Oct 04
USA Roster VS. Cuba Announced (Finally, A Sane Bob Bradley)
Yanks Soccer has been on hiatus recently, but we’re back, and ready to get down to the all important business of World Cup Qualifying. The US released its roster for their upcoming World Cup Qualifier, and to put it lightly, they’re are some interesting exclusions and inclusions. Take a look after the jump.
Here is the roster:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 2/2 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 6/5 SO), Troy Perkins (Valerenga IF: 0/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 16/2), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland: 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96: 17/0), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC: 1/0), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew: 13/1), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege: 11/0), Michael Orozco (San Luis: 0/0), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock: 5/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Freddy Adu (AS Monaco: 1/0), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers: 19/4), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach: 5/2), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers: 3/0), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA: 3/0), Danny Szetela (Brescia Calcio: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 0/0)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal C.F.: 0/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 9/4), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF: 0/0) Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 11/4), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 24/8)
*numbers indicate all-time World Cup Qualifying caps/goals
The most notable exclusion is Eddie Johnson (you can breath a huge sigh of relief, I mean huge). Another head scratcher is the continued absence of Kenny Cooper. Cooper ’s absence is concerning, but the fact that there are many new faces means he might get a call up for the Trinidad and Tobago game later this month.
The most exciting inclusions certainly have to be the five young faces on the roster. Danny Szetela, Jozy Altidore, Charlie Davies, Jose Francisco Torres, and Freddy Adu. The four youngsters are exciting, but none are more exciting than Jose Francisco Torres. Torres, who is American born but has lived and played in Mexico for the last five years was being courted by Mexico, but his decision to play for the US is very heartening. There are plenty of Mexican-Americans playing in Mexico, and hopefully, Torres can be a model for them to emulate.
What are you most excited about? Who do you like on the roster, who do you dislike? Your thoughts go below.
October 4th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
I think the exclusion of Kenny Cooper is because FC Dallas is in a huge playoff race, and BB realized that he is really FCD’s only hope to make playoffs. But I am very excited to maybe see Charlie Davies and Jozy up top. Here is the lineup I want to see after we beat Cuba and clinch this qualifying round.
—————Charlie Davies———-Jozy Altidore—————
Jose Francisco Torres——-Freddy Adu————-Sacha Kljestan
———————–Micheal Bradley————————-
Danny Califf——Onyewu——Micheal Orozco——-Jay DeMerit
——————————Guzan—————————
now i really doubt this happens, but i just want to see all of them play together and i think this is the only way to see all of the new guys play, and let all of the young guys have some experience. Props to BB for finally bringing in some new blood. lets see what happens!
October 4th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
I like your roster and i suspect that Kenny Cooper wasn’t included for that very reason, but he certainly deserves to get a call in this round of world cup qualifying. The odd thing for me is michael orozco’s inclusion because he in my opinion is not ready to play for the US National team. He’s a bit reckless and needs a few more years.
October 4th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
yeah, I think Wynne is a guy that should replace Orozco…I don’t really know why he was left off…and is Jonathan Spector healthy again? because he would be someone I would really like to see.
October 5th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
I am a little disappointed in you, Max. A friendly note saying Yanks Soccer would not be up for about a month would have been nice.
October 7th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Glad to see you back!
October 7th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Califf and DeMerit as your outside backs? I don’t know about all that business. For the purposes of this match, I’d agree with your roster, except I’d put those two in the center (they are most likely our third and fourth options for center back, better give them some time to gel) and go on and let Pearce and Dolo play for the sake of having some experience on the field. If Wynne were on the roster, I’d be all for him getting some playing time over Dolo, but he’s not. I’d like to know whatever happened to Bobby Convey though. He’s been getting the minutes for Reading.
October 8th, 2008 at 12:19 am
yeah, Califf and DeMerit would be better in the middle, I just really like seeing Gooch play and have already seen Orozco on the outside, and didn’t like it. Convey would be a pretty good call up if he is back to form, but didn’t he just get back from a series of injuries? I could be wrong about that, but if he’s on form, i would love to see him, because he was hyped up pretty big before the 06 Cup.
Oh, and another guy I’m not sure about is Parkhurst? He did well in the olympics, but i don’t know how he’s doing in the mls. He may be someone that should get a look as well.
October 8th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
I read in a post on soccernet (and I don’t remember who, so I can’t really quote it) that said that DaMarcus Beasley and Bobby Convey together make up about 2/3 of a healthy person.
October 8th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Here’s a podcast on the USMNT blog from Bob Bradley:
http://podcast.ussoccer.com/100708_bob_edited.MP3
One of the reporters asks specifically about Kenny Cooper, and Bob’s answer leads me to believe that FC Dallas was just not releasing him.
Interestingly enough, on a note just concerning the MLS in general, that makes me think that LA really isn’t all that concerned with making the playoffs. Landon Donovan is basically the only thing that has kept them anywhere near the post season.
October 10th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
that podcast was pretty interesting, as well as the practice footage on the USMNT blog. I also just saw that DeMerit is out with a hamstring injury so forget bringing him on…but I really doubt he would have saw much PT this game anyways.
that’s surprising about LA as well. I guess they are chalking this year up to being the worst team in the league, because they are much like Dallas (except not as good) in that they are in the hunt for a playoff spot, albeit there is a very small chance they can make it in, but still I think they are looking to next year, and want Donovan to be happy and hopefully stay, even though I think he will leave to Europe during the winter transfer season.
March 24th, 2009 at 5:33 am
ok