Coming into 2008, the halfway point...it's my belief that Bradley needs to start looking more to his regulars instead of giving try-outs for random players. Granted, if a player proves worth a look than he should always get a look (i'm not saying close the door to any new player from now on). But i want to try and see if i can limit the USMNT to a 40-50 man pool for 2008 (granted, again, if a player really deserves a look...give him a look). Thus, i'm going to name what i consider all the players that i would have ever considered calling up to a national team camp this cycle (plus, all the players Bob has called up) & name whether or not they are essential to the team or on the outside looking in. Note: !=Key/Star Player *=Vital to have around #=Still a factor ?=Undecided (*)=Promising Outlook (?)=Questionable Outlook ^=only use in a pinch (age probably being a big factor) X=Cut GOALKEEPERS: !-Tim Howard *-Brad Guzan #-Marcus Hahnemann #-Matt Pickens ?-Matt Reis ?-Joe Cannon ?-Troy Perkins (*)-Chris Seitz (*)-Josh Lambo (?)-Dominic Cervi (?)-Danny Cepero (?)-Quentin Westberg (?)-Justin Hughes (?)-Chris Konopka (?)-Steven Sandbo (?)-Brian Perk (?)-Tally Hall X-Zach Wells X-Steve Cronin X-Ray Burse X-Will Hesmer X-Kasey Keller X-Jon Conway X-Nick Rimando X-Jon Busch X-Kevin Hartman X-Adin Brown OUTSIDE BACKS: *-Steve Cherundolo *-Jonathan Bornstein *-Frankie Simek *-Jonathan Spector *-Heath Pearce #-Marvell Wynne ?-Todd Dunivant ?-Jose Burciaga ?-Drew Moor ^-Frankie Hejduk ^-Chris Albright (*)-Michael Harrington (*)-Hunter Freeman (*)-Chance Myers (?)-Ofori Sarkodie (?)-Julian Valentin (?)-Sheannon Williams (?)-Mykell Bates (?)-Jon Leathers (?)-Tony Beltran (?)-Anthony Wallace (?)-Blake Wagner (?)-Greg Dalby (?)-Tim Ward (?)-Amaechi Igwe (?)-Quavas Kirk (?)-Eric Lichaj (?)-Mike Randolph (?)-Kyle Helton (?)-Aaron Hohlbein X-Lawson Vaughn X-Wade Barrett X-Nat Borchers X-Ramiro Corrales X-Joshua Gros X-Kevin Goldwaithe X-James Riley X-Jack Jewsbury X-Bryan Namoff X-Marc Burch X-Eddie Lewis CENTER BACKS: !-Carlos Bocanegra *-Oguchi Onyewu *-Jay DeMerit *-Michael Parkhurst #-Jimmy Conrad #-Eddie Robinson #-Bobby Boswell #-Chad Marshall #-Clarence Goodson #-Danny Califf ?-Ugo Ihemelu ?-Dasan Robinson ?-Devan McTavish ?-Ryan Cochrane (*)-Nathan Sturgis (*)-Neven Subotic (nationality?) (?)-Steve Purdy (?)-Pat Ianni (?)-Pat Phelan (?)-Michael Orozco (?)-Sean Franklin (?)-Rob Valentino (?)-David Horst (?)-Eric Brunner (?)-Bakary Soumare (nationality status?) X-Nick Garcia X-Cory Gibbs X-Seth Stammler X-Jeff Parke X-Carlos Mendes X-Alex Yi X-Zak Whitbread X-Jeff Larentowicz X-Ty Harden X-Jason Hernandez CENTER MIDFIELDERS/DEFENSIVE MIDS: !-Michael Bradley *-Sacha Kljestan *-Benny Feilhaber *-Rico Clark *-Maurice Edu #-Kyle Beckerman #-Pablo Mastroeni #-Ben Olsen #-Brian Carroll #-Clyde Simms (*)-Danny Szetela (*)-Dax McCarty (?)-Bryan Arguez (?)-Brek Shea (?)-Ciaran O' Brian (?)-Roger Espinoza (?)-Mike Videira (?)-Peter Lowry (?)-Nick Besagno (?)-Scott Campbell ^-Richard Mulrooney X-Ned Grabavoy X-Logan Pause X-Joe Vide X-Kerry Zavagnin X-Pete Vagenas X-Jesse Marsch X-Danny O' Rourke WINGERS/ATTACKING MIDS: !-Freddy Adu !-DaMarcus Beasley !-Clint Dempsey !-Landon Donovan *-Bobby Convey #-Justin Mapp #-Brad Davis #-Arturo Alvarez #-Stuart Holden ?-Jeremiah White ?-Pat Noonan ?-Colin Clark ?-Wells Thompson ?-Brian Mullan ?-Davy Arnaud (*)-Lee Nguyen (*)-Robbie Rogers (*)-Sal Zizzo (*)-Yura Movsisyan (what his nationality status?) (*)-Eddie Gaven (*)-Kamani Hill (?)-Carlos Martinez (?)-Stephen King (?)-Alejandro Bedoya (?)-Will John (?)-Corey Ashe (?)-Eric Avila (?)-Nico Colaluca ^-Steve Ralston X-Kyle Martino FORWARDS: *-Jozy Altidore #-Eddie Johnson #-Brian Ching ?-Kenny Cooper ?-Chris Rolfe (*)-Charlie Davies (*)-Robbie Findley (*)-Johann Smith (*)-Chad Barrett (*)-Preston Zimmermann (*)-Gabe Ferrari (?)-Alex Nimo (?)-Adam Cristman (?)-Ellis McLoughlin (?)-Charles Renken (?)-Steffen Jerome (?)-Peri Marosevic (?)-David Arvizu (?)-Joseph-Claude Gyau (?)-Jack McInerney (?)-Israel Sesay (?)-Abdus Ibrahim (?)-Andre Akpan (?)-Sammy Ochoa (?)-Jemal Johnson ^-Josh Wolff X-Kei Kamara X-Conor Casey X-Jason Garey X-Abe Thompson X-Clint Mathis X-Edson Buddle X-Jeff Cunningham X-Alecko Eskandarian X-Herculez Gomez X-Taylor Twellman
Pretty accurate except for cutting Whitbread at CB. For all we know if he were to get a cap he could be up there as a strong backup. And for cutting Mathis. I will say if Mathis losses that weight(I pray) he will easily be back in the USMNT. It seems that whenever Mathis is around he seems to bring the best out Donovan.
Kei Kamare is from Sierra Leone and is already playing for them. Yura Movsisiyan is Azerbaijani and probabley wont play for the USA. Somebody the USA could grab if he doesnt play for his home country is Patrick Nyarko. Im a Virginia Tech fan and I have seen him play. Does anybody know Dorman's status?
Remind me again what decade this is. Can ya give a ferinstance on Mathis making Donovan better? When? How?
My 23 for 2010: (Age in 2010 summer) GK: (3) - Howard (31) - Guzan (25) - Seitz (23) DEF: (8) - Bocanegra (32) - Onyewu (29) - Parkhurst (26) - Bornstein (25) - Spector (24) - Wynne (24) - Simek (26) - Sh. Williams (20) MID: (8) - Donovan (28) - Dempsey (27) - Bradley (22) - Beasley (28) - Feilhaber (25) - Edu (24) - Convoy (27) - Szetela (23) ST: (4) - Johnson (26) - Altidore (21) - Adu (21) - Cooper (26) Ones to Watch: DEF: - Sturgis (23) - Subotic (21) - Sarkodie (22) MID: - Arguez (21) - Nguyen (23) - Zizzo (23) - Renken (16) - Jeffery (20) ST: - Ferrari (21) - Jerome (17) - Gyau (17)
This is one of the few posts of this kind that made good sense. I like the way you laid this out and I agreed with the selections, especially at forward. I'm not a fan of twellman or ej at international level. It's a shame we don't have 2 or 3 rossi type players to choose from but our time will come.
good thing he got cut then. I am hoping he meant kamani hill because he is eligible for us...although i would not cut him yet
I get that Twellman isn't liked around here, but sticking him all the way at the bottom with Kamara, Casey, Garey, Thompson, Mathis, Buddle, Cunningham, Esky, and Gomez is just crazy. Jozy is definitely the future (probably only a year away, maybe a little more), but right now (key words) Twellman is one of our better options.
Good post and good list, but I have a couple of questions on your defensive choices: Do you think Cherundolo won't be there? I was kind of thinking he's almost a lock. Or will he be too old? And who is Sh. Williams?
I might get killed around here, but I first off dont rate Dolo that high. He is our best right back right now, but I think either Spector or Wynne will grow into that role soon. He will be 31 in 2010 which isnt ancient but he was getting beat for pace in 2006, and his frame isnt one that can push anyone off the ball. I think same added height (Spector) or Athleticism (Wynne) will be how Bradley fills that Right FB role. Sheannon Williams is a youngster who plays for the U-17 and i believe is o trial in Holland. He is a tall skinny R or L back who has pace and should he fill out reminds me of a skinnier Tony Sanneh. He is a danger in the game because not only does he dart down the line making great overlaps, but he seems to have the speed to get back and defend. His main assest is his HUGE throw-ins which at the U-17 where much better than most of the crosses put into the box. He was a wonder at the tournament and at other friendlies in Nike camps. Sh. Williams = Tony Sanneh v. 2.0
I would not leave out Demeritt at this point for CB. I do not know how old Corrales is but that was the best LB performance against Sweden that I have seen in a long while.
forgot: X-Nate Jaqua ...so my USMNT would look like this: My main group of 29 players... (3) GOALKEEPERS: Howard, Guzan, Hahnemann (13) DEFENDERS: Cherundolo, Bornstein, Spector, Simek, Pearce, Wynne, Bocanegra, DeMerit, Onyewu, Goodson, Parkhurst, Conrad, Califf (10) MIDFIELDERS: Clark, Bradley, Edu, Feilhaber, Kljestan, Adu, Dempsey, Beasley, Donovan, Convey (3) FORWARDS: Altidore, Johnson, Ching My 2008 A-team: ------------Altidore------------- ---Adu-----Dempsey----Donovan -------Bradley-----Edu---------- Bornstein------------------Cherundolo -----Bocanegra---Parkhurst----- ------------Howard------------- Bench: Guzan, Onyewu, Spector, Clark, Convey, Kljestan, Johnson ***over the next year, we need to find at least 2 other forwards that can step up and be regulars.*** My alternates...a total of 75 players (5) GOALKEEPERS: Pickens, Reis, Cannon, Perkins, Seitz (14) DEFENDERS: Marshall, E. Robinson, Boswell, Dunivant, Burciaga, Hejduk, Moor, Harrington, Freeman, McTavish, D. Robinson, Ihemelu, Cochrane, Sturgis (21) MIDFIELDERS: Mapp, Davis, Holden, Alvarez, Beckerman, Mastroeni, Olsen, Carroll, Simms, Szetela, W. Thompson, Noonan, Arnaud, Mullan, White, Clark, Gaven, Rogers, Zizzo, Hill, Nguyen (6) FORWARDS: Cooper, Rolfe, Davies, Findley, Smith, Wolff
Don't forget Bornstein's first half lockdown on Messi. That was a great performance too. I'd need to see more of Corrales (well, considering my ordeal with Time Warner, I'd need to see the Sweden game )
Demerit is great but I see him as too similar to Conrad. They are both great coverig CB's and are great leaders. But I think their time will be well past come 2010. Too few opprotunities a the Int'l level for Demerit which is a shame, but I dont think he is as comfortable at that level as he is in the BPL
He is decent, but no way he will be in the mix for 2010, it was just camp cupcake, and seein if there were any diamonds in the rough.
I can assure you that at least 5 players from the 07 U20 WC will make the team: write it in pen: Adu Altidore Bradley Seitz Szetela maybe: Zizzo Ferrari Sturgis Sarkodie
Where does Beasley figure in your selections? I would love to see a formation like this although I'm not sure how strong we would be defensively... ------------Altidore------------ --------Adu-------Dempsey----- ---Beasley--Bradley----Donovan Bornstein----------------Cherundolo -----Bocanegra---Parkhurst----- ------------Howard-------------
Locks: Bradley, Altidore, Adu Good shot: Seitz (all depends on how Hahnemann holds up) Work to do: Szetela, Zizzo Possible: Sturgis YOU lock it up!: Ferrari, Sarkodie
i like rogers but i wish he would have stuck it out in holland. I dont think 2 years of action with the Crew will keep him at the level that Zizzo and Szetela have.
You've got a lot of young players on that list that have zero chance of tgetting a sniff in the next 3 years 'cause of age, and I find myself really disagreeing with some of your 'cuts', to whit; Why would you give Zach Wells the X when he's about to get his first real opportunity to battle for the number 1 spot? Seems premature. Keller gould save our bacon if injuries/suspensions pop up - he's behind a glass case that says 'break in case of emergency'. Barret and Corrales could certainly be asked to come in should first choice players not be available now, and help right away. Vaughn, I feel like he's just getting started, maybe I'm wrong. And I know Burch is someone to keep and eye...dude has not even played defense for a full season, and provided an attacking option at left back unparalleled in the US player pool (yes, looking at you Heath) - has a cannon shot, the ball skills of a converted forward, and can drop a 50 yard pass on a dime...if his defending improves he'll be a star. Conrad you seriously underrate, Gibbs...he's the JOB of the pool, if he gets healthy he's right back in the mix. Whitbread just plays well wherever he is, why would he drop out of the pool? Grabavoy? I wouldn't put him at D-mid either, but at holding mid or even attacking mid, he just came into his own last year and looked really good. Martino...lots of guys you have ahead of him not capable doing his stuff...not high on him, but I could easily see him working himself in with a good stretch. Taylor, you're just not being realistic there. And Alecko does a LOT of good stuff...he gets hot with goals he'll be into camp in a heartbeat.
I rate Rogers as being better than either of them at this point. I also don't see anyone displacing Dolo any time soon. Wynne's pace is intriguing, but he was so raw coming into the league, I really can't picture him as a consistent international without at least two more years of pro ball under his belt. I know he's still only 21, but I keep waiting for Spector to take off and it doesn't happen. Personally, not only do I not think Dolo is in danger of losing his spot, I think he's our best defender right now and should be in the conversation for the armband. Convey is getting quite a few starts for Reading these days, so he's definitely in the picture, even to start on the left wing this year, especially not knowing how Beasley will heal. My guess/wish for what the team will look like for the next couple years ---------------------Jozy----------------------------- ----------------------------Dempsey/Adu--------------- Beasley/Convey---------------------------Donovan/Dempsey --------------Clark/Edu--------------Bradley--------------- Bornstein-----Parkhurst--------Onyewu---------------Dolo ---------------------------Timmy-------------------------------- Borstein's spot is the least secure as far as I'm concerned. I think he's ok, but he could be replaced by any number of guys if he doesn't improve a significantly in the next year. I would really like to see Parkhurst get a series of run outs partnering Gooch. I just think they could be really complementary players. For all his faults, Gooch hasn't really ever been beaten in the air on anything like a continuing basis, and Parkhurst's vision and anticipation could compensate for some of the problems Gooch seems to have when faced with guys running straight at him.