GKs and CBs mature later making them behind the other positions for the US. W/re to a back-4, the pipeline of high-ceiling CB talent is quite young, which lowers the potential for major improvement in the pool by the time of the World Cup. Maybe Chase switches. Perhaps Maloney can be played there. Maybe a youngster breaks through.
for real! we're talking about roldan here???? he had 37 caps and didnt nothing of note...zero goals....3 assists (but only vs carribean minnows) im interested to see what poch could do with the mls pool.....but will be very disappointd if that means more roldan
Thanks for starting with the fortune cookie. When you don't have quality veterans you don't play them over more talented players without experience. Didn't we just do this with Berhalter? These positions benefit greatly from experience, but there have been plenty of quality GK and CB by the age of 20. One of the most impressive GK showings in USMNT history is by a 20 yo college GK in WCQ. I also remember a 20 yo CB coming on to win a WC game against a country that scared the shit out of out all time best player. Hoping Poch is willing to give kids a shot if the pool isn't up to it at these positions. No reason a guy like Banks couldn't be in the mix by the next summer.
I have been disagreeing with you for 10 years so am happy to not have you on my side. This site is full of people who are perpetually wrong, but won't change their views.
I think it'll be fascinating who Poch and staff call up to January camp. They're coming in without any preconceived notions regarding most of the players in the pool. They don't have the baggage of what came before like the board does. Every player has a clean slate. Hopefully Poch and staff are pouring over video of the 2024 MLS season right now. It'll be fascinating to see who THEY think are the domestic players worthy of this camp. Cuz it could be different from Berhalter and different from what this board thinks. Is it possible that they'll think Roldan is worthy of selection? Maybe. Who knows?
This post is sillier than usual. Not sure how anyone would be fascinated by the most useless camp in USMNT history. Hopefully, Poch and his staff waste as little time on this camp as possible. I personally think MLS should be paying for this whole camp, including the staff's salary. There is no need for this for the USMNT. If MLS wants this as a marketing tool and some players getting some exposure to a real coach, then they can pay for it. Why is the slate clean? Roldan had four years to show that he belonged and he never even showed a glimpse of it. Lets ignore that and see his MLS performance this past season is enough is just crazy. Everybody should know Roldan isn't a USMNT level player, but the MLS fans want to waste limited resources on these hacks. This use of this camp is if selections are made of potential, with the hopes they make moves soon and may be helpful next cycle.
This a thread about the WC roster. So why are people even talking about the January camp in here? There isnt much need to discuss MLS in this thread at all.
I think it’s because January camp could be an opening for a player to make an impression that leads to inclusion to World Cup roster. Who knows?! We definitely need a few hungry players to step up and contribute. Life is full of surprises.
The January US camps to me are the equivalent of professional teams in Europe playing their emerging youth members in their domestic cups/competitions. The overwhelming majority of them won't make the cut in the long run, but every now and then it's good for assessing depth and putting the players in a window for other teams to also assess (potential signing for a European team?). For these reasons, I wouldn't describe the January window as completely useless, but definitely not as useful as other windows.
That is a bit of a stretch. The European club scenario involves clubs within a free market giving opportunities to their highest potential young players. The January camp is isolated to those available which means a small subset of available players. If Poch decides to use it for the young, highest potential players available, then not too far off. Unfortunately, that is not how this camp has been historically run. It has been used as a lifeline for MLS lifers to get a chance every year. The domestic camps became an absolute sham under Arena and Berhalter. They did more damage than good.
That is wishful thinking. It is a lot of time and money for a wish. When was the last time there were a few hungry players in MLS that helped the USMNT. The league isn't a serious place for a soccer player to reach their potential.
I’m old so I think in terms of decades not years. We’ve had lots of players who started or spent their entire career from MLS contribute in a World Cup. Granted, that wasn’t the case in 2024 but it was definitely the case in 2014, 2010, 2006 and 2002. I suspect someone from MLS is going to rise to the occasion, make the team, and end up getting a contract in Europe.