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Henley called in by Wales for Mexico match

Adam Henley (Getty Images)

Gareth Bale and five other players will not be available for Wales' friendly against Mexico this coming Sunday, and one of the replacements called in is American-born Adam Henley.

The 17-year-old left back, who was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, is among the six players who have been summoned by Wales head coach Chris Coleman as replacements for the upcoming friendly versus Mexico at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on May 27.

Henley, who made his professional debut this season with Blackburn Rovers, has yet to be capped by Wales. But he has represented the country at youth levels before.

Bale and five other players (Celtic's Joe Ledley, Cardiff City's Darcy Blake, Blackpool's Neal Eardley, Crystal Palace's Lewis Price, and Sunderland's David Vaughan) withdrew from contention for the friendly due to injury. The other replacements called in by Coleman are Jazz Richards (Swansea City), Jermaine Easter (Crystal Palace), Joel Lynch (Nottingham Forest), and Owain Fon Williams (Tranmere Rovers).

What do you think of Henley getting called up by Wales? Think he will make his debut versus Mexico? Wondering if the United States considered giving Henley a look?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Well he’s 17-18 so it’s pretty hard to say just what is in his mind. He has some familiarity with the Wales set up so he would naturally gravitate there.

    In terms of the USMNT the key, as it is in any recruitment of teenage athletes, is probably his “people”, his family, his minders, who ever is calling the shots on his career.

    Anyway, good luck to him.

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  2. Highly rated. i have Watched him play a few Times. One of the best Young footballers. Vote for him as best Young left back on social442.com

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  3. No big deal. If he ever wants to play in a World Cup, it will be in a US uniform. This doesn’t cap tie him, so who cares…

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  4. I love how you’re referring to the MLS call ups as bums, yet, you have zero idea who he is.

    I suppose you’re equivalent to the “MLS bums” in the supporter realm.

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  5. Hmmmm…. guess someone forgot to tell Brazilians you can’t play soccer in humidity. Few others that missed that memo as well.

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  6. Let’s not overreact here al17. I assume BamaMan just takes pride in seeing players from his region succeed at the international level. Just as I would take pride in seeing Filipinos succeed at anything (being Filipino myself). There is nothing wrong in feeling a sense of pride for a shared identity.

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  7. Have you ever been in the South, especially in the summer? It’s hot and humid – not a good climate to be running around for 90 minutes. When we lived in the South we played softball – that way you only have to run a short way and then get a chance to catch your breath.

    Didn’t play soccer until we got the SoCal, where even when it hot, the humidity is low -much easier to run and run.

    Perhaps it’s just like most ice hocky player probably come from states where there is actual ice outdoors.

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  8. I see, I thought you meant guys closer in age to Henley. These guys are all mid 20s. Beitashour just turned 25. I like Beitashour and think he should get called in.

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  9. You have no idea and must be under 35yrs old. It was a HUGE problem til the mid 90’s along with alot of other issues. Today’s program does a hell of alot better job of trying and using talented players from around the country and we all know from outside of the USA.

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  10. He’ll be in trouble if he wants to represent England, especially since he appears to be ready to represent Wales.

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  11. A. Henley would have to file a onetime switch to represetn the U.S. now. B. He has expressed more desire to represent England than the U.S. In my humble opinion Henley will never suit up for the U.S.

    The U.S. has some very promising LB’s coming through the ranks i.e. Ocegueda, Ambrose, Hernandez. I think we will be fine. Not only that Henley wants to play his more natural RB position. In which the U.S> has a plehtora of RB’s.

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  12. Also ironic is the fact that this friendly is taking place in the United States. Wonder what kind of reaction he might get if he accepts the call up and saw some time on the pitch.

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  13. Never heard of him before, but playing for Blackburns first team is more of a resume than some of these MLS bums we call up at all levels.

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  14. Well the joke would be on him if he decided to “pull a Chandler,” just as the joke could very well be on Timmy for “pulling a Chandler”.

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  15. sidenote: he was incredibly impressive against Nani.

    Should the US give him a look? Absolutely. Will he pull a Chandler? Probably.

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  16. Uhm, Henley has been with the Wales program for a long time. This is just dumb. He has never been apart of the US program or set-up. No the U.S. team should not have given him a look.

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  17. Were there previous regional biases in assembling the National Teams of yesteryear?

    I have never heard of this before not that it isn’t likely tho have transpired.

    I would love to hear more about this …

    Ives, you got time to do an article on the development of the program over the last decades?

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  18. Serious Deficit of Southerners on the Men’s Nats team?

    Are you serious? We’re all Americans, let’s not even start with this regional crap within our country. It’s part of the reason why it took so long to even put together a decent national team.

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  19. What do I think of Henley getting the Call-up for Wales?

    Crickets chirping in background.

    Not even on the chart of concerns when it comes to our Nats program. Simply put, the US will most likely qualify for the next weekend. Even Nostradmus couldn’t tell ya when Wales will qualify for another World Cup. The 1958 Finals being the only one they’ve appeared in.

    Good Luck to him.

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  20. Disappointing for two reasons;

    First, because we have a serious deficit of Southerners on the USMNT and strangely enough I’ve got a special place in my heart for Knoxvegas.

    Second, because it’s Wales. It’s hard to blame a player for taking the opportunity to go play for a world power where soccer stars are the biggest thing going. It’s a little different when the country in question is a perpetual doormat in Europe where soccer is much, much less popular than Rugby Union.

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