There are 30 players on the USMNT's preliminary roster for the 2014 World Cup. But there are many more players responsible for getting the USMNT to the World Cup in the first place. They were on the field for World Cup qualifying matches, and in most matches, they helped the team earn points, points ultimately necessary to qualify for a World Cup berth. (None of this is meant to diminish the value of the effort in camp and in practice put in by players who never saw the field, but their contributions are harder to quantify.) Some of these players still have a long shot at being called in as an injury replacement; others of them aren't even close to that. In any case, they all brought the team here and this is their World Cup too. Carlos Bocanegra. His years of service to the national team ended in some heartbreak, but before he rode off into the sunset, he captained the team to all 13 points it earned in the semifinal round of qualifying, missing only the loss in Jamaica. He started the round by scoring the first goal at home against Antigua and Barbuda, and he finished the round by scoring the first goal at home against Guatemala. Eddie Johnson. Scored the team's only goals, including the 90th-minute clincher, in the critical 2-1 victory at Antigua and Barbuda. Scored the second goal in what might be the team's best WCQ peformance, the 2-0 victory at home over Panama. Opened the scoring in the 2-0 match against Mexico that ended up clinching a World Cup berth. Don't forget the assist for Dempsey's go-ahead goal at home against Guatemala. Hérculez Gómez. Iced the home match against Antigua and Barbuda by scoring after the lead had narrowed to 2-1. Scored a wonderful free kick from distance to earn three points with the only goal of the semifinal home match against Jamaica. Steve Cherundolo. Capped off years of service by going 90 in five matches in the semifinal round, missing only the loss in Jamaica. Danny Williams. Perhaps only a lingering knee injury kept him out of the 30. He did go 90 at home in the wins against Jamaica and Guatemala in the semifinal round. He also started and went 56 minutes in the semifinal win in Antigua and Barbuda; he started and went the first 58 minutes in the loss in Honduras in the hex; and he played the last 32 minutes in the loss in Jamaica. Paco Torres. In the semifinal round, played the first 57 minutes at home against Antigua and Barbuda, and the first 66 minutes at home against Jamaica. Oguchi Onyewu. Subbed in for Torres in that Antigua and Barbuda match. Without the series of injuries, what might have been? Brek Shea. Got a little lost somewhere along the way, but subbed in for Torres in that Jamaica home win, played the last 19 minutes in the loss in Jamaica, and played the last 9 minutes in that goalless hex draw in Mexico. Sacha Kljestan. Always seemed to be a better club player than a national-team player. Neverthless, played the last 19 minutes in the loss in Jamaica, the last 14 minutes in the win in Antigua and Barbuda, the last 25 minutes in the win at home against Guatemala, and the last 31 minutes in the hex loss in Honduras. Edgar Castillo. Played the last 14 minutes in the USA's first-ever WCQ win in Jamaica, the 2-1 "Brad Evans game", as well as the last 3 minutes in the home hex win over Honduras. Michael Orozco. Went 90 in a losing effort in the hex match in Costa Rica. Stuart Holden. Hard to believe that he's been forced to overcome yet another major injury, but he did come on in the 90th minute in the home win over Panama. Alan Gordon. His entire national-team career may well be limited to his one appearance in those last 19 minutes in Antigua and Barbuda. But what a crucial contribution: he provided the assist to Eddie Johnson for the 90th-minute game-winning goal. They might all miss the World Cup, but the USA itself might have missed the World Cup, if not for their contributions.
Thanks for this. It really puts the other players contributions in perspective. Rep x 1,000 if I could.
I'll remember Herc's free kick and Gordon's assist for a long time. Eddie Johnson's career comeback to contribute as he did this cycle should be considered a major success for him. His goal against Mexico will never die.
Cherundolo cannot get enough praise for the quality of his performances this cycle. Only Bradley and Dempsey were as uniformly excellent.
Cherundolo, Bocanegra . . . legendary status. Onyewu was on my all time USA team following the Spain victory in the Confederations Cup. Stuart Holden, saddest tale put to pen . . what might have been. I saw Danny Williams make his debut in a monsoon in Miami in Jurgen's first coaching victory. I have never been impressed. I think Beckerman and Edu are superior options. And probably Kljestan. Alan Gordon, great lay off for a key goal down in Antigua and Barbuda. Michael Orozco-Fiscal scored an amazing goal in Mexico late for our first victory. Edgar Castillo was a whirl wind of speed and quickness. Herculez Gomez, you were in the rotation and scored a key goal against Jamaica. Thank you for your service. I hope we find superior folks (it appears we already have) for the next cycle. Brek Shea, Jose Francisco Gringo/Paco Torres, Sacha Kljestan, work on and develop your craft. I hope to see the improved version back for the next cycle.
Great post, and it shows the progress of our game. We are legit 40 or so deep with international quality players. Remember Hey Dude having to fake it as a left back? The David Regis experience? If we don't get through this group, it will be because it is a tough group, not because we have no pedigree.
If I'd known those were to be Cherundolo's last appearances for the USMNT, I'd have paid more attention specifically to him. Alas.
I thought this thread was going to be about the BigSoccer contributors who make this forum what it is. How self-centered I am.
Now there are seven more players who helped get the team to the World Cup, but, unless called as injury replacements, won't be going themselves. Brad Evans. Scored a goal in second-half stoppage time in the 2-1 win in Jamaica in the hex. Started and went 90 not only in that match, but also in possibly the team's best WCQ performance, the 2-0 victory at home over Panama, as well as the home win over Honduras. Michael Parkhurst. Started and went 90 in the home win over Guatemala that clinched a hex berth for the USA. Came into a scoreless match at halftime as a substitute for an injured Fabian Johnson in what turned out to be the home win over Mexico that clinched a World Cup berth for the USA. Also started and went 90 in the semifinal-round loss at Jamaica. Maurice Edu. Started and went 90 in the historic draw in Azteca against Mexico. Also started and went 90 in the home win over Antigua and Barbuda and in the draw in Guatemala. Played the first 71 minutes of the loss in Jamaica, then played the last 18 minutes of the semifinal-round home win over Jamaica. Played the last 13 minutes of the home win over Guatemala. Played the last 32 minutes of the loss in Honduras. Played the last 9 minutes of the snow-game home win over Costa Rica as a substitute for the injured Jermaine Jones. Clarence Goodson. Started and went 90 in four victories: both matches against Antigua and Barbuda, the snow game at home against Costa Rica, and the game in Columbus against Mexico. Played the first half in the draw in Guatemala. Started and went 90 in the loss in Jamaica. Terrence Boyd. Played the last 10 minutes of the home win over Antigua and Barbuda. Played the last 19 minutes of the loss in Jamaica. Joe Corona. Played the last minute of the home win over Guatemala. Played the last three minutes of the home win over Panama. Landon Donovan. It's impossible to summarize his contributions to the national team over the years in just one paragraph (or even in just one post). If these were the last meaningful matches he plays for the USA, we'll remember that he made them count. Drew a penalty kick in the home win over Antigua and Barbuda. Started and played until stoppage time in the draw at Guatemala. Started and went 90 in the loss at Costa Rica. His most recent meaningful match was the home win against Mexico: he had an assist and a goal. If he doesn't get a chance to put the team on his back one more time, we know that he gave us one more Dos a Cero and, in the process, one more trip to the World Cup.
I, for one, hope that he is called back in, in case someone is injured. (Note: I am NOT wishing for anyone to be injured.) He may not have the same speed that he had, even last year, but he has the talent, and smarts that could be very dangerous for the US. Plus, he would have a tremendous chip on his shoulder, to prove that he shouldn't have been cut in the first place.
Would he though? If he's as mentally out of it/at piece with not going as JK thinks, how motivated would he actually be? Since I'm making the assumption that JK dropped LD for soccer/performance reasons, there's a good possibility that LD's zen-like mentality played a role in the decision.
You may well be right. I'm only expressing my hope, based on his past performances. We will know for sure if one of the attackers is injured, and Joe Corona or Terrence Boyd is called in, not him.