<a href="http:\/\/www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/adu-goal1.jpg"></a><div><figure class="image"><a href="http:\/\/www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/adu-goal1.jpg"></a></figure></div>
My name is Robert Hay, and I am a fan of Freddy Adu.
That statement has for years been quite controversial, as the young American has been the center of much discussion of the failures of American soccer. &nbsp;We hype them too young! &nbsp;We don’t develop our own talent! &nbsp;Don’t let players like Agudelo and Bunbury get Adu’ed! &nbsp;No one who plays in the Turkish (or Danish or Swedish) second division deserves media coverage! &nbsp;If he truly cared about his career then he’d play in the states and turn down the easy paycheck!
While the spotlight had turned away from Adu for a while (save for a wonder goal here or there) it has now turned right back on him with today’s surprising announcement that Bob Bradley named him to the <a href="http:\/\/www.ussoccer.com/Teams/US-Men/2011-Rosters/110523-Gold-Cup.aspx" target="_blank">U.S. Gold Cup roster</a>. &nbsp;Even on <a href="http:\/\/www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/here-is-who-should-really-make-the-gold-cup-team/12637" target="_blank">my list of people</a> I’d bring (where I suggested starting Teal Bunbury and having Bill Hamid handy) I never even considered adding Adu, figuring he needed to climb back in good graces to consider being picked. &nbsp;I guess he was more in favor than I had thought. &nbsp;Adu made the cut for the team over Teal Bunbury (who is the next big thing along with Agudelo), Edson Buddle (who’s actually performed in MLS and overseas) and Herculez Gomez (who has played well in the Mexican league). &nbsp;So why Adu over these gentlemen?

<ul>
<li>Adu is still very young. &nbsp;It may be hard to believe but the midfielder is just old enough to order a drink in the United States. &nbsp;Regardless his country of origin, he is still a prospect that can be molded into a very good player.</li>
<li>You can’t teach athleticism. &nbsp;Even though players like Buddle are more accomplished, Adu is more physically gifted. &nbsp;If you (and by you I mean Bob Bradley) teach him to use that athleticism, then he becomes the complete player he was always supposed to become. &nbsp;But people have been saying that for years.</li>
<li>He has played his cards correctly. &nbsp;Not getting playing time in Greece and numerous other countries, plus not receiving attention from Bradley, Adu could have called a friendly reporter and ripped USSF, American soccer, and Bradley. &nbsp;But he didn’t. &nbsp;He took Bradley’s advice to simply get playing time, moved off the radar in the Turkish second division, and played well. &nbsp;He’s scored 4 goals in 11 appearances (<a href="http:\/\/www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU_YADBGWsg" target="_blank">including this one</a>), and Bradley watched many of his matches over the Internet. &nbsp;Adu played his cards right, and is getting rewarded with another chance.</li>
<li>Adu’s career in international play is more than impressive. &nbsp;As a reminder, he has played in three FIFA U-20 World Cups and captained one of the teams. &nbsp;He has almost seventy international caps at multiple levels and has led national teams at the highest level. &nbsp;You don’t just throw away that kind of experience.</li>
</ul>
Ultimately, Freddy Adu may not play that much and may just be anther body. &nbsp;But the success of this pick and a few others will be judged by the results in the Gold Cup; failure will cast a poor light on Bradley and Adu. &nbsp;The two are inexplicably linked.
A few other thoughts:
<ul>
<li>I am glad that Chris Wondolowski was included in the squad. &nbsp;This team needs a forward who can score, no matter what, and that’s what Wondo does. &nbsp;He deserves another national team chance.</li>
<li>There is a lack of German and Swedish influence on this team. &nbsp;Despite speculation that David Yelldell would be the third keeper, Bradley went with Nick Rimando. &nbsp;And Timothy Chandler was a major exclusion from this team, an absolute surprise considering the hype he was getting after his last call-up. &nbsp;A guy I would have started, half-Scandinavian Mixx Diskerud, was also not invited despite his season being over. Alejandro Bedoya was another surprise exclusion despite his club season being over.</li>
<li>Robbie Rogers has at times played well for Columbus and almost carried them offensively. &nbsp;But he would not have even been the best pick from MLS – I would have taken Kyle Beckerman or Brek Shea to provide more defensive cover.</li>
</ul>

In Defense of Freddy Adu and Other USMNT Thoughts - World Soccer Talk

In Defense of Freddy Adu and Other USMNT Thoughts

<div style="width: 170px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a title="Strategy by C.A.M.Stephens, on Flickr" href="http:\/\/www.flickr.com/photos/abstractmk/5455375439/"> 
<div><figure class="image"></figure></div></a>Photo by C.A.M. Stephans</div>
By now you have probably heard the Bob Bradley deadline of May 23 to announce his call-ups for the U.S. National Team. This is a critical call-up, as not only will these players play in the 2011 Gold Cup but also in the friendly versus Spain. &nbsp;As such, Bob Bradley will likely go the opposite of Camp Cupcake and take a veteran lineup to Foxborough.
But should he? &nbsp;What should be the goals of the US Men’s National Team, June 2011 edition? &nbsp;I’d argue the following should be the goals of Bob Bradley’s squad, in this order:
<ol>
<li>Win the Gold Cup and punch the ticket to the Confederations Cup</li>
<li>Begin finding the players for the 2014 World Cup</li>
<li>Not embarrass the country in the Spain match</li>
</ol>
In order to do this, Bob Bradley should bring a mix of veterans and up-and-comers, and in the process take a few gambles with this team. &nbsp;Here are my suggestions by position for Coach Bradley, as well as a few predictions of who he will actually bring. &nbsp;Feel free to agree or disagree in the comments section:

Keepers He Should Bring: Tim Howard, Marcus Hahnemann, and Bill Hamid
Keepers He Will Bring: Howard, Hahnemannn, and David Yeldell
Until he proves otherwise, Tim Howard is the #1 keeper for this team and that will not change during the World Cup. The #2 keeper should be someone with experience who can step in during an emergency, so Hahnemann fits that profile as he transitions from Europe to MLS. &nbsp;Brad Guzan is seemingly on the outs with Bradley plus scheduled his wedding for the end of this month. &nbsp;Bradley could go with David Yeldell to continue the German connection but could again give Dominic Cervi a chance to earn a place on the team, despite the fact he can’t even get a start for his club team. &nbsp;One day Howard will be too old to play for this team, and the US needs to begin planning for that now. &nbsp;The final spot should go to a young stud who should begin to be groomed to be the next Tim Howard; the two MLS candidates right now are Sean Johnson and Bill Hamid, with Hamid getting the call due to having a better season so far.
Defenders He Should Bring: (starters) Tim Chandler, Oguchi Onyewu, Clarence Goodson, Carlos Bocanegra, (bench) Steve Cherundolo, Zak Whitbread, Tim Ream, Jonathan Bornstein, Chad Marshall
Defenders He Will Bring: (starters) Cherundolo, Goodson, Onyewu, Bocanegra, (bench) Chandler, Bornstein, Ream, Whitbread, Eric Lichaj
The backline is up in the air, but you can bet Bradley will go conservative here. &nbsp;The U.S.’s biggest problem has been conceding early goals, so Bradley will likely thwart this by throwing out a veteran lineup. &nbsp;My thought is that the Gold Cup is put up or shut up time for two U.S. defenders – Tim Chandler and Gooch. &nbsp;Gooch is coming back from injury and it’s time to see if he can be an international starting defender before 2014 qualification. &nbsp;Tim Chandler took the soccer scene by storm with a good showing against Paraguay; now’s a good time to see if he can maintain the hype.
Midfielders He Should Bring: (4-2-3-1) Michael Bradley, Jonathan Spector, Landon Donovan, Mikkel Diskerud, Clint Dempsey, (bench) Benny Feilhaber, Brek Shea, Alejandro Bedoya
Midfielders He Will Bring: (4-4-2) Donovan, Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Dempsey, (bench) Edu, Feilhaber, Bedoya, Jonathan Spector
I have always been a believer in the U.S. playing with 5 midfielders, with Bradley and Spector alternating between making advancing runs and playing back in the holding role. &nbsp;Donovan and Dempsey are locks to start but the U.S. needs someone with vision and talent to make the right pass to get the wings and forward the ball in scoring chances. &nbsp;Although young, Diskerud has shown flashes of this ability and he should get a chance now. &nbsp;If nothing else, a call-up binds him to the U.S. &nbsp;On the bench, Brek Shea has shown the ability to be a world class midfielder, with FC Dallas’ recent good run of form showing how good Shea can be. &nbsp;Bradley, however, will probably fall back into the comfortable 4-4-2 and keep his standards in the midfield. &nbsp;The bench for Bradley will also be experienced, with players we’ve seen before who have specific talents for specific scenarios.
Forwards He Should Bring: Teal Bunbury, Jozy Altidore, Chris Wondolowski
Forwards He Will Bring: Altidore, Juan Agudelo, Herculez Gomez
Let’s be ambitious. &nbsp;If Bradley plays a 4-2-3-1, he needs a lone striker type, something Altidore is not. &nbsp;He is talented enough to make the team, but he needs a second forward up front with him. &nbsp;Agudelo could be that guy, but he is in danger of over-exposure and over-use this year. &nbsp;Let’s see if Bunbury is as good internationally or better than Agudelo. &nbsp;In the same vein, let’s give Chris Wondolowski one more chance. &nbsp;The guy can score in MLS, so let’s see if he can do the same for the national team.

Here is Who Should Really Make the Gold Cup Team - World Soccer Talk

Here is Who Should Really Make the Gold Cup Team

<a href="http:\/\/www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/bob-bradley.jpg"></a><div><figure class="image"><a href="http:\/\/www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/bob-bradley.jpg"></a></figure></div>Tomorrow night (or evening for those on the West Coast) the United States January camp team will take the pitch against Chile in a friendly where both sides are lacking all of their biggest stars.&nbsp; Chile is a good South American squad, normally second-tier behind countries like Brazil and Argentina, but with their former coach leading the team and not bringing many starters, this is a tough match to judge how far the U.S. is coming against international competition.&nbsp; And as has been stated ad nasuem, this is a very very young United States team, with a total of 23 caps.
However, January friendlies do tell a lot about the state of the national team, and as Steve Davis of Sports Illustrated notes <a href="http:\/\/sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/steve_davis/01/20/us.chile/index.html?eref=si_soccer&amp;utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fsi_soccer+%28SI.com+-+Soccer%29&amp;utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher" target="_blank">here</a>, otherwise mundane January friendlies do have a tendency to help a different player make a name for himself every year and become the new “hot” national team star.
So who could be the camp player who makes a name for himself against Chile?
The players who get the most attention are the goal scorers, but I will give you two candidates I think will have all the buzz on Sunday.&nbsp; Please note that my predictions and thoughts throughout this post come not from first-hand observation (as I do not live in California) but from following those people who have seen the camp up-close.&nbsp; I think in the back Anthony Wallace will have a breakout game.&nbsp; My projected starting left back has the opportunity to fulfill a need on this team.&nbsp; Jonathan Bornstein is probably your Gold Cup starter in that position, but it is not a deep one for the U.S.&nbsp; Wallace has the chance to impress and earn a chance for playing time if Bornstein fails, and he has to be ready to play against Esteban Paredes, the Colo-Colo striker who is the one legitimate star on the Chile roster.
My second candidate for “It” player coming out of this match is Mikkel Diskerud.&nbsp; He got some attention for his excellent play (and assist) in the South Africa match but I think this will be the game where he takes his profile to another level.&nbsp; I expect to see more of the smart distribution and ball control he showed against South Africa and win a definite call-up to the Gold Cup team.
Below is my best guess at the starters, and I will assume Bob Bradley will play a chic 4-2-3-1.
Keeper: If I am Bob Bradley, my keeper for important matches is Tim Howard without a doubt.&nbsp; Three of the four keepers in camp are about Brad Guzan’s age, so if I am Bob Bradley I want to see if Sean Johnson is long-term starting material, i.e. if he can eventually replace Tim Howard in 2018.&nbsp; Therefore, I want to get him the start today just to get a first look.
Back line: If Tim Ream and Omar Gonzalez are not trotting out onto the field at 9:50 PM tomorrow night, I would be shocked.&nbsp; Those two clearly have a future with the senior team and are the most talented defenders in camp.&nbsp; As I mentioned above, Wallace gets the start at left back and I think Sean Franklin will hold down the right.
Midfield: In our formation, Bob Bradley will need two midfielders towards the back who can control play, so look for Jeff Laurentowicz to get the start and chance to prove he belongs on the senior team.&nbsp; I think team blogger Dax McCarty will start next to him but that is one of the positions where Bradley has a number of options.
I would put Mikkel Diskerud in the center of the triangle three up top, as I said to test his ability to direct the attack and set up the goal scorers.&nbsp; Alejandro Bedoya would be the starter if Bradley plays a 4-4-2 or 4-2-2-2, but if he goes 4-2-3-1 look for Chris Wondolowski to get the start on the right, not only to provide a little more scoring but to give him a chance to prove that his MLS season was not a fluke.&nbsp; On the other side I expect Brek Shea to get the start; he’s an up-and-comer and the experience will serve him well if he really is a future USMNT star.
Forward: My forward in this formation is definitely Juan Agudelo.&nbsp; The guy has a ton of upside and I think the coaching staff really wants to see more of him in a game.&nbsp; Look for Teal Bunbury to as get playing time during this match.
Who would you start tomorrow against Chile?

Predictions for the U.S.-Chile Friendly - World Soccer Talk

Predictions for the U.S.-Chile Friendly

<div style="float: right;margin-left: 5px"><a href="http:\/\/view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/south-africa-tshwane-2010/image/9191724?term=Bob+Bradley" target="_blank"><div><figure class="image"></figure></div></a></div>
The U.S. Soccer Federation announced the players who have been called up and accepted the invitation to the U.S. men’s national team training camp in January.&nbsp; These players are the ones who will play in the next friendly against Chile in California and likely Egypt in Cairo.&nbsp; And the theme of this year’s team is youth.
It was expected that the club would be full of MLS (20 players) and Scandinavian (3) club members, since both leagues are on winter break currently.&nbsp; And because this training camp is taking place almost six months before the Gold Cup, it gives Bob Bradley a chance to try out some new players or some fringe players to see if they fit within his system.&nbsp; However, he seems to have embraced this idea and run with it: the average age of this roster is 23 years old.&nbsp; The most capped player on the roster is Alejandro Bedoya, who at age 23 has six.&nbsp; Twelve players have the chance receive their first international cap in the next two months.&nbsp; Bradley obviously decided to use the winter friendlies to gamble on roster pieces and see if he could uncover some (young) diamonds in the rough for the World Cup roster.
Is this a good strategy?&nbsp; My instinct says yes, as he will have a chance to see if some MLS vets having a good year (Wondo) or young players who have shown flash (Agudelo) are ready for international play.&nbsp; But please let your thoughts be known in the comments section.&nbsp; Below is a breakdown of the roster by position (<a href="http:\/\/www.ussoccer.com/Teams/US-Men/2011-January-Camp-Roster/110108-January-Camp.aspx" target="_blank">see full roster here</a>):

Goalkeepers (4):&nbsp; This may be the greenest group of them all internationally, and one which shows how having a good domestic season matters to Bob Bradley.&nbsp; Matt Pickens of Colorado and Sean Johnson of the Fire make their international debuts, along with Celtic/Dundee backup keeper Dominic Cervi.&nbsp; The experienced member of this group is Nick Rimando, who I assume right now would be your starter on January 22.
Defenders (9):&nbsp; Bob Bradley is leaning heavily on Western Conference clubs to fill out his back line, taking players from LA Galaxy (3), Colorado Rapids (2), and FC Dallas (2) on this team.&nbsp; George John was a call-up but declined due to injury.&nbsp; A surprising name on this roster is Ryan Miller, currently signed with Hamstad BK.&nbsp; A University of Notre Dame product, Miller was drafted in 2008 by Columbus and signed by DC, earning a cup of coffee in MLS.&nbsp; Bradley could go a couple of intriguing ways with his back line, focusing primarily on youth and potential (Ream, Wallace, etc.) or giving older players one last shot (Franklin, Ihemelu).
Midfielders (7): Congratulations to Colorado’s Jeff Larentowicz, who after a phenomenal MLS season earned his first national team call up and will likely be given a shot at showing what he can do against Chile and Egypt.&nbsp; He is a potential captain if he does start.&nbsp; South Africa star Mikkel Diskerud makes a return appearance and will be joined by fellow 20 year old Brek Shea.&nbsp; Bradley also called up players like Sam Cronin and Dax McCarty who, although in no way old, have had international appearances already and thus may be getting a second look for potential roster spots in six months.
Forwards (4): A position of serious need sees Bob Bradley making pragmatic choices for his roster.&nbsp; If you need goals from your front line players, you might as well invite the person who did it best last year.&nbsp; As such, welcome aboard Chris Wondolowski and expect to see some playing time this winter.&nbsp; Young stars Juan Agudelo and Teal Bunbury will also get a second, extended look after positive first impressions in South Africa.&nbsp; An intriguing pick is Justin Braun, who does not have the resume or hype of the previous three but may be a better fit for the team long-term.
Who didn’t make it: Maybe it’s to exorcise the failure of the 2006 World Cup?&nbsp; Maybe Bob Bradley’s seen enough of him?&nbsp; Either way, Bobby Convey is not making the trip to training camp and raises questions of whether his international career is over.&nbsp; Another surprise omission is Geoff Cameron, who has been to three USMNT training camps and seems to be the type of player Bob Bradley would want to look at one more time for potential Gold Cup inclusion.

Bob Bradley's January Call-Ups Barely Old Enough to Drink - World Soccer Talk

Bob Bradley's January Call-Ups Barely Old Enough to Drink

<div style="width: 408px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><div><figure class="image"></figure></div>USMNT Head Coach Bob Bradley annouces roster for January Camp</div>
A pair of Scandinavian stand outs as well as few MLS emerging stars headline Bob Bradley’s 30 man roster for the annual January training camp.&nbsp; Rising MLS stars, Omar Gonzalez, Chris Pontius and Kevin Alston will have the opportunity to show their skills to Coach Bradley ahead of the opening of camp on January 4th. The camp leads up to the first match of a vital year for the US Men’s National Team, against Honduras on January 23rd.
The January camp typically includes the best players from MLS as well as the Scandinavian leagues which are on winter break. Although typically made up of players from MLS and Scandinavia, the January camp allows the brightest stars of the past MLS camp, a chance to show their worth with the national team. This year, such stands outs include MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Zach Thornton, MLS Champions Nick Rimando, Robbie Findley and Kyle Beckerman as well as MLS Golden Boot winner Jeff Cunningham among others. In addition to their MLS compatriots, several Scandinavian players join the mix including, Marcus Tracy and Alejandro Bedoya who have earned a place on Bradley’s radar with strong seasons in their respective leagues.
Here’s the complete roster:
GOALKEEPERS: Kevin Hartman (Kansas City), Troy Perkins (Valerenga), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Zach Thornton (Chivas USA)
DEFENDERS: Kevin Alston (New England Revolution), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC), Brandon McDonald (San Jose Earthquakes)
MIDFIELDERS: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Jeff Larentowicz (New England Revolution), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), Chris Pontius (D.C. United), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)
FORWARDS: Justin Braun (Chivas USA), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake),&nbsp; Marcus Tracy (Aalborg)
What are your thoughts on this roster? Who do you feel should have been included? Who should have been excluded?
Testify in the comments below.

Bradley announces United States' January Camp Roster - World Soccer Talk

Bradley announces United States' January Camp Roster

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