Lack of USMNT players on DCU

[rksehga]

Does anyone think the lack of USMNT (or any National Team players for that matter) will help or hamper us this year? If/when Alecko gets on track, I'm sure Bruce will call him in this summer for at least some camps (with World Cup Qualifying and Gold Cup). Other than Alecko and maybe Bennie and possibly Petke, I can't see many of our players getting a look.

Part of me thinks this is a good thing since we'll have our players available to us, and assuming they want to play at the international level, it will motivate them to perform better and keep them focused.

On the other hand, that same motivation could be a distraction. Also, there are obvious gains to taking part in national team camps and playing in high-level international games. Our players simply aren't getting that experience right now.

Any thoughts?

[sch2383]

I think it will help us, especially if we have to play Dallas one weekend when their top 3 strikers are all up on National Team duty. Nowak won't let this team lose its focus or concentration, regardless of what is going on outside.

[jkl;]

It's interesting because it's the same with the Metros this year
We'll see if it helps or hurts these teams.
By the way, Petke will never get called to USMNT again, so the only ones you would have to worry about are Eski, possibly Gros, Olsen (because he's Bruce's boy) or Moreno if Bolivia gets a smart coach.
Rimando is a Bruce favorite, but he hasn't shown the form that earned him splitting the game with ManU's goalie since the ACL.

With Metros, they will only lose Guevara, possibly Gaven, and Walker only if he is REALLY lucky.
I wonder if their coaches see this as a strategy to counter fatigue and team disruption, because we all know what happened with the Metros last year after NT friendlies and WC Qualies...

[sch2383]

With Metros, they will only lose Guevara, possibly Gaven, and Walker only if he is REALLY lucky.

I think Gaven will no longer be in MLS come the summer transfer window.

[Sanguine]

according to my sources* We'll have more than one player called into National Team camps during this season.


















* I don't really have any sources, I'm just making ******** up.

[DangerMouse37]

Just my hunch, but if Gros continues to play well I think he'll get a very serious look from Arena.

Solid, high work rate, young, coachable -- a very good investment. He should be in the team's longer-term plans.

[GrillMaster]

Having no MNT callups would definitely help United. I am positive the players would want the challenge and extra $, but I don't foresee many friendlies where some of our guys could get the call.

GM

[ursula]

- Freddy will go to the World Youth (U-20) tournament in Holland this summer. (Gaven will go to that as well.) The first USA game is June 11, the last USA group game is June 18 and the tournament ends on July 2.

-For the Gold Cup Bruce Arena might possibly, possibly, call up Eskandarian and/or Olsen. However folks around these parts tend to think that the squad will be heavily based on younger Euro players (Spector, Onyewu, and the like) since they will be out of season. Still Arena never calls up just a bunch of new players without more regular players who know his system- and that might favor Olsen (not so much Esky). But if either is playing great than I can imagine Arena taking a long look at them as this Gold Cup is really the last chance for players not really in the core of 25 or so to make an impression for Germany. Because of that it's doubtful that Gros will get a call as he or Adu or Carroll are just not on the radar for 06. After Germany is another matter and if the team continues to play well for the next two years we'll be seeing a bunch of our young uns getting called up.

-As for the WCQs the only possibility I think is Olsen and that only if several players in front of him get hurt first- not likely.

-You betcha DCU stands to gain some by not having a ton of callups. Some teams, especially the Revs and Dallas, may get hammered for a game or two. Let's just hope that when Adu is gone for almost a month, Gomez doesn't get hurt.

[Th4119]

Let's just hope that when Adu is gone for almost a month, Gomez doesn't get hurt.

And let's hope that now that you've jinxed it, nobody who likes DC United finds out exactly where you live.

;)

[Lanky134]

I think it will help us, especially if we have to play Dallas one weekend when their top 3 strikers are all up on National Team duty.

It's close. We get Dallas on September 10, after the WCQs on the previous weekend and the 7th.

[ursula]

And let's hope that now that you've jinxed it, nobody who likes DC United finds out exactly where you live.

;)


lol! Made me spill my drink!

[michael greene]

I seem to remember DCU doing just fine way back in the day when seemingly half the team was called away for various national team duties, so no worries. At this point, there isn't one DCU player who deserves a call-up for a meaningful match. If we clinch our spot in WC06 early (round 7 or 8), then if Esky has had a good season he might get a phone call. Olsen's day is done, and Gros, who I do like, isn't even an impact player yet in MLS, so talk of a camp is really premature. Especially with Klein back healthy, and Ralston seemingly back in the mix, there are just way too many midfielders who have earned a spot. If healthy, I'd bet on Namoff getting a cup of coffee with the men before Gros.

[ignatz]

I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I'd like some of our guys to have the success that call-ups represent, and I have always enjoyed the Nats more with DCU players. It seems kind of strange to watch them without a single DCU player on the field.

But I won't miss the the call-ups when they lead to our best players missing key games. Between call-ups and injuries, it seemed like Eddie Pope was gone two years before he actually was traded.

I agree that -- barring a string of injuries on the Nats -- Olsen has seen his day. I tend to doubt, however, that Esky will ever play much for the Nats -- although I could wind up eating my words. My guess is that what we're seeing right now with Esky is what we're going to get: high work rate, wicked left foot, good instincts, and highly competitive most of the time at the MLS level. But I don't see him moving beyond that and getting markedly better, which he would have to do to get any significant time with the Nats. I'd guess that, longer term, Santino has a better chance -- far more upside potential.

[Lanky134]

I agree that -- barring a string of injuries on the Nats -- Olsen has seen his day. I tend to doubt, however, that Esky will ever play much for the Nats -- although I could wind up eating my words. My guess is that what we're seeing right now with Esky is what we're going to get: high work rate, wicked left foot, good instincts, and highly competitive most of the time at the MLS level. But I don't see him moving beyond that and getting markedly better, which he would have to do to get any significant time with the Nats. I'd guess that, longer term, Santino has a better chance -- far more upside potential.

My guess is that Bruce is waiting for Esky to get rid of that reckless streak. Especially now that we're in a WCQ cycle, it's important that we have players who aren't going to take as many stupid cards as Esky does.

[Th4119]

My guess is that Bruce is waiting for Esky to get rid of that reckless streak. Especially now that we're in a WCQ cycle, it's important that we have players who aren't going to take as many stupid cards as Esky does.

Good points.

The less time United's players get with the National Team, the harder it is for them to make the jump overseas if they are deserving of it. This is a great "problem" for DC to have.

[GoDC]

Stokes looked ready for a callup on Wednesday night.