Gregg Berhalter sees lots of value in having veterans in camp that have been with the U.S. Men’s National Team before. It is why he named Michael Bradley, Omar Gonzalez, and Tim Ream to the squad for this month’s friendlies.
One seasoned player the head coach did not call in, however, is Fabian Johnson.
Berhalter released his first full-strength U.S. roster on Tuesday, and one notable omission, given the surprise inclusion of other veterans, was Johnson. The 31-year-old fullback has been a regular contributor for Borussia Moenchengladbach this season, and that continuity combined with him possessing technical qualities seem to make him a good fit for the complex right back spot that Berhalter wants his U.S. team to have.
Johnson was not among the 24 players summoned, though, for the March camp that will include friendlies against Ecuador and Chile. His exclusion was not because he has retired from the international game, which he had previously mentioned as a possibility following the 2018 World Cup. Rather, it was because Berhalter wants to look at younger options in that position.
“He’s doing a good job at Moenchengladbach,” said Berhalter on Tuesday. “When I look at his profile and look at his position and being an outside back and the demands of an outside back and I’m projecting towards 2022, he’s one that’s right on the borderline. It’s a tough one.”
While Berhalter made no guarantees that Johnson will ever suit up for the U.S. again, the manager also did not rule out the possibility. Johnson still has a combination of experience and talent that is unmatched by any other right back in the player pool, and Berhalter seems to think that could be useful at some point in the future if others fall out form, get injured, or are unavailable for any other reasons.
“I was in Germany a couple weeks ago and I was able to meet with Fabian and talk to him about how he’s doing and his international career and his thoughts moving forward,” said Berhalter. “He’s a guy that still is available. I spoke to him and said, ‘If you’re needed, we’ll certainly look at you and bring you in.’
“I’m very comfortable with Fabian and what he’s done. I’ve known him for a long time, I’ve probably known him for 12 years, I played with him in Germany and I left the door open and I said, ‘We’ll stay in contact.’
One other veteran who was not called into this roster was Geoff Cameron. His absence was not all surprising given that he only just returned to training with Queens Park Rangers after a lengthy layoff because of an ankle injury, but it appears that he might not have much of a future with the group given that he is 33-years old.
“He’s another one that I think time is working against him right now with his age and 2022 as being a goal,” said Berhalter. “But he hasn’t unfortunately been able to compete on the field since December.”
So let me get this straight, that is, bear with me for a minute.
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FJ, when fit, can still start at RB for Gladbach, which means he could more than compete with Yedlin for that role. Except that he might be a shade slower at his age, but on the other hand he could have a few years’ more experience and levelheadedness. Or he can also play winger on either side or second striker, and if I recall correctly, is actually not at all shabby at competing for the ball and getting passes and assists?
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But because the USMNT was so desperate for a LB, he evidently graciously agreed to do that at some point, presumably thinking of it as a stopgap; and now the USMNT is still (chronically, perpetually) at a loss for a LB, and he is perhaps no longer willing to be the chosen sacrifice, giving up several other positions that would really suit him better?
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Who else do we really have on the list for LB? Is that what Greg Garza plays, and if so, why isn’t he in the squad? Or Villafaña in a pinch, or I suppose I see why Sarachan tried calling in Robinson even at such a young age.
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https://sbisoccer.com/2019/01/greg-garza-out-of-usmnt-camp-due-to-quadriceps-injury
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Lima or Long both seem promising, but there isn’t any reason to expect that one of them would slide out left, is there? So that leaves Lovitz, who I hadn’t even heard of and who doesn’t actually play LB for Montreal either? Anyone else on the radar?
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Or did anyone think that Berhalter was going to try Ream or Gonzalez out there?
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Please, someone tell me what I’m missing here. I love DaMarcus Beasley, but don’t tell me he would still have been our best option.
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Everyone is so mad and negative lol. People need to breathe and press the reset button, the NT has to be overhauled and part of that process with EVERY NT is continuing to bring in veterans without bias from previous performances, to help bridge the gap and move the team forward. Greg has a plan, there are several articles expaining some of his goals for the team, so let’s allow him do his thing instead of making every one of his decisions about SUM and USSF elites smh
Could be FJ said no thank you and GB doesn’t want to publicize the negativity that would generate.
as opposed to the negativity generated by saying he’s available but not needed?
if Gregg wanted to cover for FJ saying no thanks, he’d have said FJ and him decided it would be better for him to focus on his club right now, or something similar.
He’s been out recovering from injury for a while and just recently seems to be back within reach of starting, though not necessarily yet even playing the full 90. Yes, he could be a decent option at LB, though if I’m not mistaken, he actually played RB recently for his club, which puzzled me as I thought I remembered him on the left.
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For him personally, I got the impression not that he was necessarily reluctant to play for the US, but that he might indeed be reluctant to spend so much energy and time traveling to the US if he wasn’t really going to play much. That seems understandable enough, not just for him but for everyone based in Europe. Perhaps especially for those at both ends of the age spectrum, the U23s and the O30s, it may make more sense for them right now to stay with their clubs. One thing Berhalter seems to be doing is touching base with the players and the coaching staff over there, trying to maintain good relationships. Maybe some of these decisions had their input.
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Fullback is a position that needs both speed and endurance, and there’s no guarantee that anyone in his age bracket is still going to have the legs. (Look at Marcelo.) He seems flexible enough to play other positions, so there could indeed still be a place for him somewhere in the next year or two if he’s interested and fit. But he’s 31 years old.
Uhh, fabian Johnson actually starts at RB for Gladbach. he is the #1 choice. fabian johsnon played LB for USMNT when he had breakout offensive seasons for Gladbach in LW/RW/SS roles. this commitment stuff is pure made-up bullshit to make excuses for the elites only wanting Bradley to be the old veteran.
LOL you mad, or nah?? Don’t over think things brother, it’s still too early for those types of assumptions!
Lol. Ooooookay. He knows, we know, FJ knows- this is simply not true. His words don’t at all compute with his actions- the roster he brought in- where the holes are on the team. FJ is the best option available at LB and.. Berhalter didn’t bring in a LB option, let alone a young one with any potential future at that position.
Fabian has only just gotten back into the first team after some knocks and injuries. I have a feeling that, perhaps, he was one of the players who has been dubbed by other players as carrying a questionable commitment. Personally, I’ve always been a fan of FJ (his world cup performance in Brazil for us was fantastic), and I will be interested to see what ends up happening here.
I’m actually really surprised not to see Duane Holmes called in after watching a number of his matches.
And what about the ” tronco ” Own Goal Gonzalez? that guy sucks big time…
yeah i hear you, Gonzalez did that, but if we’re being honest that comes no where near the peformance John Brooks put in down in Costa Rica during WCQing, but ofcourse it was less talked about because he plays in europe and it was fortunately not in the deciding game. Am I saying Gonzalez is a better player, absolutely not, but my point is bad games happen to everyone, and to repeatedly crucify players for having a bad game(no matter the situation)is ridiculous. The only way to redeem yourself is to be given further oppotunities and to do something with them. Anyone not understanding of that has cleary never played sports, a team sport no less!
Relax.
No big deal with Berhalter not calling in Fabian. Fabian has had commitment issues with representing the USMNT in the past.
Mckennie playing rightback in Manchester right now. Maybe he could play leftback for Berhalter.
So he wants to look at younger options in Ream and the other left back option but they like 28 and 30. Yes a little younger but terrible excuse
The article says that, but I’m sure Greg wants to continuie giving younger players who are actually getting playing time with their clubs more time with the NT. What he did say is that he likes to have veterans in the team for leadership and experience.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/03/12/squad-selections-berhalter-explains-usmnt-roster-without-weah-sargent
http://www.espn.com/soccer/club/united-states/660/blog/post/3798507/berhalter-excited-about-flexibility-pulisicadams-can-offer-united-states-mens-national-team
Such crap. The guy is getting minutes for a champions league level team at outside back and looks good. he is our best LB by a mile and is younger than Bradley. This is some real petty shit from the old boys.
I would argue that with Brooks,Yedlin and Pulisic we have enough experience from past teams
Yeah I would like some clarification from GB cause he clearly should have been in this squad, our dirth at LB is astounding and he could at least slot in there for the GC this summer.
Calling in Omar, but not Fabian is crazy. And FJ shined in our last World Cup at LB, which is still a weakness for the team. This is a very weak explanation; it almost makes me think something else is going on.
I double posted because I didn’t see my first comment go through and tried again. Sorry about the repetition, it’s not that I have Alzheimers . . . yet.
A pretty weak explanation if you bring in Omar Gonzalez who isn’t have as valuable and is almost as old. And FJ has played a lot of LB for the US in the past, an area that’s still a weakness for us. If you don’t care about the Gold Cup, I don’t have a problem not calling in FJ. But if you do, this does not make sense to me if you are trying to build a squad for that competition.
Yeah- who need’s an athletic, skill player with tons of experience in the Bundesliga, who plays a position we are lacking in. His market value probably puts him at the top 6 or 7 of all American internationals out there. And ‘Right on the borderline’? If he were a “real” American, he’d never get this treatment.
I recall Fabian stating publicly that World Cup 2018 would be his last involvement with the national team. According to Berhalter’s quotes, this may have changed.. but I don’t believe it has.
FJ never said that.
in 2017, a Bild reporter asked him if a 2018 WC would be an appropriate end to his NT career, and FJ responded: “Das kann gut sein. Die WM ist auf jeden Fall ein Riesen-Ziel, in Brasilien war es einfach überragend, jetzt freue ich mich auf Russland.“
which roughly translates to: “It could be good. The World Cup is definitely a huge goal, in Brazil it was just outstanding, now I’m looking forward to Russia.”
that’s all he said about it.
somehow, American news outlets took this as “Fabian Johnson declares retirement”