In case you haven't seen, Bradley announced the 24 players called into camp for the June WQC. The article says players report to camp May 26, although a few players who have championship/playoff matches will play those next weekend. It also says this is the camp for the two WCQ, not necessarily the same team that will go to the Confederations Cup later this month. But most people think that it will be virtually the same team, so Ching is probably gone for the month of June. Congrats to Brian, hopefully he can score and help lead the team to its first ever win in Costa Rica.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT We will be seeing him in Chicago. I wonder if he will attend the game as a spectator.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT More time for Akinbiyi and Wondo! Yay for them! Good for us? We will see.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT While I'm not totally surprised to see Rico Clark not called in, compared to some of the guys on the roster for midfield (Feilhaber, Kljestian) I can't help but think that Rico has fallen out of top tier of guys to play out the qualifers and make the 2010 squad. I'm sure part of that is due to the US having "depth" at the D-Mid position, but I can't shake the feeling that somehow a 34-year old Mastroeni will cost us something in South Africa next year (kind of feels like the new Jeff Agoos to me).
Re: Ching called to join USMNT No surprise but congrats to Ching. You have to think Clark is a shoe-in for the Gold Cup in July. I imagine we'll lose Holden to the Gold Cup as well and probably Davis too. Honestly, I'm more concerned about what the Gold Cup will do to our team than the Confederations Cup. Ching will be missed but he's only one player. We could lose as many as 3 for the Gold Cup and presumably, they'll be gone longer than Ching will.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT I agree - you could also make the case for Boswell and Cameron being guys who deserve the chance in the Gold Cup. I wouldn't expect Bradley to take more than 2 or 3 guys from any one team at a time, but if you look at the possible candidates, it seems like Houston midfielders could lead the way. Presumably Mulrooney, Barrett and Robinson will all be back healthy and playing by July, so there would be more options in the midfield to fill in for Clark, Holden, Davis, or whoever gets called up. But we can worry about that next month. On your point on duration, if Ching makes the Confed Cup (which seems very likely), he would be gone up to June 21, and up to June 28 if the US gets out of group play. The Gold Cup isn't quite as bad, as it's all played in the US so guys can be released back to their teams in between rounds if the schedule permits. The Gold Cup runs from July 4 to July 26 (if the US makes the finals)
Re: Ching called to join USMNT Let's not forget the possibility of Hainault being called up for the Gold Cup as well.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT And assume that Pat will not be called up. Canada gives up on people real fast and asks pat to save them all the time.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT I think that Rico is a great role player for the USA. He's too valuable as a neutralizer. I just think hes our guy we we're playing game 3 of group play and and all we need is a draw to advance.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT FYP! Everyone forgets about him. He was terriffic for the olympic games. Remmber ?
Re: Ching called to join USMNT I doubt Mastro will be starting in South Africa. Torres, Kljestan, or Feilhaber will step up and take that spot.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT I couldn't agree more. Mastroeni cannot shut up and cannot control his temper. He will hurt us. Westside Cosmo, i hope we are both wrong but I am done wiht Mastoeni's games.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT When you get my age last year seems like yesterday. So yeah, I forgot. My bad. Know wonder I haven't seen him. He still was a stud and defending and I hope he gets a call up. But that's me. Of course, Bobby Boswell surely deserves a call up as well.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT Sadly, we need Mastro for a couple more games before we can put him to pasture. @ Costa Rica @ Mexico Bring along his replacement(s) so they can learn just how much of a bitch those venues are to play in. Guys like Rico, Sasha, Benny, or whomever can ride pine/late-game subs and learn and be ready for next cycle.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT Meaning that those are not the games in which you bring in young, untested players. Those two games are for the vets to win, and to teach.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT That makes good sense to me. I just want Pablo "the card magnet" Mastroeni pulled after he gets a yellow. I do not want to play down a man at Azteca stadium.
Re: Ching called to join USMNT So there US games on the 3rd, 6th, and the 15th? When does Ching come back?
Re: Ching called to join USMNT They also play the 18th and 21st and maybe a game or two more (although probably not). I suppose he could rejoin the team for the Chivas game June 10th but I imagine that the US team will head to South Africa around then to get acclimated to the time difference and to train in South Africa. Realistically, he'll be gone for @ Chicago, Chivas, @ Dallas, and RSL. Let's see what Ade and Kei do in those 4 games.
Rico is joining Ching. Hejduk's injury must have done the trick... U.S. head coach Bob Bradley has summoned Houston Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark to Costa Rica. Clark has collected 18 caps for the full team, including four appearances in World Cup qualifying. The 26-year-old will board a flight from Houston at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning. Clark becomes the seventh player on the U.S. roster who was part of the team's last visit to Estadio Ricardo Saprissa in 2005.