The old hands

Jurgen Klinsmann: "When the older or more experienced guys play going forward, it's one thing obviously they have to prove their qualities no matter what they did in the past...and on the other side we want them to become mentors, help the next generation to come in and understand what it really takes."

Jermaine Jones: "I think so. It’s the same part like in New England. I have a young team there too. Here I’m, before the World Cup I was a leader. I think now it’s more important to get some younger kids to the scene. We have still the leaders like Michael, Jozy, Clint, me who have to step up and help the young kids, try to push them. Some of them come from Europe, some that play in MLS, but I think they’re still young. They have good years, but they have to grow now."

The young bucks

Greg Garza: "I think it’s wonderful. I think it actually makes itself easier playing with guys that have played and are playing at the top level and guys that are much more experienced than the young guys, the young bucks coming up, but I think it actually makes it easier when you’re playing with such good players on the field to actually relate to him. To be here it’s a dream come true, so I’m very happy to go through all the ranks, but this was my life goal. I think I just have to live it up right now and do my best to keep it."

DeAndre Yedlin: "There’s obviously still a lot I need to learn. I started my first game the other day, so I haven’t done much. I still have a lot more that I feel that I need to do. Just off the field stuff, dealing with the media and everything like that and then on the field there are certain situations that I still need to get better and everybody has to get better, but those are players that I can lean on to help me."

The inbetweeners

Jozy Altidore: "When I was coming in, you had a lot of senior-based players. You had Steve Cherundolo, you had Carlos Bocanegra, you had these guys that kind of were the older players on the team and you were learning from them. They were helping you along. It was great for me because I had that confidence that they’re going to be behind me, mistakes or play good or play bad. That was important for me when I first started, and it’s got to be the same way now. Guys like Michael Bradley, Tim Howard when he was here, Brad Guzan, Jermaine, we have to try and help these younger guys and help them understand that it takes different things at this level to be successful. That’s all part of the learning curve."

Michael Orozco: "You could say I’m in between. Every time I get a shot at coming into camp, I try to do the best possible. Every time I get a chance to play I want to prove myself and prove I’m capable of playing at the highest level. I think the first calls that I had in with Bob Bradley, I was immature. I didn’t take it as seriously as now. So I think day in, day out my mentally is to be part of the national team and to have a chance at playing at the World Cup with the national team."

Jon Arnold is an ASN contributing editor and host of the ASN Podcast. Follow him on Twitter.