ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks down the USMNT January camp along with his ideas on the roster – which has a giant emphasis of Olympic eligible gamers.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
January 05, 2024
12:10 PM
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ON FRIDAY, United States males’s nationwide staff supervisor Gregg Berhalter named his 25 participant roster for the annual January camp that can run from Jan. 8-16 in Orlando and conclude with a pleasant towards Slovenia on Jan. 20 at Toyota Discipline in San Antonio, Texas.
When asserting the pleasant in November, Berhalter was quoted stressing that this camp was going to offer a have a look at the subsequent era and many of the gamers on this roster are younger and have solely restricted expertise.
As many know, the January camp doesn’t fall in a FIFA worldwide window and golf equipment should not required to launch gamers. Traditionally, the camp includes solely domestic-based gamers, gamers from Scandinavian leagues that are on break, or younger gamers at European golf equipment who should not half of the present first-team plans.
Right here is the roster together with some ideas.
DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION
(Membership/Nation; Caps/Objectives)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (10): Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; 0/0), DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; 7/0), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; 17/1), Ian Murphy (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders; 0/0), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 27/3), James Sands (New York Metropolis FC; 13/0), Nkosi Tafari (FC Dallas; 0/0), John Tolkin (New York Crimson Bulls; 3/0), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; 1/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Joshua Atencio (Seattle Sounders; 0/0), Aziel Jackson (St. Louis Metropolis; 0/0), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; 0/0), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; 4/0), Timmy Tillman (LAFC; 0/0), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew; 0/0)
FORWARDS (6): Esmir Bajraktarevic (New England Revolution; 0/0), Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; 8/1), Bernard Kamungo (FC Dallas; 0/0), Diego Luna (Actual Salt Lake; 0/0), Duncan McGuire (Orlando Metropolis; 0/0), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 0/0)
Heavy on the Olympic staff
A dominant theme right here is the Olympics because the U.S. U-23 staff will take part within the Olympic video games for the primary time since 2008. That staff has had two camps already and there are simply two extra to go earlier than the video games start. This camp just isn’t a devoted U-23 camp, however Berhalter has named U-23 head coach Marko Mitrovic to his employees for this camp indicating it is going to be an vital a part of that staff’s preparation.
In complete, 13 of the 25 gamers are eligible for the Olympic staff (Schulte, Harriel, Tolkin, Wiley, Atencio, Jackson, McGlynn, Morris, Bajarktarevic, Cowell, Kamungo, Luna, and McGuire). Esmir Bajraktarevic is the youngest participant on the staff, and he’s even eligible for each the 2025 U-20 World Cup staff and the U-23 staff for 2028 Olympic video games as effectively.
As at all times, constructing the Olympic staff is difficult on condition that golf equipment should not required to launch gamers for the match.
Prime U-23 staff gamers
The Olympic staff will draw closely from MLS however lots of the high U-23 gamers Mitrovic hopes to have in Paris are based mostly in Europe. This contains gamers reminiscent of Paxten Aaronson, Gaga Slonina, Kevin Paredes, Tanner Tesssmann, Gianluca Busio, Bryan Reynolds, and Rokas Pukstas.
However there are key U-23 gamers on this camp and this time shall be essential for them to proceed with that preparation. Particularly, listed here are the vital U-23 gamers to observe on this camp.
Aidan Morris: The Crew midfielder was a key participant within the Crew’s MLS Cup triumph. He now has two MLS Cups to his title and may very well be a participant in line for a switch in 2024.
Duncan McGuire: With Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun with the complete nationwide staff regardless of being U-23 eligible, McGuire is the highest age-eligible Olympic heart ahead within the participant pool after a 15-goal season throughout all competitions.
Patrick Schulte: Is competing with Gaga Slonina for the No. 1 goalkeeper place on the U-23 staff. Schulte got here up large within the playoffs for the Crew and helped the staff win the title.
John Tolkin: the RBNY left again may be in line for a transfer to Europe in 2024 and he was trending upward all through the 2023 season.
Cade Cowell: The San Jose winger has been up and down in the course of the early phases in his profession, however his greatest moments do present some expertise. However he may very well be on the verge of getting handed over by different U-23 wing choices like Benard Kamungo or Diego Luna. He’s in all probability on the highest checklist of U-23 gamers, for now, however he wants a giant camp.
Diego Luna: The RSL playmaker had a robust run in 2023 the place he had a great U-20 World Cup and he produced down the stretch for Actual Salt Lake. He was unable to attend the primary two U-23 camps, however Mitrovic has instructed ASN he’s within the staff’s plans. This can be a good begin for him to working with Mitrovic.
Overage choices
One other factor to observe on this camp is that if gamers can emerge as overage choices for the Olympic staff. Per Olympic guidelines, the groups are allowed to incorporate three overage gamers on the U-23 rosters. On this staff, two gamers stand out as potential choices – Miles Robinson and James Sands.
The U-23 staff is skinny in central protection and Sands and Robinson would convey expertise to that place whereas Sands can even play within the midfield. The good thing about them enjoying in MLS is the elevated chance that each could be launched for the match.
However along with these gamers, it will additionally not be a shock to see gamers like Jackson Ragen or Nkosi Tafari emerge as overage choices if they’ve a robust camp. That is significantly true if gamers like Robinson or Walker Zimmerman are wanted for the Copa America.
USMNT depth positions
Past the Olympic staff, there are gamers not U-23 eligible who’ve a USMNT alternatives shifting ahead.
Drake Callender: The Inter Miami goalkeeper had a great season in 2023 and his rise comes throughout a time of questions surrounding the USMNT goalkeeping depth. Matt Turner stays the USMNT high keeper and he continues to have a tenuous grip on the highest job at Nottingham Forest. However after him, Ethan Horvath isn’t enjoying in any respect for Forest. Zack Steffen hasn’t performed in a very long time and is again with Colorado. Gaga Slonina is a youngster and is getting bombarded with pictures for a Eupen staff in a relegation battle in Belgium. The staff wants extra goalkeepers and Callender has an actual likelihood.
DeJuan Jones: The New England-based Jones is a right-footed left again however he can play on both facet of the sphere. The USMNT has an awesome left again in Antonee Robinson. Sergino Dest could be very proficient however suspended for the Nations League semifinal and had a tricky 12 months internationally in 2023. After these two, issues should not set in stone. Joe Scally is the backup proper again. Kristoffer Lund has the backup left again spot however continued progress from Jones, Tolkin, and even Caleb Wiley could make for competitors.
Jackson Ragen: U.S. youth nationwide groups haven’t been profitable just lately in producing high younger central defenders. Solely three U-23 age-eligible centerbacks begin in MLS, a European first division, or a high European second division. These gamers are Maximillian Dietz at Greuther Furth, George Campbell at Montreal, and Jalen Neal (who has been injured since July for the LA Galaxy). This opens the door for barely older gamers to compete to power their approach into the combo within the coming years as gamers like Tim Ream, John Brooks, and Walker Zimmerman age out. Ragen has an opportunity given his robust performances with Seattle.
Notable omissions
As with all camp, there are some gamers who I’m stunned should not there.
Among the many U-23 eligible gamers, Brian Gutierrez at Chicago is a shocking omission, and it comes on the heels of him being left off the U-23 roster for November’s camp. Whereas his last manufacturing has been missing just a little bit, he was among the finest U-20 eligible gamers within the 2023 MLS season.
Benjamin Cremaschi had a great 12 months in 2023 when he bought to play alongside Lionel Messi. This noticed him earn his first USMNT cap in September in addition to be a part of the U-23 camps in October and November. Given the observe he was on within the second half of the season, it’s shocking he wasn’t right here. However he’s nonetheless younger and is eligible for the 2025 U-20 staff and the 2028 U-23 Olympic staff.
Cole Bassett ended the season on a robust observe with a nasty Colorado staff. However he had a great camp beneath Berhalter in 2022 when he scored the winner towards Bosnia and was a part of the November U-23 camp roster.
Zack Steffen has seen his inventory fade after he was as soon as the USMNT No. 1 and has a protracted relationship with Gregg Berhalter relationship again to when each have been in Columbus.
Djordje Mihailovic can also be reportedly heading to Colorado after a tricky run with AZ Alkmaar. However maybe this camps involves quickly, or perhaps Berhalter simply needed to have a look at different choices.
Chris Brady is the highest goalkeeper for Chicago and has expertise with the U.S. U-20 and U-23 staff however with him not concerned on this camp, it could be an indication that Slonina and Schulte are the highest U-23 choices.
