So, other than this well spotted report, any ideas of who else will be at this camp? For that matter, any idea how many players will be at camp? Do we think everyone who went to the 4 Nations will make the camp? My guess would be yes but that not all of them will make the next roster. The article above also mentions that after the first week, some players will be cut. Perhaps younger players that will be sent to the U-whatever teams that are training later?
I would think that the full 4NT roster would be back in camp to start out at least. Looking at the people that were at the first two camps, I can't imagine that many new people would be looked at. Mitts, Markgraf and Wagner might be game ready so that's two defenders and a midfielder right there. Barnhart was the only other goalie so maybe she gets looked at again, I'd like to see Olsen get looked at. I don't think there are going to be any major changes with the defenders. They worked well together in China and she might try and keep them together. Plus, like I mentioned, Mitts and Markgraf could be back. I don't think we'll see a huge change with the midfielders either. Between Osborne, Boxx, Lloyd, and DiMartino along with a healthy Wagner and Tarp and HAO, they could be set there. Forwards, Kai will be in camp and she might look at some new forwards. Overall I don't think we're gonna see a huge change. Maybe some forwards and hopefully a goalie or two. But that's just me.
well apparently she is still looking for defenders because Brittney Tailor has been invited and she is a defender. Maybe there is still something she is looking for on defense. It will be interesting to see who is there and who isnt.
We also still haven't figured out what Pia's approach is to her job. How long term is she thinking? It could be just until the Olympics. Or, she could be thinking a couple of years ahead, to the next World Cup. If the latter, then she wants to get a good picture of who's out there as soon as possible. What it means that she's inviting certain players to camps has all to do with what her approach is.
Not sure if she is looking in particullar for defenders, but a NT is never a finnished product so she will probably always have her eyes open for new talents. And if the U-23 NT coach reccomends that she take an extra lock at a player it pretty much her duty to do so.
And how refreshing is it that we finally have a coach who probably looks at it that way? I think of all the players who never got a chance because it was just assumed no one was better than the ones who'd been there forever (and ever, and ever), and I feel sad for them.
Whether you want to believe it our not the previous coaches have all brought in new players, even Gregg Ryan.
How about bringing in some of the Notre Dame kids. Sometimes I feel that there is a bias against this generation of ND players.
U.S. Women to Hold Mega-Camp in February at The Home Depot Center Sundage Calls in 37 Players to Start 17-Day Camp http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_5046272.html "Pia Sundhage has called 37 players to the next U.S. Women’s National Team training camp that begins on Feb. 1 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The camp is part of preparations for the CONCACAF Olympic Women’s Qualifying Tournament, being held April 2-13 in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. After a week of training and evaluation, Sundhage will release some players and focus on the remainder of the group to pick a 20-player roster for the 2008 Algarve Cup, which will be held from March 5-12 in Portugal." U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position: GOALKEEPERS (4): Cori Alexander (Martinez, Calif.), Kristen Luckenbill (Paoli, Pa.), Briana Scurry (Dayton, Minn.), Hope Solo (Richland, Wash.); DEFENDERS (12): Stephanie Cox (Elk Grove, Calif.), Marian Dalmy (Lakewood, Colo.), Keeley Dowling (Carmel, Ind.), Tobin Heath (Basking Ridge, N.J.), Amy LePeilbet (Crystal Lake, Ill.), Kate Markgraf (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Heather Mitts (Cincinnati, Ohio), Christie Rampone (Point Pleasant, N.J.), Becky Sauerbrunn (St. Louis, Mo.), Brittany Taylor (Campbell Hall, N.Y.), India Trotter (Plantation, Fla.), Cat Whitehill (Birmingham, Ala.); MIDFIELDERS (13): Shannon Boxx (Redondo Beach, Calif.), Jen Buczkowski (Elk Grove Village, Ill.), Lori Chalupny (St. Louis, Mo.), Tina DiMartino (Massapequa Park, N.Y.), Angela Hucles (Virginia Beach, Va.), Lindsay Huie (Mission Viejo, Calif.), Sarah Huffman (Flower Mound, Texas), Noelle Keselica (Gaithersburg, Md.), Carli Lloyd (Delran, N.J.), Joanna Lohman (Silver Spring, Md.), Manya Makoski (Trumbull, Conn.), Leslie Osborne (Brookfield, Wis.), Angie Woznuk (El Cajon, Calif.); FORWARDS (8): Lauren Cheney (Indianapolis, Ind.), Natasha Kai (Kahuku, Hawaii), Heather O’Reilly (East Brunswick, N.J.), Amy Rodriguez (Lake Forest, Calif.), Lindsay Tarpley (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Abby Wambach (Rochester, N.Y.). Tiffany Weimer (North Haven, Conn.), Christie Welsh (Massapequa Park, N.Y.). Two more goalies were called in, Barnhart not one of them. Really no newbies in the defender position, most were already called into either the Dec. or Jan. camp. Some new midfielders to look at as well as two other forwards. Should be interesting to see who makes the cut.
One of the newbie keepers, Cori Alexander, is from the U-23 group. Graduated from Portland after the 2006 season. Was outstanding defensive player in the 2005 Final Four -- had a great face off with Penn State's Erin McLeod in the 0-0 semi-final game that went to PKs and shut out UCLA in the final. A newbie midfielder some may not be familiar with, Lindsey Huie, also is from Portland, graduated after the 2005 season. Tremendously fast and very skilled with the ball at her feet. Played every minute at left defender (Anson Dorrance coaching) for the U-20s when they won the worlds without giving up a goal. I thought she was finished with soccer, so this is a real surprise to me.
No Wagner? Huie!! I loved her at UP. I thought she started grad school and gave up soccer. This is going to be fun...
Pia Calls Mega Camp I thought i would open this up in a new thread. She is calling up a whopping(<--is this how you spell this?) 37 players. For the first week, Sundhage will split the 37 players into two groups, a larger one consisting of younger players and the other made up of veterans, who will focus primarily on fitness and strength training with new fitness coach Helena Andersson. On Feb. 9, the remaining players from the first group will come together with the veterans for a week of training before Sundhage chooses the Algarve Cup roster. U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position: GOALKEEPERS (4): Cori Alexander (Martinez, Calif.), Kristen Luckenbill (Paoli, Pa.), Briana Scurry (Dayton, Minn.), Hope Solo (Richland, Wash.); DEFENDERS (12): Stephanie Cox (Elk Grove, Calif.), Marian Dalmy (Lakewood, Colo.), Keeley Dowling (Carmel, Ind.), Tobin Heath (Basking Ridge, N.J.), Amy LePeilbet (Crystal Lake, Ill.), Kate Markgraf (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Heather Mitts (Cincinnati, Ohio), Christie Rampone (Point Pleasant, N.J.), Becky Sauerbrunn (St. Louis, Mo.), Brittany Taylor (Campbell Hall, N.Y.), India Trotter (Plantation, Fla.), Cat Whitehill (Birmingham, Ala.); MIDFIELDERS (13): Shannon Boxx (Redondo Beach, Calif.), Jen Buczkowski (Elk Grove Village, Ill.), Lori Chalupny (St. Louis, Mo.), Tina DiMartino (Massapequa Park, N.Y.), Angela Hucles (Virginia Beach, Va.), Lindsay Huie (Mission Viejo, Calif.), Sarah Huffman (Flower Mound, Texas), Noelle Keselica (Gaithersburg, Md.), Carli Lloyd (Delran, N.J.), Joanna Lohman (Silver Spring, Md.), Manya Makoski (Trumbull, Conn.), Leslie Osborne (Brookfield, Wis.), Angie Woznuk (El Cajon, Calif.); FORWARDS (8): Lauren Cheney (Indianapolis, Ind.), Natasha Kai (Kahuku, Hawaii), Heather O’Reilly (East Brunswick, N.J.), Amy Rodriguez (Lake Forest, Calif.), Lindsay Tarpley (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Abby Wambach (Rochester, N.Y.). Tiffany Weimer (North Haven, Conn.), Christie Welsh (Massapequa Park, N.Y.). Team Staff: Head Coach: Pia Sundhage (Redondo Beach, Calif.) Asst. Coach: Jillian Ellis (Los Angeles, Calif.) Asst. Coach: Erica Walsh (State College, Pa.) GK Coach: Phil Wheddon (Monroe, Conn.) Sports Science/Fitness Coach: Helena Andersson (Stockholm, Sweden) Discuss
Re: Pia Calls Mega Camp Not sure about wagner. Another name i dont see is barnhart: ouch. Who was talking about lack of ND players?mrad? her is an uncapped ND player: Jen Buczkowski. I personally dont know to much about players from that part of the country.
Re: Pia Calls Mega Camp I think Wagner and Barnhart are the only two that were at the previous camps and aren't at this one. Krieger is missing but I think it was mentioned that she was going back to her club team in Germany.
Re: Pia Calls Mega Camp no natasha kai? is she still sick? or is she done for. who is cori alexander? i've been thinking about young gk's who could be brought in. but i do not know them well, and i certainly do not know cori alexander.
Re: Pia Calls Mega Camp Kai is on the list. Cori Alexander is, and I'm quoting from another post by cpthomas "One of the newbie keepers, Cori Alexander, is from the U-23 group. Graduated from Portland after the 2006 season. Was outstanding defensive player in the 2005 Final Four -- had a great face off with Penn State's Erin McLeod in the 0-0 semi-final game that went to PKs and shut out UCLA in the final."
Re: Pia Calls Mega Camp Buczkowski tied for 9th place in assists in the W-League despite only playing half the games.