Who will retire from MNT after 2006?

[keller4president]

What players in the current MNT pool will be retiring from international play following the 2006 World Cup? Here's my prospective list of retiring players (current age in parantheses):

Kasey Keller (36)
Cobi Jones (35)
Chris Armas (33)
Marcus Hahnemann (33)
Brian McBride (33)
Gregg Berhalter (32)
Claudio Reyna (32)
Kerry Zavagnin (32)
Eddie Pope (32)
Frankie Hejduk (31)
Eddie Lewis (31)
Steve Ralston (31)

Biggest losses will obviously be Keller and Reyna. Which leads to the next logical question...who will be taking over the captain's mantle? Donovan is clearly the obvious choice.

[houston_fc]

So far I have only heard from Brian McBride being quoted in the media about saying Germany 2006 will be his last World Cup.

[PaulGascoigne]

I'll lay 8-1 odds that no one on the list outside Lewis is there in 2010 WC. Even in EL's case I wouldn't want to take even money.

[dfb547490]

Do you mean which guys won't play in 2010 or who won't play internationally at all after Germany?? I don't think any of the guys on your list will play in South Africa aside from maybe Hahnemann as a 3rd stringer, but there's no reason guys like Keller, Hejduk, and Lewis can't contribute thru the early stages of qualifying.

[Delsocfan]

4 or 5 of these probably won't get on the field even in 2006.


Cobi Jones (35)
Chris Armas (33)
Kerry Zavagnin (32)
Eddie Pope (32)
Frankie Hejduk (31) (Best chance of these)

[el fenómeno]

If Arena retires after the WC, and the next coach is not one named by Arena. The only guys from that list who could get called up again are...

Kasey Keller (36)
Marcus Hahnemann (33)
Brian McBride (33)
Claudio Reyna (32)
Eddie Lewis (31)

The rest could retire or not, but it won't matter. :)


But, hopefully none will be playing for us in South Africa 4 years from now.

[MarioKempes]

All of those players will retire.

[WC2010Champs!]

i doubt all of those players with come out and "retire" ala zidane and others. players wont be called up again (armas, zavagnin), but they wont retire. I dont recall agoos ever "retiring." I forsee reyna, bmb, and keller actually making it official, but the others wont and really dont need too

[onefineesq]

i doubt all of those players with come out and "retire" ala zidane and others. players wont be called up again (armas, zavagnin), but they wont retire. I dont recall agoos ever "retiring." I forsee reyna, bmb, and keller actually making it official, but the others wont and really dont need too you stole my answer. :) reyna, bmb and keller will actually "retire". others just won't get called up again, with the exception of a couple, who will continue to pick up USMNT checks as long as they are called in. i foresee none of these guys being in the next WC though, with the possible exception of Marcus.

[CbR]

im guessing atleast one of these players mentioned is going to be with us during qualifications, but not going to the next WC

[rgli13]

well, the only guys who "retire" from national team duty are guys who are still no brainer first team choices- so of those i imagine it will be reyna, keller, and mcbride- though i could see mcbride still playing for a while.

but reyna almost certainly will focus on the end of his career as a club player, and keller wouldnt have much incentive as hed be about 53 by '10 ;)

[CbR]

i'd like to see all these guys(who can still contribute) bow out at the next Copa America

[Clint Eastwood]

There's a whole bunch of capped guys who are also about to be passed by for NT duty, and we may never see again.

Clearly I'd add two more guys: Tony Sanneh is done (DOB 06/01/71)
Greg Vanney is more than likely done (06/11/74)


and I don't see much reason to give more caps to:

Clint Mathis (11/25/76)
Jeff Cunningham (08/21/76)
Zach Thornton (10/10/73)
Kevin Hartman (05/24/74)
Chris Klein (01/04/76)
Johnny Walker (09/13/74)

All of the guys on your list and these added names have been great servants for US soccer. Clearly when Arena leaves after this WC (if he does), it's going to be really interesting to see who steps up to the plate.

[Nutmeg]

Huh. Call me a jackass, but I'm looking forward to a few of these "retirements."

[VTSoccerFan]

Hejduk will not retire!

Hejduk will win the beep test every year through 2010 when he adds backup keeper and target forward to his growing skillset while he leads the US (still managed by Bruce Arena) to its first World Cup title in the Rose Bowl over Mexico as the US hosts the World Cup*

* The US will be named the host in August of 2009 after preparations in South Africa fail to meet critical go/no-go dates for hosting.

[Eliezar]

I think Eddie Lewis will play in the next qualifying cycle if there is a spot for him. I think Frankie Hejduk might not play in the next qualifying cycle, but he would go if asked.

That's about it.

[Galaxian]

I think all of those might be retiring. Hejduk maybe not , because he can run for miles and just keep going. We'll miss BMB , KK, and reyna the most , but i think we have some up and coming talent that can hopefully start to learn to fill that role.

[WC2010Champs!]

i doubt lewis will be coming back after this summer. we took off the rest of 2002 after the world cup. So lewis wouldnt be eligible to play really until spring/summer 07 when he will be 34 (34 right?). I say "eligible" but maybe available would be better. Bruce will no doubt have his january camp but lewis will be in-season. Maybe a spring game but pearce would be available if healthy at that point. After the worldcup, he will be competing straight up with pearce. I just dont see him playing for the us of a after the wc.

further, if he is promoted, i really doubt he will want to risk injury representing the usa.

ps these are rather compelling arguements

[lemons]

Huh. Call me a jackass, but I'm looking forward to a few of these "retirements."

Perhaps a few of them, but I'm not happy to see Keller, McBride, and Reyna on the way out.

[uniteo]

Hejduk will be winning the beep test at 50