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The SBI View: Darlington Nagbe’s USMNT career should be over

March 28, 2018 is the last time Darlington Nagbe put on a U.S. Men’s National Team jersey. At this point, it should remain that way.

USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter named a 26-man roster for next month’s camp on Wednesday morning, and Nagbe was not on the list. Not because he is hurt. Not because Atlanta United play during the international break (the club has no games during that stretch). Not because Berhalter did not want the talented central midfielder on the squad that will continue to prepare for what’s to come with friendlies vs. Mexico and Uruguay.

No, the reason for Nagbe’s continued absence from the USMNT picture is simply because he himself did not want to be in it. He did not want to don the red, white, and blue to try to make his first appearance at the international level since playing vs. Paraguay some 17 months ago. He did not want to begin to learn Berhalter’s system and tactics ahead of the meaningful games that are fast approaching. He did not want to play alongside the collective of some of the best of his fellow Americans on the international stage.

The primary reason Nagbe gave for wanting to be excluded? He wants to be with his family. Now, there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. It is his life. His career. His choices.

Whether that is the only reason can certainly be debated, however. After all, Nagbe has reportedly turned down call-ups in the more distant past in part because of a lack of playing time under former USMNT boss Jurgen Klinsmann.

Nonetheless, when building a team, especially a national team, it is vital to have players that are fully invested and committed to the cause. Players that want to represent their country as a source of pride. Players that will put up with the added load of training sessions and games over the course of a grueling club season. Players that will deal with the taxing travel around the globe, even if they do not see a minute of game action. Players that will stop at almost nothing to represent their country to ensure it is the best it can be.

What is clear now, after seeing the rejection of call-ups become more of a trend rather than an isolated incident, is that Nagbe is not that type of player. He, very clearly, will not stop it at nothing to suit up for the USMNT. He, very clearly, is not committed to battling for his spot and earning his minutes on the international stage.

Again, it is valid that he wants to be with his family, but he is not the only player that has that desire. Others just realize that it takes some real sacrifice and deep dedication to be a national team player.

It is for that reason that Berhalter should move on from Nagbe and refrain from attempting to call him up ever again. That may sound drastic or dramatic, but it isn’t. The only player that has been able to do something similar on a consistent basis in recent years is Lionel Messi, and he’s Lionel Messi.

Yes, the Atlanta United veteran seems to be a good fit for the possession-based and more technical style of play that Berhalter wants the USMNT to adopt. And, yes, Nagbe despite his defensive deficiencies has experience from the previous World Cup cycle that could certainly come in handy on the road to Qatar 2022.

Nagbe, however, is not deserving of preferential treatment, especially not at 29-years old. He has never proven in his 25 caps to date to be a major difference-maker at the international stage and should not be given the chance to repeatedly dismiss call-ups and show a disinterest towards the USMNT and its cause only to later decide that he maybe wants to change his mind and join in when it better suits him.

Put more bluntly, would teammates truly trust someone like that on the field? And what kind of message would that even send to the rest of the players in the locker room that have been battling in the trenches, sacrificing to be there, and competing hard to earn their spots in multiple camps over several months? Certainly not a good one. It would be a Timmy Chandler situation all over again.

The team should always be above the individual. Always.

Making exceptions and allowing a player to handpick when he wants and does not want to be involved would be detrimental to the collective, especially as it attempts to bounce back from the immense failure of not qualifying for the last World Cup.

Berhalter is continuing to steer the USMNT ship forward, but it needs to be without players like Nagbe that are unwilling to put in the time, effort, sacrifice, and commitment that international play requires. Nagbe’s most recent game for his country came about a year-and-a-half ago. Given his decisions since, it should be his last.

Nagbe may not like that if it winds up being the case, or, actually, he might not care at all.

Comments

  1. Facts:
    Nagbe in 2017 for NT 14 matches over 900 minutes 1 assist 0 goals.
    Since moving to Atlanta in 2018
    Nagbe 1 goal 5 assists 49 matches
    Trapp 1 goal 5 assists 51 matches
    Bradley 2 goals 8 assists 52 matches
    Roldan 8 goals 12 assists 57 matches
    Pomykal 2 goals 5 assist 26 matches
    Yueill 2 goals 6 assists 47 matches
    —————————
    Opinion: It wouldn’t bother me if GGG brought him in next month or never again. The idea that he’s head and shoulders above his competition just isn’t based in fact, he’s flashy and really good in the middle third but he doesn’t have the finish, the final ball, or tackling to dictate terms like Nagbe tries to do.

    Reply
    • Haha? Johnnyrazor

      You are actually going off stats???? ?
      Skill, talent and abilities are not even a question ?. Now looking at stats Nagbe has been more productive IN ALL AREAS than Bradley. So how is Bradley a USMNT guarantee and Nagbe is not???

      BRADLEY – (Who made the USMNT REGULARLY)
      MLS
      Career Statistics (Regular Season)

      Year …….Club…..GP….GS….G…MINS……A
      2019…….TFC……20……19…..2…1742……3
      2018…….TFC……32……32…..0…2857……5
      2017…….TFC……30……30…..0…2700……2
      2016…….TFC……24……24…..1…2160……5
      2015…….TFC……25……25…..5…2250……6
      2014…….TFC……25……25…..2…2198……4

      NAGBE
      STATS
      PLAYER STATSGAME LOG
      MLS
      Career Statistics (Regular Season)

      Year……..Club…..GP……GS….G….MINS….A
      2019……..ATL……26……25…..1…..2195…..2
      2018……..ATL……23……23…..0…..1970…..3
      2017…….PORT….27……27…..3…..2332…..5
      2016…….PORT….27……27…..1…..2416…..5
      2015…….PORT….33……33…..5…..2842…..5
      2014…….PORT….32……30…..1…..2681…..7
      2013…….PORT….34……34…..9…..2848…..4
      2012…….PORT….33……31…..6…..2777…..1
      2011…….PORT….28……21…..2…..1651…..3

      NOW LETS COME DOWN TO SKILL AND ABILITIES of a CM/DM
      Passing Ability❓can go either way
      Ball Control ✔️
      Dribbling. ✔️
      Shooting Ability ❓can go either way
      Shielding Ability. ✔️
      Quickness. ✔️
      Composure under pressure. ✔️
      Find Space.✔️
      NAGBE is one of the best CM/DM in MLS and better than Bradley and Trapp

      Reply
      • The only stats that matter are 2015 and after he wasn’t eligible before. He is good he’s deserved the call ups he’s had, but he’s not so good that he should be so arrogant. When he was brought in in 2016 at the same time as Pulisic and brought along at the same pace. CP took his bench time and earned his spot. Nagbe complained and got left off. When Arena brought him back he did little for NT, 1 assist in 14 matches in 2017. He maybe one of the best CMs in MLS but he acts like he thinks he’s one of the best CMs in the world.

      • hahahaha……It is absolutely asinine that you can compare the entitled treatment Bradley to any other player on the national team, especially based on his stats ?. He is the poster boy for the USMNT but DEFINITELY not because of talent. So you are saying Nagbe should just put his head down and go with it??? haha, forget that?!!! The USMNT will continue to suck with Bradley, and now Trapp, at its core until they wake up and here is a player that wants no part of that. Then you are trying to fault a player who knows his worth and knows he is better than the crap selected instead of him and now he is wrong for excusing himself from the bias picture (rather than bring down the moral of the team)?? An arrogant player is a player that knows his worth (all the elites have it) and will not sell his soul for anyone…..not even a bias national team

  2. Regarding Feilhaber, the reason JK not calling him was a mistake is because it forced MB to have to play the 8, and to do it during his prime; JK moved MB out of his #6 role for which he was best suited by far and forced him to play up the field with his back to goal, a terrible mistake and key insight into JK’s failed mind as a soccer coach and leader of the USMNT. Nagbe with his back to goal in the midfield much better suited for that role btw, but only if he wants to play on the team imo. Always been a Nage fan

    Reply
  3. I took it as Nagbe declines call-up, Berhalter no longer calls him up. Probably an unannounced usmnt retirement.

    Could be a lot of reasons. He really needs to spend time with the family. He doesnt want to slag Berhalter after deciding he’d rather not play for him. Another could be the wear and tear of USMNT and chances of making final WC roster vs squeezing out another season (or 2) in MLS at 600K. I wouldn’t discount the latter. I remember the lengths of at which DeRosario at the end of his career was trying to conserve energy and get a last quality season

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  4. “The Atlanta United midfielder turned down offers to join the USMNT as an injury call-up for Duane Holmes in the Concacaf Gold Cup” ?
    ….AS AN INJURY CALL-UP THO ?!!!!! HAHA???, and people wonder why he said NO THANKS!!!! Not only were you not selected in the first round among player like Bradley, Trapp…..but Mihailovic or Roldan too ???????? Not sure which one but this means someone on the bench that didn’t see the field was more valued than him by GB. Someone had to injure themselves for you to get an offer…..which means Nagbe was never the central prospect in midfield in the first place for the USMNT or part of GB’s vision moving forward. THE BEST US CENTRAL/DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER CURRENTLY IN MLS!!!!! SO WHY WASTE HIS TIME. That is a player that knows his worth and I RESPECT HIM for that!!!!!!

    “First of all, I have a lot of respect for Darlington as a player. He’s a player that I have admired for a while. I’ve watched him play for years and I think he’s an excellent player,” ?
    ……evidently GB you do not respect OR admire him enough….just saying ???

    #RESPECT

    Reply
  5. I would add my voices to those that disagree with the piece. I don’t think Franco is out of line or anything (it is a perfectly valid opinion, just one I disagree with). The USMNT has many problems that it needs to correct, and it has shown virtually no motivation to do so. I can 100% understand not wanting to sacrifice the time with family for what is ultimately just a waste.

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  6. Good heavens.
    .
    I can only surmise that this article was a cowardly effort to generate clicks and comments. SBI should be above such low tactics. I don’t think Ives Galarcep would have written this type of post. At least, I hope not.
    .
    https://sbisoccer.com/2019/08/pulisic-mckennie-dest-headline-usmnt-squad-for-september-friendlies
    .
    This website does not need to be dragged down into the culture wars. The USMNT needs support and constructive criticism, not sniping from the peanut gallery.
    .
    In future, can we please have comments about soccer and not about supposed patriotism? Sheesh.
    .
    (I hope you will at least have the courage not to delete this post.)
    .

    Reply
    • I’m not sure I agree. The headline states it is an opinion piece, it was backed up with some facts and reasonable assumptions. We are free to agree or disagree and say why. I think it’s interesting to hear some different opinions and start a discussion. If I just wanted headlines, I could find that elsewhere. There can be value in opinion pieces, as long as there are some facts to back it up.

      Reply
  7. In 2011 Gold Cup: While the U.S. squad flew to Washington from Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Donovan and Dempsey, the team’s most influential attacking players, were headed to California and Texas, respectively. Coach Bob Bradley granted their requests for time-off well before the tournament, USSF spokesman Michael Kammarman told the Insider.

    I recall that a lot of people were unhappy with that decision at the time! Special rules for special players, Nagbe is not as good as either.

    Reply
  8. Nagbe turned down the Gold Cup and he turned down this call-up. Let’s face it, he is just not that into the USMNT. He may have good reasons like past slights, or family time he craves, but he just is not that into it.
    He is a very good player, but no player in the US pool is good enough to just show up now and then and be a difference-maker. If the US cannot form a cohesive unit, it is doomed; players who don’t show up do not help build a team.
    Whether Franco should have written the article or not is an interesting question, but he did and I think his bottom line conclusion is correct.

    Reply
  9. Agree. Players should have a good specific reason for rejecting callups. I understand playing for two teams is exhausting but that’s the game. You only have a 15 year career.

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  10. Timothy Chandler situation all over again” I call bullshit. Nagbe was never crucified and caused problems by his club like Nurnberg was with chandler.

    Reply
    • I was thinking that this is more like Feilhaber. Like Nagbe, Feilhaber was kind of one dimensional and didn’t care to play defense. Klinsmann said he put himself ahead of the team and refused to call him in after one or two trials. A lot of people here argued that not calling in Feilhaber was a big mistake, but we managed to do okay in Brazil without him. I thought Sweden made a mistake in not calling in Zlatan for the last WC, even though I could sympathize with their reasoning. Turned out that maybe they did better without him than with him and he certainly is better and probably more of a team player than either Nagbe or Feilhaber. You need to look at the team as a whole and find the parts that fit together best.

      Reply
      • did well in Brazil huh? reverted back to the exact playing style Bradley was fired for after all the cries about how terrible it was, but with JK at the helm it was ok? lol

  11. This read as if the head cheerleader wrote an article about why the starting quarterback should never play again after he cheater on her.
    At the end of the day a coach needs to win games to keep his job and he’ll call anybody that can help him.
    Even if that player dissed the whole cheerleading squad previously.

    Reply
  12. Franco, this “take” is dumber than a bag of hammers … come on bro. I know you need the clicks but “Really? “

    Reply
    • Instead of resorting to insults, how about stating why you disagree with my opinion or why you don’t think this is the case? Or is that too much to ask of you?

      Reply
  13. A guy puts his job over his family, he’s selfish. A guy puts his family first, he’s selfish. The biggest regret of people in their deaths bed is I wished I spent more time with my family. Keep that in mind

    Reply
  14. Franco,

    You should retire as a journalist for writing this article. His life. His career. His choice. You also have a choice, and you chose to write this article, which is an indication of how little you know about soccer and the selections that take place at the national team level.

    #FrancoIsAnAmateur

    Reply
    • You write, his life, his career, his choice. That’s true, he has made a choice. It is then the coach’s choice whether or not to choose him again. We all make choices. Sometimes we choose family over career and we can respect that. But then, if you do that, you shouldn’t be surprised if you don’t advance in your career.

      Reply
    • Retire? A bit hysterical. Lol. He presented a point of view. I don’t necessaaarily %100 agree, but it is hardly outrageous- he made valid points. All I’d say is that I don’t have a complete picture/enough information to suggest outright banning him. That said- I’d rather we stop being so myopic/worrying about results in meaningless friendlies. He is 29 and we have a fair amount of up and coming young midfield talent that needs to be developed. If I were manager, I’d feel thankful he’s given me more reason to do so. Even though Berhalter says he hasn’t closed the door- a smart thing to say…. it is likely barely ajar.

      Reply
  15. I think it was Woody Allen who said that 90% of success is showing up. If I’m putting together a select team and you don’t know if someone will come or not, why would you pick him, unless he is by far the best player on the team? As I once heard a management consultant explain, if you have a rowing team in a race and one of the rowers just stops rowing, you are going to have to get someone else before the next race.

    Reply
  16. I agree with almost everyone on here and there are many different views on it. Except Tyler…. and I think Bradley should be done…but this wasn’t about Bradley, in fact Bradley wasn’t put on the roster.
    .
    One more thing to consider, it has gotten ridiculous the demands if you are a nat team player. Pretty soon the friendlies will be National Team Cup, or whatever the name is, Now you refuse, it counts !!!!
    You HAVE to play Curaçao, because it counts !!! I can see a guy saying, I am going to play a more limited amount. If Messi did that, Argentina says bye, bye, no World Cup for you?
    Nope.
    Somewhere between Messi and me, lies Nagbe.
    .
    FWIW….The US team isn’t Argentina and Nagbe is closer to Messi than me. Lookd like he is “getting away with not playing”

    Reply
  17. I’m not convinced of the view that this is a trend rather than a one-time situation. He doesn’t have a trend of rejecting call-ups outside of the JK situation (though the absence of said call-ups may have helped with that). He particularly hasn’t had a chance to establish a trend of rejecting non-last-minute call-ups from people not named JK. I’m sitting tight on this one.

    Reply
  18. He is 29

    The next world cup cycle is around the corner IN 2022

    He was not selected in his prime, despite his superior skill and abilities

    He is one of the most talented midfielders in MLS yet has taken the back seat to lesser talent!!!!

    Why should he waste his time, knowing he is one of the best at what he does?

    Why should he take up space on the bench BEHIND Trapp and Bradley (instead of being with his family)?

    Felihaber said it, Jermaine Jones said it, Chad Marshall said it…… the USMNT does not make selections base on CURRENT form, abilities and performance.

    He literally said if your best is Bradley and Trapp YOU CAN HAVE BRADLEY AND TRAPP…..haha, so what is the problem???

    #RESPECT

    Reply
    • Maybe Chad Marshall just shows that is isn’t always fair. If that is the case, he is the poster child.

      Reply
    • He was selected for the gold cup but turned it down. Hard to avoid taking a back seat to other players when you don’t show up.

      Reply
      • True Panda,
        “Hard to avoid taking a back seat to other players when you don’t show up”

        But how many players have tried to show up and still get benched to Bradley and/or Trapp??? Jermaine Jones? Alfredo Morales? Geoff Cameron? USMNT has been terrible over the years and lets face it, the common players, THAT ARE ALWAYS SELECTED REGARDLESS OF FORM, are part of the problem. Nagbe is better than both, and he has PROVED that under Porter, Tata and now Frank de Boer.

        If he was an intricate part of the USMNT and we relied on him 100% like Bradley (who can’t seem to have a bad game through out his career!!!!) AND HE TURNED US DOWN, I understand and would be the first to admit his was wrong…….but that’s like your boss is asking you to do a needless double shift, away from your new family, and for extended periods of time, all your are going to be doing is training then sitting around and doing nothing. Why waste that time from your wife and daughter?

        Bench to Pulisic, McKennie, Adams, Morales ….even Cameron as a DM, yes I would be sketical BUT CURRENT BRADLEY AND TRAPP???? No thanks. Being with his wife and child is more important than being benched for those two

        Player / Coach comments
        “I think there is maybe no better player in MLS who is comfortable when he gets the ball with his man on his back in the midfield,”…….Frank De Boer
        “Every player is important, but (Darlington) Nagbe is a very special player. We missed him a lot, so I’m glad he was able to get healthy and be back on the field.”….Miguel Almiron
        “I think Darlington is one of the best players in the league at relieving pressure, “You can play a ball into him in any way, shape or form and he will take it down and turn. It’s just incredible. He doesn’t lose the ball”….. Michael Parkhurst.
        “But with a player like Darlington [after injury], he’s so gifted technically that he won’t lose that part of his game. It’s just a matter of fitness.”…..Tata Martino

    • It was more formations, he played in all 8 qualifiers for Arena and the GC knockouts, but by the time gained eligibility both JK and Arena used a 4-4-2 diamond. Nagbe has done well at Atl in dual 6 role. He would have been a liability as the lone 6 because his defensive bite isn’t great and he’s slow to pass. He’d advance the ball by dribbling leaving the backline unsupported. Even Porter who he played for in college had trouble finding Nagbe a spot (moving him all over the formation) so it’s understandable that Arena and JK did to. He’s thrived finally in a dual 6 with Remedi to provide cover the backline and Barco, Martinez, and Pitt/Almirion to stretch the defense in front of him to give him room to dribble.

      Reply
  19. I am all about playing for the Jersey. I am a huge believer in “The name on the front of the jersey is a lot more important than the one on the back.” I coached basketball and baseball , and a little soccer, for more than 30 years. Old school definitely describes me. But I am also a family man. I think it is hard to make the “never again ” call if you don’t know what is going on in his life at this moment. Maybe he has a teenager at home that is really struggling, and needs their father. It’s possible Nagbe feels like, “at this time I need to be at home helping my wife with our child.” We all say, parents should be invested in their kids lives, especially after the horrible things we have seen teens do in recent years. Why not just say, “since we don’t know if there is more to it than what we are hearing, we are going to take a wait and see approach.” THere is really no need to make this decree at this point in time. Unless your feelings are hurt, and then I would say, “grow up. this is adulthood.”

    Reply
    • I agree with this comment, particularly with the insight that this call-up was at the last minute, and I can see someone not wanting to give his job such a priority that he ghosts on his family with no warning or time to prepare.

      Reply
      • My question to both you and Byrdman would be: How was this call up a last second call-up? The roster just came out yesterday.
        —–
        What’s more, Nagbe during Klinsmann’s tenure was reported to have turned down call-ups because he wasn’t getting the playing time he wanted. That, if true, says plenty about how he views the USMNT.

      • I am not really sure that I saw it as a last minute call up. Just that as a man you sometimes have other things pulling at you. I just don’t see the need to make a one time decision for ever. Now if he has been turning down call ups for a long time, well then yeah. Let’s move on.

  20. Shouldnt even be a question.

    Berhalter should not be pursuing a 29 year old midfielder 3 years out from a world cup. Period.

    Let alone one that is denying call ups.

    I respect Nagbes decision bc he is actually doing us a favor.

    Reply
    • Why should people say anything negative about Bradley? Did he ever refuse a call-up? Does he not put in the effort for USMNT?

      Reply
      • If any of you don’t remember Bradley not putting in the effort against Trinidad two years ago, then you need to take off your Rose Tinted glasses. That was the most listless performance in USMNT history. He didn’t put in the effort because he didn’t want to get hurt right before MLS Cup against Seattle. That is the ultimate insult to the USMNT. I applaud Nagbe for refusing call ups rather than pull a Bradley and give a pitiful performance that cost us a trip to the World Cup.

    • Why? So it can fit into your preconceived notion that everything Bradley is bad, and every fringe player who has a good run of form is going to change the fortunes of the USMNT? Say what you will about the current form of Bradley, but that guy has always given 100% for the US team. He has a family too btw, but it has never stopped him from doing everything he possibly could to help and fight for the team. It is exactly his kind of attitude and desire that is missing in Nagbe.

      Reply
    • Defintion: Tyler…extreme views that lack any type of mental or emotonal balance. One dimensional in thought. Extreme bias without thought or rationale. Creating straw men to justify his own deep issues.

      IOW’s….u belong on the internet and will in all likelihood amount to much and become more bitter as you get older. Great future ahead for u.

      Tyler thought on my post….I must be defending Bradley or must hate Nagbe to write what I have. Tyler will create whatver image of me he needs for himself, and that small sad world he has created. Good luck in life…u will need it.

      Reply
    • I’ve never been a MB fan. In his early days of the MNT I thought that he could be a bigger stronger version of Gattuso. A dcm that could break up an opponents attack. He played hard and was aggressive. But he was also caressless and out of control at times. I remember watching an early game where he committed a stupid slide tackle foul some 40yrds away from goal when there was no danger. I said watch they are going to score now because he continues to give up bad fouls. They did.
      I had high hopes that as he got older he would make better defensive decisions and be a solid destroyer in the MNT midfield.
      Unfortunately, and I don’t know when or why it was decided/determined that he was some kind of glorious playmaker in the midfield. He went away from his hard and gritty play to try to be a great value brand Pirlo. I think the American media branded him as some kind of irreplaceable national treasure that could do no wrong. He was tranformed into something he was not. He’s a good player, but he is not Pirlo. He can make a great long pass from 50 yards out when there is no pressure. But so can every decent player. As he got closer to goal he became less of a player. He would score the occasional face to goal, goal. But any pressure to him would just result in a rushed pass or back pass. It’s a shame really. Watching the gold cup had me do a double take. I could of sworn that MB was a third CB he was so far back away from pressure. I always think of what could have been if MB improved on what he was early in his career. Instead he was turned into something he was not. In doing so it probably hurt the MNT. There are so many players that could have done what MB did naturally and with additional skills. They were just never given the countless opportunity to prove themselves like MB was afforded. I think Nagbe falls into this category. I can surely see why he would be reluctant to join the squad when he knows he is better player than the options that are chosen. He knows he is not a poster boy of American soccer. As Megan Rapione said. They are cash cows for American soccer. People go to see names not talent and Nagbe is not a name.

      Reply

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