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Klinsmann discusses USMNT snubs, training camp and more

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When Jurgen Klinsmann named the 27-man roster for the current U.S. national team training camp, the players who didn't get called in were as big a story as the players who Klinsmann did call in. The absences of several players came as a surprise, while some other long-shots didn't come through for some fans.

In case you missed it on Wednesday, Jurgen Klinsmann spoke in detail about many of the players who most fans were curious about being left off the current USMNT training camp roster. In my Fox Soccer Training Camp Notebook, Klinsmann addressed the absences of Tim Ream, Eric Lichaj, Sacha Kljestan and Freddy Adu.

Among the more interesting tidbits was Klinsmann stating that Geoff Cameron is currently ahead of Tim Ream on the depth chart, and that Brek Shea's recent MLS suspension played a part in him not being called in (that tidbit actually didn't make it into the story, but Klinsmann did address it). He also laid down some very specific requirements for Adu to work his way back onto the national team radar.

Give the story a read if you haven't already. If you have, what did you think of Klinsmann's statements? Agree with his decisions? Still don't get why Lichaj didn't make the cut?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Then you don’t know anything about Mexican soccer. You hate Italian, Dutch, Spanish, Brazilian, & German. Mexican soccer is more diverse and has less diving than any of these leagues. In fact I will bet that the English Premier League has more diving than Mexico.

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  2. Shea’s last few outings in international play have been disappointing. Beckerman and Cameron’s appearances seem to be the new tokens to appease the MLS besides Donovan. Feilharbor’s absence is peculiar but we have so many midfielders. Then Wondo shows up?

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  3. That game against Spain will be 4 years ago in June. That can’t be justification to include him now.
    Here are “highlights” from that game. http://www.thedenimkit.com/2011/06/03/do-you-remember-the-time-freddy-adu-vs-spain/
    There are two brilliant passes and one great turn into the box. Several of the “highlights” are in fact turnovers. A stepover with a heavy touch right to the defender, another where he takes on two defenders in corner. Even the turn into the box he ends up being lucky to get the ball back. His pass is behind his teammate, the defender pokes the ball away and Adu is able to take the ball to touch before serving an excellent cross.

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  4. Why wait?

    Since JK took over the US has scored 8 goals in 10 games.

    Does that not qualify as “a bit of trouble in the scoring area” ?

    Yet the biggest change to the attack in this camp is ….wait for it… Donovan is back, and Corona is here with his partner in crime, Castillo.

    You’d think if JK saw Adu as any kind of solution for a scoring drought he would have called him in for his “simulated tournament” by now.

    So what does that tell you?

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  5. “agreed. i’m certainly not trying to bash kb–he’s one of the best in our league–but it’s the same as when we kept having to call up connor casey.”

    NATE,

    1. Of course you are bashing kb. Take ownership of your views. Be courageous.

    I love people who say ” not to be insulting” who then go on to be completely insulting.

    2. The Casey comparison is wrong. JK does not have to call up kb. He could call up Sacha in his place. But he does not. Because he thinks kb is better.

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  6. “And lots of players disappear during streches, not to say thats a good thing, but is Adu really alot worse at that than Donovan or Dempsey or Altidore?”

    Yes. Absolutely.

    Look it up. Adu does not belong in the conversation with those three players.

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  7. There is still a lot of racism towards, for example,the dual nationals from Germany who are primarily of African-American heritage as well as for and against our latino contingent.

    Nothing new there.

    By the way our dual nationals from Germany are not half Americans. They have American passports, which is the only way you can play for the USMNT.

    This means they are not half, but full Americans; whether you like it or not.

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  8. Everyone wants Adu to play well on a more consistent basis, but when he is in form, what he provides more than offsets any weak defense he has. And lots of players disappear during streches, not to say thats a good thing, but is Adu really alot worse at that than Donovan or Dempsey or Altidore?

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  9. At the risk of being obvious, life isn’t fair. National team managers certainly aren’t.

    If there were a guaranteed formula every manager could follow to insure the best team gets put together and achieves the best results then you would not need a manager, you would just need the formula.

    Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed formula and for the foreseable future, guys like JK will have many cases where they will just have to make some sort of judgement call.

    By definition judgement is subjective.

    Like the pirate movie says, “Klinsmann’s call-up rules” aren’t so much rules. They are more like guidelines.

    Everyone needs to lighten up on the violation of “the call-up rules” thing.

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  10. Your kidding? Adu is not selfish, he delivered vs El Salvador and was our best player and set up two goals. The defense did not deliver in that game and that is why we lost. He delivered in his last game for philly til the red card. When he is in form he is smart and should have the ball often even if he does get stripped a few times because he will do more good than bad. If he is not in form, it is a different story.

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  11. The inability to separate a growing league like the MLS to the established International level, and not understanding the skill set difference is an american soccer fans greatest hurdle right now. Anyone that discusses the MLS, will clearly state it is hectic, with no calmness on the ball, typically. In the rare instances like Agudelo, Cameron, Ream, and a few others, we see the pedigree international type players. Is Agudelo there yet, no, but he has more tools than the Wondo and Coopers of the world. And there has been alot of Agudelo backlash of late…just like Jozy…maybe not you, but quite a few posters have said foolish things. So I will disagree with you and stand by my statements.

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  12. If we can only spot 1/2 of one game where Bob made the wrong personnell decision, then that is probably saying a lot about what he did. He built this team from the ground up and Klinsy has mostly inherited it.

    Separately: Do you think Bob would ever be accused of favoring Mexican/European players just because of the league they’re in or where they grew up? I actually think Klinsy favoring 1/2 Americans will sit poorly with real Amurricans and will be somewhat of a deterrent to expanding soccer’s audience in the US. What will people think in interviews when half the team can barely speak English? (Disclaimer: I am of firm belief that you field the best team you can, and I commend him for that, but I’m just curious how non hardcore soccer fans would react to this).

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  13. You asked, I will reply. It is ridiculous first because you are accusing people who don’t feel Agudelo should have been called into camp as Agudelo haters. I think most people who feel Agudelo’s call-up was undeserved call-up feel that way because he has not even come close to meeting Klinsmann’s criteria for being called into camp and that some people more deserving were not called up. Not because we hate him. Secondly, it is a ridiculous statement because you say “Americans know too little about talent.” Admit it, jermaine, that is ridiculous. Most people who feel Agudelo should not have been called into camp, myself included, think that Agudelo has talent with the potential to develop into a good player, but that he still has a lot of hard work to do before he can win a slot on the USMNT. I imagine Agudelo will be released later today to go back to Chivas to work hard at improving his game. I hope he succeeds.

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  14. agreed. i’m certainly not trying to bash kb–he’s one of the best in our league–but it’s the same as when we kept having to call up connor casey.

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  15. not this last friendly against Spain, it was another one; and he was arguably MOTM for that one.

    and i agree with the OP: adu has been very consistent for the full national team. I don’t give a crap how (or even if) he plays for his club team; if a player brings it at the national level, then call them up.

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  16. Each player situation is different and these games in reality had better be the final tune up before it all really begins.

    Therefore Lichaj and Ream rest for the same reasons Chandler did last year. Give the young player a breather before what could/should their real breakout year. Adu can be classified here as well.

    Boyd, Moralles and Agudello need to be shown the love at this point more than they need the rest and each legit have upside potential and/or status checks Klinsi wants to see.

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  17. Why is that a ridiculous statement
    Biff? I think in a lot of cases it’s spot on. We are at the dawn of our Futbol knowledge compared to the rest of the world, and I dare say some still think that MLS players like Cooper, and Wondo can cut it on the international stage…they can’t. Agudelo has the skill set that will shine in the international stage, just like Altidore before him. Another young player that was degraded by the american fan base. The fact you think it’s stupid actually does nothing but solidify it for me.

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  18. I think Adu needs to show that he can give a consistently high level of effort. Adu tends to drift in and out of games and provides almost no defensive pressure when he plays. His pace of play is too slow at times as he is always looking for the killer pass when, at times, he needs to be playing simply and moving to get the ball back. This works against lower level competition, but not at the higher level.

    In contrast, I think Donovan is much better when the level of play is higher and he can concentrate on getting down the wing, making runs in space and setting up his teammates.

    JK is building for the long hall, not just playing the guys that can do well in the first round.

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  19. Jonathan Spector was still on the bench ready for duty in the Gold Cup final. Also Maurice Edu, who BB started in the Spain fiasco friendly before the Gold Cup and was pulled out at half time of the Spain friendly and made a scape goat and then after that basically was relegated by BB to the bench for the Gold Cup, also was on the bench in the Gold Cup final. To me, Edu’s treatment last summer during the Gold Cup was not one of BB’s best moments and was also a major strategic mistake that was a key factor to the USMNT not winning the Gold Cup.

    But back to the point: The main point is that BB in the first place wasted a roster spot calling Jonathan Bornstein up.

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  20. I guess my boy Adu has to be Xavi or Iniesta to be even considered in the USMNT. You guys just wait until we get in a bit of trouble in the scoring area during qualifying. I see Adu being called in and will do what he always does… Deliver

    Lichaj situation is mind boggling. We need someone on the left who can defend, and a player who can give us 2-3 chances to score. Both of those needs are in the U.S pool, we just ignore them because they need to be Xavi & Alves type players to play for us.

    Adu & Lichaj. Still smh

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  21. Yeah, even as a Klinsmann fan, he can be a bit frustrating to me, seems that his rock-hard rules are selectively applied, can be softened for a few select players but will remain firm for others. Does seem unfair. But the program is running so well now with the guys seemingly so happy with the new coach, I can give JK the benefit of the doubt on the Agudelo call-up and then expect Agudelo to be released later today when the roster is cut to 23. I did notice in that US Soccer video earlier this week, showing Agudelo picked up at the airport, his whole body language and manner struck me as a kid that in his heart knew that he probably did not deserve the call-up according to Klinsmann’s call-up rules: Playing regularly for club and having a major impact on club.

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  22. “This Agudelo hating is pitiful, and borderline proving that Americans know too little about talent.”

    That is a ridiculous statement. I’m not saying your are stupid, only that your statement is stupid.

    Agudelo “(leaving ny for chivas) to get playing time, just like klinsmann probably told him too. He had to reward him.”

    There might be a grain of truth in that. When the Agudelo transfer was announced I saw Klinsmann’s fingerprints all over that and it could be that the surprising call-up was a thank you from Klinsmann.

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  23. Who goes in instead of Bornstein in that situation?

    I actually tire of the Bornstein insults. It’s true, he should not play for the Nats, but for Gods sake he did his best. He actually played decent against Ghana, and he was sorely outmatched.

    Okay, got it out. I worry that Castillo will take the role of defensive butt

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  24. LOL, yeah right mexicans always come on here and try to brag about that crap league. MLS will surpass is pretty soon. Nobody that is non-mexican wants to watch that league. Mexico is such a loser soccer nation that they have to play their games in the USA and in 10 years majority of their national team players will be born in the USA

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  25. Thumbs up Jermaine: I see Agudelo as having a special knack of cleverness and skill that set him apart. His passing is great with the Nats, , and his speed has surprised me at times.
    And the Colombian heritage goes real well with me

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  26. Spot on Ryan, IMO

    Castillo could be an offensive threat in that he can slice and dice, which he may do as well as Lichaj or better. Having said that, my money is that of Lichaj stays healthy, he’s our right back

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  27. “Bob put the right players in the right places and did his job very well.”

    I have not forgotten Bornstein at the Gold Cup, and never will. You cannot erase it.

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  28. I’m not following your comment. I said i don’t recall some great performance by Adu against Argentina, Spain, or Mexico.

    Did Adu even play versus Spain? I don’t think he did.

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  29. “The absences of several players came as a surprise,”

    I stopped reading at this phrase….Can this really be a bad thing?

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  30. Incorrect. He’s already “apart” of the US Squad. What he really needs is to “mature and improve his form in order to be a part of the US Squad”.

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  31. Klinsmann, as a player and then as a manager, was a very big media star for a long time in a much more pressurized and hostile environment than Arena and Bradley ever experienced.

    So he was always going to be much better with the fairly low key, low pressure US soccer media than Arena and Bradley.

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