I heard it posited on a podcast that the camp won't start until after this provisional 40 is cut down to some intermediate number. That this is the definitive list of who can be called in as an injury replacement, but it doesn't mean all of them will come to a camp. Is that correct?
I believe so. This list only tells CONCACAF that no players beyond this list will be on the 23 man roster. I doubt that Berhalter actually has a 40 man camp
If that's true, then that makes the list of 40 really crazy. He's saying that, without looking at them, if someone gets injured, then it's possible that Fossey ..... the guy playing USL ..... Gyau? might be on the GC roster. These guys aren't being called in to get a look at them. That just seems crazy to me. I'm a big homer for Gyau making a come back. But, the guy gets 5 or 10 minutes here and there for a relegated BL2 team. What is Berhalter basing his evaluation on? There isn't a better winger in the pool than Gyau (again, I like Gyau)? Man, that does *not* speak well for MLS. It seems crazy to me to list Gyau to be fast tracked to the Gold Cup roster if someone was injured. I'd take Joe Corona in a heart beat. And, again, there's no one in MLS better than a mop up BL3 guy? And, Gutman & Fossey could just be plugged into the Gold Cup roster without any additional evaluation? Again, MLS teams should be hanging their heads in shame.
How do I close the thread? I heard wrong. The guys that I was griping about are being called into camp. Personally, there are other guys that I'd take a look at, since the 40 locks you in on who can make the roster. But, my big complaint was putting those guys in the "locked in" pool, w/o looking at them.
Seemed more likely to generate a response? I don't always know why I do what I do. Maybe we could puzzle out Berhalter's larger vision here. U-20's in Poland (minus Adams and Sargent), now through mid-June U-23's in Annapolis (starting Monday) and Salt Lake City (June 10-16) Name Gold Cup group of 40, start practice in Annapolis (May 27), MLS players arrive (June 1), play Jamaica in DC (June 5), then cut to 23, then play Venezuela in Cincinnati (June 9), send U-23's to Salt Lake City (June 10-16), start Gold Cup in Minnesota (June 18), then Cleveland (June 20) and Kansas City (June 22), with a QF likely in Philadelphia (June 30). https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...ng-camp-roster-gold-cup-preparation-annapolis
With all the youth stuff going on this year I was taking a wait and see attitude on the senior team callups. Now we are starting to see a plan where U17's had qualifying a WC, the U20's had qualifying and a WC, U23's will have qualifying and each group needs to progress through their age group (except Adams and Sargent who already have and Weah who asked to drop down temporarily). They then get thrown into a Battle Royale with players slightly older that we maybe don't fancy as much but makes everyone earn it. The ones who emerge then get to take on the older placeholders and if they can't take their spot away then maybe they aren't ready or as good as we think. The caveat being the coach gives everyone an equal chance. By next year there should a lot of young, emerging talent that earned their way onto the full team.
Yes, so on the plus side, Berhalter and the brain trust* have a plan, and Behalter has a system. I like the idea of gathering young players from far and wide and watching them play side by side. If I had to specify my greatest concerns so far ... 1) Favoritism, of various sorts. Omar Gonzalez is an old family friend (of Berhalter's, not of mine), so he gets included. Michael Bradley is a favored son, so he must play until he surpasses the USMNT caps record. Will Trapp knows my system better than anyone else, so I will elevate him to primo status. 2) The system itself, which I feel should be constructed first from the idea of getting our best players on the field in their best positions. ++++++++++ * not sure which word, brain or trust, is more ironic.