O'Conor: DEMERIT NOT BANKING ON US SUMMONS

[illinizissou]

Strange headline considering the following quote:

The new US coach may have dropped a hint that a DeMerit call-up is on the cards when he stated in advance of the February 7th Mexico game that it would have made no sense to have picked players without international experience for that short training camp, knowing the squad will spend a week together around March's games.

Link (http://www.yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=news&id=2841)

[Adam Zebrowski]

agree, the march open period is longer giving bradley time to practice newbies, get them corrdinated with the rest of the squad...

demerit and spector would be guys i'd bring in, and play one of the matches

[chimac4u]

If the March camp is longer, when does it start? Or when will they announce who's invited?

[HeMan]

I wish what they'd do is go ahead and get some MLSers in camp right now since they're not in season....However, they are in training, so that might be a no-go. Still, i would think they could take a week off to go train with the national team.

I know if i was Robert Bradley, the games are about 2 weeks away, I'd name a mostly MLS-based roster now of about 18 (relatively) new people, and then i would add to it the euros and more experienced guys in the last week. That way you can go ahead and start drilling the newbies and see who has it to make it to the next round.

Take this for example:

The initial roster:
Goalies: Pickens, Perkins

Backs: Wynne, Burciaga, Ihemelu, Parkhurst, Marshall, E. Robinson

Midfielders: Mulrooney, Beckerman, Davis, Quaranta, Gaven, Larentowicz

Forwards: Eskandarian, Cooper, Gomez, Buddle

---------Eskandarian----Cooper----------
Davis-----------------------------Quaranta
------Beckerman----------Mulrooney-----
Burciaga----------------------------Wynne
----------Parkhurst-----E.Robinson-------
------------------Perkins----------------

*have them play a few scrimmages against some garbage teams.

The additions:
Goalies: Howard, Hahnemann
*Pickens works with Hahnemann. Perkins works with Howard.
*Howard plays against Ecaudor. Hahnemann plays against Guatemala.

Backs: Spector, Simek, Cherundolo, Dunivant, DeMerit, Boswell, Conrad, Califf
*All but Wynne and one other defender goes home so to train with the team.
*Califf, Cherundolo, and Spector leave after first game.
*Boswell, Simek, and Dunivant come in late.

Midfielders: Clark, Carroll, Fielhaber, Kljestan, Mapp, White, Beasley
*Mulrooney and Larentowicz go home, and either Quaranta or Gaven goes home. So three stay. three go.
*I wanted to call up Noonan, but i figure i'd call up White to see what he's made of.
*Donovan needs a rest.
*Beasley and Carroll come in late.
*Davis and Quaranta/Gaven go home after first game.

Forwards: Hill, Davies.
*both come in late.

...........

Ecuador match:

------Cooper----Eskandarian-----
Davis-----------------------Mapp
-----Beckerman-----Clark--------
Spector--------------------Cherundolo
--------Conrad----DeMerit-------
-----------Howard--------------

*Howard wears captain armband.

Bench: Perkins, Califf, Wynne (Cherundolo), Fielhaber (Beckerman), Kljestan (Clark), White (Mapp), Gomez (Eskandarian)

Guatemala match:

-------Cooper----Gomez------
Beasley-------------------Mapp
------Carroll---------Clark------
Dunivant-------------------Simek
------Conrad------DeMerit-----
------------Hahnemann--------

*Hahnemann wears armband.

Bench: Pickens, Boswell (Conrad), Wynne (Simek), Beckerman, Kljestan (Carroll), Eskandarian (Cooper), Buddle (Gomez)