Who Should Play in Both Summer Tournaments

[Maximum Optimal]

It is generally thought that the US will field two separate teams for the Confederations Cup and the Gold Cup. Certainly it wouldn't make sense for most players to play both tournaments. Guys who have been playing a lot for their clubs, such as Dempsey, Gooch, Bocanegra, will need at least a couple weeks off this summer to rest. We don't want them injured or burnt out come summer 2010. I also doubt that any MLS players will be released for both tournaments.

There are, however, two groups of players that Bradley might want to consider calling up for both tournaments. One group is the players who have not gotten much playing time with their clubs. Spector, Edu, Altidore, Johnson and Adu come to mind, assuming that the amount of playing time they get does not increase over the next few months.

The second group are those playing in leagues that finish early. They can get their rest in late April and early May. The one league I have found that fits this criterion is the Scottish League, but there may be others. Rangers last league game is April 18, which would allow Edu and Beasley to take a nice break before coming back for the qualifiers and Confederations Cup in June.

[PhillyQuakesFan]

Maybe Guzan (starter in the Gold Cup, backup at the Confed Cup). No one else. Send the first team to the Confed Cup and the B team to the Gold Cup.

[Grumpy in LA]

There are, however, two groups of players that Bradley might want to consider calling up for both tournaments. One group is the players who have not gotten much playing time with their clubs. Spector, Edu, Altidore, Johnson and Adu ...

The second group are those playing in leagues that finish early. They can get their rest in late April and early May. The one league I have found that fits this criterion is the Scottish League, but there may be others. Rangers last league game is April 18, which would allow Edu and Beasley to take a nice break before coming back for the qualifiers and Confederations Cup in June.
Beasley isn't getting much playing time either, and it's not clear to me how much of that has been injury-related.

Barring injury, Spector looks likely to get a lot more minutes for West Ham.

I honestly don't see the point of calling up Eddie Johnson until he shows that he can score goals in the Championship.

But, as you say, Edu, Adu, and Altidore might be plausible candidates.

[onefineesq]

Maybe Guzan (starter in the Gold Cup, backup at the Confed Cup). No one else. Send the first team to the Confed Cup and the B team to the Gold Cup. I essentially agree with you. Send out 2 different teams. We like for the up and comers to get their experience ...... well we have the PERFECT opportunity to do that now. The backup guys will have an incredible opportunity to come together and get meaningful work, without the pressure of must win games or playing teams like Argentina in a hostile environment in South America. It's really a wonderful chance for some of these guys to make a case as to why they should be competing for spots in the late year WC qualies and eventually a roster spot next year.

[Maximum Optimal]

Maybe Guzan (starter in the Gold Cup, backup at the Confed Cup). No one else. Send the first team to the Confed Cup and the B team to the Gold Cup.

Yeah. Guzan makes sense. I overlooked him.

I think Bradley picks his best 23 for Confederations Cup. For Gold Cup, he will take mainly a new team, plus a few from the Confederations Cup who don't need the rest.

[KALM]

Well, 2003 was the last time we participated in the Confederations Cup and Gold Cup within the same year. Take a look at the rosters. Bolded names appear on both rosters.

Confederations Cup Roster:

Armas, Chris M Chicago Fire (MLS)
Beasley, DaMarcus M Chicago Fire (MLS)
Berhalter, Gregg D Energie Cottbus (Germany)
Bocanegra, Carlos D Chicago Fire (MLS)
Califf, Dan D Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)
Cannon, Joe GK R.C. Lens (France)
Cherundolo, Steve D Calif. Hannover 96 (Germany)
Convey, Bobby M D.C. United (MLS)
Cunningham, Jeff F Columbus Crew (MLS)
Donovan, Landon F San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Gibbs, Cory D FC St. Pauli (Germany)
Hahnemann, Marcus GK Reading FC (England)
Hejduk, Frankie D/M Columbus Crew (MLS)
Howard, Tim GK N.J. MetroStars (MLS)
Kirovski, Jovan F Birmingham City (England)
Klein, Chris M Kansas City Wizards (MLS)
Lewis, Eddie M Preston North End (England)
Martino, Kyle M Columbus Crew (MLS)
Mastroeni, Pablo D/M Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Mathis, Clint M/F (MLS)
Stewart, Earnie M/F D.C. United (MLS)
Twellman, Taylor F New England Revolution (MLS)
Vanney, Greg D F.C. Bastia (France)

Gold Cup Roster:

Beasley, DaMarcus M Chicago Fire (MLS)
Bocanegra, Carlos D Chicago Fire (MLS)
Brown, Adin GK New England Revolution (MLS)
Califf, Dan D Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)
Convey, Bobby M D.C. United (MLS)
Donovan, Landon F San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Gibbs, Cory D FC St. Pauli (Germany)
Hejduk, Frankie D/M Columbus Crew (MLS)
Keller, Kasey GK Tottenham Hotspur (England)
Lewis, Eddie M Preston North End (England)
Mastroeni, Pablo D/M Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Mathis, Clint M/F MetroStars (MLS)
McBride, Brian F Columbus Crew (MLS)
Mulrooney, Richard San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Ralston, Steve* M New England Revolution (MLS)
Reyna, Claudio M Sunderland (England)
Stewart, Earnie M/F D.C. United (MLS)
Vanney, Greg D 5'11" F.C. Bastia (France)
Wolff, Josh* F Kansas City Wizards (MLS)


That's 12 players who appeared on both rosters. The majority of them were MLS players, except for Gibbs (whose club had just been relegated from the German second division), Lewis (who I believe was starting for a midtable Championship side at the time), and Vanney (who would start a good deal for Bastia in Ligue 1 in the upcoming season).

[KALM]

Ok, looking that over, that seems pretty odd. Was there a reason that wouldn't apply now why we managed to release so many MLS players for both tournaments back then?

[Wessoman]

Maybe Guzan (starter in the Gold Cup, backup at the Confed Cup). No one else. Send the first team to the Confed Cup and the B team to the Gold Cup.

I agree. There should be no overlap at all except for probably Guzan.

[Flipstar508]

I only want to see a few players get used in both tournaments. We need to see which players can contribute to the team


gold cup roster

GK: Guzan, Perkins, Seitz

DEF: Simek, Marshall, Orozco, Spector, Parkhurst, Wynne, Sturgis, Goodson

MID: Zizzo, J Johnson, Edu, Clark, Sztella, Feilhaber, Rogers, Convey

FWD: Cooper, rolfe, Buddle, Johnson(yes Eddie Johnson)




Confed Cup roster

GK: Howard, Guzan, Hahnemann

DEF: Churendolo, Hejduk, Onyewu, Bocanegra, Califf, Demerit, Bornstein, Pearce

MID: Dempsey, White, Kljestan, Bradley, Mastroeni, Torres, Adu, Beasley,

FWD: Donovan, Ching, Altidore, Davies

[onefineesq]

Ok, looking that over, that seems pretty odd. Was there a reason that wouldn't apply now why we managed to release so many MLS players for both tournaments back then? Because MLS gets no respect. If I had a national team or fringe national team level player on my team as the GM of an MLS team, there is no way on earth I would allow the national team coaches to take him for two different tournaments during the summer. I would be more than happy to see him play in one of them. But two? I'm sorry, but that's just crazy.

[mike4066]

No one

[Scott e Dio93]

Beasley, Adu, Edu and Altidore need playing time, so if they could play both...Thats Great!

I would rest Howard, Ching, Boca, Gooch, Bradley and Cherundolo for Gold

[mattjo]

Well, if they are still in Europe, their club teams may have something to say about it as training begins before the Gold Cup starts.... training that may be even more important for those not playing regularly right now if they want to have a more regular role for their club team the year before a World Cup... but if you want to short change the club that determines their playing time so they can play in both the Gold Cup and the Confederations Cup.... go ahead.

[ill quixote]

Probably none of the established players. Marginal players who "pass" the Gold Cup test ought to get a shot at the Confederations Cup as their next test as they try to play themselves onto the World Cup team.

[appoo]

I don't think any of them should. I'd rather we send our U17s to the Gold Cup.

[mike4066]

Probably none of the established players. Marginal players who "pass" the Gold Cup test ought to get a shot at the Confederations Cup as their next test as they try to play themselves onto the World Cup team.


Confed Cup is before the Gold Cup.

[MasterShake29]

I would say no one, unless someone specifically requests it and their club says ok.

[arkjayback]

Why no overlap? I think some of the young guys who will be backups at the Confederations Cup, should be starters at the Gold Cup: Guzan, Adu, Davies and/or Cooper, and Altidore. Guzan and Adu would be backups, and Jozy still wouldn't be the focal point of the attack. Let Adu and Altidore be the main guys at the Gold Cup, they've always felt more comfortable as the go-to guys.



Beasley, Adu, Edu and Altidore need playing time, so if they could play both...Thats Great!

I would rest Howard, Ching, Boca, Gooch, Bradley and Cherundolo for Gold

Uuuuummmm . . . what?! We want the result in the Confederations Cup; it's more important than the Gold Cup.

[Grumpy in LA]

Well, if they are still in Europe, their club teams may have something to say about it as training begins before the Gold Cup starts....
Because MLS gets no respect. If I had a national team or fringe national team level player on my team as the GM of an MLS team, there is no way on earth I would allow the national team coaches to take him for two different tournaments during the summer I don't the the club teams have a veto here. I'm pretty sure that these are both official FIFA tournaments for which players have to be released.

training that may be even more important for those not playing regularly right now if they want to have a more regular role for their club team the year before a World Cup... but if you want to short change the club that determines their playing time so they can play in both the Gold Cup and the Confederations Cup.... go ahead. Practically speaking, if a player will stand a better chance at getting playing time with a given club if he's with the club for the summer, then BB shouldn't call up that player for both tournaments. But beyond that, I'm not at all worried about "shortchanging" the clubs. If Ricardo and Adu are both still at Monaco, for example, Adu isn't going to play regardless of where he is over the summer. Why not bring him in for both tournaments, then? He'd get some PT and maybe even impress someone enough to get a transfer.

And, as others have pointed out, it's not like Guzan is likely to get a game until Friedel retires (or gets hurt). I can't see why Aston Villa would hold it against him if he were to go to both tournaments over the summer.

[DestroyerDaMarc]

I don't the the club teams have a veto here. I'm pretty sure that these are both official FIFA tournaments for which players have to be released.

Practically speaking, if a player will stand a better chance at getting playing time with a given club if he's with the club for the summer, then BB shouldn't call up that player for both tournaments. But beyond that, I'm not at all worried about "shortchanging" the clubs. If Ricardo and Adu are both still at Monaco, for example, Adu isn't going to play regardless of where he is over the summer. Why not bring him in for both tournaments, then? He'd get some PT and maybe even impress someone enough to get a transfer.

And, as others have pointed out, it's not like Guzan is likely to get a game until Friedel retires (or gets hurt). I can't see why Aston Villa would hold it against him if he were to go to both tournaments over the summer.

In reality the answer should be simply Guzan and Beasley but that's it. I really doubt Beaz is going to get starting time at Rangers; which I feel bad for. He plays well then gets hurt, then is benched. Sounds like Reyna toward the latter stages of his career.