You can't jump from low level MLS straight to the top level (Bayern, ManU, Barca, etc...) without going through the likes of Sunderland or low level bundesliga clubs like Hertha (outside of very rare case like Tim Howard).
Maybe you should read the whole post. Doesn't matter about their more players in top leagues. We have proven to be better than Japan through the different levels of international football. Do you want to disagree with that?
I think he'd be at his best in the role of deep lying playmaker. If he goes to NYCFC (as is expected) and Kreis still wants to play the diamond midfield, he would do well in the shuttler (LCM or RCM) role too. So to answer your question specifically: a playmaking #6 or a ball circulating #8
Note that three AFC teams made the quarterfinals of the last U20 WC, and the Iraq team that eliminated Japan in qualifying made it to the semis where they lost to Uruguay on penalties--qualifying out of Asia isn't a cakewalk. That said, it seems like we've been hearing about how Japan has been pulling ahead of us for years now, ever since the era where they made the finals of the U20 Cup and Nakata went to Roma for big money. Hasn't happened yet.
Can someone explain to me why Bradford Jamieson IV was picked for this roster? He looks way too raw and just doesn't seem to be currently that good of a player. Was there really not a single better forward than him? Arce Jr. is another player who I thought didn't look good enough. Was there not a single better CM than him? I know he likely only made it because of a few injuries, but was he really the best player available even with the injuries or did Tab just pick him because he was familiar with him after giving him a few caps this cycle? Donovan is the other player that really didn't impress me that much in this game. Was ball watching a few times, looks slow and doesn't look that big or strong of a defender. Why did he make this roster over Tommy Redding? What does Donovan have that Redding doesn't? Redding seems to have the advantage in professional experience, talent, potential, possibility to get experience for next cycle and just seems to be a better player. He was even the better player when they were playing side by side at CB for the US U-17's in 2013 U-17 WCQ.
If you're picking the best players available for this roster... Redding, Akale, and Saucedo are on the roster.....maybe they don't want to push the 97 class too far ahead of themselves... but I honestly have no idea.
Jamieson is raw, no doubt, but I think Ramos likes his hustle and speed . Witness the play that resulted in the 2nd PK against Jamaica. Is he the best forward option? Probably not, but teams are not constructed on talent alone. I'll be interested to see what progress, if any, he makes this season with LAG II.
Here is a bit of background on Spencer -- and, also, the team's trainer: http://www.abqjournal.com/530355/sp...-the-pitch-for-us-u20-mens-national-team.html
The first line made me crack up: "From makeshift soccer fields in Albuquerque parks to immaculately groomed pitches in Jamaica."
My apologies if that has already been discussed elsewhere, but now that we have qualified for the U-20 World Cup, do folks think that Julian Green and Rubio Rubin will be selected to the roster this summer? Both are age-eligible. It's always a toss-up to project with guys who are already contributing to the senior national team. In 2007, Michael Bradley played in the U-20 World Cup that summer despite making the Gold Cup roster with our A-team. In 2009, Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu did not play in the 2009 U-20 World Cup as both were making senior squads (Confederations Cup + WCQ rosters).
Thanks, @Real Corona. I wasn't aware that the one-time switch could inhibit you from playing for a youth national team if you were already previously capped at that level for another country.
It isn't so much the level as the nature of the tournament. FIFA looks at all the U20 qualifying tournaments as part of the same competition. The UEFA U19 tournament serves as qualifying for the U20 World Cup.
If we can get Rubin to the tourney, this team will be a force. He's a huge difference maker and can stick the ball in the back of the net, it's what this team is lacking badly, replace BJIV with Rubin and we breeze through qualifying....pretty excited to see our group, I think we can be pretty successful this year
The U20 versus Gold Cup debate is relevant to 3 or 4 players on the roster. Rubin and Hyndman certainly as they've already been capped by the full USMNT. Also they're pretty good candidates for the Olympic roster that Klinsmann seems so interested in at the moment. Zelalem is another in that debate. Hard to say with him.
Zelalem to the full Nats feels a bit Julian Green-ish to me. Zelalem may be a better prospect, but he's even younger than Green was and he still doesn't have the body of a man, which will make adjusting difficult. I think the U-20s would be a fine spot for Gedion.
This is dead on. He's perfect to slice and dice kids his age. He still has to learn how to play with men though. He's shown in the games I've seen him play against full grown men--have truoble adapting his game to guys who cuold easily push him off the ball. A midfield of Hyndman, Zelalem as the 8 and Junior Flores as the 10....wow.
I agree with you, but this is Klinsmann we're talking about. He doesn't play by these kinds of rules. He'll call up an NCAA player. He'll call up an NASL player. He'll call up Julian Green to the World Cup squad based solely on potential. Therefore, I can easily see him calling Zelalem or one of these youngsters to the Gold Cup. In fact, I'll go on record. Klinsmann will call Julian Green and one other U20 to the Gold Cup. To be fair, I don't think it'll be Zelalem or Hyndman. There are youngish players like Trapp, Gil, Kitchen, etc. ahead of those two in the midfield queue. Hence, the answer is Rubio Rubin. Both Green and Rubin will be on the Gold Cup roster.