U.S. Gold Cup Roster?

[Preston North End]

The roster for the Gold Cup is due by 6/27/03 last I heard from CONCACAF.

Who should be in the USNT squad of 25 (18 player roster for tournament with 7 alternates)?

First Team
GK - Joe Cannon, Nick Rimando.

DF - Wade Barrett, Gregg Berhalter, Steve Cherundolo, Cory Gibbs, Greg Vanney, Nick Garcia.

MF - Eddie Lewis, Claudio Reyna, John O'Brien, Ben Olsen, Richard Mulrooney, Chris Klein.

FW - Edson Buddle, Brian McBride, Josh Wolff, Taylor Twellman.

Alternates
GK - Adin Brown

DF - Ryan Suarez, Oguchi Onyewu

MF - Pablo Mastroeni, Steve Ralston

FW - Conor Casey, Jovan Kirovski

You can blast my picks all you want. You're entitled to your opinion. But when doing so, why not come up with a squad of your own?

[MetroStars]

No Donovan, Beasley, Bocanegra or Howard? They all should be there. I would try Onyewu in the friendly against Paraguay and if he plays well start him in the gold cup.

[sch2383]

Originally posted by Preston North End
The roster for the Gold Cup is due by 6/27/03 last I heard from CONCACAF.

Who should be in the USNT squad of 25 (18 player roster for tournament with 7 alternates)?

First Team
GK - Joe Cannon, Nick Rimando.

DF - Wade Barrett, Gregg Berhalter, Steve Cherundolo, Cory Gibbs, Greg Vanney, Nick Garcia.

MF - Eddie Lewis, Claudio Reyna, John O'Brien, Ben Olsen, Richard Mulrooney, Chris Klein.

FW - Edson Buddle, Brian McBride, Josh Wolff, Taylor Twellman.

Alternates
GK - Adin Brown

DF - Ryan Suarez, Oguchi Onyewu

MF - Pablo Mastroeni, Steve Ralston

FW - Conor Casey, Jovan Kirovski

You can blast my picks all you want. You're entitled to your opinion. But when doing so, why not come up with a squad of your own?

JOB is taking the summer off. Keller said he will play in the Gold Cup. And I think Dolo is not playing in it either.

I think the keepers will be Keller and Rimando, I figure Bruce will let Timmy go and be with Manchester United, assuming he is part of the team by them. I would not be shocked to see Santino Quaranta on the roster, assuming that he stays healthy, which is a big IF.

[Davids26]

Preston most of your picks for the roster are pretty good, but I would hope that Bruce hasn't given up on Razov yet. With his current hot streak I would hope that he's ahead of at least Josh Wolff for a spot on the Gold Cup roster.

[wasdykec]

doesn't look like the best teams are coming anyways, this says brazil is bringing their u-23 team, and that mexico is bringing an understrength team as well. I don't understand the mexico thing. What is the point of this tourney if no one takes it seriously.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=270455&cc=5901

[NikeBlues]

WHY. WHY. WHY. WHY. WHY. WHY. WHY would you leave Donovan Beasley and Howard off the team, when they are cleary 3 of the most accomplished players we have available, especially as Bruce considers this a fairly important tournamant. I see no logic behind your choice in leaving those 3 at home, am I missing something here? Anyone????

[NikeBlues]

Okay, disregard leaving Howard home, as Keller is coming, and Howard will probably be with ManU..but why the other two?

[Riotom9]

Originally posted by wasdykec
doesn't look like the best teams are coming anyways, this says brazil is bringing their u-23 team, and that mexico is bringing an understrength team as well. I don't understand the mexico thing. What is the point of this tourney if no one takes it seriously.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=270455&cc=5901


I'd love to get into the next Copa America...and of course the next Confederations Cup. (take that however you want).

[Preston North End]

Originally posted by Davids26
Preston most of your picks for the roster are pretty good, but I would hope that Bruce hasn't given up on Razov yet. With his current hot streak I would hope that he's ahead of at least Josh Wolff for a spot on the Gold Cup roster.

You are 100% correct. I think he is still in the player pool. I just simply forgot about him.

I would take him instead of Taylor Twellman.

[Preston North End]

Originally posted by sch2383
JOB is taking the summer off. Keller said he will play in the Gold Cup. And I think Dolo is not playing in it either.

I think the keepers will be Keller and Rimando, I figure Bruce will let Timmy go and be with Manchester United, assuming he is part of the team by them. I would not be shocked to see Santino Quaranta on the roster, assuming that he stays healthy, which is a big IF.

I was wondering about O'Brien and his achilles tendon.

I've also heard Keller would be taking the summer off as well, but if you've seen a direct quote that he wants to play...then sure he and Rimando will be the keepers.

According to the rumors, Howard will join - not just sign for - Man United July 1st, thus not being available for the Gold Cup.

BTW, does anybody know how Tony Sanneh is doing? I would include him if he is healthy.

[Preston North End]

Originally posted by MetroStars
No Donovan, Beasley, Bocanegra or Howard? They all should be there. I would try Onyewu in the friendly against Paraguay and if he plays well start him in the gold cup.

Originally posted by NikeBlues
WHY. WHY. WHY. WHY. WHY. WHY. WHY would you leave Donovan Beasley and Howard off the team, when they are cleary 3 of the most accomplished players we have available, especially as Bruce considers this a fairly important tournamant. I see no logic behind your choice in leaving those 3 at home, am I missing something here? Anyone????

Arena has been quoted as saying the rosters for the Confed Cup and Gold Cup will be different.

I'm assuming not entirely different, but don't expect the USNT "A" team.

Arena has also said the Confed Cup came at a bad time and if he were to use a lot of the same players - most of whom come from MLS - they would be away from their clubs for two months.

Yes, Arena has said the Gold Cup is more important than the Confed Cup, but the U.S. doesn't need as strong a roster for the Gold Cup. Do you really think the El Salvador and Martinique squads are stronger than Turkey, Brazil, and Cameroon?

Even the teams the USNT could face in the QF, SF, and Final will not be as strong as what was faced in France.

The Gold Cup may be more important, but the overall strength is just not there - even with Colombia and the Brazilian U23s showing up.

[galaxyfan03]

Goalkeepers: Keller, Howard & Cannon

Defenders: Bocanegra, Barrett, Califf, Gibbs, Hejduk, Suarez, Vanney

Midfielders: Armas, Beasley, Klein, Lewis, Martino, Mastroeni, Olsen, Reyna

Forwards: Donovan, Kirovski, Mathis, McBride, Twellman

Alternates: Garcia, Ralston, Mulrooney, Stewart, Buddle

I would LOVE to see Cobi included in the roster, just to PISS OFF the #$%&& mexicans, but don't think Arena will call him up.

[voros]

My personal choice?

Keepers: Keller, Hahnemann
Defenders: Bocangera, Gibbs, Pope, Hejduk, Dunivant
Midfielders: Beasley, Lewis, Mulrooney, Mastroeni, Martino, Ralston, Convey
Forwards: Donovan, McBride, Mathis, Twellman

Alternates:
Keepers: Cannon
Defenders: Garcia, Califf
Midfielders: Klein, Corrales
Forwards: Wolff, Razov

I'm having trouble deciding whether Wolff or Mathis should switch the spots given.

They said 6 to 8 weeks for Eddie Pope on June 3. July 14th would be 6 weeks. Adding Pope seems to make sense, if when the tournament is about to begin it appears Eddie won't be ready by the last week of the tournament, simply remove him from the squad and add Garcia or Califf. It would be nice to have Pope available to us should we make the final on July 27th.

Since the tournament is in the USA, I don't think just being on the team precludes you from MLS action. I think playing the extra games would take you out. We'd want to go with more or less different lineups against El Salvador and Martinique, and at home, we should be able to finish 1st or 2nd (it makes no difference) with very little difficulty.

I'd try and use as many non-MLS and non-Kirovski players as possible for the friendlies. That means looks at Conor Casey, Wade Barrett, Hahnemann, Gibbs, Eddie Lewis, Robbie Russell possibly if the schedule permits, possibly even call ups to Onyewu or Yi or Thorrington. Also if a prospecty type player like Buddle or Quaranta or Johnson or Salyer was spending a lot of time on the bench in MLS, he might be worth a call. Why punish MLS teams more than you really have to? Regardless of the results, it would be interesting to see players we generally don't see a lot of.

[voros]

Originally posted by wasdykec
doesn't look like the best teams are coming anyways, this says brazil is bringing their u-23 team, and that mexico is bringing an understrength team as well. I don't understand the mexico thing.
I see Arellano, Borgetti, Carmona, Marquez. That's certainly a side with some bite to it.

[galaxyfan03]

Originally posted by galaxyfan03
Goalkeepers: Keller, Howard & Cannon

Defenders: Bocanegra, Barrett, Califf, Gibbs, Hejduk, Suarez, Vanney

Midfielders: Armas, Beasley, Klein, Lewis, Martino, Mastroeni, Olsen, Reyna

Forwards: Donovan, Kirovski, Mathis, McBride, Twellman

Alternates: Garcia, Ralston, Mulrooney, Stewart, Buddle

I would LOVE to see Cobi included in the roster, just to PISS OFF the #$%&& mexicans, but don't think Arena will call him up. Noticed some changes that I'd like to make.

I forgot about Convey (don't know how?) and would put over over Olsen!!

I'd also put Razov (he's HOT right now & we NEED goals) over Kirovski or Twellman.

Finally, I'd add Wolff & Olsen to the alternates' list and eliminate Stewart.

[DWebbbb]

I don't totally disagree that Howard might be missing from this lineup for two reasons-he might very well be heading to ManU and Kasey Keller will definitely be getting the nod at goal. Timmy deserves some well-earned time off from the Nats as well.
How some of these rosters a couple people have submitted had Reyna, O'Brien, and Cherundolo on them-keeping in mind Bruce announced they won't be in camp-and neglected Donovan, Beasley, and Convey is a mystery to me. You can forget about Wolff as well; he's not yet in international match fitness. He's close though.
I'm excited to see some familiar faces back with the team in Keller, (possibly) Barrett, (possibly) Olsen, and McBride. All three add a good deal to this team.
And how about the "possibilites" of some not-so-familiar faces in Onyewu, Buddle, and Quaranta? Some good young talent in those three.
Another thing-What's with you people and Razov? He is not the answer to our problems. When you think of Razov, think of Twellman-great in the MLS and terrible at the international level. Bruce wants people who could possibly have big contributions in WC06. The best Taylor and Ante can hope for is reserves or more than likely alternates. Hell, let's just bring back Preki! You people amaze me sometimes.

[CG]

Originally posted by DWebbbb

Another thing-What's with you people and Razov? He is not the answer to our problems. When you think of Razov, think of Twellman-great in the MLS and terrible at the international level. Bruce wants people who could possibly have big contributions in WC06. The best Taylor and Ante can hope for is reserves or more than likely alternates. Hell, let's just bring back Preki! You people amaze me sometimes.

BA has always said that players performing well in MLS will get a chance. Razov is on fire and therefore on people's minds. He can't be any worse than Kirovski.

[cleazer]

Latest reports from Columbus indicate that Martino and Buddle will both miss the June 28 match with DC. From the sounds of it, they may be out for a few weeks. I wouldn't count on either of them for the Gold Cup.

Also, the assumption is that since McBride got the Confed cup off, he is a lock for the Gold Cup.

[graywolfe81]

Anyone know which European players won't be available with certainty? I'd like to see Gibbs and Dolo get some more time, but it wouldn't surprise me if their club teams wanted them back.

[Sandon Mibut]

When does ManU open camp and if it's during this tournament will they want Timmeh! there as Keller's backup?

If Howard doesn't go, then will the backup keep be Rimando, Brown or even Hartman, who is playing great ball right now?