By DAN KARELL
With the start of the new year, both U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team head coach Tab Ramos and U-18 head coach Javier Perez are hard at work identifying the next crop of U.S. internationals.
Both Ramos and Perez are holding training camps starting today in Lakewood Ranch, Fla., through Jan. 12. Ramos selected 36 players for his U-20 camp, featuring six players with ties to the New York Red Bulls and 18 players who are currently either a homegrown signing or have spent time in a Major League Soccer academy. The U-20 camp will feature two intra-squad scrimmages.
In addition, Ramos called up four players who are dual-nationals: Luis Felipe (Cruziero, Brazil), Eric Lickert (SC Freiburg, Germany), Herbert Robinson (Santos Laguna, Mexico), and Joel Soñora (Boca Juniors, Argentina).
Perez meanwhile selected a 24-man roster for his training camp, preparing for the Copa del Atlantico tournament in Spain’s Canary Islands next month. Five players in the squad were on the U-18 squad that played at the Limoges tournament in France.
Real Salt Lake-Arizona is represented by three players in the squad: Christian Herrera, Justen Glad, and Sebastian Saucedo.
Take a look at the U.S. U-20 and U-18 rosters below:
U.S. UNDER-20 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (4): Jeff Caldwell (N.C. Fusion; Todd, N.C.), Santiago Castaño (New York Red Bulls; Union City, N.J.), Ethan Horvath (Molde FK; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Zack Steffen (Maryland, Philadelphia Union Academy; Downington, Pa.)
DEFENDERS (10): Jordan Allen (Real Salt Lake; Rochester, N.Y.), Michael Amick (UCLA; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Sulaiman Dainkeh (Maryland, D.C. United Academy; Reston, Va.), Conor Donovan (Capital Area RailHawks Academy; Fuquay Varina, N.C.), Trevor Haberkorn (Furman; Roanoke, Texas), Grant Lillard (Chicago Fire Academy; Hinsdale, Ill.), Jalen Markey (North Carolina, Seattle Sounders Academy; Renton, Wash.), Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Shaquell Moore (IMG Academy; Powder Springs, Ga.), John Requejo Jr. (Real So Cal; Carpinteria, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (14): Corey Baird (Real Salt Lake-Arizona Academy; Escondido, Calif.), Arun Basuljevic (New York Red Bulls Academy; Mahopac, N.Y.), Marco Delgado (Chivas USA; Glendora, Calif.), Luis Felipe (Cruzeiro Esporte Clube; Ouro Branco, Minas Gerais), Ian Harkes (Wake Forest, D.C. United Academy; Fairfax, Va.), Jacori Hayes (Wake Forest; Bowie, Md.), Brian Iloski (UCLA, LA Galaxy Academy; Escondido, Calif.), Eric Lickert (SC Freiburg; Glotteral, Germany), Saalih Muhammad (Dinamo GNK), Adam Najem (Akron, New York Red Bulls Academy; Clifton, N.J.), Cristian Roldan (Washington; Pico Rivera, Calif.), Herbert Robinson (Club Santos Laguna; Monclova, Coahuila), Joel Sonora (Boca Juniors; Buenos Aires, Argentina), Omar Thompson (Unattached; Miami, Fla.)
FORWARDS (8): Andrew Brody (Louisville, Real Salt Lake-Arizona Academy; Orlando, Fla.), Benji Lopez (Real Salt Lake; San Diego, Calif.), Ricardo Lopez-Espin (Shattuck-St Mary’s; Miami, Fla.), Amando Moreno (New York Red Bulls; Morganville, N.J.), Alex Muyl (Georgetown, New York Red Bulls Academy; New York, N.Y.), Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union; Dresher, Pa.), Rubio Rubin (Unattached; Beaverton, Ore.), Travis Wannemuehler (NC State; Evansville, Ind.)
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U.S. UNDER-18 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (3): Christian Herrera (Real Salt Lake AZ; Las Cruces, N.M.), JT Marcinkowski (San Jose Earthquakes; Alamo, Calif.), Justin Vom Steeg (Real So Cal; Santa Barbara, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (8): David Chavez (De Anza Force; Redwood City, Calif.), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake AZ; Tucson, Ariz.), Malcolm Jones (LA Galaxy; Chino Hills, Calif.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), Quentin Pearson (Colorado Rapids; Longmont, Colo.), Pablo Pelaez (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.), Tommy Redding (Chicago Magic PSG; Oviedo, Fla.), Peter Schropp (Omaha FC; Omaha, Neb.)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Mukwelle Akale (Minnesota Thunder; Minneapolis, Minn.), Collin Fernandez (Chicago Fire; Downers Grove, Ill.), Cameron Lindley (Indiana Fire; Carmel, Ind.), Maduabuchi Obinwa (Chicago Magic PSG; Orlando, Fla.), Sebastian Saucedo (Real Salt Lake AZ; Casa Grande, Ariz.), Ben Swanson (Crew Soccer Academy; Grove City, Ohio), Jackson Yueill (Minnesota Thunder; Bloomington, Minn.)
FORWARDS (6): Coy Craft (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Sebastian Elney (Boca United; Boca Raton, Fla.), Gerves Fagan (Sereno SC; Peoria, Ariz.), Christian Lucatero (Houston Dynamo; Pasadena, Texas), Jorge Ruiz (LA Galaxy; Mission Hills, Calif.), Kendall Stork (Chicago Magic PSG; Barrington, Ill.)
I am glad to see more kids getting a look at.
Always exciting to see how a new crop of talent plays out.
DOES ANY ONE REMEMBER TAB SODA
Ice cold stab. Comedy bang bang FTW.
No Diego Fagundez from the NE Revolution? Gee, he only was the team’s leading scorer last year with 13 goals. He got his U.S. Permanent Resident status in October – would he not be eligible?
No. He won’t be a citizen for 5 more years (which is all that matters to FIFA), so there’s no need to call him in for a youth team that he’ll never play for.
He can’t. He’s not American.
No Paul Arriola? Too busy with the Liga MX Clausura happening soon? I hope the only reason he wouldn’t get a call-up is that he’s fighting for a starting position.
His team doesn’t have to release him for a youth camp. Liga MX action is much more important.
+ 1
Holy Paul Gardner, 26 of 36 in the u20 camp and 15 of 24 for the u18’s are non Hispanic. NO NO NO!
Paul what is happening to the revolution you planned vicariously through Tab! lol
What?
paul gardner is some blow-hard who thinks that only hispanic players can be technical enough to play at the highest international levels. Rocco is mocking him — as he should because gardner is a fool.
If they can play at their feet, let them play
Jurgen Klinsmann & USSDA
But he has a point about the overall technical emphasis being lacking on a lot of levels. His accentuation on Latin players is what’s misguided.
Correct. He right about what is missing, but his latin agenda would be considered blatantly racist if done in reverse.
I have talked to Mr. Kennedy about it personnally recently, and u can see a more careful wording among Paul. It also seems that JK has learned from early on when he thought any Liga MX player had to be better than their MLS counterparts. More misguided philosophy from a learning soccer nation that has been filled with a lot of misguided philososphies over the decades. I truly feel for the first time in 40 years we are actually starting to get it now. May take another severl years but i finally see it.
You actually think we are getting it?
As impressed that I am that you talked to Paul Kennedy personally (holy crap, I thought I was big time after having tea with the queen) if you think we are getting it let’s talk exactly one year from today.
You will see that we are not and it would take me until the Cubs win a World Series to explain why we are really not getting it
I believe we are making a lot of ground too. not saying that we are going to win the world cup or even advance from our group, but the infrastructure and culture are growing. it is still years away, but that was always going to be the case. what makes you think we should be much further along? we were SO far behind just 10 years ago that we did not have the capabilities to produce much quality. we are not able to produce a large quantity of quality now, but we are able to produce a bit and, as tk implies, i think that is the hard part since it shows a model that can be emulated around the country. i think we will be very interesting in 10-15 years as a soccer country.
HA! +1, great journalist but he’s such a Debbie Downer.
Just from reading that man’s articles, you’d assume that he absolutely hates soccer. No matter what he’s talking about, it sucks.
Junior Flores not available?
Going to Turkey to train with Borussia reserves next week
Thanks
Should add that he will be 18 in March and then be able to join BD full time.
Flores..not attending with club
Pelosi…injured
Acosta ..injured
Holmes..with club and. Playing
Arriola?…with club playing
Green ? With club and has not committed
hyndmann..training with club. 1st team
There are probably more, but what a potential awesome group
Joel Sonora is a great talent… hope he plays for the US.
Robinson is an interesting case. Last I heard, he was pursuing US citizenship through the “Grandparent” clause — a grandparent (presumably his grandfather) was born in the US, but Robinson’s father wasn’t and didn’t live long enough in the US to pass down citizenship. You can substitute the grandparent’s residency, but you have to do it by age 18.
I trust he was able to get it done (he turns 18 in April 2014). Doesn’t officially matter for this camp, but it needs to be completed soon (if not already).
Or his dad was trying to show that he met the residency requirements (was born in Mexico). Anyway, a complex case to pursue but it does meet FIFA’s rules for dual nationals.
RSL-AZ what up G Cleb!?!
We got some Colorado players out there too!
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