With one eye on the senior squad and the opposite targeted on qualifying for the 2016 Olympics, Jurgen Klinsmann introduced a 23-man roster that includes a mixture of established veterans and promising up-and-comers.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
January 06, 2016
5:00 PM
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JURGEN KLINSMANN right this moment introduced a 23-player roster for the annual January camp that can conclude with friendlies in opposition to Iceland and Canada on January 31 and February 5. The roster additionally options 11 gamers who’re eligible for the U.S. U-23 workforce which can try to qualify for the Olympics in March.
“As we always do, we start out our year with a January camp where we give the opportunity to the next wave of players to come in and make an impression and see if they are ready to step it up into international level, if they are ready to understand what it takes to become a National Team player,” Klinsmann mentioned. “This camp can be a bit bit completely different as a result of we’re going to combine it with nearly half-and-half with senior gamers which are already nationwide workforce gamers or some which are older and possibly get the possibility to play their first cap, and numerous the Underneath-23 gamers that hopefully qualify us for Rio de Janeiro.
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“So it is going to be extra an identification camp. It will likely be extra a developmental camp. We need to give these gamers a head begin into their very busy yr 2016, however we additionally need to make it clear to them that it’s an enormous alternative that you’ve got right here to know what it takes to step it up and to develop into an international-level participant.”
Here is the complete squad:
GOALKEEPERS
Invoice Hamid (D.C. United), Luis Robles (New York Crimson Bulls)
DEFENDERS
Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas Metropolis), Matt Miazga (New York Crimson Bulls), Eric Miller (Montreal Affect), Tim Parker (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Marc Pelosi (San Jose Earthquakes), Matt Polster (Chicago Hearth),
MIDFIELDERS
Fatai Alashe (San Jose Earthquakes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Combine Diskerud (New York Metropolis FC), Jermaine Jones (Unattached), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution), Tony Tchani (Columbus Crew SC), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC)
FORWARDS
Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Ethan Finlay (Columbus Crew SC), Jerome Kiesewetter (VfB Stuttgart), Jordan Morris (Unattached), Khiry Shelton (New York Metropolis FC), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)
The aim of this roster is to judge expertise greater than fielding a profitable workforce however it’s alarming that a number of the workforce’s persistent weaknesses stay. Wanting on the present group of midfielders, all eight play centrally and all however Nguyen are defensive or box-to-box gamers. Among the many defenders listed, solely Eric Miller is a pure fullback who performs the place regularly. Of the six forwards, solely Ethan Finlay is of course a large participant who, in contrast to Jerome Kiesewetter, performs regularly.
In different phrases, the US appears to be producing the identical kinds of gamers. This isn’t Klinsmann’s fault as a result of if you look throughout MLS and even overseas, producing playmakers or large gamers is one thing that could be a pervasive concern. There simply aren’t many choices for Klinsmann to select from proper now.
That being mentioned, the crop of central midfielders seems to be very promising. Darlington Nagbe will possible see an elevated position inside the workforce this yr whereas Wil Trapp was an enormous purpose why Columbus surged within the second half of the season.
The Snubs
The roster is available in roughly as anticipated however that doesn’t imply there weren’t some head-scratching snubs.
Matt Hedges: The most important snub on this roster by far is FC Dallas captain Matt Hedges, who was arguably the very best central defender in MLS in 2015 (Laurent Ciman gained the defender of the yr award however Hedges dedicated far fewer fouls, captained a greater workforce, and was by no means proven a crimson card). Hedges is mature, sensible, gifted, and in addition performs a place which the U.S. workforce nonetheless wants choices.
Sebastian Lletget: The L.A. Galaxy midfielder has the flexibility to play out large and in his first season in MLS he additionally confirmed he can create probabilities.
Dax McCarty: The New York Crimson Bull captain is a youthful model of Kyle Beckerman and is the kind of participant who will do the soiled work and open up the sport for others. He was an enormous purpose why the Crimson Bulls gained the Supporters Defend.
Ethan Horvath: Based mostly overseas in Molde, Norway, Horvath performs in a league the place gamers usually are launched to play in January camp. The experiences are that FC Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzelez determined to play for Mexico on this camp regardless of receiving a U.S. call-up. The factor is that Horvath’s resume is much more spectacular after taking part in very nicely within the Europa League. He appears to be essentially the most deserving of U-23 goalkeepers proper now to play for the U.S.
Benny Feilhaber: It’s a little bit of a damaged file proper now concerning Feilhaber so his exclusion is anticipated. Klinsmann merely doesn’t charge Feilhaber (regardless that he performs as a No. 10 which is a rarity amongst American gamers) and the Brazilian-born World Cup veteran is now over 30.
Shocking inclusions
It was recognized upfront that the very best U-23 gamers in MLS can be a part of this workforce. It additionally was hardly a shock {that a} participant like Ethan Finlay earned his first call-up give his Finest XI season in Main League Soccer. Nonetheless, there have been a couple of surprises.
Tim Parker: The truth that Parker was not on the U-23 Olympic qualifying roster in October was very puzzling. The gifted Lengthy Island native had an impressive rookie season for Vancouver and was among the finest younger central defenders within the league this season. The St. John’s College product will now have an opportunity to push himself onto the U-23 workforce for the Olympic qualifying collection in opposition to Colombia in March.
Tony Tchani: The naturalized U.S. citizen was a powerful defensive midfielder for Columbus and attracted curiosity from Cameroon’s nationwide workforce final fall the place he solely missed out on account of harm. Is he set on taking part in for the US fulltime now or is that this one other case like Tesho Akindele who accepted a January call-up from Klinsmann final winter however elected to play for Canada as a substitute? Regardless, few anticipated Tchani to get the decision for this camp.
Gamers with essentially the most at stake
Not a lot will change for many of the gamers at this camp. Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones will nonetheless be necessary gamers for the nationwide workforce in 2016 and guys like Fatai Alashe, Matt Polster, and Jerome Kiesewetter can be priorities on the U-23 facet.
However who on this roster has essentially the most to win or lose? Each January camp no less than one participant emerges to develop into a part of the workforce shifting ahead or some (like Feilhaber) see their inventory sink. Listed here are some who’ve essentially the most on the road in Carson.
Ethan Finlay: Though he’s not the proper participant he’s excellent when he performs to his strengths—like moving into the open area and making the most of house. The underside line is that the U.S. workforce wants wingers and Finlay might probably give the workforce an possibility it presently lacks. He has a golden alternative to show himself and provide one thing shifting ahead.
Klinsmann even hinted at this concerning Finlay.
“The January camp has always been the camp of opportunities for players that badly, badly want to knock at the door of the senior national team and want to become a player of international status,” Klinsmann mentioned. “Here we are giving that opportunity now to kind of already mature players like a Tony Tchani, like Ethan Finlay, or Luis Robles. You want these players really to come in and make a point and take that opportunity to try to come back into that group by the end of March and maybe play World Cup Qualifying.”
Darlington Nagbe: After his robust remaining few months of the 2015 season, it will be exhausting to see Nagbe fail to earn numerous taking part in time in these two upcoming friendlies. If he does nicely, he might simply develop into an everyday because the U.S. workforce transfer by means of qualifying and into the Copa America Centenario.
Lee Nguyen: The New England Revolution playmaker is the one true attacking midfielder on the roster and one of many only a few within the pool. He has been a part of the system for some time now however has by no means damaged into the workforce. Is that this his likelihood to take a step up? At 29, there gained’t be many extra alternatives if he has a poor camp.
Invoice Hamid and Luis Robles: Proper now Tim Howard and Brad Guzan are the highest two American goalkeepers. Lengthy-time third stringer Nick Rimando just isn’t on this roster and there’s a gap. Additionally, it isn’t actually apparent how for much longer Howard will proceed to play and Guzan is struggling at Aston Villa. So there might be recent openings on the U.S. workforce—however who will step up?
Kellyn Acosta: The U.S. U-23 workforce had many curious snubs final October. Parker was one, Paul Arriola was one other, however Acosta’s absence was notably exhausting to know as he had a terrific season within the defensive midfield for FC Dallas. A powerful camp from him might see him be a part of the U-23 workforce which takes on Colombia.
What do you consider this roster? Who was snubbed? Which included participant shocked you? Share your take under.
