Is Spector ready for full National Team? [R]

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

I certainly wouldn't throw him in the qualifying mix until he's showed some 1st team success with Man Utd but I would surely give him a look in a friendly or two before that. Don't know when that chance would come soon, however.
I think there's not much doubt he'll get his chances with the senior nats in a year or two.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

Does it look like Spector will get much playing time this upcoming season with Man Utd? Otherwise, might he be loaned out to a lower table EPL club or perhaps a First Division team?

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

I think he will. He has shown well so far and all indications are pointing that way. Rio is out due to suspension. Heinze is gone for the Olympics. He will definitely see some time.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

I only have one quibble with the original post. Where is Jonathan Spector listed at 6'3"? I think some people are getting his size mixed up with Kenny Cooper. Jonothan Spector is listed at 6'0" on the ussoccer_site and looked every bit of it. That might explain why he was losing some of those headers against a taller Roy Makaay or Roque Santa Cruz.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

I think that would be more likely than him getting any 1st team time at Man Utd but we've been surprised before.
Maybe he can go join Convey and Marcus at Reading..

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

I think he should have an oppurtunity at the national team in WCQ if the situation was such that we had already qualified from our next group stage.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

If Eddie Gavin got the call, I feel that Spector should be given the call as well. It would be nice to see both of them injected into the Full National team program to gain some experience.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

Why? I don't get the analogy. Eddie is excelling in matches that count. Spector has never done that.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

i didnt see the friendly yesterday, but no matter how well he does in the CW Series, he should not be given a chance until he has some 1st team games under his belt. meaningful games that is.

ronaldo played a full season, euro cup, and will play the olympics. because of that AF is thinking of sitting him for 2 months when he returns.
now i do not believe AF will sit Heinze that long, but he will probably be rested some time.

so HEinze will be out, as well as Rio.
IIRC that leaves O'Shea, Neville, Fortune, Silvestre, and Brown. To me, it looks like Spector will play.

With some 1st team games for Man U he will definitely deserve some Friendlies and maybe the last few mins of qualifires if he continues to do well.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

This position is starting to look like an embarassment of riches for the US. Not that I'm complaining.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

Arena would be a fool to punish a kid like Spector for not playing regularly with Manchester United's 1st team while rewarding Gaven for playing regularly with the Metros. To do so would be un-American. I say this because the 'American' thing to do as a 17 y/o kid with loads of talent is sign with one of the biggest clubs in the world, knowing that you CAN make it there. While Arena's so-called policy is great for MLS, it is bad for kids like Spector, Whitbread, Cooper, Simek, and Danny K. Do we really want our top talent signing with MLS instead of in Europe out of fear of not getting a USMNT shot?

Spector just played a great match against a strong Munich side and by all accounts from those who watched him last season, it was to be expected. I'm hopeful that The Bruce was watching yesterday and saw Spector do to a certain German International what none of our defenders did too well in 2002 - SHUT HIM DOWN!

The Bruce should schedule a camp and a friendly in Jan/Feb at a Euro locale and call in these guys:

Spector
Whitbread
Casey
Mathis
McBride
Cherundolo
Russell
Simek
Cooper
Convey
Reyna
Howard
Keller
Friedel
Bocanegra
Donovan
Beasley
O'Brien

1st Half

-----Casey-McBride
Beasley-Mathis-Donovan
---------Reyna
Whitbread-Spector-Boca-O'brien
---------Howard

2nd Half

----Cooper-Mathis
Lewis-----LD---Reyna
----Convey-O'Brien
Spector-Russell-Cherundolo
---------Friedel

WHY NOT?

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

Who is Eddie Gavin?

Eddie Gaven got called after getting significant first team action in games that count. Spector - and Cooper - need to wait until we see how they react in games that count. I hope they make it, though. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

I think that the underlying assumption here is that regular reserve team experience at a first div Euro side is equal in terms of quality and experience gained as being a stand out in regular season MLS matches and ultimately deserving of a camp callup.

Whatever.

Spector was solid against a crap team who, if they had played the same way they did yesterday, would have lost against some MLS sides in current form. There's no doubt he'll be quality. However, JS's not yet at a point where he has the day in/day out experience in 1.5 seasons of highly competitive footy and been a consistent contender for MOTM in numerous quality matches that Gaven has. To conjure up an analogue between the JS & EG is ridiculous.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

oh lord...


madness...just...madness

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

1) I don't think that's the assumption here among most posters.

2) I don't think that's a very good assumption.

I would suspect that playing regular minutes for a 2nd or 3rd division English side is better than playing for the ManU reserves. While the EPL reserves may be a better teaching environment, at a certain point, he needs to play in games that count for somebody against professionals who are desperately playing for their careers.

If they aren't going to play for ManU this season, hopefully both Spector and Cooper will get loaned out.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

He hasn't gotten a camp or anything else and we're going into important qualifiers, so he's not going to get a chance right away. This gives him time to get some minutes and gives Bruce a chance to see him play at top level if he does indeed get on the field.

So...if he does get on the field for Man U, he will deserve and probably get a shot when we start getting ready for the next qualifying stage.

If he doesn't get time, he's no further along than several other players playing reserve ball and waiting their turn.

Either way, we've got a bit of time and it is up to Spector to force his way onto the field and press the issue. As soon as he does this, he'll get a look.

If we have a field player getting regular time at a club the size of Man U by 2006, I would be quite shocked not to see him on the field for the US in Germany.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

If we have a friendly in Europe next winter or spring, it might be worthwhile to at least call Spector into camp, to see how he looks.

As for his size, Spector may be 6'0 now (or when his profile was last updated), but would anybody be shocked if he grew a few more inches?

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

Spector hasn't been ready for first team football up to this point, so no, of course he's not ready for the full men's national team. Tim Howard is a first team player at United yet has a challenge to get onto the field with the national team. I don't think we should affliate a player with our national team just because he's at Manchester United or any other large club. You go with who's playing, and who's in form. Spector hasn't gotten an opportunity to do either--yet. Give him some time. If he starts and does well at United, then of course he'll see time for the US. That's still looking through a crystal ball right now though. Jeff Parke has a stronger argument at the moment honestly. I hope with the rest of you that it is only a matter of time before Spector gets in some minutes in the league and proves himself worthy to don his club, and later, his national shirt.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

I guess you're right. Only 4 posters in the thread have specifically advocated his callup and inclusion.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

Barring injury, he'll get called into camp eventually. But Arena likes to see his players in competitive matches before awarding actual Nats playing time -- maybe Spector has the raw skills to play with anybody now, but if he was put into a WCQ in hostile territory tomorrow, chances are he'd be overwhelmed by the mental aspects of it. Tuneup and tryout time is, for now, over. For the next 16 months we need players who can play now.

If he plays regularly with MUFC, he'll eventually get called to camp because it'd be stupid for Bruce to overlook him when SAF thinks he's good enough to play. But the primary reason why Spector is playing this week is because the games don't matter. Let's see how he does in games that do matter before taking him on the trips to Jamaica and El Salvador.

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

isn't it odd that a player that might see playing time for ManU isn't even a sure call-up to the US? that's not to even mention starting for the U.S.
hell, a few years a go we would have been tripping over ourselves to annoit such a player captain for life.

of course, there's a lot of opinions on this kid ... and, correct me if I'm wrong (you know you want to ) but I would bet most people here have never seen him play or just seen the one match. perhaps waiting for the kid to get his feet wet as a pro would be a good way to go. what's the rush? it's not like we're hurting at central defense right now?

 

Re: Is Spector ready for full National Team?

"Might see playing time"? Hell, we have a guy who was on the EPL Best XI last season and might not get playing time in this round of WCQs. Life is good for us in that way.