Down to the Wire: U.S. announces U20 World Cup Roster on 5/9/17 (5/20-6/11/2017)

Seemed a foregone conclusion, but here's the press release.

O captain, my captain! @ErikBrown14 will wear the armband for the U-20 #USMNT at the #U20WC!

Learn more about him: https://t.co/Ec3T4K5Ffl pic.twitter.com/cAJnzqQ8yu

— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) May 17, 2017

 

an awful lot of question marks surrounding this squad now....

 

DLT outran Mexico's RB multiple times, not that that makes him winger fast.

 

Yeah, where is Lederman when it comes to US play? When was his last Cap? Next? Is there any recent video of him while at Bradenton? A recent scorecard?

 

Just catching up with everything......is it correct that Acosta and Herrera starting at outside back is basically inevitable at this point? Yikes.

 

This started South and still managed to go further south

 

#Weinzierl: "Luke #Hemmerich, @HajiWright and @WMckennie from the U19s will all be moved into the first team squad." #s04 pic.twitter.com/XteOk3XmG1

— FC Schalke 04 (@s04_en) May 18, 2017

Honestly, I think I'd rather this happen then them come to the WC.

 

#Weinzierl: "I've spoken at length with Norbert #Elgert. The three will train with and be options for the first team from now on." #s04 pic.twitter.com/m4FU6nLMw2

— FC Schalke 04 (@s04_en) May 18, 2017

Follow up

 

That is indeed what happened. Same with Haji

 

Listening to tab coach gives me a head ache.

 

How about a different angle on this roster? Start with the premise that Ramos is not insane (just a premise)...

UEFA countries and teams simply don't value the FIFA U20 WC as a development tool. They will scout it though to look for non-UEFA talent. If you look at the US roster and Ramos's decisions, there is the possibility that players were picked to be showcased. All the players picked need a European move (CCV, Zelalem, the Fulham guys); or are domestic based MLS players. Guys with good European club situations were not included as they don't need a move (Olosunde, McKennie, Haji, Taitague, Akale, Robinson, etc.). Ramos has said the main job of the U20 team is to feed the USMNT, not to win trophies. Having players play high level European soccer is the best way to improve the USMNT (at least between now and 2026). It is hard to believe that Ramos simply does not rate a player that could play in the Bundesliga this weekend (Haji-Wright) to the point of total exclusion. He won't come out and say it, as it is a little insulting to the players he does have.

If you look at the roster with the question, "who needs to be showcased?"; everything starts to make sense. However, this does not preclude the totally valid discussion of whether there are other MLS players that should be in Korea instead of the ones that are (Farfan vs Trusty/Herrera). But it does explain Olosunde/Robinson vs. Hererra/Acosta.

 

A U.S. U-20 World Cup preview over at ASN

 

Nice theory but it's not true. Tab chooses who he believes are the best players available for selection. It doesn't matter what country they play. "Showcasing" players isn't really on his mind - and it shouldn't be.

Sometimes Tab gets it right and some times he gets it wrong. He's made bad cuts from domestic-based players (Zimmerman, Morris, Roldan) and bad cuts from foreign-based players (Gooch). He's also cut players from abroad who are the flavor of the day among American fans (Yomba, Flores). The Flores cut angered a lot of people, but it was the right call.

 

I agree Zelalem needs a move but why CCV and the Fulham players? What actually makes Carter-Vicker's and de la Torre's club situation bad while Olosunde's and Robinson's is good: it's the former two who have actually had first team minutes this season while the latter two don't look likely to make that step at their current clubs

In a typical U20 squad you'd be lucky to get 3-4 good senior international players so I really don't see the point of using youth tournaments to "showcase" mediocrities who are only fringe players in the U20 group. Why would you want European scouts picking up your mediocre talent, or worse thinking that the best you have to offer is mediocrity? If you're moaning about them being on the squad for the U20 World Cup they're probably not cut out for high level European football.

 

Fulham is a Championship side, have decent youth development historically but not sure recently, but where are they going? They refused to play Hyndman for a year. I wouldn't doubt that USSF would rather get our players out of there and to EPL clubs if possible.

CCV is #5 on the depth chart at Tottenham. He has hardly played this year and needs a loan. I thought that was obvious.

Zelalem also needs a move or new loan. I think some clubs value their U23 team and others don't. Ending up on the Dortmund or Arsenal U23 team, for instance, is a dead end. Zelelam needs to move; much like Julian Green moved this January.

How you use "mediocre" could be changed to "undeveloped". To think any American player is a finished product at 19 is silly.

 

Don't believe he's played for the USA at the U-17 level in any big tournaments. He got in some closed-door friendlies, I believe, and got some U-15 call ups, but since then, nothing, really.

At Barcelona, he does play, and occasionally contributes a big moment, but he's for the most part a back up.

 

As full-back options? Yes. They are the only two full-backs remaining on the roster.

If Tab wants to use Redding, Glad, Palmer-Brown, Adams, Trusty (NO) at those positions, maybe we'll see a change. I can't think his only options at full-back are those two, he has to have other options in mind, in case of an injury or suspension, so maybe he'll use those other options as his starters, and the two "full-backs" will be reserves.

 

This is stupid. If de la Torre was one of the team's star players then yes he would have to leave to make progress but that isn't the case. Put him on a PL squad and he'd get zero first team appearances and play for the U23 squad, leave him at Fulham and he could progress to making some Championship appearances next season. Look what happened to Hyndman after he got his Premier League move: even less game time followed by a loan into a league where the average team is weaker than in the championship.

I think that a European scout's mindset will be more like mine than yours. I don't think they'll be trying to sign many undeveloped 20 year olds.

 

I tend to believe you have the inside on this and I'm simply trying to figure out how Ramos is picking players without any personal knowledge of the process. However, I think even Jurgen at the USMNT was very into showcasing players to get them a move to Europe. He started Yedlin when he was still very raw and not the best option at RB. He did the same with many young players that then moved to Europe (Kitchen, Shea, are two more). Older players that weren't going to move like Dax, Feilhaber, didn't get calls. He constantlyl called in Bobby Wood when he needed it to keep his career in Europe going. There was no point over the past 4 years that Kitchen should have been called in over Dax, but it constantly happened because Dax was settled in MLS and Kitchen (or Mix or Bedoya) was willing, "to push himself out of his comfort zone".

Ramos is his own man, but I doubt he would have lasted this long if he didn't buy into Klinsmans's idea that our best players need to be playing in the top leagues in Europe.

It just seems incredibly coincidental that the players he didn't pick are where you would want them to be developing. Again, he can't admit it because it instantly kills the morale of the players he has brought. I'm sure Ramos wants to win. But I'm also sure, and he and all the USYNT coaches have said it time and again, that feeding players to the USMNT and USWNT are the #1 job.

Flores was at Dortmund (I would think the important U19 not the U23); which totally fits my theory. That he hasn't worked out is neither here nor there; most of these players will not.

 

I can't speak to the others, but CCV is too good of a prospect to be sitting on the Spurs bench and not getting any games. He's in a tough situation where he's clearly too good for reserve ball but not quite experienced enough to start for a top team competing for a spot in the CL. I don't really follow his team closely, but I believe I read here that he's behind a solid set of starting CBs and didn't get much luck on the injury/suspension front this season. Seems like Tottenham feels the same and I imagine they'll strongly consider loaning him next year if they don't anticipate he'll play much with the first team.

As for Zelalem, he has a unique skill-set and could still develop into a top player if he matures physically and tactically. That said, he needs to earn a move to a better situation through more consistent and impactful play. Mediocre performances on loan to teams in mediocre leagues isn't going to cut it. The U20 WC is heavily scouted and thus a good opportunity to impress. I hope he makes the most of it!

No real opinion on the others as I don't follow the players and teams closely enough, but my gut says that they're about where they should be given the competitive dynamic on their respective teams and their overall talent/potential. That said, if/when their development truly stalls at the current level, I hope they find more appropriate situations as soon as possible.

 

NT coaches don't pick players to showcase for club moves. That's kind of a crazy statement.

Euro moves are a byproduct of being a standout.

 

ahhh sorry no. Kunga played U14 NT so he got noticed before Atlanta United ever existed.

 

I'm not so sure. JK jumpstarted Kiesewetter's career when he wasn't even making appearances for Stuttgart II.

 

Worked out great