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Ramos calls up 10 U.S.-based players for U-20 fitness camp

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Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By DAN KARELL

Even with the MLS season finished for much of the league, some of the league’s young stars will be staying busy this winter.

U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team head coach Tab Ramos wants to make sure his players are fit for action when the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship rolls around next month. With that in mind, Ramos has called in ten U.S.-based players for a fitness training camp from Dec. 3-10 in Bradenton, Fla.

“It’s finally getting down to that time where we have to focus on the final stages of World Cup qualifying,” Ramos said in a statement. “At this point, because the MLS season has ended for a lot of teams, we needed to bring the players who are not continuing to train with their teams and do a fitness camp. Some of the players have been off, and we want to have them catch up a little bit with the guys that we have in Europe.”

All but two of the players play for MLS clubs. The squad includes the likes of Tommy Thompson, Bradford Jamieson IV, Zach Pfeffer, Kellyn Acosta, Romain Gall, Marco Delgado, Matt Miazga, and Tyler Turner. The two players not on an MLS club is N.C. State defender Connor Donovan and unattached defender Shaquell Moore.

The U.S. U-20s will take part in a training camp in Honduras beginning on Dec. 15 and then hold another domestic preparation camp ahead of the CONCACAF U-20 Championships in Jamaica, which begin on Jan. 9.

Here’s a look at the U.S. U-20 fitness camp squad:

U.S. U-20 FITNESS CAMP ROSTER

GOALKEEPERS (0): None
DEFENDERS (4): Conor Donovan (North Carolina State; Fuquay Varina, N.C.), Matthew Miazga (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Shaquell Moore (Unattached; Powder Springs, Ga.), Tyler Turner (Orlando City SC; West Haven, Conn.)
MIDFIELDERS (3): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; Plano, Texas), Marco Delgado (Toronto FC; Glendora, Calif.), Romain Gall (Columbus Crew; Herndon, Va.)
FORWARDS (3): Bradford Jamieson IV (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union; Dresher, Pa.), Tommy Thompson (San Jose Earthquakes; Loomis, Calif.)

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What do you think of this roster? Like the idea of having a fitness camp?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

    • “U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team head coach Tab Ramos wants to make sure his players are fit for action when the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship rolls around next month.”

      With many players seasons having ended I’m sure he just wants to make sure they maintain match fitness so by the time next month comes they aren’t having to work back to where they were. Makes sense really…Less time focusing on fitness means more time to focus on game plans and such.

      Reply

      • Yes Frank, rest assured they understand the importance of staying fit. However, being fit and being “match fit” are two very different things.

        That level of fitness fades very quickly and is only maintained by playing. Running every day won’t do it.

      • Not only that USDTorero but young players/professionals tend to get lax and not work as hard when they have too much free time on their hands! Being a professional and actually honing your craft on your own are two separate things and in this case I think Tab(US Soccer) wants to keep this group together as much as possible to continue to build on continuity on and off the field!

      • Ronniet,

        “young players/professionals tend to get lax and not work as hard when they have too much free time on their hands!”

        If an Under -20 player was the way you describe, then Ramos probably wouldn’t be considering them for the team at all.

        Just about all the great players you can name were working their butts off when they were teenagers.

      • Arguably, a lot of these players are not match fit as they don’t see the field to often for their club team. And it certainly doesn’t sound like they will gain any match fitness during this camp.

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