Nate has been flying under the USMNT radar for some reason over the last few years and I predict he will have an OUTSTANDING season with Seattle. He made some noise when he played in Austria and he's got some very good scoring skills. Not only that, but he will draw a lot of attention with his 6-4 frame. Who would our opponents put their big guy on -- Jaqua or Gooch? One guys is going to open (unless we're playing a Scandinavian country where our guys will be considered "small" ) Will Jaqua get called into camp soon? Do you think he deserves it as Ching continues fading?
Not happening anytime soon. He's behind Donovan, Ching, Jozy, Davies, Cooper, and probably about 10 other people. I haven't watched that much of the Austrian league, but from what I've seen, it's not an impressive level of play. Let's see how he does in Seattle. But I don't even think he has a shot at making the B-team for the Gold Cup
I live fifteen minutes from Altach. It's a bad team in a bad league. Jaqua an above average MLS forward.
No. I just don't see him as international caliber. Not onl ywould Ching have to fade but so would a lot of other guys. I wasn't that impressed with him in his previous call ups and at 27 I am not sure how much better he will get. Assuming there were a huge hole at forward, and Ching, Jozy, Cooper and others weren't available, given our depth at midfield, i'd rather see Dempsey moved to forward, a guy like Buddle given another shot or an unknown quantity like Peri M or Marcus Tracy or Zimmerman given a run out rather than Jaqua. Should he improve by leaps and bounds and really have a great season for Seattle then I would reconsider.
Jaqua sucks* and should not be capped for USA until he stops sucking*. *Compared to Ching and Cooper, hell even Edson Buddle.
And not Nate Jaqua? They are the same age (27) Have less than five caps and 0 national team goals. Edson is faster. Nate is taller. Edson scored alot of goals last season. Nate scored a decent amount of goals, but not as many as Edson. They're pretty similar. Above average MLS players who aren't really good enough for the national team. (Yet?)
I think it's because he can't CONSISTENTLY SCORE GOALS. Jaqua has modest numbers in a modest league. I don't want to mention Edson Buddle again...But I just did, and yes, he's behind Buddle in the pecking order. If Jaqua raises his game a bit he goes to the Gold Cup. THEN he has to do something special at the Gold Cup to warrant inclusion on one of the final hex matches.
I presume it's the same reason that I've been flying under the radar: I'm not nearly as good as the guys who are on the radar.
someone with 3 caps, as well as being a part of the U-18, U-20, and U-23 national teams is not "flying under the radar", he is definitely "under the radar." Secondly, he is not "flying". He has not scored more than 6 goals in a season since leaving MLS in 2006, including only 4 last year. Not NT production. If he does well as expected with Montero this year, then he can get another callup.
When it's the last two years of cycle, and only the final round of qualifying and the World Cup itself remain, no player that is not a significant improvement from those in the player pool is going to have much luck getting involved. There is team continuity to think of. Bob has used the following players up front recently: Brian Ching Jozy Altidore Charlie Davies Kenny Cooper Clint Dempsey Landon Donovan Can you honestly say that Nate Jaqua offers a significant improvement over any of those players? No, you say? Then his chances are slim to none. Unless of course, he bags 20 this year. But the onus is on him to prove he is significantly better than those players. Not that he is just as good, or even that he deserves a chance. But better. Much better. Otherwise, it's not worth the time to integrate another new player into the system. All that being said, the Gold Cup looms. And depending on injuries and club availability, Bob might need some warm bodies at that point.
I have followed Nate closely over the last two years. IMHO, when he came back from Austria, he was a much better player than he was before he left. His touch improved dramatically and he used his size much better than he did before he left. I think he has an outside shot to get into the picture, but he has to get off to a fast start and he has to do well this summer. It's forward. It's not like it is a position we are replete with so many options that it isn't out of the realm of possibility that he gets a look. Dempsey/Donovan are obviously locked down in one position as starters (the other in MF). Altidore/Ching get the other starting position and the first off the bench forward position. Cooper has been promising but doesn't really fit into Bob's target forward ideas. He will either change his style some for the USMNT, or become so good that Bob has no choice but to call him in, or be on the outside looking in. Davies is a quicker forward type of the bench. Totally different look than what Jaqua brings. But Davies just has one really good year as a pro under his belt. So let's not pretend he is heads and shoulders ahead of anyone either. The chance Nate has to get into the squad is to be better than Brian Ching as a target forward type of player. Can he do that? After watching the two play ALOT over the last two years, I think it is entirely possible. Nate's bigger and better in the air. Ching's faster and more skilled with the ball at his feet and thus a better passer (and better in possession) Both guys finish well IMHO. Ching's work ethic is tremendous, Nate's is ok...but not as good. I think Altidore can also compete for the target forward position, but any coach might prefer to have Altidore, Donovan/Dempsey, Davies, and a fourth bigger/taller option in a pool. Whether that is Ching or Jaqua, who knows? Right now it is Ching...but in a year? a year and a half? Who knows?
I don't think Jaqua is out of the quesiton, but I'd rate him behind all the following: 1) Donovan 2) Ching 3) Altidore 4) Davies 5) Cooper 6) Dempsey 7) Adu 8) EJ -------------------------------------- I'd say those are the ones in the running for the WC spots, either as #9 or a withdrawn forward. Though some have a lot longer odds at this point. Next in the order: 8) Rolfe 9) Barrett 10) Casey 11) Twellman 12) Buddle 13) Wolff 14) J. Johnson (though I'd say he's a winger at this point) 15) Jaqua -------------------------------------------------------------- Beyond this point, you start getting into young, but unproven talent: Ferrari, Tracey, Grella, etc. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone, but I think the top 8 are pretty well established. Unless you want to throw in guys who are retired/past it (McBride, Razov, Cunningham).
Nothing personal, but any person who ranks him behind EJ and a winger who doesn't even play forward seems a little biased against the guy for whatever reason. Is he better than Casey? Is he better than Barrett? Is he better than Twellman? Those are the questions IMHO. I think the answers are: close call if Casey stays healthy Yes As a target forward yes. Finally, is he better than Ching? Not yet, but as Ching gets older maybe Nate catches him. Ultimately, I think it is mostly irrelevant as he would have to go on a tear this year (which I think he can) to start the year to make the Gold Cup team. Confed: Dononvan/Dempsey, Altidore, Ching, Davies Gold Cup: Adu, Cooper, Two Open Spots.
Jaqua is underated. He developed quite a bit during his years with the Dynamo and in Austria...its just a shame that he spent so much time not progressing. There is a case that you can make that he would be a top 5 player in his position (target forward), but the problem with that is that it means he would need 3-4 people to get injured before he'd get a shot. And...where did this come from?
I'm honestly trying to figure out how playing on the worst team in the crappy Austrian league became a stepping stone to national team call ups. Also, Jaqua is 27 years old. If he hasn't cracked the lineup by now, it's not going to happen.
The second group was more of a pot, perhaps I shouldn't have numbered them. As for EJ, yes, I'd rank EJ and his 37 odd caps and 12 goals ahead of Jaqua and his zero goals. Ditto Twellman. Both have at least proven to be dangerous players in MLS on a consistent basis, which Jaqua has yet to do. And yes, J. Johnson has more upside (and we need wingers desperately). In fact, I've changed my mind, and I stand by the numbers, at least in terms everyone on the list being ahead of Jaqua. And if McBride, Cunny, or Razov were available for Nat duty, I'd take them ahead of Jaqua if the match meant anything.
Magic Austian fairy pixy dust? Stats aren't everything, but for a forward goals do matter. With Houson AFTER Austria - one goal every 250 minutes With Houson BEFORE Austria -- one goal every 180 minutes. So, while everyone is entiteld to an opinion, I call BS on his "dramatic" improvement due to his exposure with the Brazilians of Western Central Europe. This reads like a strong argument for Ching -- as does the fact that Ching scores more in MLS and was the leading scorer for the USMNT last year (so much for fading I guess).