Olympic Games

[AvidSinger]

Since three players from each country can be over 23 and all the rest must be under 23, which over-23 players do you think each country will have on their teams?

Here are the over-23's I see the US using:

Brian McBride
Claudio Reyna
Brad Friedel

[blingbling2334]

I agree.......

[Scoey]

Don't forget about Freddie Adu. ;)

[roarksown1]

I don't think that McBride or Reyna will be in that mix. I'm even tempted to think that Howard might be in goal to get some more of that international experience, but I have no clue on that one. As far as the other players go, I would imagine an experienced defender to help shore up the defense and organize such as Pope or Sanneh, along with a solid midfield presence like Eddie Lewis or Ben Olsen. Just my .02...

[MichaelR]

I would love to see Claudio Reyna, Brad Friedel or Kasey Keller as the Over-23's on the Olympic side. But with the Games being played from August 13-29, if memory serves, will the players' English clubs be willing to release them?

Wouldn't mind seeing John O'Brien play with the Olympic team, either.

[IASocFan]

Originally posted by Scoey
Don't forget about Freddie Adu. ;)

Freddy will still be 13!! That's still under 23! :cool:

I see Boca and/or Pope, JOB, and Howard.

I wouldn't be surprise to see an all U23 team, one that has qualified together. If they have any weak areas or late injuries, then a O23 player may be called on.

[Bush_Push]

How about Josh Wolff?

[IASocFan]

Originally posted by Bush_Push
How about Josh Wolff?

Sadly, he has to stay healthy long enough to get in shape.

[Sandon Mibut]

For the US, it won't be an attacker. There's just no need.

The US U23 midfield and forwards features two World Cup vets (Donovan and Beasley) two more players who were on the Confed Cup roster (Convey and Martino), two other forwards who have been capped already (Eskandarian and Buddle), another Olympic veteran (Casey, along with Donovan) and the likely MLS Rookie of the Year (Clark).

As for the other spots, while the Olympic would be good experience for Tim Howard, the U23 GK is DJ Countess, considered the next great American 'keeper after Howard. He's also that team's emotional leader.

I'm of the opinion that a team shouldn't use the U23 spots just to use them as it can break up chemistry and that any changes that are made should dramatitcally improve the team and shore up a weakness.

Goalkeeping in not a weakness on this team (though there isn't much proven depth after Countess).

The only places where I can see a need for using over-age players is on the backline. Right now, the U23 backline would be (from L-R) Ricky Lewis, Alex Yi, Kelly Gray (or the oft-injured Jose Burciaga) and Oguchi Onyewu.

Onyewu is as close to a lock as there is among that group but the other three, while having potential, are replaceable.

I could definitely see Carlos Bocanegra and Cory Gibbs, both of whom were omitted from the last Olympic team when they were age-eligible, stepping in at center back. They would provide experience and size but at the same time, they aren't that much older (Gibbs was born in 80, Bocanegra a year earlier) than the U23 players so there shouldn't be many chemistry issues.

The Olympics would also be a good interntional pressure stage to give Gibbs and Bocanegra some experience.

As for left back, that's an intriguing issue as that ain't exacly a position of strength for the senior team, either.

There are some interesting young candidates in MLS but they don't have much, if any, international experience. Might the final Olympic spot be used to both provide an upgrade and give some international experience to Chris Gbandi or Todd Dunivant?