What about Bello? Good enough to start, and play well for Atlanta.................but not good enough for this team Or we just keep him with the U17s? I do think that based on talent, a case can be made for him to be "promoted" to the U20s.
Certainly possible and Bello is really good. But playing for the U-17s and U-20 team in one year, I believe, is considered when there is a need at that position for the U-20 team. In 2017, the U-20 team needed Sargent after Ebobisse and Sabbi weren't great in qualifying. The forward position was the missing link in making that team competitive at the World Cup. I don't get the sense that the current U-20 team really needs a left back. Gloster and Real can fill that role competently. Let Bello play in the U-17 World Cup and don't pull him away from Atlanta for a second full month just for the U-20 WC. Right now, playing for Atlanta is more important for him
In MLS, just getting HG kids I sort of thought Tab was running out guys last night that probably were seeing their last action with the team: Amaya, Perez, Rennicks. Although, Rennicks might actually use this tournament to jump start a professional career and stay in the mix. One of Araujo, Real, and Rogers could be dropped for Durkin since he can do emergency CB. Durkin, Lindsey, Carleton, Bello, McKenzie, Pomykal, and Servania could be starters in MLS (probably all should be). I think the days of MLS releasing players for YNT and NT duty when they don't have to (or using fake injuries to avoid it) are over. You might actually see a team of mostly European based players since their seasons will be over. If Tab leaves, will they hire a new coach before the U20WC? The 2019 one?
MLS starters will all be released for the U-20 World Cup. The league isn't going to deny any of its player from playing in that tournament - they never have. It's not the playoffs, it's midseason. And yes, if Tab bolts for FCD (or anywhere else) then US Soccer would have to get a new U-20 head coach for the 2019 U-20 WC.
I know they never have and it is a dull period. But it started with FCD last January when they didn't release players for the USMNT. Carleton wasn't released for this tournament and he is not even playing and Atlanta is a car ride away. More and more MLS is not automatically releasing anyone USSF wants. I hope you are right, but the U20 tournament is not a FIFA break. Only a week in the middle is. Not only has MLS generally played in that break, there could be US Open Cup games. Players mostly playing USL would be released. But, the way things are going, MLS starters I would be are not. Or they will be but pick up a "tight hamstring"; ala Nagbe. Plus, with Gold Cup and Copa America, MLS teams will be losing a lot of players right after the U20 WC. Will DCU want to lose one starting DM for a month then lose the other for a month? Many MLS teams will be gutted of American, Canadian, and Central and South American players for those tournaments. They will need any reserve players integrated and available and not in Poland or hurt.
THe FCD coaching situation is really an interesting one. One can argue that no current coach in MLS has had the legacy at a single club as Pareja has had at Dallas. As player, academy director, coach, etc. Where they go from here is a complete mystery, but Ramos is an interesting candidate to interview. Whether with Dallas or elsewhere, he deserves an opportunity based on his performance with the US U20s. Best trade in the history of MLS? FC Dallas trading Damien Alvarez to the Revolution for Oscar Pareja. 20year impact........................ Some off the radar names people are mentioning in social media include Zarco. Former Dallas Burn player that's recently been the coach of the senior Salvadoran national team (and currently coaches Alianza in El Salvador). He's mentioned in the past that he'd really like to coach Dallas. Also..................a little higher profile. Former FCD midfielder Leonel Alvarez. Long-time player and coach for Independiente Medellin (which it should be mentioned is Pareja's "home" club too). Most recently Alvarez was coaching Cerro Porteno in Paraguay. Very good buddy of Pareja's.
The league could take an interesting turn soon if Ramos & Cherundolo get jobs. There would be a lot of high-profile & serious former national team players in the league trying to take the next step in their coaching careers. That would beat the recycled group of coaches in terms of intrigue
Continued coaching development is really crucial. Gotta keep that pipeline moving as well. I mean, Oscar Pareja as a coach is 100% produced in the United States. He's presumably about to get a really nice move to Liga MX. If he was American-born people would be making a pretty big deal out of it. Ramos didn't have a ton of coaching experience when he started with the U20s. How much did he coach with NJSA? Point being that the U20 position is a nice stepping stone for a good youth coach. A Luchi Gonzalez type. He's like to stay with FCD, but you never know..................................
In a recent interview Cherundolo indicated that he's returning to Europe to complete his UEFA Pro license. Once he's completed that he'll certainly have some options, either in Europe or in the U.S. As a player he's probably the single most underappreciated former USMNT member. He couldn't even get 50% of the vote in the most recent SHOF voting. I don't get it, and neither does anyone else who appreciated how he manned the RB position on the USMNT for several years. As a coach I like to think that he learned something in his work at Hannover and then at Stuttgart. He's definitely someone worth following.
I don't think I am going too far out on a limb by predicting this is what the U-20 World Cup team could look like. It seems very realistic to anyone who has followed the team. 1) Scott - GK 2) Garces - GK 3) Dos Santos - GK 4) Lindsey 5) Dest 6) McKenzie 7) Richards 8) Araujo/Rogers 9) Real 10) Gloster 11) Durkin 12) Servania 13) Mendez 14) Ledezma 15) Llanez 16) Amon 17) Pomykal 18) Carleton 19) Akinola/Taitague 20) Soto 21) Rennicks I really have no idea who Ramos would prefer yet between Rogers and Araujo as a backup CB. Araujo looks solid but is young. I'm not sold on Rogers but he's played with the team a lot. I know Tab has always liked Taitague a lot but Nick just seems to be more myth than reality these days with all of his injuries and has not played a lot of soccer this year. Akinola isn't a top prospect and has his technical limitations, but he really produces for this team. If the team looks anything like above, it should be able to perform well at the World Cup.
One of the great things about limiting most of my BS interest to this forum is that I can fantasize that one day a group of some of these players, along with other youngsters, will eventually form a respectable full national team. That fantasy world allows me to escape from the tortured reality that is presently the USMNT.
How exactly do you know this? Brian has said many times that Tab loves the intagibles that Real brings to the team. He wouldn't be on my WC roster, but if Tab is going to choose between him and another player, he'll go with someone that he views as a leader.
Not that my opinion means much, but I agree with almost all of this. I think taking an '01 (or '02) keeper might make sense instead of taking two back up '00 keepers. I don't think there are any great '01 candidates, but choosing between Dos Santos and Ochoa, I'd take Ochoa because he could play for this team next cycle. If you take Akinola, Rennicks and Soto, you are taking three guys that can play CF. Two of them (Rennicks and Akinola) are likely only there because they are back up CF's, and you aren't listing Weah and Sargent. Do we need both of Akinola and Rennicks? Could Ramos instead take one of Rennicks/Akinola and then pick someone like de la Fuente (or Taitague)? I find it hard to believe that a player most people consider to be the best '01 is not good enough to make this team. There might also be other considerations though surrounding de la Fuente. That team might also be a defensive midfielder light. What has Sands done to not be in any sort of contention for this team?
DLF is the great mystery. Will he play for the U.S. now, or is he considering a move to Spain. On playing ability alone he deserves a camp call up.
Unless we hear reason to believe he's switching (he wasn't in the recent Spain U-18 camp), I am not going to think he's switching. Just because he's good doesn't mean he'll want to play for another country. At the same time, it would be nice if we were told some reason for his lack of call ups to any YNT's the last half year.
I think that all depends on if they get playing time (and producing well enough) with their clubs. If it stays status quo, they should be with the U20's rather than at the Gold Cup. Obviously not entirely sure yet what Berhalter will be looking for, but time for experimentation needs to be done (in terms of giving caps to guys not playing 1st team club ball) as we start approaching the Gold Cup. Sounds like Weah will pursue a loan in January, so we'll see how that goes. As of now, I'd take Amon on the USMNT over Weah.
On previous quote I just posted person mentioned that Brian Kleibans kids peak at 18. Just to let you know his kids at most are just at 19 or 18 years old at the moment.
Lets not revise history. Mendez didn't deserve to make that team. He wasn't some unknown. He was close to making it, but there seemed to be pretty wide agreement that he shouldn't have been on that team. Llanez was close to making it. He was the alternate that would've been added had someone gotten injured between picking the roster and the first game. Was he better than some players who made it? I think so, but so were a number of players who didn't make that team. Even year players also usually get priority in roster selection for that team. A player like Konrad de la Fuente got no call ups all cycle to that U-17 team, and he's always been better than Llanez. Llanez and Mendez are good prospects. I think Mendez has improved his stock significantly in the last year, and Llanez has continued to develop his game well, although he was always one of the better regarded 01's. What Gary Kleiban has been saying though is ridiculous. He thinks LAG has the best '00, '01 and '02 in the country. I can understand the argument for Alvarez as the best '02, but Mendez and Llanez aren't that close to that level for '00 and '01, IMO.