USA goalkeeper discussion thread - Episode IV: A New Hope

I don’t think it’s crazy to have 4 keepers for January camp. We’ve done it regularly in the past.

I also think Brady has the highest ceiling of the four and given the Olympic emphasis I’d definitely want to see him there.

But there’s no need to cut any of the 4 and having them all there for camp is very feasible. You’ll have to cut 1-2 for the friendly, but you can decide that based on how they look in camp.

 

Barcelona probably won’t release him for January camp.

I think you call him up next time you do a camp in Europe and you need an extra keeper and don’t want to make someone come all the way from MLS and not play.

 

No, that was not playing him at all at the U-20 WC while playing Dest which neither then nor now was able to play defense. After that he moved to Mexico. I'm Slonina skeptic to a degree, was extremely against bringing him to Qatar, laughing at the idea that Poland would go after him with their selection of keepers, but he isn't bad, neither is any of those that you mentioned. Kochen, though, might have a totally different ceiling, Barca is extremely serious about him, we need get him before he is eligible for Spain.

 

Kochen is going to get opportunities for the US before he ever gets them for Spain.

Their goalies at current are the starter at Arsenal, the starter at Chelsea, the starter at Real Madrid, and the starter at Athletic Bilbao. All younger than Matt Turner I believe. And that doesn’t even consider all the younger guys they have waiting in the wings.

If Kochen is for real we’re going to call him to the senior team way before Spain ever does (who he’s not even eligible for at current).

 

I don't understand what folks are arguing for here.
Last I knew Diego Kochen JUST returned from a back injury that has kept him out for months.

We can call Barca to see if they'd release him to January camp, but I highly doubt they would.

I also think this camp is most likely going to be used as a competition for Copa America and Olympics candidates. If we have to write four keepers for the January camp it would be something like Callendar, Celentano, Brady, and Schulte.

Don't get me wrong. I give the USMNT coach license to call up whomever the hell he wants to see for January camp. I just can't see how that's Kochen right now.

[Also, can we stop pining for Julian Araujo on these boards? You'd think that when a guy writes a column indicating his heart is with our biggest rival.............that would officially end any discussion. What does he have to do with literally anything? He should be dead to us. Instead, people act like the kid who was dumped by his first girlfriend when she learned that the quarterback was interested. MAN UP! For Heavan's sake! We wanted Julian Araujo. He didn't want us. Get over it.]

 

I'm old enough to remember both Giuseppe Rossi and Nevan Subotic. People will stop pining for Araujo when he is getting close to retirement.

 

Its one of the most pathetic aspects of these boards.

If Diego Kochen picks Peru, Venezuela, or Spain (if he becomes eligible) over the USMNT, that's his choice.

All we can do is keep providing opportunities. For Kochen, seeing as he's a 17 year old with zero professional appearances.............that next step is our U20s.

Nothing excites these boards more than a player at a big club that people never actually get to watch. He MUST be better than the domestic guys like Chris Brady that we see every week.

 

The most pathetic aspect of this board to you is when anyone dares to question any decision from the organization, member(s) of whom you have a loose relationship with.

Yea, few have seen Julian Araujo play much, the guy from La Galaxy and La Liga.

And he got all those opportunities, like never playing at the u20 WC, getting 1 start in Olympic qualifying, and having 1 senior cap; thru 3 seasons of success.

The fact you have to straw man, move goal posts, and make such specious arguments prove how weak you know they are. This is a lot of gaslighting, even for you.

 

Jesus.................

You don't have to take my word for it. Read his own damn words. He wrote a column on the reasons he chose Mexico.

Hint: It's not the reasons you're alluding to.

And yet people keep fabricating things in every thread about Julian Araujo's reasons for switching. HE'S TOLD US THE REASONS HE SWITCHED TO MEXICO. Read and learn. Don't fabricate lies in order to find ways to bash Berhalter, the USSF, or the USMNT.

 

Julian Eyestone going pro.
We'll have to see if he signs with FC Dallas or goes to Europe.
We had a long debate a few months ago about the way being blocked for Antonio Carrera at FCD.
So you wonder......................

 

Probably we shouldn't prioritize playing a child who sits on the bench over men who actually play, but the important thing is that we have yet another forum for off topic axe grinding.

 

22-year-old Columbus Crew & USMNT U23 GK Patrick Schulte, who played college soccer at Saint Louis University:

✓ 2022 MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Year
✓ 2022 MLS NEXT Pro Best XI
✓ 2022 MLS NEXT Pro Cup
✓ 2023 MLS Cup

The youngest goalkeeper to start & win an MLS Cup 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BGbHzj6uI4

— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) December 11, 2023

 

Sorry, this is so laughable. Did you expect him to say "Now when USA repeatedly ********ed me over I'll play for Mexico"? Just to endear himself to Mexican fans.

 

It’s true they took him to the U20 World Cup playing up a cycle, he was on the U23 team up a cycle, they tried to call him up for the Gold Cup, and they tried to call him in for multiple World Cup qualifying windows with the A team. I’d be furious too if I were treated like that.

 

Of course you wouldn't. Sitting on the bench is such an honor, especially for young kids. Weren't Scally and Gio just ecstatic about that?

 

Araujo was being offered the opportunity to play in the Gold Cup and qualifiers at the age of 20. And he would have played a lot in that Gold Cup. That’s a tremendous opportunity for a player that age.

Araujo even said in his interview he had no issues with Berhalter and had a very good relationship with him.

He wasn’t treated unfairly. He just wanted to play for Mexico. Not sure why that’s so hard for process. Not every player prefers the USMNT and that’s ok. And sometimes there’s no one to blame for it.

 

I think there is absolutely no chance Barca would release Kochen as they need him to be their third keeper while ter Stegen is out. I.e., he serves a function by not being counted on to actually play. As highly rated he may be by Barcelona, he is only 17 and never played a professional game. We shouldn't be fooled by his Barca first team bench appearances; he is there because he is not really needed on the second team at the moment. If Peña was also to go down injured, he would probably still remain the third choice as they would call up a more experienced Barca B keeper to be the deputy.

 

He was mistreated before Berhalter, not sure why that's so hard for process. He was preferring US, been called to YNTs and never played while starting and playing well in MLS. No other MLS player was treated like that.

 

Can we stop with the damn Julian Araujo talk on every thread?

Is he going to suit up in goal for Mexico? If so, he's almost relevant. But not really. Not even David Ochoa, an actual goalkeeper, is suiting up in goal for Mexico.

I don't spend time pining for David Ochoa either. As far as I can tell, he's not on a club. Maybe he's hangin' out somewhere with Jesse Gonzalez.

I guess we started on the Julian Araujo talk because somebody compared Diego Kochen to him. Diego Kochen, a 17 year old who might, and I mean might...............start for our U20 CONCACAF Championships team. Cuz the aforementioned Julian Eyestone (see above) is a friggin' beast.

Julian Eyestone is the answer to the question: What would happen if an elite 6'6" volleyball player decided to be a goalkeeper instead? The guy's agility for his size is just remarkable.

[He actually was the top-ranked 2024 keeper. Re-classified to a 2023. Went to Duke and started as a 17 year old. Had a great season against some players quite older than him. Now going pro. Kind of cool path.]

I'm sorry that Julian Eyestone isn't a dual-national. Can we talk about him on these boards anyway?
Or Adam Beaudry of the Colorado Rapids. The kid who actually started for our U17s at the recent World Cup, and showed a ton of potential.

 

Yeah, we're not Brazil or France or anything, but I have enough confidence in our talent pipeline that if a position on the senior team is weak, we can wait a year or two and have a handful of promising prospects emerge. That's not to say that all or any will pan out at a high enough level, but the more lottery tickets, the greater chance that one hits. It's just going to be a question of whether a new keeper can emerge at a high enough level to help in time for 2026.

 

Kochen may get passed by some of the other guys but he does have incredible potential and is the best U17 goalie we have at this point in time. Didn’t the U17 coach call him the best goalie in the world of his age or something like that?

Still a long way to go obviously and others could emerge, but he’s a top tier prospect.

 

Kochen, Ferree, Eyestone, and Beaudry is in theory an insane class

 

That was me, although I haven't actually seen him play yet.

 

As for keepers things change so quick. It was not that long ago people were talking about what a big loss David Ochoa would be.

Hell to go back further I remember when everybody thought Bill Hamid and Sean Johnson would be an amazing decade long battle for the number 1 spot.

We just have to let people grow. I actually think Gaga's loan to Eupen has moved him down the pecking order behind guys like Brady, Schulte, and Celentano. Now next season if he gets a loan to a better club even in Belgium? He could shoot back up... hell I had Celentano as the guy we needed to look at but Schulte is now getting a lot of love for the Crew's run

It's a very fluid situation