U.S. National Team
Klinsmann Names Nguyen, 24 Others to U.S. Roster
Despite saying he would emphasize youth in the months following the 2014 World Cup, U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann named six players aged 30 or older to his latest roster.
SO MUCH FOR emphasizing youth.
Six players already in their 30s and five more players who will hit the big three-oh before the start of the World Cup highlight the 25-man U.S. national team roster announced today for friendlies against Colombia and Ireland, contradicting statements made by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann earlier this summer that the friendlies this fall would be primarily to identify and develop young players.
This isn’t to suggest there aren’t young players on the roster—three players who can’t yet drink legally in the U.S. are part of a group of 12 players on the roster who were born in the 90s. But the inclusion of so many 30-somethings suggests that Klinsmann plans on relying on many of his old-standbys for the short-term future, particularly through next summer’s Gold Cup.
Here's the full roster:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (9): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Hamburg), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution)
FORWARDS (6): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Jordan Morris (Stanford), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
There’s good reason for this. If the U.S. wins the 2015 version of CONCACAF’s biennial championship, it automatically qualifies for the 2017 Confederations Cup, which would serve as vital preparation for the following year’s World Cup in Russia. (If the U.S. doesn’t win the 2015 Gold Cup, they’ll be in a two-game playoff with the Gold Cup winner by virtue of having won the 2013 version.) Clearly Klinsmann wants to keep many of his veterans in the loop, both to serve as mentors for the younger players and to show the way on the field.
CLICK HERE TO CREATE YOUR USMNT STARTING XI
“We want to finish 2014 on a high note and continue to try to meet the top teams eye to eye. In these last two games we want our veterans to really become mentors both on and off the field, and we want to see our youngsters take advantage of the opportunity to make their case and grow from the experience. These performances will set the tone for 2015,” Klinsmann said in a release from U.S. Soccer.
Headlining the veterans are New England Revolution midfielder and Klinsmann favorite Jermaine Jones, 33. He was listed as defender on the U.S. soccer roster release, an indication that experiment, which began last month when Jones lined up as a center back against Honduras, will continue.
Goalkeepers Brad Guzan (30) and Nick Rimando (35), holding midfielder Kyle Beckerman (32), left back DaMarcus Beasley (32), and forward Chris Wondolowski (31) were also summoned.
“I think if you look at these veterans—Kyle Beckerman, DaMarcus Beasley, Nick Rimando, Jermaine Jones—I think those are all players that have to help get the younger players to another level. It’s literally their jobs; it’s what we’re asking,” Klinsmann said. “I know everybody is busy with themselves and wants to play and show what they have, but in a transition phase after a World Cup, having a year until you play that Gold Cup in July, we need these older players. Beasley is a very important player in this going forward, and Beckerman and Rimando. They have to show what it takes to become consistent and a real professional."
Perhaps the most noteworthy inclusion on the roster is Revolution midfielder Lee Nguyen, who earns his first call-up since getting a trio of caps under Bob Bradley in 2007. Nguyen, who turned 28 last month, is in the midst of an MVP-caliber season, scoring 18 regular season goals and two more in as many playoff games, extending his goal-scoring streak to six games.
Jones and Nguyen, who advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals Sunday when the Revolution eliminated Columbus 7-3 on aggregate goals, are two of three players still alive in the MLS playoffs on the roster. The third is Seattle’s young flank player DeAndre Yedlin.
The Revolution pair are only expected to be available for the Colombia game Friday before returning home to prepare for the New York Red Bulls. Whether Yedlin stays for the second game will likely be determined by how his Sounders do tonight against Dallas in the second game of its series.
Other noteworthy inclusions include Minnesota United attacker Miguel Ibarra, who played briefly against Honduras last month to become the first player from an American lower division side to earn a cap since 1996. The skillful Ibarra finished the NASL season with nine goals and five assists, then added this golazo this weekend in a playoff match against Ft. Lauderdale.
Stanford sophomore Jordan Morris, 20, returns for his second camp, hoping for his first cap. When he was called up for the U.S. friendly against the Czech Republic in September he became the first active collegiate player to earn a call-up since Virginia’s Chris Albright in 1999. If he plays in either of the next two games he’ll be the first U.S. player to get a cap while still in college since UCLA’s Ante Razov in 1995. Morris, who is a product of the Seattle Sounders academy and can play as a forward or on the wing, has scored four goals and six assists in 13 games and has led the Cardinal to a No. 2 ranking.
A pair of Sounders sources told American Soccer Now that Seattle has already prepared a lucrative homegrown offer for Morris with the hope of both luring him from college and keeping him from testing European options.
The other uncapped player on the roster is also the youngest—Utrecht forward Rubio Rubin, 18. Like Morris, Rubin was on the roster for the Czech Republic camp but did not earn a cap. Last week against Vitesse he got his second assist of the season and set-up a second goal by earning a penalty kick.
“We want to gain experience. We want our younger players to grow, mature and step it up, but we also want to send signals to our CONCACAF region that we are ready to rock it in 2015,” Klinsmann said. “We want to win the Gold Cup because that qualifies us automatically for the Confederations Cup in 2017. We want the No. 1 spot in our region and to show the European countries that it is not that easy to play against us. We want to continue our growth and we want to see the players understand that moment in time.”
Also on this roster are four players from last summer’s World Cup team that are hoping to use the national team to jump-start their club form. Fabian Johnson, Jonathan Brooks, Jozy Altidore, and Julian Green are all playing less than hoped for their respective clubs.
Also not playing is 1860 Munich forward/wing Bobby Wood, who is back for his third straight camp. Klinsmann appears to see something in Wood, who turns 22 next week, despite him not having scored at the club level since the 2012-13 season.
Playing time outside of MLS isn't a problem for the likes of Mix Diskerud, Alejandro Bedoya, Timmy Chandler, and Tijuana-based Greg Garza, all of whom are playing regularly. It will be interesting to see how Klinsmann balances playing time for the likes of Chandler and Garza with veteran players like Johnson and Beasley at fullback.
The U.S. will train this week in London in advance of Friday’s game with Colombia (2:45 ET on ESPN) and next Tuesday they’ll face Ireland in Dublin (2:45pm ET, ESPN2).
“We want to have these guys telling them these things, to have an education off the field,” Klinsmann said. “We have 10 days now together in London, and then we go to Dublin. This is what we coaches will watch very carefully—how the experienced players play that role and not their own role. They’ve played enough caps, they know what to do. For me, it’s really important to see how much they pass on, and can these younger players become more alert, more urgent and understand that they have to break through and not miss the train.”
Brooke Tunstall is an American Soccer Now contributing editor and ASN 100 panelist. You can follow him on Twitter.
Here's the full roster:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (9): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Hamburg), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution)
FORWARDS (6): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Jordan Morris (Stanford), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
There’s good reason for this. If the U.S. wins the 2015 version of CONCACAF’s biennial championship, it automatically qualifies for the 2017 Confederations Cup, which would serve as vital preparation for the following year’s World Cup in Russia. (If the U.S. doesn’t win the 2015 Gold Cup, they’ll be in a two-game playoff with the Gold Cup winner by virtue of having won the 2013 version.) Clearly Klinsmann wants to keep many of his veterans in the loop, both to serve as mentors for the younger players and to show the way on the field.
CLICK HERE TO CREATE YOUR USMNT STARTING XI
“We want to finish 2014 on a high note and continue to try to meet the top teams eye to eye. In these last two games we want our veterans to really become mentors both on and off the field, and we want to see our youngsters take advantage of the opportunity to make their case and grow from the experience. These performances will set the tone for 2015,” Klinsmann said in a release from U.S. Soccer.
Headlining the veterans are New England Revolution midfielder and Klinsmann favorite Jermaine Jones, 33. He was listed as defender on the U.S. soccer roster release, an indication that experiment, which began last month when Jones lined up as a center back against Honduras, will continue.
Goalkeepers Brad Guzan (30) and Nick Rimando (35), holding midfielder Kyle Beckerman (32), left back DaMarcus Beasley (32), and forward Chris Wondolowski (31) were also summoned.
“I think if you look at these veterans—Kyle Beckerman, DaMarcus Beasley, Nick Rimando, Jermaine Jones—I think those are all players that have to help get the younger players to another level. It’s literally their jobs; it’s what we’re asking,” Klinsmann said. “I know everybody is busy with themselves and wants to play and show what they have, but in a transition phase after a World Cup, having a year until you play that Gold Cup in July, we need these older players. Beasley is a very important player in this going forward, and Beckerman and Rimando. They have to show what it takes to become consistent and a real professional."
Perhaps the most noteworthy inclusion on the roster is Revolution midfielder Lee Nguyen, who earns his first call-up since getting a trio of caps under Bob Bradley in 2007. Nguyen, who turned 28 last month, is in the midst of an MVP-caliber season, scoring 18 regular season goals and two more in as many playoff games, extending his goal-scoring streak to six games.
Jones and Nguyen, who advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals Sunday when the Revolution eliminated Columbus 7-3 on aggregate goals, are two of three players still alive in the MLS playoffs on the roster. The third is Seattle’s young flank player DeAndre Yedlin.
The Revolution pair are only expected to be available for the Colombia game Friday before returning home to prepare for the New York Red Bulls. Whether Yedlin stays for the second game will likely be determined by how his Sounders do tonight against Dallas in the second game of its series.
Other noteworthy inclusions include Minnesota United attacker Miguel Ibarra, who played briefly against Honduras last month to become the first player from an American lower division side to earn a cap since 1996. The skillful Ibarra finished the NASL season with nine goals and five assists, then added this golazo this weekend in a playoff match against Ft. Lauderdale.
Stanford sophomore Jordan Morris, 20, returns for his second camp, hoping for his first cap. When he was called up for the U.S. friendly against the Czech Republic in September he became the first active collegiate player to earn a call-up since Virginia’s Chris Albright in 1999. If he plays in either of the next two games he’ll be the first U.S. player to get a cap while still in college since UCLA’s Ante Razov in 1995. Morris, who is a product of the Seattle Sounders academy and can play as a forward or on the wing, has scored four goals and six assists in 13 games and has led the Cardinal to a No. 2 ranking.
A pair of Sounders sources told American Soccer Now that Seattle has already prepared a lucrative homegrown offer for Morris with the hope of both luring him from college and keeping him from testing European options.
The other uncapped player on the roster is also the youngest—Utrecht forward Rubio Rubin, 18. Like Morris, Rubin was on the roster for the Czech Republic camp but did not earn a cap. Last week against Vitesse he got his second assist of the season and set-up a second goal by earning a penalty kick.
“We want to gain experience. We want our younger players to grow, mature and step it up, but we also want to send signals to our CONCACAF region that we are ready to rock it in 2015,” Klinsmann said. “We want to win the Gold Cup because that qualifies us automatically for the Confederations Cup in 2017. We want the No. 1 spot in our region and to show the European countries that it is not that easy to play against us. We want to continue our growth and we want to see the players understand that moment in time.”
Also on this roster are four players from last summer’s World Cup team that are hoping to use the national team to jump-start their club form. Fabian Johnson, Jonathan Brooks, Jozy Altidore, and Julian Green are all playing less than hoped for their respective clubs.
Also not playing is 1860 Munich forward/wing Bobby Wood, who is back for his third straight camp. Klinsmann appears to see something in Wood, who turns 22 next week, despite him not having scored at the club level since the 2012-13 season.
Playing time outside of MLS isn't a problem for the likes of Mix Diskerud, Alejandro Bedoya, Timmy Chandler, and Tijuana-based Greg Garza, all of whom are playing regularly. It will be interesting to see how Klinsmann balances playing time for the likes of Chandler and Garza with veteran players like Johnson and Beasley at fullback.
The U.S. will train this week in London in advance of Friday’s game with Colombia (2:45 ET on ESPN) and next Tuesday they’ll face Ireland in Dublin (2:45pm ET, ESPN2).
“We want to have these guys telling them these things, to have an education off the field,” Klinsmann said. “We have 10 days now together in London, and then we go to Dublin. This is what we coaches will watch very carefully—how the experienced players play that role and not their own role. They’ve played enough caps, they know what to do. For me, it’s really important to see how much they pass on, and can these younger players become more alert, more urgent and understand that they have to break through and not miss the train.”
Brooke Tunstall is an American Soccer Now contributing editor and ASN 100 panelist. You can follow him on Twitter.
