It's never too early: A look ahead at the 2012 Olympic pool

Great thread! When does qualifying start?

Also, are there still going to be 3 overage players?

 

There isn't a coach for this group yet is there?

I'm guessing that the USSF will announce that coach sometime in 2011. Perhaps an assistant to the next USMNT coach (a la Nowak under Bradley).

We do know that the last U-20 WC squad was disappointing, and many of those players are options for this squad. The eligible names that pop out as still eligible are Adu and Altidore.

 

I won't do a whole roster prediction but here you go.. my starting lineup prediction:


-----------Altidore---Agudelo---

---------------M. Hoyos------

-------LLetget--------------Diskerud--

----------------Okugo-----------------


G. Garza----Agbossoumonde---K. Davies-----D. Williams---

----------------Edwards--------------


A few guys I think will be on the bench

Johnson [GK]
Adu
Stephens
McInerney
Jeffery
Opara
Gil

Also, I assuming that FIFA finally puts an end to the 3 overage player rule.

And the one prediction that I can say will 100% absolutely be true is that my lineup prediction above will turn out to be be completely wrong. A good number of these kids won't make it.

Still, it's fun.

 

Nice line up.

I think we have to also keep in mind that whomever will be the new NT coach will more than likely dictate what formation we use for our U-23's.

 

I agree on this one.

The European clubs hate this tournament, and FIFA's going to throw them a bone by doing away with the overage players. (They may already have. I remember hearing something about that)

It will also be interesting to see how much resistence there is from clubs about U23 players. As we'll recall from the 08 Olympics, the Bundesliga clubs in particular had to be FORCED to release their players. Wasn't it Rafinha who was at the heart of that fight?

 

It's as good a guess as any at this point. Daniel Williams is actually a DM who was forced into a few games at RB though. I do like your Michael Hoyos prediction and I'm hoping it comes true...

For some perspective, let's look at what the last group of U23s were doing in March, 2006. (Not including overage players)

GK Chris Seitz (Maryland) -- a year before he went pro
DF Marvell Wynne (NY Red Bulls) -- just beginning his rookie year
DF Michael Orozco (San Luis) -- didn't make his debut for San Luis until August '06
DF Patrick Ianni (Houston Dynamo) -- just beginning his rookie year
MF Michael Bradley (Heerenveen) -- had just been sold and hadn't yet started, then 06-07 was apprentice year, 07-08 breakout year
MF Dax McCarty (FC Dallas) -- just beginning his rookie year
MF Maurice Edu (Maryland) -- a year before he went pro
MF Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo) -- just beginning his rookie year
MF Danny Szetela (Columbus Crew) -- bench player
MF Benny Feilhaber (Hamburger II) -- reserve team player
MF Freddy Adu (DC United) -- seeing PT
MF Robbie Rogers (Maryland) -- still amateur, would sign with Heerenveen in August '06
MF Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA) -- just beginning his rookie year
FW Charlie Davies (Boston College) -- a year before he went pro
FW Jozy Altidore (NY Red Bulls) -- just beginning his rookie year


So at this point in the last cycle, which is about 2.5 years before the Olympics, here's the break down:

Amateurs: (4) Seitz, Edu, Rogers, Davies
Rookies preparing for their first season: (6) Wynne, Ianni, McCarty, Holden, Kljestan, Altidore
Guys in MLS: (2) Szetela, Adu
Euro reserves: (2) Bradley, Feilhaber
Other: (1) Orozco (basically preparing for his rookie season, too)


Honestly considering how many of these guys are in the NT picture today and considering how long it seems that we've been discussing these guys, it surprised me to see how little experience this group had at this point last cycle.

 

This is one of the most enlightening and helpful posts I've read in quite some time. Repped.

Edit: For some reason I can't rep this post, don't know if it is because of all the neg rep I got from some Mexico trolls recently or not. Can someone cover me?

 

Considering his Canadian father (who played for the Canadian NT and is among its all time scorers), it'll be interesting to see who he goes with (he was born in Canada as well and played for their youth teams).

Not to rain on anyones parade, but I think he'll side with Canada.

 

I also think bunbury will go with canada. I'm a local MN guy and from what I've heard and read, I think it's 80-20 in favor of canada, but we can all dream

 

-----------Altidore---Agudelo---

------------------Adu-----------

-------LLetget--------------Gil*--------

----------------Diskerud---------------


G. Garza--Agbossoumonde---K. Davies*--D. Williams---

----------------Edwards*--------------

God thats an offensive packed lineup, daddy likes....

Lambo/Chris Seitz
Okugo
Hoyos/Dempsey
McInerney
Jeffery
Opara/Gooch
Shea: utility man for defense, midfield, OR forward. His versatility sees him on the roster

* and italics indicate players on a three player overage should it still be allowed.

 

The 3 O-23 player rule will govern the London Olympics. UEFA by final FIFA vote, backed down.

 

One could suppose that he's no different than other Canadians named Hargreaves or De Guzman.

Arturo Alvarez once seemed like a guy who was 80-20 in favor of the US, and we all know how that ended.

 

Add Asmir Begovic (Bosnia) to the list, for Canada. And to make matters even more comical, they once had a guy who relinquished his citizenship in order to get an EU passport to further his career. Ouch.

Alvarez isn't a great comparison, though, because he did want to play for the US but he wasn't good enough. It was only when it became clear that his chance wasn't going to come that he joined El Salvador's program.

 

An MLS guy who was missed is GK Bill Hamid from DC United.

 

Freddy Adu, I presume then, will be going as an overaged player?

Then again, this team may not even qualify.

 

You're kidding right?

 

I will believe Teal Bunbury will play for the USA the day I see some hockey god in Canada like Ray Borque have his son play for the USA in hockey.

 

Ray's son, Ryan, won gold at the 2010 world juniors this year for team usa..

 

OH Snap. This is confirmation that Teal will represent the US. bshredder might have some inside info