Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN KARELL
U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann found a way to add three extra seats for their trip to Brazil this month.
Klinsmann and U.S. Soccer announced on Sunday that they’ve decided to bring the entire 26-man January training camp squad down to Brazil for a 12-day “dry-run” in Sao Paulo, where the USMNT will be based during the 2014 World Cup. Originally, Klinsmann had planned on bringing a 23-man squad to Sao Paulo, meaning that he would have had to cut three players from the traveling squad.
The USMNT departed Los Angeles on Monday morning for Brazil.
“We have been extremely pleased with the performance of the group in the first week,” Klinsmann said in a statement. “The players came in very fit and have done really well in training. Therefore, we believe they have all earned a chance to go to Brazil for these next 12 days. We are excited about getting down to Sao Paulo and continuing the work. This is a huge opportunity to get to know our environment for the World Cup.”
While in Brazil, the USMNT will hold two closed-door scrimmages, expected to come against players on Sao Paulo FC, in Brazil’s Serie A.
The team will return from Brazil on Jan. 24 and prepare for their end-of-camp friendly match at StubHub Center against South Korea on Feb. 1.
Here’s a look at the USMNT training camp roster headed to Brazil:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (10): Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes), Michael Harrington (Portland Timbers), Chris Klute (Colorado Rapids), Chance Myers (Sporting Kansas City), Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids), Seth Sinovic (Sporting Kansas City), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Eric Alexander (New York Red Bulls), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Dax McCarty (New York Red Bulls), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
FORWARDS (4): Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Eddie Johnson (D.C. United), Mike Magee (Chicago Fire), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
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What do you think of this news? Agree with Klinsmann’s decision? Glad to see players like Gil, Klute, and O’Neill earn valuable experience training with the USMNT in Brazil?
Share your thoughts below.
USMNT lost to Sao Paulo FC 2 x 1 today in a very “secretive” friendly. Press and even simple photographs were prohibited. Why? Security paranoia?
This can only help the mental and physical preparation of those going in the trip. It’s summer time in Brazil and very hot. While the World cup will be held during the Brazilian “winter”, it’s great preparation to get used to the heat and humidity they are likely to face in Manaus.
Bradley should join this camp. Also, this is yesterday’s news. Further proof things are going downhill on this site w/o Ives at the helm.
I am inclined to agree with some critics here. This is essentially our B-C team. My biggest concern as we prepare for the WC is so many of our A team are NOT playing together or are not really playing period. Any coach knows the secret is to get the A team playing over and over together as a team.That way you make “blind passes” interceptions etc knowing in advance exactly where your team mamte will be , pure experience and comfort with ea other. As we like to say being on the same page in advance.. perhaps a few moves ahead? To date Donavan Demsey Bradley Altidore and co have barely ALL been on the same field at the same time..Now Bradley goes off to TFC and Deuce is struggling. So when thet finally ALL come together I fear the lack of playing time together will hurt our chances?
B-C Team? The only guys who could resemble C Team are some of the guys who are here because they had a good MLS season or two but are long shots like Michael Harrington, Tally Hall, Dax McCarty, Eric Alexander & even tho her could have helped if called earlier Mike Magee. The rest of fringe players are either young & members of the nation’s youth teams who most likely will be in the squad post WC Yedlin, Gil, O’Neil, Klute (I think) and some veterans who are here because the need for their position and great play in MLS&CCL Seth Sinovic, Chance Myers & Feilhaber. Benny actually was in last WC.
Critics? Critics of what exactly… doing the best you can with what is practically available? You do realize that literally no other team at WC is intact and playing together at this time of year because it is impossible if you have players with clubs on the international calendar.
Now that Bradley’s on this side of the Atlantic, it’s too bad they couldn’t have worked things out a little earlier to get him down there as well. I guess Eric Alexander prob doesn’t mind though….
can the AMERICAN taxpayer afford this?
At a cost of $0 to the AMERICAN taxpayer, yes. It’s one of the few things we can afford.
What tha hell? Are you asking if taxpayers can afford to go to Sao Paulo or to have USMNT send in 3 extra players?
Of course we can, USSF only consists 0.00000000000000001% of US’ Government expenditures.
more like 0.0. USA soccer is a privately funded nonprofit
What’s the point of taking team C to Brazil? Makes no sense.
Well probably like 10 of this 26 player group will be going to Brazil in the summer.. Maybe even more..
All of the coaching staff will be going. — At a minimum this is probably worth it.
My question is why Sao Paulo; sure its a nice place but its nowhere near our WC venues. It would be like training in NJ for a series of games in LA, Denver and SF… My guess is they already booked it and are using it before booking a closer training camp for the summer
Actually there isn’t a closer training camp for the world cup. This IS the same spot where they will be based, that’s the whole point of taking them there for 12 days so they can get familiar with the facilities and other things of the basecamp, and you’re right. A bunch of these players will be on the Brazil squad come June. I mean there’s only Boyd, Johansson, Dempsey, Bedoya, Jones, Bradley, Fabian, Cameron, Brooks, Lichaj, Howard & Guzan in Europe of which only 10 are likely in the WC. Beasley, Orozco, Corona, Castillo, Gomez are in Mexico but at this point 2 in the WC squad
Dear Edwin, please do not overlook Jozy Altidore on your list, we really need him.
Team C??? A lot of these player will be there this summer
G: Rimando
Def: Gonzalez, Besler, Evans (Goodson maybe)
Mid: Mix, Zusi, (Beckerman maybe)
Forward: Donovan, Johnson (Magee maybe)
This experience will prepare these players. For some, this summer, for others (Yedlin, Gil etc.) for 2018. Why not take full advantage of this opportunity? Do you have a better idea?….Didn’t think so!
+ 1
Some of the players are going to be on the A team.
The coaching and support staff will be on the A team.
It’s useful for everyone who is going to have a dry run. Get a feel for the place. Have a rehearsal both on the field and off. Including for all the little logistical things that go on behind the scenes.
For the guys who are not going this is also a good experience. Gives them a target. Motivates them. Maybe they’ll be back in 2018. Let them taste it.
Some of these guys will be with the team at the World Cup. Some are borderline choices or alternates, based on potential injuries going forward. Still others are guys for the next World Cup cycle. In other words, its good to build confidence and unity, to make everyone feel part of the National Team set up, and that is why this trip is taking place. I think it is a good thing with no real negative.
Coaches/staff can scout out the place, work out logistical stuff.
Not sure this is really Team C. Half your starters are in this camp.
Ives (or anyone), I live in São Paulo, any announcement of open practices or something like that? I’d love to see them, Morumbi is like 20 minutes from my house, would be fun to see the boys
Quit showing off Froboy 😛 seriously as a would be traveler for the WC. Do you recommend Sao Paulo or Rio?
Ha! No comparison between the sun sex and sand in Rio and megalopolis of Sao Paulo. Rio every day.
Go to Manaus if you want to see the US, no games are anywhere close to here and tix are impossible to get for both Rio and SP. I put in for the maximum 7 games in the first round and got nothing and am crossing my fingers for the 2nd phase. All the US games are 5 hour flights from me.
I’d back up Froboy on this Rec. Manaus is not to be missed. You can hit Rio and/or SP anytime –
Between Rio and SP, definitely Rio
Thanks Froboy and everyone!
Go to Rio for sure. And if someone offers you a really convincing reason to go to Sao Paulo instead, cross them off your list of friends as dellusional and still go to Rio.
Pure bs.. The two cities are almost polar opposites. Rio is more L A or Miami…. SP more Nyc. Most of rio is off limits São Paulo is so huge that you can get out of the mainstream very easily