Thought I’d get some discussion going about the U23 team. They really don’t have anything serious, competition-wise, going on in 2006 so it’s a good time for the coach – assuming one gets named – to take a look at players, especially those who didn’t get a lot of exposure from the U20 team. So, here is a list of some college players who have shown enough to justify some consideration for a call-up from the U23 team. I’m not listing players like Marvell Wynne, Greg Dalby, Pat Ianni, Sacha Kljestan, Lee Nguyen, etc… who were regulars in the last U20 pool. Nor am I including players born in 1987 as they are young enough for the new U20 team and their call-ups will come there. This is strictly for players born in 1985 and 86, many of whom were late bloomers or off the radar before college who have shown well in college ball. For those of you who are on the birthday conspiracy bandwagon, you’ll notice a lot of fall birthdates on this list. Coincidence? As always, this list is not absolute and I encourage others to add their suggestions. Matt Allen, So. GK, Creighton (8/26/86) http://www.gocreighton.com/sports/common/roster_details.asp?BiosID=616&SportID=7 SKINNY: Built on strong freshman season by posting 0.81 GAA. Xavier Balc, So. F, Ohio State (10/28/85) http://ohiostatebuckeyes.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/balc_xavier00.html SKINNY: Third-team all Great Lakes Region this season. Darrius Barnes, Fr. D, Duke (12/24/86) http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.d...33&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=158588&Q_SEASON=2005 SKINNY: Lanky right back brings nice combination of size and pace. Evan Bush, R-Fr. GK, Akron (3/5/86) http://gozips.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/bush_evan00.html SKINNY: Posted a 0.51 GAA and only lost one game in first season of college ball. Chukwudi Chijindu, So. F, Connecticut (2/20/86) http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/MSoccer/2005/Chijindu.html SKINNY: Pacey forward tied for the Huskies lead in scoring (10 goals, 5 assists) and was second-team All Big East . Maurice Edu, So. M, Maryland (4/18/86) http://umterps.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/edu_maurice00.html SKINNY: Switched to defensive midfield this season to utilize his athleticism and technical ability. Robbie Findley, Jr. F, Oregon State (8/4/85) http://www.osubeavers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=24877&SPID=1956&DB_OEM_ID=4700&ATCLID=139024 SKINNY: Athletic forward with a great sports pedigree was first team All Far West Region this year. Elieso Giusfredi, Fr. F, Seton Hall (10/2/86) http://www.shupirates.com/sports/msoccer/bio.asp?PLAYER_ID=1415 SKINNY: Second-team All Big East after leading the conference in scoring (11 goals) as a freshman. Ryan Guy, Jr. M, San Diego (9/5/85) http://usdtoreros.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/guy_ryan00.html SKINNY: Former U18 national teamer has 21 assists in three seasons and was All West Coast Conference and All Far West Region. David Horst, So. D, Old Dominion (10/25/85) http://odusports.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/horst_david00.html SKINNY: Big (6-foot-4) center back was second team All CAA after helping ODU posted 0.65 GAA. Kai Kasiguran, So. M, Messiah (9/8/85) http://clevelandfc.net/submain/teams/2003-2004/u18b/kaikasiguran.html (no bio available from Messiah; this link is from his youth club.) SKINNY: Best player in D-III turned down several D-I offers. Stephen King, So. M, Maryland (3/6/86) http://umterps.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/king_stephen00.html SKINNY: Quietly scored 15 goals and 8 assists from central midfield for the national champs. Jason Landers, So. GK, St. John’s (9/24/85) http://redstormsports.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/landers_jason00.html SKINNY: In his first season as a starter, the 6-foot-7 Landers posted a 0.70 GAA. As a teenager, was offered a contract by Man City but couldn’t secure a work permit. Jide Ogunbiye, Fr. D, Santa Clara (11/30/86) http://santaclarabroncos.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/ogunbiyi_jide00.html SKINNY: The 6-4 US citizen has trained with Nigerian youth teams but is not cap-tied. Steve Purdy, Jr. D, California (2/5/85) http://calbears.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/purdy_steve01.html SKINNY: Three year starter has been All Pac-10 (second team or honorable mention) all three seasons. The 6-3 centerback was a member of the US U18 national team pool. Pete Rowley, R-Fr. F, Syracuse (2/3/86) http://www.suathletics.com/roster.asp?playerid=1647&sport=173&roster=174&path=msoccer SKINNY: Imposing (6-foot-4) forward has 8 goals in 23 career games. (One reason I listed him as this pool lacks a target forward over 5-11 and this guy looks like as big a target as any.) Ricky Schramm, Jr. F, Georgetown (10/26/85) http://guhoyas.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/schramm_ricky00.html SKINNY: The 2004 Big East offensive Player of the Year has 29 goals in three years. Ryan Solle, Jr. M, Wake Forest (9/11/85) http://wakeforestsports.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/solle_ryan00.html SKINNY: Defensive mid has 23 assists (13 this season) in three years. Conrad Taylor, So. GK, Penn State (3/26/86) http://www.gopsusports.com/soccerm/People/players/Playerprofile.cfm?rosterID=2537 SKINNY: Undersized (5-8) goalkeeper was freshman All America last year and first team All Big Ten this year. Spencer Wadsworth, So. F, Duke (5/10/86) http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.d...33&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=158579&Q_SEASON=2005 SKINNY: Diminutive forward as adept at playmaking – 19 assists in two seasons – as scoring (14 career goals). Junior Ybarra, Jr. M, Loyola Marymount (1/20/85) http://lmulions.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/ybarra_junior00.html SKINNY: Crafty central midfielder has 15 career assists Jason Yeisley, Fr. F, Penn State (9/30/86) http://www.gopsusports.com/soccerm/People/players/Playerprofile.cfm?rosterID=2897 SKINNY: Second team All Big Ten after leading PSU to sweep of conference regular season and tournament championships.
Beijing, China. And, to be clear about the list, odds are very few of those players listed are good enough to make the U23 team. The pros in the 85-86 pool have a head start on them and the up-and-comers from the 87/88s will provide more competition and bring a lot of talent (the better ones), plus there's Freddy. So, there realistically aren't a lot of spots available. Still, there are some spots up for grabs. Forward, especially a big one, is still open. Same with GK depth (after, likely, Westberg and Seitz), right mid is a question mark and the center backs are pretty small so they could use some size. And, there's always room for a good player if he beats the odds. What I'd like to see USSF do is look at a lot of the college players who've shown well but don't have a lot of international experience to see who might be able to help.
Yeah I'd prefer going younger to give the kids experience than take some guys who are never gonna wear a USMNT jersey again. (That's hard to tell I know.)
I consistent "horror" for opposing teams. Get it? Wink. Wink. Ahh, cheese time. Couldn't help myself.
I understand what you are saying Jagermeister. He was a real Firestarter . He never had his Head Down. He was The Shining star for Maryland. He really took The Stand. Some say they saw him using The Talisman for good luck, but, I figure he just worked hard in the offseason. Thats why I call him The Running Man. OK I am done.
What about Kiki Willis? Never seen him play but always heard good things about him. http://www.elon.edu/athletics/profile.asp?id=1934&sport=ms Other players ill throw in there Brad Rusin FR, D, UCLA (9/05/86) http://uclabruins.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/rusin_brad00.html Scott Campbell, M, North Carolina (10/16/86) http://tarheelblue.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/campbell_scott00.html
He was injured in the preseason and did not earn a starting spot until the end of the season. I googled him and saw an article on his injury, but the server for that article was down.
Yeah I see what you mean but do you really want a bunch of kids, some of whom have never been out of the country, to represent us halfway around the world? How can we expect them to perform well. Conditions there are much different than their college atmospheres. Some of the players listed might get a call in but it's up to the coach to find the best combination of players who play well together, not who had the best individual stats in college. Some of these players were the best on their team and were heavily relied on but can they play with other players at a higher level where they aren't even in the top half of the team? I think we'll see a large contingency of the players from the past U20 WC with some 87's mixed in.
Are you also already counting guys who were in the U-20 setup, but never made it on the tournament team (you do have Purdy)? Somebody like Sean Franklin is, IMO, a good bet to keep improving, but I guess I'll make a small list that throws out everyone in the U-20 pool. Aaron Hohlbein, JR, D, 6-0 170 Wisconsin (08/16/85) Hugh MacDonald, JR, D, 6-4 200, Monmouth (04/28/85) Mike Sambursky, JR, F, 6-0 180, South Carolina (01/01/85) Dale Weiler, JR, F, 6-2 160, Wisconsin-Milwaukee (02/01/85) Ian Etherington, JR, M, 5-8 125, Notre Dame (03/02/85) Andre Sherard, SO, D, 5-10 170, North Carolina (12/02/85) Ryan Anderson, SO, F, 5-8 155, Missouri State (08/14/85) Ryan Maduro, SO, M, 5-11 165, Providence (04/06/86) Peter Lowry, SO M, 5-11 165, Santa Clara (10/02/85) Brandon Barklage, FR, M, 5-11 165, New Mexico (11/02/86) Michael Lahoud, FR, M, 5-8 140, Wake Forest (09/15/86)*if eligible Garry Lewis, FR, M, 5-10 165, Saint John's (08/26/86)
Couple more... Tally Hall, Jr. GK, San Diego State (5/12/85) http://goaztecs.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/hall_tally00.html SKINNY: Had a breakout year in 05 and the best season of any GK in the west. Brad Rusin, Fr. D, UCLA (9/5/86) http://uclabruins.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/rusin_brad00.html SKINNY: Another 6-4 centerback, he made CollegeSoccerNews’ Freshman All-America team. Not that bigger is better, but boy, does it seem like we're seeing a lot more really big players in goal, central defense and up top? I'm talking like 6-4 and taller. Just seems like we're seeing some much bigger boys playing soccer now. Again, size isn't a subsistite for skill, but in the past these big players never chose soccer. And, when you get a big guy who HAS some skill, it can be pretty dangerous.
What about Santa Clara's Peter Lowry? Phenomenal sophomore season after switching from attacking mid/forward to defensive mid. Extremely technically gifted and one of the best ball strikers in the country. NSCAA high school all American and U-18 pool. He deserves a look and I predict that he will be starting at the next Olympic games for the US.
The USSF wasted so many spots at Bradenton on inferior players ... Brief background, Maurice Edu, Memo Gonzalez and Christian Jimenez all played on the same club team at U-14. They were all invited to train with the U-14 National team in Mexico. At the time, Edu was listed as 5'4" 100 pound midfielder. All the small kids on that roster were cut never making another National team camp. Oops, 3 years later he bigger, stronger and faster than practically every kid on the list. Did anyone notice he was growing?
Anyone else find themself just shaking their head when they read this? Here's hoping Edu gets a shot with the 20s. Wouldn't the media love a center MF of Edu and Adu, huh? Moving on, Soccer America came out with its Freshman All America teams today. Here are the 86s who made the list. The comments are from SA, I added their DOB and the link to their college bio. I'm pretty sure we have "nominated" all these guys already, but I included their bios anyway. FIRST TEAM M Scott Campbell, North Carolina (10/18/86) Finished second on Carolina in points (26), goals (10) and assists (6) and tied for team lead in game-winning scores (4). http://tarheelblue.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/campbell_scott00.html M Lee Nguyen, Indiana (10/7/86) Scored five goals on a team-high 71 shots for the Hoosiers. http://iuhoosiers.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/nguyen_lee00.html F Jason Yeisley, Penn State (9/30/86) The Allentown, Pa., product was sensational in Big Ten play, scoring to knock off Indiana during the regular season and in the conference final. http://www.gopsusports.com/soccerm/People/players/Playerprofile.cfm?rosterID=2897 SECOND TEAM G Evan Bush, Akron (3/6/86) Established himself as one of the top keepers in the nation with a 0.51 goals-against average. http://gozips.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/bush_evan00.html M Garry Lewis, St. John’s (8/26/86) Floridian finished tied for second on the Red Storm with four goals. http://redstormsports.collegesports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/lewis_garry00.html Nguyen was their freshmen of the year.
So I was eating lunch in the cafeteria yesterday and had a long discussion with some chick who was a recent graduate of Cardinal Mooney (Kiki's alma mater) and a friend of Kiki's. She claimed she had heard over break that Kiki had stopped playing soccer for some reason.. Does anyone have anything to back up this rumor?