These selections do not make any sense Defenders: Danny Califf (Los Angeles), Brian Dunseth (Columbus), Chad McCarty (Columbus) Is he serious about developing these players who will never amount to anything on the international level? Califf? The guy would rather surf than play soccer, and his skills are below college level. He consistently makes bad decisions, and gets beat since he is never in pro-shape....flabb-a-lanche Dunseth? The pretty boy is a constant hacker, and s#@s the bed too much. I have yet to see him pick up his game since he came to the MLS. Couldn't even make Canada's team. McCarty? The right-footed Jeff Agoos. They are almost clones in style of play - they love to pass side-to-side, backwards, and are slow, slow, slow. He brings nothing to the table. ... These 3 have got to go.... but these 3 have potential and deserve a chance Bring on Gibbs, bring on Gooch, give Brad Davis a chance, hell give Chris Gbandi a shot. Come on Bruce, get with it.
Gibbs plays in Europe and is injured right now. Who is Gooch? Davis still hasn't shown that he can make in the MLS. At least Dunseth, McCarthy, and Calliff have doen that. The same goes fro Gbandi.
i dont think so...but i think he is close... gooch is oguchi onyewu, a longtime us youth team player who is playing for metz in the french first division <one level below le championat> and started his first full-squad match the other day after a long and drawn out contractual problem... see here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=29658
As to the answer of the original question, this camp was about 2 criteria: 1) YOUNG 2) IN MLS (or at least not in Season). So, based upon #2, lets look at the MLS Defenders available... Based upon #1, you can eliminate the following: CJ Brown from the Fire, Mike Clark from the Crew, Balboa from the Metros, Brian Kamler from the Revs, Robin Fraser, Steve Herdsman & Ritchie Kotschau from the Rapids, Mike Burns, Matt McKeon, Peter Vermes & Kerry Zavagnin from the Wizards, Adam Frye, Ezra Hendrickson & Alexi Lalas from the Gals, Jeff Agoos from the Quakes You can also eliminate the following who are pretty much at the age if you're not a proven commodity at the National Level you're not going to get included: Mike Petke & Brandon Prideaux from DCU, Leo Cullen, Joey Franchino & Daniel Hernandez from the Revs, Carey Talley from the Wizards, Ramiro Corrales & Troy Dayak from the Quakes That leaves the following to choose from: Jim Curtin, Orlando Perez & Evan Whitfield from the Fire Nelson Akwari, Eric Denton & Chris Leitch from the Crew Rusty Pierce from the Revs Steve Shak, Billy Sleeth & Jeff Stewart from the Rapids Chris Gbandi & Lee Morrison from the Burn Chris Brunt, Jose Burciaga & Jimmy Conrad from the Wizards Eddie Robinson from the Quakes So who would you rather have over Califf, Dunseth & McCarthy? Most importantly, who among those above have started and excelled in the MLS that have shown that perhaps they should get a chance to see if they can do it at the next level?
Uhhhhhh what? Califf played for the MLS Champions last year, he played in mostly a three back set with Lalas and Marshall, I would have agreed with you a year or two ago, but not now. Danny didn't make the mistakes last year like he had done in previous years, and I think he learned alot with Marshall and Lalas. He works hard, he is a good target for set pieces and he can obviously play the physical game when he needs to, I forget, how many goals did Twellmen have during the Cup Final, hell did he even get any looks?
Regardless of how Califf has played this year, I dont think he will ever be the kind of player that I would like to see in the back for qualifying On the other hand, it appears that some of the guys that are likely to replace him havent reached their potential just yet. Hopefully they do and he is eased down the depth chart. Better yet, hopefully he improves beyond where I see his level of play ultimately stalling.
Your post had some good humor in it. However, don't suggest guys that have never played in MLS who are coming of ACL sugery(Gbandi). BTW, Gibbs isn't injured anymore, he was called into the national team camp for Canada but left because his club needs him.
Many good points by you all. Forgot about Arena's all-MLS squad for these games. As for - would I choose E.Robinson, N. Akwari, L. Morrison, and R.Pierce over Dunseth, McCarty, and Califf?... Most definitely. I rather give these guys a chance, than three who have had a chance (not produced either) & will never make it.
I'm still trying to figure out the experiment of Victorine at right back, but that's probably for another thread.
Re: Re: Whats Arena thinking on defense? He left the camp early because of club needs and then got injured again: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29785
I see Califf as sorta the next Carlos Ilamosa. Big, strong, physical, man-marker type used occasionaly to match up with the opposition's target forward (Lowe, Borgetti, Wanchope). I'm hoping Garcia beats him out for the starting spot. As for Victorine, well, I really don't know. I don't understand what he brings to the table that Suarez doesn't. My only explanation is that he's been to a few more camps and probably knows more about what Bruce expects than Suarez does.
Defense will be the USNT weakness in 2003. Unless guys like Sanneh decide to work this summer, I feel the USNT will struggle to stop teams from scoring in the Confederation Cup.
Robinson, maybe, but he plays outside back. Pierce... possibly. I do think he's better than McCarty. But Lee Morrison??? Did he play at all last season? And if Akwari couldn't start over Dunseth and McCarty for the Crew, how is he supposed to be better with the nats? The only center back that I might take over Dunseth/McCarty/Califf is Jim Curtin.
Viva Eddie Robinson! (and yes, he did play in the center of defense for San Jose last season) Don't know why he hasn't had a further look from Bruce, but if given the chance this season with the Quakes, he'll get another chance.
Add to that that Victorine traditionally plays midfield for L.A. and bruce is looking for a replacement for Sanneh
What's Bruce thinking on defense? One thing Bruce is probably thinking: In their development, the best American players almost always become midfielders or attackers. It's rare for an elite American player in youth or college ball to play outside back. So it makes sense that a second-string USMNT midfielder or forward may have enough of what it takes to start for the US as an outside back. The assignments are relatively simple and can be learned. If a midfileder or forward has speed, a high work rate and can win the ball, he might end up contributing at outside back for the US. Like Sanneh, or Heyduk, or Lewis. Don't look for your next USMNT starter at outside back, right or left, to play outside back for his MLS club. At least, that what I think Bruce thinks.
of the new mls players i like on defense current starters victorine - bocanegra - pope - suarez backups - curtin - robinson - gooch - stokes when available starters - barrett more callups - gibbs more mls experience - akwari too slow for high level international play - callif and most of the rest you've named
Like international soccer requires center backs to be super speedy. Some of the best center backs of all time weren't that fast. Baresi, Adams, Moore, Koeman, and that German guy. The list goes on for ever. Is speed important? Sure. But being able to read the game is much more important internationally
Comedy! Robinson is good, no doubt. However, Akwari is a project, Morrison doesn't play, and Pierce is a bigger hack than Califf, McCarty, or Dunseth by a country mile. McCarty is slow, but he's also one of the most underrated defenders in MLS IMO. The guy is great positionally, hard as steel, and while he's no Tony Sanneh, he's better than most going forward. He's got a tremendous sense of when to charge in, steal the ball, and start the quick counter. Califf is a bit suspect, but he's got decent anticipation as well.
Carlos was successful because of his skill as a defender. He was able to mark players and tackle at a level of skill that no other American was able to. He reminded me a bit of Bobby Moore(the captain of England's 1966 World Cup winning team), if not in accomplishments, then in style, in that he was a smooth marker and smooth tackler, making the very difficult seem natural and simple. I will admit that I have never seen Califf play live (which is what I would need to do to fully evaluate his play), but I can tell you this, Danny is no Carlos.
He'd be a good option except for the fact that he isn't American and is cap-tied to St. Vincent and the Grenadines...
Re: What's Bruce thinking on defense? I think he would pick outside backs from MLS if there actually were very many good ones. Basically, for the LB spot, the only guy that has played well that he hasn't called in is Paul Broome, an ex-midfielder and forward.
Lee Morrison played very little last year and will be in a huge fight to even make the team this year. Gbandi is the one to watch in Dallas. If he is healthy and as good as advertised he should get a lot of looks at left back. First he needs to beat out Broome who had a decent year and is explosively fast.