Does Cunningham deserve a call up?

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by USAin2006, Sep 15, 2009.

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  1. USAin2006

    USAin2006 Member

    Sep 7, 2004
    NYC
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I know as I write this, that this a flame-worthy post, but I have watched a lot of FC Dallas games and the guy is on fire. He torched the LA defense last weekend and could easily have scored a couple more. Seriously, if Conor Casey -- he of the non-existent workrate -- keeps getting looks from Bob, surely Cunningham deseves a chance.

    Even if he just calls him up I'd be happy. He could let him play against CR if we are fortunate enough to be through after Honduras.
     
  2. Peretz48

    Peretz48 Member+

    Nov 9, 2003
    Los Angeles
  3. rtung

    rtung Member

    Aug 20, 1999
    Chicago, IL, USA
    Why not.

    Trot him out there in friendlies to see if he's bench depth.
     
  4. cleansheetbsc

    cleansheetbsc Member+

    Mar 17, 2004
    Club:
    --other--
    Can we just sticky a thread titled 'Does ___________(Cunningham/Buddle - you choose, whoever is hotter) deserve a callup?'

    We get 2 or 3 for each player each season when they have two good games in a row. At least it has been several years since a good Hercules Gomez thread has popped up.
     
  5. rtung

    rtung Member

    Aug 20, 1999
    Chicago, IL, USA
    Just you wait. If Santino can pop up from the living dead and score in a Nats uniform, Herc will get his day in the sun someday again as well.
     
  6. boomersooner027

    May 13, 2004
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    Bahamas
    11 goals and 8 assists isn't having two good games in a row.
     
  7. cleansheetbsc

    cleansheetbsc Member+

    Mar 17, 2004
    Club:
    --other--

    8 goals and 3 assists were in 3 games at various points during the year. That is streaky.
     
  8. QuakeAttack

    QuakeAttack Member+

    Apr 10, 2002
    California - Bay Area
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    LOL. I was going to start this thread yesterday.

    I'm still concerned about our depth at forward, especially with Davies being our only speed player (Yeah, I know Altidore has speed, but he is not as quick as Davies). Plus, while I have been a fan of Ching, I believe that injuries and time have caught up to him at the international level.

    Also, if it was between Casey and Cunningham at the international level, I would rather have Cunninghams speed and creativity than Casey's size and ability to hold the ball.

    So, yeah, I would bring him in after qualifiers to have a look...

    Of course, it won't happen.
     
  9. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    I'd rather take give our good young strikers more opportunities for playing time with the team.......than trot out Jeff Cunningham.

    We've had Jeff Cunningham threads on-and-off again for what? 8 years now? From what I've understood.........the reasons Jeff doesn't get more opportunities with the USMNT........were based on off-the-field matters. He's always scored goals in MLS. Just like Taylor Twellman. Just like Jason Kreis. Just like Roy Lassiter. Just like Ante Razov. etc. etc. There are guys that coaches think are suited to national team play........and others that aren't.

    I don't think any of us would be too bothered if Jeff was brought into camp cupcake, though.
     
  10. soccermusician

    Oct 20, 2004
    YES he does, fast, strong, skilled, aggressive, and good scoring touch Always! don't know why US coaches have never liked him! him and Casey are playing way better than ching! I'm not dissing ching, it's just ching is 3rd choice and yes he is good at what "he does" but if we can score goals instead, why not?
     
  11. TeamUSA

    TeamUSA Member

    Nov 24, 1999
    Tianjin, China
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would think he does deserve the call up. Given that the thought is Honduras has to win and they will be aggressive with the attack it should leave them vulnerable to the counter and a speedy guy like Jeff can be effective.
     
  12. Scotty

    Scotty Member+

    Dec 15, 1999
    Toscana
    Well, when comparing him to Casey he has just as many international goals: zero

    With 14 caps Casey has four more than Cunningham though.

    But what I was curious about was assists; Cunningham has far more in MLS this season, but how do they compare in that category for the national team?
     
  13. soccermusician

    Oct 20, 2004
    has cunningham had ever had a fair chance though? and what games has casey played in don't remember all of them but some of them where really tough games in which you really never expected he was gonna score...
     
  14. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Cunningham has been given opportunities in the past......and he hasn't looked the part. At the international level.......you don't have to beat "slow-as-a-turtle" Berhalter for the ball like he does in MLS. And as others have stated, it's been rumored that off-the-field issues prevented him from getting callups in the past under Arena. I have no idea what they were. But he has a Big Soccer reputation of being the epitome of the selfish, non-team-player. But I have no idea if that's based in reality or not.

    I'd bet the the four camp cupcake forwards will be Ching, Casey, Findley, and Pontius. Maybe even Marcus Tracy if he starts to get playing time in Denmark. No problems if Bob calls in Jeff, though.
     
  15. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No.

    Altidore and Davies are the starters.

    Donovan and Dempsey can push up top if Feilhaber, Torres, and/or Holden are on the pitch in wide midfield roles.

    Ching is a sub.
     
  16. soccermusician

    Oct 20, 2004
    how close minded are you, it doesn't say jeff will take davies and altidores spot, but a call up, i perfer him off the bench than ching! Does anyone remember that time he came in the second half against real madrid at the bernabeu? he was GREAT!
     
  17. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    I think people are implying that we should give him a chance in camp cupcake or friendlies....to see what he can bring to the squad (if anything).

    Nobody's going to disagree that our starters right now are probably Davies and Altidore.
     
  18. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why call him up if he will not see the pitch and has no future with the team?

    Give that spot to someone else.

    I'd rather call up a player that the USMNT projects will be a key member of our squad later on.

    Bradley did this with Adu and Altidore.

    Bruce did this with Donovan and Beasley...later on Dempsey.
     
  19. USAin2006

    USAin2006 Member

    Sep 7, 2004
    NYC
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Roy got quite a few caps in fact (30).
     
  20. RalleeMonkey

    RalleeMonkey Member+

    Aug 30, 2004
    here
    Absolutely, he's in as good, or better, form as any of our back up forward possibilities. As for off the field stuff, maybe he has matured.

    He's never gotten a chance to really show what he could do in a USMNT game. There were people that that thought that Davies wasn't USMNT quality based upon his subbing in at outside mid for the last 20 minutes of a match. That's the kind of opportunities that Cunningham has gotten.

    Once we're qualified, he should get a legit look. Not a camp-fodder look. But, a legit look to see if he could be the 4th forward. I'm assuming Ching is #3. If we're going to carry a 4th, then . . . Cooper, and who else are going to get a look. Cunningham should be one of those.

    He's doing a hell of a lot more that Marcus Tracy is right now.
     
  21. soccermusician

    Oct 20, 2004
    what's ching doing to deserve that 3rd spot though may i ask, if two players play striker in the same league and one i playing very well with great attributes and the other is playing normal, who do you call up?
     
  22. soccermusician

    Oct 20, 2004
    can you explain why ching is still called up? you can't say he is better than cunningham.... i wouldn't mind at least for these next games him being davies and altidore's back up, do we really have anyone better than jeff in mls or abroad?
     
  23. RalleeMonkey

    RalleeMonkey Member+

    Aug 30, 2004
    here
    I'd ask the same question. Hate to have the guy do yeoman's work to get us qualified, then give him his gold watch before the WC. But, that's about where I stand. Imo, father time has taken his toll on Ching. If it were me, I'd be looking for a Ching replacement, and another fast forward.

    I'd really give Coop a chance to take Chings job from him. Casey secondarily.

    And, I'd be looking at Findlay, Cunningham, and whomever else to be the 4th forward.

    As I've said in other threads, imo, Cunningham could come in late in a game as an offensive spark at outside mid, too. I know, guys like Torres, Benny are better players. But as a guy that's going to generate offense from the Donovan/Dempsey position (assuming that we're down to our 4th option at that posistion after Dono, Demps, & Holden) Cunningham is more likely to help us get a goal from there. Certainly not from the centermid spot, like Benny or Torres would.

    I guess what I'm saying is that Cunningham should get a look at the endo of the roster spot that people envisioned for Freddy.
     
  24. JeremyEritrea

    JeremyEritrea Member+

    Jun 29, 2006
    Takoma Park, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I could have sworn that the idiotic idea of Cunningham being called to the national team came up before the Mexico away game.

    And a quick search revealed that indeed, that is the case.

    Seriously, where do some of you folks come up with ths stuff?
     
  25. QuakeAttack

    QuakeAttack Member+

    Apr 10, 2002
    California - Bay Area
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So, you are against the idea? :rolleyes:
     

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