New website but some well known names affiliated with it. Put out a USA Top 100 list which might be interesting to some. The "panel" who put this together include Twellman, Wahl, Jason Davis and Sciaretta. http://americansoccernow.com/asn_100#.UGcmOfl_Uag A few: 1) Dempsey 2) Bradley 3) Timmy 4) Donovan 5) Chero 6) Fabian 7) Cameron 8) Altidore 13) Jones 16) Boyd 17) Zusi 20) Shea 21) Gonzalez 26) Lichaj 29) Gatt 30) Holden- who would be a lot higher if healthy 36) Mix 41) Agudelo 46) Bedoya 48) Davis 53) Gil 56) Freddy
Not a bad list really. Best XI based on that would be: Howard; Cherundolo, Cameron, Bocanegra, Johnson; Donovan, Williams, Bradley, Dempsey; Altidore, Gomez which seems about right. And the next XI (with Friedel assumed retired) would be: Guzan; Parkhurst, Goodson, Gonzalez, Chandler (or #26 Lichaj if unavailable); Zusi, Jones, Edu, Torres, Shea; Boyd (or replace one of the CM's with #24 on the list Wondolowski for more attack)
IMO the order of the list gets a lil f*cky after the 4th slot but a big bravo is extended to those who created it. Brilliant idea and layout. I especially like the bio with the highlights included.
Quite a few have fallen so heavily. Buddle, Clark, Davies, Bedoya, and Findley were all players in the national team picture only a few years ago. Some player's rating I just dont understand. Seb Hines should be higher if he is considered an American. Also, WHY IS FINDLEY EVEN ON THIS LIST? He is in the 4th division of England right now... I'd take almost any mls striker over him.
"Amobi Okugo is soft-spoken and humble off the field but a monster on it. He delivers crunching tackles, formerly as a defensive midfielder but more recently as a central defender. He prefers to play in front of the backline, but the 21-year-old wants to please his coaches and will play where needed. [...] Okugo remains a work-in-progress—not surprising for a player his age. He needs to improve his passing, possession, and positioning, but he is nothing if not determined. An eventual call for the U.S. senior team is more likely than not.—NOAH DAVIS"
How about another guy that's actually scored a goal for us in the Klinsmann era? Robbie Rogers is playing for Stevenage right now. Stevenage is a club that was in the Isthmian League (7th tier) when I lived in the UK.................but has pulled themselves up to League 1 somehow. [He's there for a reason. Their coach is Gary Smith, formerly of the Rapids, who brought him in on loan.] By the way, can a person who's hair looks like that really be an option for the USMNT?
Jond - thanks for sharing. Bookmarked. Enjoyed and agreed with the majority of the list with only a few exceptions feeling a bit off. Kljestan and Lichaj under Beckerman? Parkhurst and Gonzalez under Torres?
An amusing web site. Seems like pretty reasonable list. This contrast struck me: Gonzo #21 vs Fiscal #56
1. Dempsey 2. Howard 3. Donovan 4. Fabian 5. Friedel 6. Bradley 7. Cameron 8. Jozy 9. Chandler 10. Dolo 11. Boca 12. Jermaine 13. Williams 14. Hercules 15. Zusi
Guzan is currently a top rated EPL US player by Sky at 7.3 Big Brad is #2 at 7.2, Dempsey is at 6.3 (I think he was at 6.7 last year with Fulham), Timmay's at 6.5, Geoff Cameron is at 6.0.
Too high: Omar Gonzalez (21) ; Tim Ream (34); Whitbread (60); Findley (100); Too low: Edgar Castillo (35); Freddy Adu (56); Conor O'Brien (96); Okugo (97) Where is Will Packwood?
Definitely in agreement with Ream. Was never on that bandwagon, never will be. Gonzalez is a bit high, but not entirely out of place either.
Cameron may well end up here but would like to see a full season in the EPL just to be sure. Still hoping for Chandler and for Stu to make his return/
why is Jones #13 when he bosses it up for Schalke? That is Weird. Bocanegra plays in the Spanish second divison at #9. Schalke! Schalke!
Penalized, I suspect, due to the frustration so many American fans/media have with seeing him as the #8 instead of a destroyer. He should be in the top 9 of that list for sure, and probably ahead of Cameron and Altidore as well.
Here is my top 10: Dempsey, Bradley, Howard, Donovan, Friedel, Jones, Johnson, Dolo, Altidore, Chandler/Williams. Also Wooten is far too low at #98.
Not a bad list. You could quibble about some of the players. Interesting that the poster boy's for call ups: Lichaj, Kljsestan, and Pointus are ranked #26-28. Still, they are higher than Corona (#32), Castillo (#35), and Spector (#33) - all of played or have been called up recently by JK. Sadly, I would say Friedel should be higher than Howard...
I wonder when the site was last updated... From the Donovan write-up: Donovan has 144 caps, 49 goals, and 49 assists.