect many of them to be part of the program for the important tournaments this year.”
It’s funny people rip BB for always playing the same guys, then when he brings in a completely new cast of characters, at a time when experiments are in order, he still gets ripped for “too much inexperience.”
From the USSF website re the Algeria game 2010 WC:
“Jonathan Bornstein made his World Cup debut in a revamped U.S. backline, slotting in at left back, while Carlos Bocanegra lined up centrally alongside DeMerit. In addition to Bornstein, Edson Buddle made his first-ever World Cup appearance as a late second half sub and DaMarcus Beasley made his seventh all-time World Cup appearance in his third World Cup tournament when he replaced Bornstein in the 80th minute. For Gomez, the start was just the second of his USA career, dating all the way back to a game at the 2007 Copa America.
Lineups:
USA: 1-Tim Howard; 6-Steve Cherundolo, 15-Jay DeMerit, 3-Carlos Bocanegra (capt.), 12- Jonathan Bornstein (7-DaMarcus Beasley, 80); 10-Landon Donovan, 4-Michael Bradley, 19-Maurice Edu (14-Edson Buddle, 64), 8-Clint Dempsey; 9-Herculez Gomez (22-Benny Feilhaber, 46), 17-Jozy Altidore”
This shows Dolo at right back, where he also plays for Hannover. Look it up.
From the moment he declared for the US, long before Holden went to Bolton,it was very clear that Jermaine Jones, if he could get healthy, was going to be the most talented CM available to the US.
Assuming he gets himself straightened out with Schalke or whichever club he winds up with, there is no reason to assume anything has changed. He has the track record to prove it.
Holden, who has done very well, has half of one good season for Bolton and he’s never displayed this kind of form for the US so it’s a little early to see how he works out for the US.
“As for Cameron, I felt he was playing alright towards the end of the MLS season. I just figured that it would be a good camp to call him up to. He’s relatively young and Bob could have tested him at centerback. ”
Is he a better prospect than Ream, Boss, Gonzalez, Opara, etc,. etc, ? If he has a standout MLS season in 2011 then he can force his way back into the picture; otherwise he’s a numbers game victim.
Here’s what BB said.
“The timing is right to assess many of the younger players and to broaden the player pool as we look forward to the next three years,” said Bradley. “These extended camps give the coaching staff an opportunity to work with these players closely, and at the same time expose them to what the environment and expectations are like at the international level. We have a good feel for the veteran players in the pool, several of whom are coming off long seasons, and we certainly expect many of them to be part of the program for the important tournaments this year.”
This camp is for either new guys who haven’t been there before (such as Wondo) or real young kids. Convey fits neither category.
If he rips it up at the start of the 2011 season and none of the other LB ideas work out, there is plenty of time to bring Convey in for the Gold Cup.
This camp has no bearing on Convey’s chances for USMNT reinstatement one way or another.
No Kevin Alston and no Bobby Convey are the biggest shocks.. unless Alston is still injured I don’t see how DelaGarza gets called ahead of him
I’d go with a:
=================Bunbury====================
===Mix==========Agudelo============Bedoya===
=======Larentowicz======MacCarty============
Miller====Ream==========Gonzalez====Franklin
=================Cervi=====================
Switch to a 4-4-2 in the 2nd half and use:
=======Agudelo========Wondolowski=========
Shea========Mix=======Cronin========Bedoya
Wallace=====Ream====Gonzalez=====DeLaGarza
===============Pickens====================
Further Subs:
Braun for Agudelo (75-80 min mark)
Alexander for Mix/Bedoya (70-80 Min mark)
I dunno. I just really doubt we’ll ever see Convey again under Bob. I don’t think he’ll be called up to a “A-friendly” like Egypt
I don’t think anyone’s saying MB plays only cuz his name is Bradley; but it sure looks like he never sits because…well for some reason other quality CM’s should switch to back-up wide positions or back-up centerback positions if they hope to get minutes.
Whereas, maybe it’s just me, but MB’s height and generally excellent positioning would suggest he is more of a candidate for a CB or – gasp – LB trial than the folks that have been moved about.
But as I said, I’d like to see MB and Holden tried in the center, AND Jones and Holden, AND Edu and Holden…with Holden the fixture and the OTHER CM the variable.
lol. Poor reporting is to blame
FC Dallas has the most players being called up(4)….awesome, great job Dallas!!!
+ zwei 🙂
Tim, I totally agree…Marvell Wynne is the absolute worst. I know he’s fast, but that’s about where it ends…
Thank you Tim. Convey played like 5-6 games at left back due to San Jose’s injuries. But SJ clearly wanted him at LM when the could.
Yes, I’d like to see Convey get a runout of LB for the Nats, to say he is an “experienced” left beck simply isn’t accurate.
Love him or hate him (and I know where American fans stand…) Bornstein is top of the list at LB until someone displaces him. I won’t say he excelled at the World Cup, but he held his own defensively while offering nothing forward — which was probably be design. A couple of years in Mexico could really do Bornstein a world of good.
While I agree Convey is probably the biggest name missing (reports are Opara tweaked his ankle in Spain and Cameron and Beckerman wanted a break due to injury layoff before the MLS season), it’s not exactly something I’m going to lose sleep over as Nat team fan.
Sure, it would have been nice to see Convey at LB, but it’s possible Convey turned down an invite and said “call me when the Egypt game comes around.” This roster is a clear continuation of the SA friendly. Do I think some of these guys are good enough. No, I don’t. But hey, give ’em a shot. Maybe someone will surprise. Out of this group maybe –MAYBE– two players make the 23 for the Gold Cup, and it’s probably a backup CB and backup FWD.
I am kinda surprised Heath Pearce wasn’t in here, but that may be due to injury return as well. It this was a pre-World Cup January camp, more veteran MLSers and Scandinavian guys would have been here. As a first-year cycle January camp, it’s probably better let guys rest niggling injuries and guys like Goodson train with his new team and Feilhaber work on a January transfer in Europe. Yes, Goodson and Feilhaber were “available” due to winter break, but really, what would they have to gain by coming to this camp this year? They’re much better off working on their Euro club situations.
You also say “on the horizon” when talking about Holden. I’m not arguing that he is coming up very quickly, but MB is 2 years younger so in my opinion he also must be considered “on the horizon.” The best is yet to come from both of them, you can be sure of that.
I think most will agree that there are other talented players, but its also getting a bit old and ridiculous to keep suggesting he only plays because his name is Bradley
I agree with most of your comments but the only counter point I’d make is that the best way to evaluate if someone can play with MB…is to play said player with MB. I think this is primary reason he has been a bit overplayed. When it was clear he was far and away our best central midfielder, Bob had to overplay him to find the right partner. A bit of a catch-22 and also unfortunate that the one not being subbed was his son.
Edit: not since 2008.
BB has never called up Convey once so if this is the “getting to know guys” camp then this would be the perfect chance to give him a callup. Convey is only 27 and is very much in the conversation for 2014 when he will be 31. See Boca/Dolo/DeMerit who were all 31 this year for the WC.
Uhh every time you post a comment you hurt yourself more. Dolo ABSOLUTELY started at RB against Algeria. The back 4 in that game was Bornstein-Boca-Demerit-DOLO. Nice try, but all you’ve done is further my initial point that you have obviously very limited knowledge about the team. As for your point about Bornstein/LB in general, I doubt you’ll find anyone who will argue with that.
Uh actually Dolo started at LB in the Algeria game so you are both wrong. I thought you were referring to my comment about Bornstein being our leftback. The problem is we don’t really have a left back… we’ve just been using a patchwork combination of boca/dolo/bornstein and it sucks. Convey would be an easy solution.
I didn’t see Nat Borchers name. Am I blind? I might be forgetting that RSL has CONCOCAF Champions League coming up but I thought that was in Feb. I hope that’s the reason.
touche : )