U17 qualifying roster announced Tuesday - speculation?

Sandon Mibut · Feb 24, 2003

According to the USSF, John Ellinger will announce his 18-man roster for CONCACAF qualifying for the U17 World Championship tomorrow.

From USSF -
ELLINGER TO ANNOUNCE U.S. UNDER-17 QUALIFYING ROSTER TOMORROW: U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team head coach John Ellinger will announce his 18-man roster tomorrow (Feb. 25) for the CONCACAF Group A Qualifying Tournament that takes place from March 5-9 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The U.S., the only nation to qualify for all nine previous Under-17 world championships, will depart for Guatemala on Sunday (March 2) after spending four days training in Sunrise, Fla. The U.S. opens the qualifying tournament on March 5 against Jamaica, before facing El Salvador on March 7 and wrapping up the qualifying tournament against the hosts Guatemala on March 9. The top team from the four-team qualifying group will advance to the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championship in Finland, and the second-place team will advance to a home-and-home play-off against the second-place team from CONCACAF Group B, which includes Mexico, Canada, Cuba and Costa Rica. The Group B tournament will be held in Canada from March 26-30.

Any guesses at an 18? I have only seen these guys play once so I can't really specualte towards about the last few spots, nor do I know who is healty or in JE's doghouse.

Here's a guess at the first 12 but that's as good as I can do, and that's only based on what GersMan has reported as JE's preferred starting lineup.

GK - Quentin Westberg (the only player not in residency who has a chance at going to Hwata-mala), Clemson-bound Phil Marfuggi.

BACKS - Danny Szetla, the only 87 in the starting lineup, UCLA-bound Brandon Owens, soon-to-be ManU apprentice Jonathan Spector, Clemson bound Adrian Chevannes.

MIDS - North Carolina-signee (allegedly, as they haven't announced their freshmen class yet), Corey Ashe, the Galaxy's Guillermo Gonzalez and John DiRaimando and Brian Grazier, both of whom are supposedly headed to Saint Louis this fall.

FORWARDS - the MetroStars Eddie Gaven and our favorite 13-year old (allegedly!!!) Freddu Adu.

Here are the other 18 guys in residency, according to a USSF release from January.

Bradley, Michael M
Curfman, Steven M
Germani, Chris D/M
Gomez, Jose M
Harrington, Michael F
Harrison, Drew D
Helton, Kyle D
Hidalgo, Rodrigo M
Jimenez, Christian M
Mascarenhas, Brian M
Peterson, Jacob F
Rein, Marcus GK
Rogers, Robbie F
Sandbo, Stephen GK
Valentin, Julian M
Ward, Tim M
Watson, Jamie F
Wileman, Chase D/M

Figure the 2 GKs aren't going as 3 won't make the roster and you've got 16 field players for 16 spots.

JimmieLivealot · Feb 24, 2003

I'd hope that Ellinger would at least look the under age regional players who went to Brazil. They just had 4 games against pretty good competition so evaluating them shouldn't be too hard.

davide · Feb 24, 2003

Originally posted by JimmieLivealot
I'd hope that Ellinger would at least look the under age regional players who went to Brazil. They just had 4 games against pretty good competition so evaluating them shouldn't be too hard.
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The regional players (85s) that went to Brazil are NOT eligible for the U-17 National team (86s).

BrianClarhaut · Feb 24, 2003

I think Kyle, Drew And Germani are going to be named, if not start most of the games.

JimmieLivealot · Feb 24, 2003

Reading the coach reviews posted at topdrawersoccer made it sound like a few of the better performers (Pat Phelan, Erik Ortega) were juniors playing a year up, but I don't know for sure.

davide · Feb 24, 2003

Originally posted by JimmieLivealot
Reading the coach reviews posted at topdrawersoccer made it sound like a few of the better performers (Pat Phelan, Erik Ortega) were juniors playing a year up, but I don't know for sure.
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Phelan (85) is a starting defender on the U-18 National team. He was also named MVP at an international tournament in France last summer for the U-18s.

Ortega (85) is not eligible either.

Dr Jay · Feb 24, 2003

Pat Phelan is a junior in high school but he is an '85.

LuvDaBears · Feb 24, 2003

Sandon, could it be that Ashe and the kids you said are going to St. Louis are checking out pro deals before they sign letters of intent?

LDB

Sandon Mibut · Feb 24, 2003

Originally posted by LuvDaBears
Sandon, could it be that Ashe and the kids you said are going to St. Louis are checking out pro deals before they sign letters of intent?

LDB
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Well, of course, it could happen. What's the old phrase - money talks, bullsh!t walks.

Well, if the money is there and the situation a good one, I suspect that some of the college-bound players won't ever play a game of college ball. But, that's a big if.

Of the 12 players listed, 6 are currently commited to begin college in the fall:

DiRaimando and Grazier to Saint Louis
Chevannes and Marfuggi to Clemson
Owens to UCLA
Ashe to North Carolina

Rest assured, there will be some scouts at CONCACAF qualifying from European and South American/Mexican teams so as early as the middle of next month, some of these guys could get offers or at least invitations for trials.

Also, their play could also lead to a better (or first, perhaps, depending on the player) better offer from MLS.

And then, you've got the Wolrd Championship in August where basically EVERY European club will have a scout. A good performance is gonna result in an offer and that offer can be used for leverage with MLS.

Again, whether or not it's enough to get them to give up their college scholarship remains to be seen. But, if the money is right...

BTW, for those of you on the Adu bandwagon (and who isn't?), he could start to see some real Euro offers (not just the oft-mentioned Inter Milan one) once the team goes throug qualifying. If MLS wants him, there likely going to have to pay a lot for him as the Euro clubs are bound to drive the price up, assuming he's as good as advertised.

JimmieLivealot · Feb 25, 2003

Originally posted by davide
Phelan (85) is a starting defender on the U-18 National team. He was also named MVP at an international tournament in France last summer for the U-18s.

Ortega (85) is not eligible either.
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Whoops. Thanks for clearing that up for me. One other thing, is there a 'standing' U-18 team? I was under the impression that you graduated from the 17s, to the 20s, to the 23s.

Wolves_67 · Feb 25, 2003

Originally posted by Sandon Mibut
FORWARDS - the MetroStars Eddie Gaven and our favorite 13-year old (allegedly!!!) Freddu Adu.
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Isn't Adu playing the midfield? I do know that's his preferred position but, of course, he's not the boss.

cldiscodan · Feb 25, 2003

Is anyone else worried that we are playing Guatemala in Guatemala? Yikes! Before we talk World Cup let's just advance from our group......

JerzyRebel · Feb 25, 2003

Where did you get that midfield is Adu's preferred position? I hadn't heard that one. From what I've read the kid is absurd at forward but isn't necessarily a great distributor in midfield. Regardless, he's a stud forward and will stay there.

As for playing Guatemala in Guatemala, this is the U-17s not the senior national teams so I don't think there will be rioting in the stands for the game. A good crowd, but not near the hostility of the big boys.

Wolves_67 · Feb 25, 2003

Originally posted by JerzyRebel
Where did you get that midfield is Adu's preferred position? I hadn't heard that one. From what I've read the kid is absurd at forward but isn't necessarily a great distributor in midfield. Regardless, he's a stud forward and will stay there.
B]
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From quotes from Freddy himself. He said he prefers, by far, playing behind two strickers as an attacking midfielder and thinks that's his strongest position.
I'm sure the article that had that was posted her at sometime.
I'll find it tomorrow if someone else doesn't before.

chato man · Feb 25, 2003

13-18

Sandon,
Jaime Watson, Steven Curfman, Chris Germani, Mike Harrington,Kyle Helton, and Julian Valentin. rounding out the 13-18 slots.

Sandon Mibut · Feb 25, 2003

Re: 13-18

Originally posted by chato man
Sandon,
Jaime Watson, Steven Curfman, Chris Germani, Mike Harrington,Kyle Helton, and Julian Valentin. rounding out the 13-18 slots.
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Chat man appears to be one plugged in dude.

Indeed, the six players he listed rounded out the roster. For those who care, in parenthesis are the college destinations for the players.

Steve Curfman (Wake Forest)
Chris Germani (Unknown)
Michael Harrington (North Carolina)
Kyle Heton (Duke)
Julian Valentin (87)
Jamie Watson (North Carolina)

Germani is an 86 and all the other 86s are graduating early and going off to college. I can't seem to find - or remember reading - where, or whether, Germani is going to college this fall. Anyone?

Valentin and Szetla are the only 87's on the roster. Presumably, they won't finish HS till June 04.

The only other player on the 18-man roster who isn't - supposedly! - and 86 is Freddy Adu, who as we all know, is an 89 (allegedly!).

BuffloSoldier · Feb 25, 2003

Here's the roster.

1 Marfuggi, Phil GK 6’0” 180 01/15/86 West Windsor, N.J. PDA United
18 Westberg, Quentin GK 6’0” 165 04/25/86 Saint Cloud, France Troyes (France)
16 Chevannes, Adrian D 5’11” 180 06/17/86 Ft. Worth, Texas Club Dallas
6 Germani, Chris D 5’6’ 146 07/10/86 Yardley, Pa. FC Delco
2 Helton, Kyle D 5’7” 155 05/20/86 Alpharetta, Ga. Atlanta Fire
5 Owens, Brandon D 6'0” 170 01/23/86 Murrieta, Calif. La Jolla Nomads
3 Spector, Jonathan D 6’0” 180 03/01/86 Arlington, Heights, Ill. Sockers FC
14 Valentin, Julian D 5’10” 175 02/23/87 Lancaster, Pa. Leeds United
15 Ashe, Corey M/F 5’5 135 03/14/86 Virginia Beach, Va. Beach FC Impact
12 Curfman, Steven M 5’11” 150 10/08/86 Raleigh, N.C. CASL Elite
8 DiRaimondo, John M 5’6” 150 04/23/86 St Louis, Mo. Busch SC
4 Gaven, Eddie M/F 6’0” 150 10/25/86 Hamilton, N.J. MetroStars (MLS)
10 Gonzalez, Guillermo M/F 5’11” 155 01/04/86 Paramount, Calif. Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)
7 Grazier, Brian M 5’11” 165 03/17/86 Edwardsville, Ill. Metro FC
9 Harrington, Michael M/F 6’0” 165 01/24/86 Greenville, N.C. CASL Elite
17 Szetela, Daniel M 5’11” 170 06/17/87 Clifton, N.J. World Class Olympic
11 Adu, Freddy F 5’8’ 150 06/02/89 Potomac, Md. Bethesda Int’l
13 Watson, Jamie F 5’9” 150 04/10/86 Coppell, Texas Dallas Comets

GersMan · Feb 25, 2003

Freddy does prefer playing behind the strikers, but he will probably play striker as Guillermo is very strong in that 5-hole role, Gaven is the target forward.

Szetela and Watson are probably the first two guys off the bench, wiht Ashe, Grazier and DiRimando rounding out the midfield.

Not sure the starting goalkeeper battle has been resolved even yet. We're going to have profiles of the full residency squad soon.

BrianClarhaut · Feb 25, 2003

Chris is going back to pennsbury HS to finsih up his sr year..

bostonsoccermdl · Feb 25, 2003

Originally posted by Sandon Mibut
BTW, for those of you on the Adu bandwagon (and who isn't?), he could start to see some real Euro offers (not just the oft-mentioned Inter Milan one) once the team goes throug qualifying. If MLS wants him, there likely going to have to pay a lot for him as the Euro clubs are bound to drive the price up, assuming he's as good as advertised.
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True, but the simple fact that his mother has stated that she want him to have a somewhat "normal" childhood, and have a chance to grow up eliminate any move to europe?

I just see him playing for DC United and going to Europe when he is 17 or so.
I guess my point is I get the impression $$$ doesnt matter for Adu's mom, her attitude is that he has a lifetime to make it, and she would rather have him be close to home....

regardless of who comes calling...

superdave · Feb 25, 2003

Originally posted by JerzyRebel
Where did you get that midfield is Adu's preferred position?
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He played in the hole when I saw him in Cary.

sch2383 · Feb 25, 2003

I think by playing in the hole, he can take the ball up on his feet, which makes sense, since we hear alot about his dribbiling abilities. Just think, he could be like Rivaldo, but with testicles.

peledre · Feb 25, 2003

Originally posted by cldiscodan
Is anyone else worried that we are playing Guatemala in Guatemala? Yikes! Before we talk World Cup let's just advance from our group......
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Agreed, it's hard for season vets on the national team to be comfortable playing in central america, I can only imagine how 13-17 year olds must feel. Let's hope we qualify or can get 2nd. Then I think we'd have a good shot at winning a home and home against cuba, canada, mexico, or costa rica.

Rocket · Feb 25, 2003

What's the general concensus on how the U.S. will do in Guatemala? Would it be a shock if the U.S. failed to make one of the top 2 spots?

peledre · Feb 25, 2003

Originally posted by vw
What's the general concensus on how the U.S. will do in Guatemala? Would it be a shock if the U.S. failed to make one of the top 2 spots?
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Well, we have qualified for all 9 U-17 Championships, so it would be a pretty big disappointment. I'm sure a lot of the players also plan on getting pretty decent international exposure at the big tournament. I'm also hoping to be able to watch Freddy in action for the first time in Finland, so I'd personally be pretty disappointed too.