Coach: Jason Kreis ------------------------Guzan--------------------- Chandler-----Packwood----Cameron----Johnson -------------------------Alonso----------------------- -----------Lletget---------------------Gil------------- Gatt---------------------------------------------Shea ------------------------Altidore---------------------- Subs: Sean Johnson Eric Lichaj Michael Bradley Omar Salgado Stuart Holden Marc Pelosi Terrace Boyd Clint Dempsey Tim Howard George John Juan Agudelo Joe Gyau
Notes: Kreis will build a team whose cornerstone is possession, skill and speed. He will demand individual ball skill from each position on the field and lots of movement. Alonso will be allowed to play for US in a special ruling and will be sold to a Premiership side in 2014. Pelosi may beat out Packwood and Gyau may beat out Gatt. Donovan will retire from USMNT after 2014 WC. Llleget and Gil will be our version of Iniesta and Xavi.
How is our lock 2018 captain Michael Bradley not starting? Chandler isn't looking good now, I'd lean towards Lichaj at RB I'd bank on Howard hangin em up after 2014, and Bill Hamid being somewhere on the roster. We're going with the Boyd-Altidore strike tandem.
^^This confirms that your either a troll or you have no idea what your talking about (in terms of Freddy Adu and USMNT)
LOL! Yes, I must admit that I am part of the vast multi-country, multi-language 10 year conspiracy on Adu- which has infiltrated all levels of soccer (administration, coaching, government) both here and abroad- and is keenly determined to keep him from fulfilling his career ambitions at any possible cost. WE MUST STOP ADU! You got me. Now, shhhhhhhhh!
-------Agudelo----------------Boyd----- Shea--------------Gil---------------Johnson ------------------Bradley-------------------- Lichaj-------------------------------Chandler ------------Brooks-----Cameron--------------- ------------------Guzan-------------------------
Keeping in mind that 2018 is 6 years from now and that a guy on the rise right now like Cameron will turn 33 at the very end of that Cup and Mike Bradley will turn 31 a few weeks after the Cup... --------------Altidore-----Boyd-------------- DeLeon-----------Diskerud-----------Gyau ---------------------Bradley------------------ Johnson---------------------------Chandler ----------------Brooks---Gonzo------------- --------------------Guzan-------------------- Subs (12): Johnson (GK), McMath (GK), Lichaj, Ream, Cameron, Williams, Kitchen, Shea, Gatt, Lletget, Agudelo, Wenger. Gosh, this is such a shot in the dark... There will be a lot of US pros in their late 20's for that 2018 Cup. The player pool is going to be very wide, but I just can't be sure of how good the top end talent will be 6 years from now.
*=olympic eligible (age)=2018 age Although, it's impossible to predict. i love these type threads. GOALKEEPERS Frontrunners: Tim Howard (39)-[Everton] Brad Guzan (33)-[Aston Villa] Sean Johnson (29)-[Chicago Fire] Bill Hamid (27)-[DC United] Dan Kennedy (35)-[CD Chivas] Matt Pickens (36)-[Colorado Rapids] Ryan Meara (27)-[New York Red Bulls] Caleb Patterson-Sewell (31)-[Vitoria Setubal] Cody Cropper (25*)-[Ipswich Town] Jon Kempin (25*)-[Sporting Kansas City] In Consideration: Steve Clark (32)-[Honefoss BK] Andy Gruenebaum (35)-[Columbus Crew] Tally Hall (33)-[Houston Dynamo] Zac MacMath (26)-[Philadelphia Union] Joe Willis (29)-[DC United] Chris Seitz (31)-[FC Dallas] Brian Perk (28)-[Los Angeles Galaxy] Joseph Bendik (29)-[Portland Timbers] David Bingham (28)-[San Jose Earthquakes] Nick Rimando (38)-[Real Salt Lake] Kendall McIntosh (24*) Earl Edwards (26) ---------------------------------------------- UNDECIDED NATIONALITY Darren Randolph (31)-[Motherwell] Out: None really. Rimando and Howard will be older, but certainly not out of the picture. Analysis: Looks stronger than 2014. Barring injury, Howard should still be in his golden years as a keeper, Guzan will be entering his prime, and our young crop of keepers should be coming of age. RIGHT BACKS Frontrunners: Eric Lichaj (29)-[Aston Villa] Jonathan Spector (32)-[BirminghamCity] Steve Beitashour (31)-[San JoseEarthquakes] Zach Loyd (30)-[FC Dallas] Chance Myers (30)-[SportingKansas City] Sheannon Williams (28)-[PhiladelphiaUnion] Caleb Stanko (25*)-[SC Freiburg] Contenders: Zarek Valentin (26)-[MontrealImpact] Kofi Sarkodie (27)-[HoustonDynamo] Tony Beltran (30)-[Real Salt Lake] Kevin Alston (30)-[New England Revolution] Ray Gaddis (28)-[Philadelphia Union] Nathan Smith (23*) ------------------------------------------------------ UNDECIDED NATIONALITY Timothy Chandler (28)-[FC Nurnberg] Out: Steve Cherundolo, Michael Parkhurst Analysis: If Chandler doesn't commit, it's absolutely dire. I had to convert Lichaj to RB to even have one reliable player in the position. Let's hope that one of the solid MLSers (Myers, Williams, Beitashour, etc) takes their game to the next level or RB will become our new LB. CENTER BACKS: Frontrunners: Geoff Cameron (32)-[Stoke City] Tim Ream (30)-[BoltonWanderers] Matt Besler (31)-[SportingKansas City] Michael Orozco Fiscal (31)-[San Luis Potosi] George John (31)-[FC Dallas] Omar Gonzalez (30)-[Los AngelesGalaxy] Seb Hines (30)-[Middlesborough FC] John Anthony Brooks (25*)-[HerthaBerlin] AJ Soares (29)-[New EnglandRevolution] Austin Berry (29)-[ColumbusCrew] Matt Hedges (28)-[New YorkRed Bulls] VenturaAlvarado (25)-[ClubAmerica] Amobi Okugo (27)-[Philadelphia Union] Will Packwood (25*)-[Birmingham City] Andrew Jean-Baptiste (25)-[Portland Timbers] Mobi Fehr (23*)-[Tokyo Verdy 1969] In Consideration: Jalil Anibaba (29)-[ChicagoFire] Marvell Wynne (31)-[ColoradoRapids] Stephen McCarthy (29)-[New EnglandRevolution] Ike Opara (29)-[San JoseEarthquakes] Gale Agbossoumonde (26)-[CarolinaRailhawks] Ethan White (27)-[DC United] Tommy Meyer (28)-[Los AngelesGalaxy] Bryan Gaul (28)-[Los AngelesGalaxy] Royal Dominque Fennell (29)-[StuttgartKickers] Sebastian Ibeagha (27) Zach Carroll (24*) Walker Zimmerman (25*) ------------------------------------- UNDECIDED NATIONALITY N/A Out: Carlos Bocanegra, Jay DeMerit, Oguchi Onyewu, Clarence Goodson, Zak Whitbread, Chad Marshall, Jeff Parke Analysis: Stronger than 2014. Most of our current projects (Ream, Cameron, Gonzalez, etc.) will be entering the twilight of their careers at this point, but we have a strong group of youngsters in Brooks, Okugo, Alvarado, and Packwood picking up the slack. There should be a lot of competition to earn a spot, and i expect no guarantees. LEFT BACKS: Frontrunners: Fabian Johnson (30)-[TSG Hoffenheim] Edgar Castillo (31)-[CF Tijuana] Justin Morrow (30)-[San JoseEarthquakes] Connor Lade (28)-[New YorkRed Bulls] Sean Cunningham (25*)-[Molde FK > Stabaek] Greg Garza (26)-[CF Tijuana] Juan Pablo Ocegueda (24*)-[Tigres] In Consideration: Michael Farfan (29)-[PhiladelphiaUnion] Anthony Wallace (29)-[ColoradoRapids] AJ De la Garza (30)-[Los Angeles Galaxy] Seth Sinovic (31)-[Sporting Kansas City] Jorge Villafana (28)-[CD Chivas] Kellyn Acosta (23*) Bryan de la Fuente (25)-[ChivasUSA] Bryan Gallego (25)-[New YorkRed Bulls] Andrew Duran (28)-[Seattle Sounders] (CB-alt) Tyler Polak (26)-[New EnglandRevolution] ---------------------------------------------- UNDECIDED NATIONALITY Derrick Williams (24*)-[Aston Villa] Adam Henley (24*)-[BlackburnRovers] Out: Heath Pearce Analysis: Deceptively strong and same as 2014. Johnson has this position on lockdown right now. There's also Lichaj and Castillo, and a few promising players in Lade, Cunningham, and Garza that force their way on the team. However, push Fabian in the middle and if you play Lichaj on the right then the position is a lot weaker. CENTER MIDFIELDERS: Frontrunners: Maurice Edu (32)-[Rangers FC] Daniel Williams (29)-[TSG Hoffenheim] Alfredo Morales (28)-[HerthaBerlin] Sam Cronin (30)-[San JoseEarthquakes] Perry Kitchen (26)-[DC United] Jose Francisco Torres (30)-[Pachuca CF] Michael Bradley (30)-[AS Roma] Sacha Kljestan (32)-[RSC Anderlecht] Stuart Holden (32)-[Bolton Wanderers] Mikkel Diskerud (27)-[Rosenborg] Conor O’ Brien (29)-[Sonderjyske] In Consideration: Dax McCarty (31)-[New YorkRed Bulls] Michael Stephens (29)-[Los AngelesGalaxy] Ben Zemanski (30)-[CD Chivas] Cole Grossman (29)-[ColumbusCrew] Rich Balchan (29)-[ColumbusCrew] Jared Jeffrey (27)-[Mainz] Bryan Arguez (29)-[MontrealImpact] Conor Shanosky (26)-[DC United] Brian Ownby (27)-[HoustonDynamo] Victor Garza (26)-[Tigres] Blair Gavin (29)-[New EnglandRevolution] Collen Warner (29)-[MontrealImpact] Davy Armstrong (26)-[ColoradoRapids] Matt Dunn (24*)-[FC Koln] Lester Dewee (25)-[Angelholm FF] --------------------------------------- UNDECIDED NATIONALITY Osvaldo Alonso (32)-[SeattleSounders] Out: Jermaine Jones, Ricardo Clark,Jeff Larentowicz, and Kyle Beckerman, Analysis: Weaker than 2014. The reason is that a lot of our main options now will be either past their prime or will be in the twilight of their careers. However, Bradley should be in his best years and will be a worthy captain that'll bring poise and discipline throughout our team. ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS: Frontrunners: Joe Corona (27)-[CF Tijuana] Freddy Adu (29)-[Philadelphia Union] Graham Zusi (31)-[SportingKansas City] Alejandro Bedoya (31)-[HelsingborgFC] Luis Gil (24*)-[RealSaltLake] Sebastian Lletget (25)-[West Ham United] Zach Pfeffer (23*)-[Philadelphia Union] Victor Pineda (25*)-[Chicago Fire] Jose Villarreal (25*)-[Los Angeles Galaxy] Alejandro Guido (24*)-[Club Tijuana] Kelyn Rowe (26)-[New England Revolution] Benji Joya (24*)-[Santos Laguna] In Consideration: Eddie Gaven (31)-[ColumbusCrew] Luis Silva (29)-[TorontoFC] Lee Nguyen (31)-[New England Revolution] Benny Feilhaber (33)-[New England Revolution] --------------------------------------------------------- UNDECIDED NATIONALITY Diego Fagundez (23*)-[New England Revolution] Thomas Delaney (26)-[FC Copenhagen] Out: Brad Evans, Brad Davis Analysis: A lot will depend. We have a lot of prospects, but that's all that they are right now...prospects. We will probably have to forge a line-up that works around having a CAM like we are doing now. WINGERS: Frontrunners: Brek Shea (28)-[FC Dallas] Chris Pontius (31)-[DC United] Josh Gatt (26)-[Molde FK] Joe Gyau (25)-[TSG 1899 Hoffenheim] Nick DeLeon (27)-[DC United] Dilly Duka (28)-[ColumbusCrew] Danny Cruz (28)-[PhiladelphiaUnion] Tyrone McCargo (24*)-[FC Nurnberg] Marc Pelosi (24*)-[Liverpool FC] In Consideration: Sebastian Velasquez (27)-[RealSaltLake] Tony Cascio (28)-[ColoradoRapids] Robbie Rogers (31)-[Leeds United] Isaac Acuna (28)-[Merida] Charles Renken (24*)-[PortlandTimbers] Moises Orozco (26)-[Correcaminos] Sam Garza (29)-[San JoseEarthquakes] Alex Dixon (28)-[HoustonDynamo] Ethan Finlay (27)-[ColumbusCrew] Danny Toia (26)-[RealSaltLake] Victor Ulloa (26)-[FC Dallas] --------------------------------------------------- UNDECIDED NATIONALITY Diego Chavarri (29)-[Sport Huancayo] Darlington Nagbe (27)-[PortlandTimbers] Shawn Parker (25*)-[FSVMainz] Fabian Hurzeler (25*)-[Bayern Munich] Out: Beasley, Donovan... I can't count out Dempsey yet. He may be our one geezer in Brazil. Analysis: Considerably weaker than 2014 considering that we will be without Donovan and Dempsey will be past his best years. And if Dempsey is to make the roster, i'd say it would have to be at forward where he will not be run ragged. However, we do have some good options in Gyau, Gatt, Pontius, and Shea to possibly pick up their slack. CENTER FORWARDS Frontrunners: Jozy Altidore (28)-[AZAlkmaar] Terrence Boyd (27)-[RapidVienna] Clint Dempsey (35)-[Fulham FC] Teal Bunbury (28)-[SportingKansas City] CJ Sapong (29)-[SportingKansas City] Juan Agudelo (25)-[CD Chivas] Andrew Wooten (29)-[Kaiserslautern] Jack McInerney (25)-[Philadelphia Union] Will Bruin (28)-[Houston Dynamo] Andrew Wenger (27)-[Montreal Impact] Villyan Bijev (25*)-[Fortuna Dusseldorf] Omar Salgado (24*)-[Vancouver Whitecaps] Jerome Kiesewetter (25*)-[VfB Stuttgart] Bobby Wood (25)-[1860 Munich] Tony Taylor (28)-[Atletico CP] Jann George (25)-[FC Nurnberg] Conor Doyle (26)-[Derby County] Jack McBean (23*)-[Los Angeles Galaxy] Soony Saad (25)-[Sporting Kansas City] Brian Span (26)-[Djurgardens IF] Kellen Gulley (24*)-[Chicago Fire] In Consideration: Kenny Cooper (33)-[New YorkRed Bulls] Charlie Davies (31)-[RandersFC] Steve Lenhart (31)-[San JoseEarthquakes] David Estrada (30)-[SeattleSounders] Justin Braun (30)-[MontrealImpact] Danijal Brkovic (26)-[Zeljeznicar] Blake Brettschneider (29)-[New EnglandRevolution] Samuel Petrone (28)-[Mjallby] Ellis McLoughlin (27)-[San JoseEarthquakes] Peri Marosevic (29)-[TorontoFC] Adrian Ruelas (27)-[Jaguares] Aaron Schoenfeld (28)-[ColumbusCrew] Casey Townsend (28)-[ChivasUSA] Amani Walker (28)-[MinnesotaStars] Andrew Oliver (25*) Stefan Jerome (25)-[SigmaOlomouc] Alfred Koroma (24*) Jonathan Top (25) Luis Rendon (24*) Corey Hertzog (27)-[New YorkRed Bulls] --------------------------------------------------- UNDECIDED NATIONALITY Danny Mwanga (26)-[PhiladelphiaUnion] Julian Green (22*)-[Bayern Munich] Out: Gomez, Wondolowski, Buddle, Gordon, E. Johnson Analysis: Much stronger than 2014. The one big loss will be Gomez, but other than that, most of all our options will be entering their prime. Early Picks: GK Howard (35), Guzan (33), Johnson (29) DF Johnson (30), Lichaj (29), Chandler (28), Packwood (25), Okugo (27), Brooks (25), Cameron (32), Alvarado (25) MF D. Williams (29), Bradley (30), Holden (32), Gil (24), Diskerud (27) FW Shea (28), Pontius (31), Dempsey (35), Gatt (26), Gyau (25), Altidore (28), Boyd (31)
Great extensive list. Will peruse it often. Minor correction, I think you mean Gabriel Farfan not Michael Farfan as in consideration at LB. I would go ahead and stick Michael in the midfield consideration list as either an attacker or winger. As for predictions, I am too shy to have a go at a starting 11 but would highlight John Anthony Brooks and Adam Henley as two potentially key pieces to the defense. Sean Cunningham is one who could surpise at any of the back 4 positions. As for GK I still like Hamid the best out of the young guys. Best overall makeup as shot stopper, distributer, organizer even though he is undergoing some growing pains this season. Also really like Joe Willis, his DC United backup. That big drink of water has really impressed in the small sampling of PT he has received. Perhaps he is one to watch as well. As for attacking options, all just one big blur at his point.
I don't think this is as difficult as many think. If you look at our squad at World Cups from cycle to cycle, it is pretty rare that guys come completely out of nowhere. Usually they are shining at some level in one cycle, and that vaults them up. For 2012 cycle, we will have some guys out of nowhere because of the German-American thing, but now that they are on the radar (and that idea is probably tapped out for now)- Fab Johnson et al will likely be in the team for 2018, since they are young and quite frankly it will be near impossible for many US kids to get playing at their level within this time. You can't really see this World Cup as being 6 years away. It is really closer to 3-4 years, since those are the players (playing in qualifying) that will make the final team. Is a complete unknown in US Soccer NOW going to (in 3-4 years) unseat Jozy Altidore? Virtually impossible. The biggest odds (and they are still very slim) would be on players like Pontius and Bruin that seem to be breaking out now.....but they have a long way to go to get near Jozy in 3-4 years. As far as the MLS (like a Gual, for example) who are average players in MLS.....it is less than needle in haystack for any of those guys to make at this point. A success like Cameron, I think, will become exceedingly rare. He accelerated extremely quickly from MLS to Premierhip and was fortunate to time his entry at a perfect time (aging core at CB) That's the cold reality. Injuries could knock a couple of the guys off my list
where was Charlie Davies or Stuart Holden in 2003? Clint Dempsey in 98? Chandler, Johnson, Williams, Torres, Lichaj, etc... Where was Jozy in 2002? Given the cup you are talking about is 6 years down the road i would imagine a decent number of candidates for that squad may not be names most would recognize today.
Guys do come out of nowhere all the time. Especially those with dual nationality options. Just recently, Ventura Alvarado, a 19 year old CB getting time with Club America has entered the radar and may be a fast mover in the future. Few knew anything about him as little as 6 months ago. Chandler is the perfect example. Completely off the radar, his ascension was stunning in late 2010 and early 2011. Then you have guys who once were on the radar or player pool lists who fall off, seemingly as failed prospects, only to reappear with a vengeance when they find the right club situation and begin to excel. Our 2010 WC squad was full of these players, namely Herculez Gomez and Robbie Findley. Neither of them were on the Confed cup or Gold cup roster in 09 and didn't feature until late in the hex, and in Herc's case, not until early 2010 in the lead up friendlies. Roster predictions are exceedingly hard, even 2-4 years out, let alone 6 years. Just ask all the 2006 posters who gushed over Quentin Westberg and Danny Szetela in those threads. It also requires getting into the head of JK and staff who often rate players differently than the fan base consensus. Of course these threads are great fun and always of interest to see who different BMs rate as the next big things.
There are no threads more hysterical than World Cup threads from 6 years out. We always do it, because it's fun. But even intelligent, knowledgeable posters will only have a few selections right. Players that are high school age right now (even down to 14 year olds) will be 19-22 year olds for that 2018 World Cup. Some will burst onto the scene. Kids at Bradenton right now are certainly possibilities, and most people don't know anything about them. The star is supposedly Junior Flores, but who the hell knows. The thing with lists like the one above is people primarily put pros they know something about them. So a guy like Blake Brettschneider somehow makes the list....................but we don't get to ever see Emerson Hyndman at Fulham. Nobody knows how he's doing. But he'll be 22 for the 2018 World Cup. And of course, unforseen events occur. (Injuries, etc.) Charlie Davies went from a lock to a nobody in one unfortunate night. Nobody saw Danny Szetela going from a player being purchased by a La Liga club to falling off the face of the Earth. Szetela actually played for Racing in the Copa del Rey. Make a list of USMNT-eligible players that have appeared for a La Liga team in recent times, and it's really short. Then Serie B, then MLS, then working the Fry-o-later at Dairy Queen. It can happen quickly.
Do we have threads about the 2010/2006 World Cup from six years before those occurred? I would love to see who people were guessing then in 2004/2000.
I think there are quite a few, just not as many that far out in time frame. Most I have read are 3-4 years out. A brief example speculating on the 2010 World Cup in the months following the 2006 exit: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/early-guess-at-the-2010-world-cup-roster.427673/
Aren't we forgetting Ben Lederman from Barca? If he is as good as everything says, he could definetly be in a 2018 lineup. I think he'll be 18 or 19 by then... The only thing I know for sure is Bradley will be the captain.
WOW! That was real fun to read. Preston Zimmerman makes an appearance or more than one list. Cherundolo is counted out. Cory Gibbs/Justin Mapp are in almost 100% of lineups. Jozy is Josmer. Bradley is a fringe selection. Jurgen is brought up as the possible coach. Noone rated Robbie Findley (why would they?).... And then there is this soothsaying...
Safe bets for 2018 WC squad: Gooz Gatt Jozy BODY Big Time Timmy Jim Chandler Lee-Hi Fabian Johnson Joe Benny Geoff Brekken D-Will Mikkel Jose Fransisco Deboya Adu Son of Bob