It is nearing the time for Jurgen Klinsmann to call upon the players who he thinks can get the U.S. national team's World Cup qualifying campaign started off on the right foot, but it appears that there will be a degree of on-field competition before the U.S. manager narrows down his final roster.
Klinsmann will call upon as many as 29 players for a training camp to be held in Orlando from May 15-24 before picking a 23-man roster for friendlies against Scotland, Brazil and Canada and World Cup qualifiers against Antigua & Barbuda and Guatemala, according to U.S. Soccer.
In a Q&A session that Klinsmann hosted on the U.S. Soccer official Twitter account Tuesday, he also said that the first wave of players, mostly European-based, would be revealed on May 15. The second wave, comprised of mostly MLS-based players, will be unveiled May 20, a day after a full slate of MLS matches save for a game on the 20th between Portland and Chicago.
What do you think of the approach? Who are some of the players you want to see get included in camp?
Share your thoughts below.
Finally someone who understands Guzan is not fit to carry the clipboard! Other than being tall and at Villa kinda and having risen this far in the pecking order to have laid claim, I don’t understand why he’s there.
Cameron over Ream. Ream is demonstrably hopeless internationally.
No Parkhurst, out of his depth. Not enough speed, can’t “position” his way through international level.
Castillo is harmless because Mexico would be offseason but he looked awful when called in and would likely be a waste.
I like the inclusion of Beasley, not so much Kljestan, who is not international level, or Spector, who is molasses slow.
I wouldn’t waste any time on the “slash” forwards at the end of your list. I might consider someone like Davies who has experience at the level and probably still has potential but needs a platform to see if he “has it.” The “slashes” you list are all neverwas-es or in Wooten’s case total unknown crapshoots.
Agreed. The guy has led MLS in scoring the last couple years. And for all those people with the “he’s just a poacher” mentality, are you kidding me?! A goal is a goal. You don’t qualify for the World Cup based on stylish goals scored. Same goes for Gomez – he should be a lock.
(a) He already looks better to me than Sapong, Bunbury, Buddle, or a list of marginal NTers he will be compared to;
(b) Being where he is with his German team is probably like starting here;
(c) He displayed with the U23s an ability to finish, which is needed up top, and he did not look completely lost as a senior callup;
(d) He’s a big kid.
As far as the “pro” distinction you suggest, you wouldn’t make that comment about a MLS player who plays for the reserves and sometimes dresses for the senior team and earns a paycheck, but hasn’t played yet. False distinction.
Which kind of parallels my point. Chosing Wondo is the “MLS all star” approach. I don’t think if you look at actual top level qualities he possesses many of them, where he contributes to a “true team” of the USA as opposed to being SJ’s focal point.
Granted, kids should be shown the running and hustling and even his decent shooting, but I think his MLS success is someone who has found precisely his level but like say Freddy Adu cannot scale up to the international level because he runs but not that fast, competes for headers but is not tall, shoots ok but lacks the ability to create separation at a high level.
????
My memory is he was with LA for the 2011 season, including Gold Cup in the middle, which went all the way through November because LA won, then he went to Everton on loan, and then he came back for LA preseason and season. Plus the callups he was healthy enough to attend.
Where’s the break? It sounds like you’re going back to 2010 to try and find a break…..it’s 2012….?
Difficult for Boyd to join 1st Dortmund squad. After move of Barrios and Kagawa there are still Lewandowski, Reus and Goetze. As a new prospect with Amini a well promising youngster will also be in competition.
Hopefully, Boyd still will make it.
ugh…
i guess we will have to wait until next week to find out who is coming.
+1. But I think it is possible that Becerkman can still find a gig in Europe. He might think about Kaiserlautern, where he trained in December. The team is going back down to the 2. Bundesliga, but stands a good chance next season of winning a move back up to the 1. Bundesliga. And he could earn more there that RSL, I think.
I could be wrong, but I think a lot of the hate directed at Beckerman (and Jermaine Jones) is not really personal, but comes from just a few hard-core fans of a defensive midfielder who also competing for a USMNT slot. They (wrongly) think that by piling on against Beckerman and Jones, they can influence Klinsmann into favoring their favorite DM. Personally, I have faith that Klinsmann will choose his roster on merit, i.e. he will choose those players who he feels will help the USMNT be most successful. And make no mistake, Klinsmann will be judged by how his record compares with Bob Bradley’s record. Klinsmann knows this and will do all in his power to try to do better. If he truly thinks Beckerman can help him be coach of a more successful WC team than BB, then Beckerman will be on the field no matter what people are writing on message boards. And, at the same time, if Klinsmann thinks Michael Bradley can help the team be more successful, then I have no doubt that Klinsmann is smart enough to favor MB over KB and JJ. Just my two cents.
Without Wooten, imho. –
What about Cameron?
Not until he learns how to speak like a man and how to say strawberry right 😉
Bro, your the broman.
Bro, I appreciate the bromantic love.
Landon needs to go back to mexico, or back to that soCal mexican youth league he first played at. Seriously, take him off the team
So has Beckham lived in the US long enough now to be called up?
Speak for yourself I would love to have a woman that loved soccer as much as I do
You speaking Dutch there, haha? Cuz that sh*t ain’t German.
He took a break after the World Cup and MLS season.
Potatoes gonna potate.
You guys made my day with this. Classic.
He is the Brosef Stalin of the USMT, leader of the Broletariat.
Boyd is not a high quality pro forward until he plays a match for a pro team, no?
WTF and no!
The Under 23’s did not deserve to go to the Olympics. El Salvador tied them on merit.
They were not a true team but rather a collection of All stars.
You’re my new favorite user bruh man.
I would anticipate initial callups along the lines of Italy with a sprinkling of Mexican based players and people like Jones who didn’t play that friendly. Landon and a few other MLSers may get called, but I’m inclined to believe they will get one game to prove themselves — while the A team gets a camp — and if they don’t stand out they don’t get rostered. This is the real deal so novel callups are more likely to be Beasley types with experience who’ve re-proven themselves than people who would actually be experimental. You do not turn over qualifying to Camp Cupcake-types. They will get their chances when progression is ensured or Camp Cupcake comes around again.
This is great! My 29:
Keepers: Howard, Guzan, Hamid
Defenders: Chandler, Lichaj, Dolo, Ream, Gooch, Goodson, Boca, Castillo, Spector*
Midfield: Johnson, Jones, Bradley, LD, Edu, Torres, Shea, Beasley, Sasha*, Corona*, Gatt*
Strikers: Dempsey, Jozy, Gomez, Wooten, Boyd*, Wondo*
No Williams or Whitbread because of injury.
* = players who I would drop from the roster as of right now
This is not Twellmanesque he deserves it world, or else the U23s would be in the Olympics. There is no award for showing up, it matters how well thought out the 23 is and Wondo should offers no special qualities for the 23 that someone else can’t offer better or at least as well. Boyd, Jozy, Gomez, Landon, Dempsey. Five high quality pro Fs. Why bother? This is not Camp Cupcake we shouldn’t be handing out caps as a reward or entitlement.
I think the exact opposite. Every time he shows up for the US now he’s hurt or sick. He’s been doing this neverending cycle of MLS loan MLS US MLS loan etc. for years. Your body wants to rest sometimes and he might indulge it a little. He used to occasionally take a break. Getting close to the age where he needs to be taking care of himself, and by that I don’t mean burning the candle at both ends.
Also, Wondo should be a lock. He deserves it.
Corona, Zusi, George John, Josh Gatt, and Tony Beltran.
Hines is ineligible if memory serves me correctly, and is too young and inxperienced.
Your list does not have two from Mexico. It has these players in Mexico:
Castillo (Tijuana)
Torres (Pachuca)
Beasley (Puebla)
Corona (Tijuana)
Gomez (Santos)
Broman, I like it. Boyd is a supreme bro in training.
BRO! MVP – most valuable playa
Bromeo, Juan ‘Swaggabro’ Agudelo with be co-MVP of qualifying with Sapong.
I honestly think JK should stay away from MLS Players except for Donovan. If he wants to call up Shea, Wonoloski, and the others then he should just call them up to train and that’s it. Our strong smart players are the European base players so he should stick with that, the MLS players should stay with their clubs to help them out during the season. It would be pointless to call up Rimando if he’s just going to sit on the bench during the friendlies and qualifers. This would be my 29 Man Roster and then cut 6 to make it a 23 Man Roster.
GK:(4) Howard, Guzan, Maurer, Restrepo
DEF:(11) Chandler, Onyewu, Bocanegra, Lichaj, Cherundolo, Ream, Whitbread, Hines, Castillo, Spector, Goodson
MID:(9) Donovan, Jones, Bradley, Johnson, Williams, Edu, Torres, Beasley, Kljestan
FWR:(5) Dempsey, Altidore, Gomez, Boyd, Wooten
Jimmy Maurer is a 23 year old GK who plays in Chile’s top league and Diego Restrepo 24 year old GK who plays in Venezuela’s top league are bot Goalkeepers who are young and can use the experience to learn and train with the talents on Howard and Guzan. Boyd and Wooten which many of us know have lots of potential but are still learning the game. I would deff call those 4 players to train with us to gain experience. The other two players I would cut would be Spector and Goodson so players like, Whitbread and Hines can come in fresly new to the team and provide their services for our country.
This is not for qualifying…it’s for friendlies with Scotland and Brazil. This is another chance for them to show that they could/should be in the mix for qualifying.
I’m not disagreeing with you about WCQ, but just nitpicking about this camp and call-ups.
I like the entire roster except no Sapong or Hamid, many reasons.
Twenty-nine makes sense since 15/16 are probably locks with 14 fighting for 7 open spots.
Beasley, Gomez, Boyd, Lichaj
When are YOU going to start loving MLS. Donovan plays in the MLS, not EPL. We have to love our own league first, before any other.
Here’s what the 23 will actually look like (NOT the 29 or 30 called in):
GK: (3) Howard, Guzan, Hamid (with Willis backing him up, he is chosen to minute impact of 3rd keeper on MLS rosters)
DF: (8) Boca, Chandler, Dolo, Onyewu, Ream, Lichaj, Goodson, Castillo
MF/Wing: (9) Jones, Bradley, Edu, Torres, Beckerman, Donovan, Dempsey, Beasley, Johnson
FW: Altidore, Sapong, Gomez/Wondo (coin flip)
This is based on the fact that we are playing qualifiers in this camp and need proven players, this is not the time to “blood” players. Will not happen. Boyd, Wooten will not even get a condolence call.
Why Sapong? Only other player in the pool right now who can has the size and physical presence to play the Jozy role in the attack. I’ve grouped Dempsey in with the midfielders but he will really be a supporting striker. Gomez/Wondo are poachers, do not have an obvious role in JK’s system, and we will not take both. Whomever we take will be used situationally.
My 29 players would be….
Keepers: (3) Howard, Guzan, Rimando,
Defenders: (10) Cherundolo, Chandler, Lichaj, Castillo, Bocanegra, Oneywu, Ream, Goodson, Hines, Williams
Midfielders: (10) Donovan, Johnson, Jones, Bradley, Edu, Torres, Shea, Gatt, Corona, Beasley
Strikers: (6)Jozy, Dempsey, Boyd, Wooten, Gomez, Sapong
Jonathan Spector is a beautiful hunk of a man and should always be included in the USMNT on that alone . . . and yeah he is a class player as well. Do you want female fans or what?
Landon needs to go back to Everton. He was playing well during his loan spell this past winter. His form isn’t great now and I think he’d be coming into camp in much better form if he stayed in England.
Bro, calm down. Agudelo will be MVP of qualifying.
Bro, calm down. Buddle will be MVP of qualifying.
Bro, calm down. Boyd will be MVP of qualifying.
What in the holy hell…
You know this camp is world cup qualifying, right?
Hines? Wooten? Boyd? Corona? haha, Hey, why not Luis Gill? I’m sure there’s some U-16 at Newcastle with an American grandfather you want to give valuable experience to also.
Tally Hall and Dan Kennedy are “just missing out?”
This would be hilarious if it weren’t the also the wet dream of tons of American fan boys who fantasize about the exploits of guys they’ve never seen play and in some cases haven’t even declared their intention to play for the USA.
Cue the Big Soccer/SBI meltdown when Boyd and Wooten are not picked….
you don’t send kids who have less than 2 first team appearances between them into world cup qualifiers. Altidore, and Sapong will be called in to play the center forward roles. One of Gomez or Wondo will be called in to play underneath the CF in the Dempsey role.