USA goalkeeper discussion thread - Episode IV: No Hope

Does he have a "right" foot? I thought both of his were left!

 

As if any of us would have turned down that money..............................

 

Since he started later he was much more likely to go for his possibly one shot at a big contract. Now that he's gotten paid he needs to decide how important being the starter for the US is or even being on the team. It would be a tough choice for anyone to have to pick setting their family up for maybe life or starting for the USA. Right now he's threading a needle but I kind of think that won't last by next fall and he needs to show the coach he's all in by moving to the best team that will play him.

 

Another young American GK

Bayern U16 goalkeeper Leonard Prescott (15/ 193cm) trained at Säbener Straße on Tuesday alongside Andreas Rössl, assistant goalkeeping coach of the first team, which is very unusual for such a young player. Internally, Bayern consider him to be ahead of his age and a real gem. He… pic.twitter.com/MVMXnuJ2wt

— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) May 28, 2025

 

Goalkeepers called up in this May/June window. Odd men out for this window would seem to be Ethan Horvath of Cardiff Cityand Julian Eyestone of Brentfrod. Kochen and Beavers simply higher on the depth chart than Eyestone? [Callendar out injured. Slonina???] With Brady replacing Schulte at the Gold Cup, and Kochen going to the U20 camp in Egypt, all of the keepers on the provisional Gold Cup roster are included anyway.

[As an aside, love the fact that we're maximizing youth camps in these windows.]

USMNT: Matt Freese (New York City FC), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace), Chris Brady (Chicago Fire; called in after Schulte pulled out)

U20s: Gavin Beavers (Brondby/DEN; Henderson, Nev.), Diego Kochen (FC Barcelona/ESP; Miramar, Fla.)

U19s: Duran Ferree (Nordsjaelland/DEN; San Diego, Calif.), Andrew Rick (Philadelphia Union; Berwyn, Pa.).

U18s: Zackory Campagnolo (Colorado Rapids; Fort Myers, Fla.), Kayne Rizvanovich (Minnesota United; Mettawa, Ill.)

U17s: Jack Kortkamp (Sporting KC; Olathe, Kan.), Aiden Stokes (New York Red Bulls; Totwa, N.J.)

U16s: James Donaldson (Atlanta United FC; Woodstock, Ga.), Eamon Schorzman (Houston Dynamo FC; The Woodlands, Texas)

U15s: Emmanuel Arias (Nashville SC; Antioch, Tenn.), Jason Nemo (Chicago Fire; Evanston, Ill.)

 

All is possible in the best of all possible worlds.

 

no hope

 

Twitter said Eyestone has a minor injury.

 

Patrick Schulte continues to play statistically well. But every time I see him play, he's doing something like hitting a soft pop fly straight at Leo Messi.

 

That’s his backup Nicholas Hagen. Schulte is hurt.

 

Yeah at least we know Schulte's starting job is secure with Columbus lol

 

which (if any of these Young Guns in MLS) are likely to make a move abroad this summer/in the winter?

 

While I have not seem all these guys play I have seen a fair sample and I am rethinking my position that MLS is a good training ground for 'keepers. I have not seen even one that any top European side would want although there may be a number in the various second divisions around Europe that might have interest in some of the better MLS 'keepers.

It is kind of looking like the improved defenses around the league has resulted in the 'keepers facing less shots and therefore learning less from play.

I do recognize that MLS has improved a LOT but that seems to mean that the 'keepers are getting somewhat worse.

I no longer believe that MLS is worse than all major leagues in Europe but they are still worse than the top 7 or 8 or 9 leagues. And the fact of improvement has meant a reduction in GK quality.

At one time or another in the last few weeks I have watched most of the top 'keepers in MLS and not one is looking reliable enough to attract European interest. But there are some lower level teams that may have an interest and a few that could REALLY use some young blood at 'keeper.

I expect a move or two to Europe from USA 'keepers but I also think it may be a surprise as to which ones receive interest and there may be some moves back in the next year or two.

 

It looks like Brentford is spending big money (by their standards) to acquire Kelleher from Liverpool.
Kelleher to Brentford: Liverpool accept £18m bid for keeper as Flekken heads to Leverkusen - Yahoo Sports

[Their #1 from last year, Flekken, is moving to Leverkusen.]

If we thought Eyestone was going to be getting game time soon there, we can keep dreaming.

He's only 19, so it won't be the end of the world if he's a backup for another season.

I'm just projecting him to be "Slonina'd."

I'm preaching to the choice here, but I much prefer the route Gavin Beavers is going.
Go to a team that you have a chance of playing time with.

 

I hadn't considered the possibility that the league improving has made GKs worse.

Another hypothesis that also might sound counter-intuitive is that the previous generation of GKs were multi-sport guys, and now you're seeing a crop that played more exclusively soccer for a longer period of time, and this is actually bad.

 

I do not think the league improving has made goalies worse. That just intuitively doesn’t make sense.

Mostly we just haven’t produced an elite level goalkeeper like a Tim Howard coming from MLS. But there’s lots of good solid goalies in MLS.

 

As the league improves it makes it harder for the best young keepers to go instantly into the starting lineup. Would Howard start for any, some, most teams right now as a 19 year old? I do think MLS is lacking on developing foot skills for whatever reason. Sure seems they would copy what other leagues / teams are doing so maybe it's just a lack of playing in the field or backyard as a kid for US keeper prospects.

 

For years the big kid without close ball skils who could put their foot through the ball was the preferred choice at keeper.
The new style of football demands more.

 

A whole bunch of these MLS guys could "play in Europe."
Its just a question of where, and whether it would clearly be better than being a starter in MLS.

You look at the keepers that skip MLS altogether and go straight to Europe as early as possible.
The success rate of those guys is extremely low. in the last 20 years. The Alex Borto types. Most of those guys vanish of our radars. We forget they even existed.

Ethan Hovarth is just about the only one that's become USMNT-worthy..........................

Maybe Diego Kochen will become another. We'll see.

 

Do any of these guys like Schulte or Freese or Celentano have any shot at a work permit or would they need a bunch of caps to get a transfer done?

 

I thought we heard Schulte may have access to a German passport thru his mother. I don't know if that was ever proven.......................

Chris Brady has access to a Scottish passport. I don't know how much that helps outside of the UK.

Keeper is such a strange beast. I can be so late-developing.

Matt Turner wasn't even the starter at Fairfield University his freshman year.
He was even lucky to latch on professionally. Then he was starting at a World Cup.

[Matt Turner may never have even been a soccer player if Brad Friedel hadn't taken an interest in him. It was Brad Friedel that gave him his New England debut.]

We're all here chatting about our best U20 goalkeepers (Beavers, Kochen, Eyestone, Rick, etc.) and the future 2028 World Cup starter could be playing at Iona for all we know.

Freese, Celentano, Steffen, Schulte etc. all played in the NCAAs. Freese played at Harvard. Not some power program. Michael Collodi, who came out of Colombia, seems to have jumped over USYNTer Nico Carrera to be Dallas #2.

Is there any position in which being a USYNT has the potential to mean less?

 

Freese has a German passport or access to one at least.

Also when MLS got moved up in the league band from England it’s now much easier to qualify for a work permit without international caps. English teams also get a certain number of exceptions these days also.

 

Indeed. I don't think Julian Eyestone has a Euro passport.......................

 

Not so fast. With that name he must be from one of those Songs of Fire and Ice (Game of Thrones) countries.

 

Like Nick Rimando.