By FRANCO PANIZO
NEW YORK — In a deep pool of talented players, form often proves of vital importance. It is what separates some from the rest of the pack, and what proves costly to others.
Junior Flores falls under the latter.
The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team’s World Cup roster was announced on Thursday morning, and one of the biggest and most surprising omissions was Flores. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder had been a regular in U.S. head coach Tab Ramos’ camps this cycle, but his name was nowhere to be found on the 20-man squad that will be rounded out by the end of next week by one of Gedion Zelalem or Zach Pfeffer.
Unless injuries strike between now and then, Flores won’t be with the U.S. in New Zealand this summer and the reason for that is his form.
“Junior came to the last camp and he wasn’t bad, but we expected more for the position,” Ramos said Thursday during a roundtable discussion in Manhattan. “He’s fighting for a position with say Emerson Hyndman and Joel Sonora, and now Jordan Allen comes in the picture and does well and Pfeffer comes in the picture and he’s playing every day and is sharp and physically ready. It’s tough. You’re competing with different guys that you weren’t competing with four months ago.
“My feeling is that you need to play,” Ramos later added. “If you don’t play, how are you going to come into the national team, without playing, and perform well? It’s very difficult. I’m not saying it couldn’t happen, but it’s difficult.”
At Borussia Dortmund, the 19-year-old Flores has made just one appearance all year for the German club’s second team. He’s been mostly limited to playing with Dortmund’s U-19 side, and his form has suffered as a result.
It was evident in World Cup qualifying in January, a tournament that saw him initially serve as a starter before he struggled, was dropped to the bench and used as a super sub.
In other U-20 cycles, Flores’ skill may have overshadowed his lack of playing time. This one, however, has too much talent for that to be the case.
“I’ve been involved in the last four cycles and this is the one where I think we’ve had the most guys who are actually playing,” said Ramos. “Over the years, we’ve gone into believing that because someone is at Bayern Munich’s youth system, then automatically he must be a good player (and) let’s bring him. We do bring him if he’s at a club like that and we look at him, but we judge them on how they play and how they help the team, not on what team they’re on.
“I think, for me, it’s the first cycle that we’ve had the luxury to say, ‘Hey, you play for this great club, that’s great. But he plays for a club that’s not so great and he’s better than you so that’s who we’re taking.’ For me and what I’ve seen of the U.S. program, it’s kind of the beginning of us starting to be a soccer nation type of thing where we’re picking guys who play on teams. Not just because they’re on the team, (but) you’re selecting them because they’re in good form at the moment.”
Here is more U.S. U-20 news:
RAMOS ENCOURAGED BY RECENT PLAYING TIME
The last several weeks have given Ramos plenty of reasons to smile, especially with regards to his MLS-based players.
Of the seven youngsters that made the World Cup squad, five are regularly seeing the field. Bradford Jamieson, Tommy Thompson, Jordan Allen, Kellyn Acosta and Matt Miazga might not all be every-game starters for their clubs, but that they’re competing on nearly a weekly basis is an added bonus for Ramos ahead of the start of the World Cup on May 30.
“This group has been more professional than any other group,” said Ramos. “The way you can tell is not so much by the training, because everybody makes a good effort and everybody’s excited to be on the national team and all those things. But the way they take care of themselves right after practice: Do they do the right stretches? Do they go see the trainer more? Do they get more massages?
“This is a group that does that. This is a group that really gets it, that this is their career. They are very dedicated to what they’re supposed to do. There has been a difference with this group than groups prior to this one.”
READING OPT TO KEEP NOVAKOVICH, HORVATH STILL A QUESTION MARK
If Ramos had his way, Andrija Novakovich would be on the New Zealand-bound squad. Alas, Novakovich isn’t. Not because of an injury, but because Reading did not want to release him.
FIFA’s rules do not mandate clubs to send players to their national team for youth World Cups, though most do as it can help raise the transfer value of youngsters and give them added experience on a big stage. Reading, however, went against the grain on this occasion, choosing to keep Novakovich this summer instead of releasing him for international duty.
“At this point, they felt it was very important for Andrija and where he is in his development to get a little bit more rest, and that rest took him through the World Cup,” said Ramos. “We have to respect that because he’s their player. Obviously it’s my job and it’s important that I do well, but one of my priorities is passing guys on to our first team. Whatever the best scenario is for any particular player, that has to be a priority for me too.
“I think Andrija will be an important part of our program. Unfortunately, he can’t come to this one, and I think it’s a missed opportunity, but hopefully we can get him involved down the road when he’s ready.”
Another player who could have a similar fate is backup goalkeeper Ethan Horvath. Ramos insisted that Molde FK would ultimately release Horvath for the World Cup, but stopped short of guaranteeing that.
“We’re still talking about that, but I don’t think there’s going to be any issues there,” said Ramos. “That’s the only way I can answer it. It’s kind of like Rubio (Rubin’s) release is not final for next Monday. It could be the Monday after that, so there’s a couple of details that are not finalized, but we don’t foresee any issues there.”
OTHER NEWS AND NOTES
- Though he is listed as unattached on the roster, Shaquell Moore is currently training with Spanish third division side Huracan. A source told SBI in March that the club is waiting to receive Moore’s international transfer certificate before officially signing him.
- Ramos indicated that he’d be playing a variation of a 4-4-2 at the World Cup, further moving away from his preferred 4-3-3.
- Ramos has a captain for the World Cup in mind, but did not want to reveal that information until he told the team first. Kellyn Acosta was the player given the armband at the start of World Cup qualifying back in January.
- Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel will serve on Ramos’ coaching staff in New Zealand.
What do you think of Flores not making the U-20 World Cup squad? How encouraged are you by the MLS-based players’ recent playing time? Who would not be on the roster if Novakovich had made it?
Share your thoughts below.
I hope Flores still playing with the United States…
That article is so accurate and on target it is scary?
Has anyone ever seen Tab’s academy team play? If so, you have to wonder how in the world do we think he can get anywhere on the world stage?
If you haven’t seen him coach his academy team then you would be shocked how bad he is with player development
SIGH
Its become pretty obvious he lacks a lot when it comes to coaching. His selections last WC really highlight that.
Remember when US Soccer hired some German guy as technical director, and he talked about instilling the consistent tactical formations throughout all age levels of the US Soccer system?
Lets all read this article and dream a little:
http://fusion.net/story/131135/jurgen-klinsmann-fired-a-thought-exercise/
Wouldn’t surprise me if you wrote that considering the exaggerating that you do on this site.
UCBG,
If you didn’t write that article you should have. You should sue the author for plagiarism.
Two things stood out.
It criticizes the US for only winning one game in the 2014 WC,
Bradley won one game in 2010, Arena won zero games in 2006 and won 2 games in 2002. For comparisons sake, in the same time period, Mexico won 2,1,1,2 at the World Cup. Wins are very hard to come by in the World Cup for any team.
It also stated that BB was fired for losing the 2011 Gold Cup. That loss did not help, but as I remember it, with JK waiting in the wings, they might have fired BB anyway. Gulati and the USSF were reported as being very unhappy over the Ghana loss and that winning the Gold Cup, and securing qualification to the Confederations Cup, was set as a minimum requirement for BB to save his job and not have them turn the page.
The fact that the team did not look great during that tournament and then were humiliated in the final merely made the USSF’s job easier.
Finally, the article does not offer any positive ideas on how to get rid of JK. So what’s the point?,
You need to play…but you’re holding a spot for Zelalem who doesn’t play at all. Someone want to clear this up for me? Because I know Flores plays with the reserves every week, same as Zelalem, so how can Tab Ramos say that’s a factor into FLores’ omission?
Stick to your guns and say he was outperformed by others, don’t make up pull excuses out of your ass
“At Borussia Dortmund, the 19-year-old Flores has made just one appearance all year for the German club’s second team. He’s been mostly limited to playing with Dortmund’s U-19 side, and his form has suffered as a result.”
Yeah but Zelalem has only played for the Arsenal U21 team (outisde of 1-2 brief cup appearances), which is the equivalent of the reserve team in England. Zach Pfeffer, who’ll only go if Zelalem isn’t cleared in time, is actually getting first team minutes in MLS, which is obviously a higher level than the U21 PL. Maybe he’s not as good as Zelalem, which is fine, but then the criteria isn’t actually playing time. I don’t have a problem with saving a spot for Zelalem if you think he’s the best option but Tab isn’t being intellectually honest about the criteria for selection.
Tab is following the JK media script. Don’t look for logic just go with it.
To be fair- he went on at length about player form/performance as a criteria for selection. That with the new depth of talent/competition- this is a luxury that has somewhat changed from the past. His statement regarding playing time was not to say that it was a selection criteria, but that it can have an obvious effect on a players performance/form which is the main criteria.
We can always find inconsistency with any sides selections as there are variances of depth at different positions where compromises must be made, there are players with special skills that help fill a niche need/build a team, there are all kinds of intangibles in chemistry, work ethic. And no matter what anyone says, there are biases inherent to human nature within every coach….. and of course- special exceptions made for those deemed a special talent. No one ever said fairness was a criteria or that building a team is black/white science.
Those are good points, fair enough.
to add, in reference to your earlier post, sure both Zelalem and Flores both are on big clubs but Zelalam plays (and does generally solid) with the parent club’s 2nd team. Flores is no where near the 1st team and barely with the 2nd; instead he plays for the 3rd team, essentially, the u19s. I’m not arguing or anything, just saying, albeit form/talent is the main criteria, Zelalem ranks higher in PT as well than Flores so there’s not hypocrisy by Ramos or him “being intellectually honest about the criteria for selection.”
no* hypocrisy
So glad they’re ditching the 4-3-3. I have an irrational hatred of that formation.
like any system, it only works if you have the proper personnel.
Totally agree, that’s why I think the idea of creating an “American system” of playing that’s the same at every level makes no sense. The system for any team should be the one that gives the team the best chance of success. That’s especially true at national team level where, unlike at club level, you can’t just go out and acquire players that fit in a given system.
Was never the stated mission, but we’ve always done that- had an American system. A deep lying, flat 442 defense minded, counter attacking, team proficient at set pieces. Players that tended to fit that mold in physicality/skill-set will naturally do better, be favored and in turn developed. Smaller, more technical ball on the ground players been largely ignored- have not thrived.
That not a style. That called praying for luck the other team doesn’t score and you get lucky on a set piece. But thanks Lalas but that not a style
Clearly it is a style. Not an attractive or entertaining one, but it is a manner to approach, prepare for, play a game. Lala… yeah right. If you read between the lines, perhaps you’d see it’s one I don’t prefer. Much rather see a move to a more aggressive, skill oriented, proactive approach.
Tell that to Atletico Madrid. The do quite well playing that way. Whether people like it or not, its about winning matches and that style (yes it is a style) works very well with American players.
I fear that Klinsmann is directing far too many of the tactical decisions and its well known that he is very weak in this area of the game.
As I recall, and you may not, BB was perfectly effective as USMNT manager in terms of grinding out results vs teams with superior talent, something AM does as well.
But that was not enough for the USMNT pitchfork and torch rabble who ran BB out of town on a rail.
They expected Barca style. Champagne taste on a beer budget as they say in Cincinnati.
Be careful what you wish for.
Another example why it’s not so back-and-white in terms of “everyone must go to Europe, Europe is way better!”.
Am I the only one that thinks shaq moore should be playing at a higher level than the 3rd division in spain?
Yeah. You are not alone. However, Segunda División B is essentially the reserve team league for La Liga and Segunda División as well some independent teams (such as Huracán). However, Huracán is in position to enter the promotion playoffs to enter Segunda División.
only a small mention of it, but the Shaquell Moore inclusion is a little strange, no? especially given the whole back story about junior flores….
Flores can’t play DR and Moore has actually looked good. Its really that simple.
So is how well you play during qualifiers and friendlies than how much you play for club.
A 4-4-2 (or variation thereof) makes things interesting. I wonder if it’s a diamond, or if he goes with a flat four. If it’s a diamond 4-4-2 I could see some combination of Hyndman, Zelalem (if he makes it), Acosta, and Canouse. How do the forwards line up though? Rubin will undoubtedly start, but with whom? Allen has played well for RSL but is more of a winger. BJ-IV could possibly partner well with Rubin. I don’t know enough about Tall but have heard good things. What is Thompson’s role, then, if the US plays without out and out wingers? Regardless, I’m looking forward to the tourny this Summer.
I think you only have one of Acosta or Canouse, and you start Hyndman, Zelalem (if he gets his paperwork on time) and Sonora.
I think that you’re headed in the right direction with this. Ramos is being directed from above (i.e. Klinsmann). My guess is that the back 4 will be the same as in the qualifying tournament with the possible exception of Payne to DL which would be an upgrade IMO. Acosta probably sits at the base of the diamond, though I think that Canouse grew into being the better player in qualifying. Hyndman and Zelalem would be ahead of him with Thompson in the hole behind Ruben and Bradford. Steffen would be in goal.
I’m not saying that this is the best lien-up, it just seems to be where things are headed.
You read my mind.