Yes, it's hex-time. Not calling for any surprise call-ups right now, but I think once we qualify, BB needs to start looking at the Americans abroad that have deserved, at the least, a small look. 1. Jemal Johnson. Should've been given a look when he was with Blackburn and Wolves because at that time, the U.S. wasn't looking as sharp as we are today as far as our depth is concerned. In the last 2 games with MK, he's been involved in every single goal they've scored, and that's 4 goals that he has assisted on in 2 games. 2. Zak Whitbread. He's really coming of age at Millwall making a great contribution to their push for automatic promotion and is supposedly getting looks from West Brom, Everton, and Blackburn. Growing up in the Liverpool youth system isn't a bad experience either. 3. Preston Zimmerman. What happened to the hype on this guy? Back in the day, him and his brother were the future for the Nats. He's getting a bit of playing time for Kapfenberg SV in Austria (yes, shit league, but these are SURPRISE call ups.) and actually scored a goal in November vs Red Bull. Right before he left Hamburg, their manager was making very note-worthy comments about Preston and his progress at that club. But I suppose it's redundant to even mention that. Anyways, wouldn't hurt to see what this kid has been up to lately. 4. Cam Weaver. Yes, I'm reaching. But, the guy was joint top scorer with Romario in the USL before he moved off to 2nd division Norwegian club FK Haugesund. He has scored 10 goals so far for the club and I would personally like to have a face slapping call up like this one.
I think Zak Whitbread will definitely get a look. Rumors were abounding a couple months ago that premiership clubs were interested in signing him. Is he as good as other CB options who haven't gotten extended looks like Parkhurst and Marshall? I have no idea........ Preston Zimmerman and Cam Weaver might get called up to sit on the bench in a Euro friendly. But that's it. Jemal Johnson is an interesting case. While he's playing and scoring with MK Dons, it's League One. From watching significant MLS and League 1 games, do I think League 1 is better than MLS? No I don't. So it's hard to say how he compares to some MLS strikers. I'd rather give Buddle and Cooper a chance to shine. I'd have no problem if Bob wants to call Jemal up to give him a look, though. For me there's a glaring one, and that's Luis Robles. Luis has started games this year for Kaiserslautern, a big German club currently in Bund 2 (think Subotic and Mainz). He's gotten some very good reviews. Our depth at the goalkeeping position isn't as good as we think after Howard...
Good point on Robles. I can't think of many more players who are seemingly playing well overseas but are virtually anonymous to USMNT fans.
Hear me out on this--I say Zak Whitbread plays in the Confederations Cup. A lot of people disagree with me because they feel that the Confederations Cup is a tune-up for the World Cup and we need to play our strongest team. That, I agree with. Of course, Bocanegra and Onyewu start in South Africa, but aside from that the other two CB's we take are backups, usually to play if either gets a knock, or as a Llamosa-type to either shore up a leaky defense or to kill a game. We already know that Califf can do that, but can't we look for a possible defender better in that role? I see Chad Marshall getting that role in the Gold Cup, and Zak Whitbread getting that role in the Confederations Cup. Furthermore, the Confederations Cup would be a great place to showcase Whitbread for a premiership club. It would be in the best interest to the US that Zak plays in the premiere league. To not only call him to an important tournament, but to also showcase his talent would do a lot to land him a premiereship contract. The US could certainly use a quality Premiereship defender to play in a much bigger tournament also held in South Africa. Remember, if you are one of those who think that it's not a good idea to take an "Inexperienced" player to the Confederations Cup, remember that Whitbread is premiereship quality and has been linked to moves with Blackburn and Everton. If he played with either of those clubs I would think most people on BS would pick him over Califf, so there is my rationale. In any case, unfortunately Whitbread probably won't get a look in the Hex (Unless he gets a look against Sweden). It's important to not take him away from his club just to sit him on the bench in the hex, because I'd rather have Whitbread keep his place at Millwall. All the more reason to play him in the Confederations Cup.
I think the "A" team will go to the Confederations Cup, after all that was the whole point in winning Gold Cup 07. Players like Whitbread, Simek, Marshall, and company will get a chance at Gold Cup 09. There's a zero percent chance Bradley takes a look at uncapped players in the hex, unless we've already qualified. That's not a time to experiment. Go with Gooch and Boca. (Although I'm a little worried about the fact that Boca's playing as a left back at club football.)
As someone who has actually seen Zak play many times the past year, I do think Zak should be given a chance at the national team level. He's the glue of Millwall's back line when he's healthy. But the Confederations Cup is no place for someone who plays League 1 week in and week out. If Zak plays for the US team this year, it will be in the Gold Cup. Chad Marshall and Michael Parkhurst are ahead of Zak in the pecking order.... for now at least.
I knew that playing Zak in the CC wouldn't get much in the way of fandom, but I say that Zak might be the answer in a Carlos Llamosa type role, a sub to come on to kill a game. Right now, I would rate Whitbread higher than the current position holder, Danny Califf. Playing League One or not, from what I have heard and seen, Whitbread is premiereship quality. Of course, Marshall and Parkhurst are rounding out the Gold Cup roster, so I think in this limited role is the only way to see Whitbread. Of course, the best thing would be for the US to qualify early and get a look at Zak in WC Qualifiers late in the hex.
I can't see Johnson getting in over the ever-improving talented group the US has coming up right now: Altidore, Renken, Cooper, Jerome, Davies, etc. Then there's Ibrahim, Buddle, and even Zimmerman who are more likely to get a chance since they're playing in decent leagues and scoring goals (I really see Ibrahim breaking out in MLS this year like Altidore did a couple seasons ago). Whitbread also seems like a likely call up, but only after he goes to a Premiership team. With Onyewu, Marshall, Demerit, Califf, and Bocanegra playing well for good teams in good leagues, he has to bump up his level of competition and performance to jump over any of those guys. Cam Weaver? Ha. No.
I would like to see what Yura Movsisyan can do against Sweden or in the Gold Cup. In my opinion he is a significantly more polished attacking player than Ibrahim or Zimmerman right now, and is due for a huge season in MLS next year. Nobody seems to know whether he has become eligible to represent the U.S. or whether Azerbaijan is still his only option. And with as much press as dual nationality players have been receiving lately, most of it negative, it is shocking that no soccer journalist has looked into Movsisyan's status to represent the U.S. given that he only plays our team's weakest position.
They all need to get far more playing time before getting a whisper. I liked what Bradley did by taking Ibrahim to Barbados, but that was only to get the young player familiar with the US national team. Ibrahim doesn't deserve a call up at this moment of time either.
But he doesn't. Frank Simek has been linked to a number of EPL teams for years, but it was all BS. If you have watched enough Millwall games and think that Whitbred is EPL-quality, that's your right. Me, I haven't, and I need more than a few rumours before I take that leap.
WOW, wow, wow. Sub for worst team in MLS Never, ever plays Sub for mediocre MLS team. Viva los jovenes!
I have watched enough Millwalll games. More than enough. I believe Zak has the ability to be an EPL defender but not right away. You can just play League One every week and then all of a sudden be expected to defend guys like Rooney. That's quite a rapid step up. I believe he would do fine in the Championship and then maybe after a year there, the EPL would be a realistic goal. Zak has the natural ability for the EPL.. but he's got to climb the steps to get there.
Of course, all three have options with other national teams. I don't know where people get some of these ideas. They may all be national team caliber players someday, but not this cycle. I really do feel that all of the players we'll see at WC10 have already been capped by now. Maybe, just maybe Zak Whitbread. But is he better than Marshall, Parkhurst, DeMerit, and our CB's after Boca and Gooch. I have no idea, but maybe we'll find out this summer. Maybe, just maybe, the 3rd goalie hasn't been capped yet. A guy like Will Hesmer for instance. I bet the 3 that go will be Howard, Hahnemann, and Guzan, though. This thread could be worded another way: Who are the top 5 most talented Americans right now without a cap? Not based on potential, but ability right now. And don't list players who aren't citizens like Soumare. And please for the love of god don't give me Bradenton or college players. The full USMNT will never again cap a player who isn't playing professionally. (I think the last time we did that was pre-MLS with Ante Razov in 1995 while he was finishing up at UCLA). There's a ZERO percent chance kids like Jerome, Gyau, Renken, and company will be on the WC10 roster. It's too late in the cycle for them. Sure, Beasley and Donovan were both introduced late into the cycle in 02, but they were both playing well as professionals in MLS at the time.
After WC10. At this point in the cycle everything we do should be geared around selecting and preparing the squad for the hex and the WC. It depends what you mean by "kids." If you're referring to Altidore, Holden, Szetela, Kljestan, Adu, Davies, Torres, Bradley, etc. then by all means. They've proven themselves at the professional and U-23 level. We need to continue to give these guys experience at the international level. The core of the USMNT right now is REAAAAAALY young when you think about it. It's too early for kids at Bradenton and for guys like Ibrahim and Brek Shea. Unless...........they do something in MLS (or Europe like Arguez, Vincenzo Bernardo, Zimmerman, Jared Jeffrey, etc.) prior to the Gold Cup/Confederations Cup that makes everybody take notice. But who do we want to give experience to? A guy who has a real chance of making the WC10 squad but hasn't gotten much experience at this level. (Think Davies, Cooper) or an even younger guy with much less of a chance of making the WC10 squad (Ibrahim, etc.).
Not really.. If you look at history, 18 months out is still plenty of time for a real young player to force his way into the lineup with some solid play. What happens, for example, if one the of the Italian duo starts getting first team action for a first division side in Serie A the next few months then has an outstanding U20 WC? That would immediately put him in the mix. Not saying it will happen, but stranger things have happened.
usa is in a position where it doesn't really needed people whoi need to make major steps.. right now, usa has about 30 quality players... the guys mentioned need u-20, u-23 experience, and are NOT in the enar term future... next shout will take quite a long period, other than a camp cupcake roster slot
Never say never. Let's not forget Mastroeni, a world cup starter who didn't get his first cap until after the 2001 Hexagonal ended.
Yes, I have gotten a lot of heat for my opinion, but I really do stand by it, especially since if Whitbread goes he would be playing the role of a gamekiller. Of course, I really do agree with bshredder and I understand that my desire of Whitbread in the CC may be unrealistic. That said, I think this kid has a lot more potential than Simek.
His first cap was June 7th, 2001, in the friendly against Ecuador in Columbus. The main reason he became a starter for the 2002 World Cup was that Armas blew out his knee in the Uruguay friendly at RFK.
Never to argue, but that's exactly the reason to continue to expand the player pool and not be to accepting of the status quo. No one learned that better than Arena in 2006.