By FRANCO PANIZO
Jonathan Spector picked up an ankle injury over the weekend, but that won't stop him from attending the U.S. men's national team camp this week.
Spector is set to join head coach Jurgen Klinsmann and the rest of the U.S. team in South Florida on Monday as it gets ready to prepare for its Saturday friendly against Honduras, a source told SBI. Spector had been subbed off in the 12th minute of Birmingham City's 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest after sustaining an ankle injury.
Enjoying a good start to the season with Birmingham, Spector will be in his second camp under Klinsmann, though the versatile player has yet to play for the new U.S. head coach.
Here are more stories from Monday:
AFELLAY SIDELINED SIX MONTHS
Barcelona midfielder Ibrahim Afellay will be out for an expected six months after having surgery to rebuild the ACL in his left knee. The 25-year-old Netherlands international suffered the injury in training in September. Dutch head coach Bert van Marwijk believes Afellay will return to full fitness by the time the 2012 European Championship begins next summer.
LLORIS EXTENDS STAY AT LYON
Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has signed a contract extension that will keep him with the club until summer 2015. The 24-year-old French international was scheduled to become a free agent in 2013, but like teammate Michel Bastos last week, Lloris put pen to paper on a long term deal. Since joining Lyon in 2008, Lloris has twice been named best goalkeeper in Ligue 1.
NILMAR TO UNDERGO SURGERY
Villarreal's depth at forward will take a hit on Tuesday, as striker Nilmar is scheduled to undergo surgery to remove a cyst from his right knee. The timetable for Nilmar's recovery is currently unknown. The news comes as a big blow to Villarreal, which is already without injured forward Marco Ruben and currently sits in 12th place in La Liga with only one victory.
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Do you see Spector playing in either of the upcoming friendlies? How do you see Afellay's injury affecting Barcelona? Smart move by Lyon to extend Lloris' stay?
Share your thoughts below.
Klinsy should have brought in Todd Dunivant or Omar Gonzalez in his place.
Those other guys you mention are all basically German– but with a weird identity crisis that makes them think they should represent a country they have never lived in.
Is it possible to find a more dumpy picture of one of the sexiest soccer hunks alive? Geez Ives run these pics by Kickette first.
Eh… I’m no expert, but Spector is not quite in the same boat. He has the passport because he’s German-Jewish on one side of the family. He’s more than likely 2 generations removed. Those other guys you mention are all basically German– but with a weird identity crisis that makes them think they should represent a country they have never lived in.
Nah. We’ve had plenty of servicemen and women in Germany since WWII. The Germans seriously upgraded their development model in the last decade, which is paying dividends for their, and our, national team.
Right around the time of Desert Storm!
Ha, I just remembered Spector is also German-American, but more of the American variety, compared to Chandler, et al. We really do have quite a German connection in the USMNT. It seems to have happened all of a sudden but obviously, it had to have started over 20 years ago, to suddenly have all these young German-Americans like Chandler, Huerzler, Johnson, etc in the pipeline.
They still retain part of his rights if he’s sold to a bigger club once developed by Alkmaar.
Or striker…
i dunno, i think they feel they gave him a fair shot and he didn’t produce. Though, I bet they wish they put some clause in his sale that increases his transfer fee the more he scores; maybe it does.
Or LB?
Before kicking themselves they’d probably need someone to remind them who Jozy is, first, and that he was once property of the Yellow Submarine.
They’re drying their tears on Rossi’s jersey.
Bet Villarreal are kicking themselves for selling Jozy now. Especially with the form he’s been in.
I still wouldn’t mind seeing Spector line up at center back. We are still VERY shallow at that position.