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Report: Toronto FC in talks with U.S. Soccer to keep Altidore, Bradley out of Peru friendly

MLS: Toronto FC at Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Photo by Bob Frid/USA TODAY Sports

By AARON CRANFORD

With the MLS season winding down and Toronto FC needing as many points as it can to reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, head coach Greg Vanney wants to see his U.S. internationals choose club over country, at least for one game.

According to Sportsnet, TFC and the U.S. Soccer Federation are in ongoing discussions in order to determine if U.S. captain Michael Bradley and striker Jozy Altidore can miss the U.S. Men’s National Team’s first friendly against Peru on Sept. 4 at RFK Stadium.

Toronto FC has an important clash against the Seattle Sounders on Sept. 5, and the team has struggled as of late in MLS.

TFC lost its most recent match, 3-0, to the New York Red Bulls on Aug. 15, and the Canadian club has only won once in its previous five matches, a run which seen the team fall to fifth in the Eastern Conference, only two points above the Montreal Impact in the sixth and final playoff spot.

“We’re trying to do the best we can to make as many guys as possible available for selection so we build into this final push of the season,” Vanney said.

“This is the key part of the season. We’re in a good position, we want to keep our team together, we want to keep our group moving forward and that’s our goal: build momentum one game at a time as we move into this final stretch of matches.”

The deal Toronto is trying to work with USSF would see Bradley and Altidore join the USMNT before its meeting with powerhouse Brazil on Sept. 8 at Gillette Stadium.

Think U.S. Soccer will allow Toronto FC to keep Bradley and Altidore? If the two come into the squad before the Brazil match, how much playing time will each see?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Every national team coach gets his way especially when a player is healthy. Bradley and Dempsey are the two most key players that JK will likely not sacrifice just because MLS unlike every other major soccer league does not leave these dates open. JK is not greedy. He is just doing his job which is to win and these two games are the last 2 games before Mexico in October. Direct your anger at Garber and MLS

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  2. Oh please. The USMNT almost always get their way when it comes to call ups. Osorio and Morgan must be rolling their eyes at this crap. The Canadian lads have to skip on wearing the maple leaf far more often – meanwhile Bradley and Altidore (and every other US international in MLS) virtually come and go as they please in comparison. The MLS schedule is crap but I am glad TFC are taking a stand. These games are way more important for TFC than the USMNT. One friendly vs Peru is not going to matter and it gives the reserves time against the easier of two opponents. Stop being greedy JK

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  3. Klinsmann has the right per FIFA rules to select his team for these friendlies which are very important despite their title as these are crucial for him to find the best team. Both Peru and Brazil will present very strong challenges and extremely important because of the match against Mexico in October.

    This is MLS’s problem. MLS wants to make this league into a top league but that also means bringing more top players who will be called up by their countries for these friendlies on these FIFA international dates.

    These games are also very important for the players who get called up because not only for the chance to play for their national team, but also for the exposure it brings that can radically improve a players career. Just look at Bobby Wood who got signed by Berlin club in the German 2nd division just due to his performance in the Gold Cup. An MLS player can see his $60,000 salary jump right to 7 figures just be playing well for the U.S. nations team.

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  4. MLS should finally get their league calendar in line with the rest of the world especially if they truly are serious about becoming a major league. There will be more and more teams with this issue. MLS should realize that there is not much overlap with NFL fans. As it stands the TV ratings have much to improve and it has nothing to do with the other major sports.

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    • The clubs know who is getting called in before we do buddy. So Toronto already knows. How do you think these media outlets get the breaking news of a player being selected? It comes from people within the clubs or the player himself.

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  5. i don’t like this. complain to MLS, but this is not on USSF. we need them because we have a major game coming up in October and we can all agree this team needs time together.

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  6. “TFC in talks to keep Bradley off the roster for the up coming friendly”, no talks necessary for Alti-noscore, who should not even be considered for a roster spot with Zardes, Bobbi Wood, Andrew Wooten, Aron Johannsson in the mix (he’s even behind the B strikers like Charlie Davis, C.J. Sapong, Will Brun, Chris Rolf at this point).

    “Coach Greg Vanney, its a win win situation for you, as leaving Altidore off the roster for the game against Orlando City is a blessing in disguise”. lol (No Altidore = More Goals)

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  7. Please….please take Altidore…away from Toronto….overpaid….lazy….and selfish. ..mark my words he has another red card coming soon…it will be a non issue….I hope bradley does not disqualify himself like he has done in the past as well.

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    • out of curiosity, when you say “selfish” do you mean you believe Jozy has a selfish style of play on the field or selfish because he got a red card?…

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      • Selfish because in his first game back after the red card suspension (first half I believe) he chops down a KC player at midfield ….after a brief scuffle in the box out of frustration. Easily could have been granted another RED instead of a yellow. He is a ticking time bomb. To take a red card in the fashion he did (I believe he was captain that evening) was selfish and irresponsible….something you would expect of a much younger player….Altidore is not young anymore.

  8. Shouldn’t do it. Most MLS teams are in the middle of their play-off push. It wouldn’t sit well with most clubs that TFC’s best players get to stay behind while theirs are taken.

    It’s the cost of having international quality players TFC. Deal with it like everyone else does.

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    • Actually Bradley will have missed 7 games due to international duty and another 2 more due to injury from said international duty. That’s 9 games in total in a 34 game season.

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    • This is a big can of worms. The game in question is against Seattle. If TFC get Altidore/Bradley excused from Nat duty, then Evans/Dempsey must also be excused,

      otherwise the whole thing becomes a farce.

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    • If they are negotiating for Altidore and Bradley to stay, then obviously Jurgen has let it be known that he is selecting them both. That’s the only thing that makes sense.

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  9. JA may not get called anyway. What has he shown since early exit from Gold Cup. Bradley…well that’s a different story. In this case I think it should be the players choice.

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    • If they are negotiating for Altidore and Bradley to stay, then obviously Jurgen has let it be known that he is selecting them both. I agree though that Altidore is not in good form.

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      • “If they are negotiating for Altidore and Bradley to stay, then obviously Jurgen has let it be known that he is selecting them both.”

        personally i believe that to be assuming too much.

    • My thoughts exactly… Who said JA would be called and I also think he has shown nothing to justify his inclusion unless you call kicking a player on the ground, and a resulting red card, an accomplishment.

      Also, if JK is bringing in yet another German savior, why would we need JA who can’t score unless its from the charity stripe

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  10. This is insane, it’s an international window, get over it TFC, and if they have such a problem with it then get together with the other franchises and push MLS toward having international breaks. This is part of the problem with the USMNT, so much talent but no cohesiveness due to klinsi letting this crap go on. Call them in, call in your strongest team to prep for mexico in october, and if the clubs have an issue then go after MLS.

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    • TFC already let Bradley and Altidore go for the friendly early in the year vs. Germany. That was a non-FIFA date and they missed the away match against D.C. because of it. This is simply the USSF returning the favor.

      If Klinsmann and the USSF want their best players available to them at all times maybe they should stick to scheduling friendlies only during official international dates.

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      • Or how about MLS get with the program and schedule their season like every other league around the world so there is no conflict during international windows. MLS wants be on par with the rest of the world but yet refuse to adjust accordingly smh. However, I do think that US Soccer should allow at least Bradley to stay with Toronto for the Peru friendly while Altidore can stay far away as possible from the USMNT until he can show that he’s a capable scorer on that level, no less in MLS

      • While it would be great for the USMNT, the MLS would never survive direct competition with the NFL.

      • MLS makes it even harder on itself by wasting valuable days that are devoted to unnecessary “windows” for in-season friendlies and the All-Star Game.

      • you should check your facts. the games against Germany and Netherlands most definitely fell within the June FIFA window…

        the only organization needing to adhere is MLS.

      • Nope. I actually mixed up the games, it was the one against the Netherlands that was a non-FIFA date. The international window was June 8-16, and the US played the Dutch on June 5th.

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