This is the big one - last chance to impress Jurgen and sneak onto the roster. Only 4-5 players from this Camp will probably end up on the roster. The others will have to wait until post-WC to get their chance. Here's an early guess, based on how the MLS season has been going: G (3): Rimando, Hamid, Johnson, Hall. No surprises here. Steve Clark from Norway has an outside chance. CB (5): Gonzalez, Besler, Goodson, John, Okugo. The first three have a legit shot at making the roster. I don't think we'll see Boca here though, his time has passed. FB (5): Evans, Yedlin, Farrell, Williams, Ashe. Can one of these guys play LB? Weak pickings here. Very low chances any of them will make WC. CM (5): Diskeruud, Beckerman, Feilhaber, McCarty, O'Brien. Probably none of them make WC roster. But they need to be ready in case of injury. Outside looking in: Rico Clark, Duka, Powers, Jacobson, Farfan, Gil. W (4): Donovan, Zusi, Davis, Nguyen. Really think Lee should get a shot, he draws a lot of fouls and has creativity. Also commits a lot of fouls though. Outside looking in: Mapp, Pontius, Rogers, Salinas, Alexander, Avila, Rowe F (4): Wondow, Agudelo, EJ, McInerney There's going to be a battle for striker places. Any of them could make it, but not all. Outside looking in: Magee, Bruin, Casey, Gordon, Buddle, Findley, Cooper, Zardes
Normally I would agree with you, but this is the last Camp Cupcake before the World Cup. I think the focus should be on players who could plausibly make the 2014 World Cup team. I like Gil, but I'm not sure he's quite there yet. That being said if he did end making the squad, it would make way more sense that Conor Lade did last year!
I'm sure if Bruin is scoring he's a lock for the Camp call-up though has no shot of making the WC roster. Magee deserves to be called up, but maybe too old. Casey, Buddle, Gordon definitely too old. Findley/Cooper no chance.
GK: Sean Johnson, Nick Rimando, Bill Hamid RB: Andrew Farrell, DeAndre Yedlin, Sheanon Williams CB: Amobi Okugo, George John, Carlos Bocanegra, Matt Hedges, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Shane O'Neill LB: Chris Klute and Corey Ashe CM: Mix Diskerud, Dax McCarty, Kyle Beckerman, Conor O'Brien, Brad Evans AM's: Luis Gil, Kelyn Rowe, Landon Donovan Wingers: Nick DeLeon, Graham Zusi, Justin Mapp, Chris Pontius Forwards: Juan Agudelo, Jack McInerney, Eddie Johnson, Mike Magee
good list, might include Klute at LB Id like to think Rowe stands a stronger chance he's been phenomenal this season. I hope John and/or Okugo are brought in for a chance..... And maybe i rate the chances of a right back MLS breakthrough higher than others. I really, really think there is an outstanding chance one of Yedlin or Farrell makes the brazil roster. Old broke down Dolo, Parky getting no PT with his club, and Chandler being Chandler. If there is a youth breakout donovan/beasley 2002 style, its right back, and we are ripe for it.
Add Chris Klute to the list as the LB and add me to the list of people that wouldn't be totally surprised to see one of the young RBs go, not a high percentage chance but given what we have to choose from... As a Revs fan I would vote for Rowe ahead of Nguyen but I could see others going the other way. I don't see either as this cycle guys and I only see Rowe as a potential next cycle guy.
Actually, people refer to this camp as Camp Strudel. Though, I was thinking maybe it should be called Kamp Konditore, since Klinsmann was a baker, or possibly Camp Black Forest Cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte).
I'm a purist - I prefer cupcake. A cupcake is a soft player who needs to be toughened up. But a Strudel is just a pastry.
Agudelo is almost certainly going to be in another league in January. I am pretty certain his contract is set to expire and he's planning on going elsewhere. So he probably won't be available. Same might be true for Omar Gonzalez, depending upon how contract negotiations go with the Galaxy.
I agree. I think the 2014 Camp Cupcake only features an all MLS/Scandinavian lineup of players who are going to help us in Brazil. As it is a camp, I picked 23 players to work together for a few weeks during the long MLS break. Furthermore, I want the opponent to be top notch competition. This year, we should try to aim for Japan. The J-League is in break from December to March usually. Japan has already qualified and will probably attempt to do the same thing was we will be--The last chance to try out domestic talent before the show in Brazil. Or maybe an African team, like Egypt, who perhaps qualified and are hungry, or a domestic South Korean squad, who will also have a break. The point is, Camp Cupcake makes no sense unless we play an opponent who is willingly trying to do the same thing as we are and will play with motivated, hungry players trying to crack their perspective rosters. Also, I would not mind a road game for the camp. A little winter trip to Asia (Especially Japan) would suit us fine. So, my 23-man roster would be: GK: S. Johnson, Hamid, Hartman DF: Besler, Gonzalez, Beltran, Oroszco, Parkhurst, Klute, John MF: Beckerman, Magee, Feilhaber, Diskerud, Zusi, Mapp, Pontius, E. Johnson, Evans FW: Donovan, MacInerney, Agudelo, Wondolowski
2 games minimum for me. Fine with your picks except for Mapp and Pontius, not much chance from my view.
I am amazed at how little attention George John has gotten lately. FC Dallas was in first place until he got hurt and now they're in a freefall. He was playing great and yet no All-Star team and not even a mention on someone's list of who got snubbed. Maybe he should go play for Greece as it seems no one here thinks much of the guy.
ive probably been his staunchest rational minded defender, i really dont get it, the guy looks every bit the part. He makes Hedges look good lol
GK: Rimando, S.Johnson, Hamid CB: Besler, Gonzalez, John,O'Neill RB: Evans, Yedlin LB: Ashe, Klute CM: Beckerman, Mix, Gil, O'Brien/Okugo Wing: Zuzi, E. Johnson, Magee, Pontius/Nguyen FW: Donovan, Wondo, JMac, Bruin Basically an MLS roster since we don't have many difference makers in the Scandinavian leagues at the moment (is this a good thing?). As others have said, mainly a camp to help those last few guys get a roster spot for 2014. I'm really hoping there is some sort of youth (U-23) camp as well.
i think with his injuries, jk might see it as too much of a gamble. but still, i'd like us to cap him so greece won't (not that i think they will, as they should be set at cb)
Him being out four games has shown he has made all the players around him better. Have to believe he is big reason why Zach Loyd hasn't looked as good while GJ is out. He is a beast this year (literally as during the San Jose game he was beating the crap out of San Jose's goons and they were complaining about it).
I actually expect most MLS players on WC roster fringe to work out some loan deal to Europe to get ready. Like Landon used to do with Everton. I think this camp will be for younger players to get a taste with a few veterans (Beckerman) tossed in for leadership, etc.
ever since the beginning of the season i made a thing of focusing on him specifically this season because he was the consensus "next man up", i only knew him casually before and always thought him a good defender so i wanted to get a good solid look this year. And my god......it is a travesty he is not in the program. He could seriously be our best defender right now in the pool, Ive been saying that since day one. He is no worse than Besler, and i personally think he is better. Id go to battle with Besler and John in the middle and not lose a wink over it. I would not be concerned with ball watching like Gonzo and GCam. and that San Jose game really drove it home to me. i wanted to see how he did against the bash brothers, and man did he stand up. He pushed right back, and got the best of them. Hes got that fight in him that Michael Bradley does, just a born leader. we are sorely missing that in the back.
With your handle, what is your take on the Gooch release and the Gonzalez recall? did Malaga reup Gooch in which case this return makes sense. But I have not heard that. You?
I don't think we'll see guys who are projected to be Starting 11 or top 16 or so: Gonzo, Besler, Zusi, LD, EJ. If something happens to where their form drops off big time, maybe.
I think he should be given a serious look. He's on my roster. I really don't think so. JK is going to use Camp Strudel as a way to give our MLS talent one or two matches in the long offseason outside FIFA dates. He will probably have a long camp to keep people in match shape and practice quite a bit. The important thing is that the vets play with the new guys and the guys on the verge. It shows that every spot is up for grabs, that there are no "True" starters. Everybody still has to fight for a spot until the final 23 is announced. And quite frankly, the vets will need the games. If I could add two non-FIFA dates, I would like to have Japan or South Korea on the Road, and a home game against a Scandinavian team, maybe Sweden.