USMNT Head Coach Bob Bradley annouces roster for January Camp
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. 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), 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.
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i’m not sure why they bothered bringing goalkeepers into camp. The US has its top 3 firmly set.
I’m very pleased to see Jeff Cunningham in the mix. I believe he needs to be on Bob Bradley’s radar for the WC2010 roster. If Charlie Davies can’t come back, and Brian Ching does not fully recover from his off-season surgery, Cunningham would be a great choice to come off the bench in South Africa.
What about Michael Parkhurst? Probably the only name I’ve seen that is a realistic drop. Wish our players in the Mexican leagues could be included and Ching could have been there to remind Bradley that he still is in the mix. (I tend to think that either Ching or Casey goes to South Africa–but not both (an exclusive, not inclusive ‘or.’) Ching is the stronger player of the two–or at least tends to get the best out of his teammates.)
Bradley’s conservatism tends to be more tactical–you can’t fault the coach for only training or inviting the players he likes.
I would have liked to see Chris Rolfe get another chance but in Bradley and Sorber’s thinking he is probably too small. Better to keep Eddie Johnson who has failed miserably but he’s still there, course he’s 6 feet tall !!! Lucky that Lionel Messi didn’t try to make it through the US player pool !!!!
If Stuart Holden resigns with the Dynamo, any chance he gets a late invite to camp?
Where Is Michael Orozco? The Mexican league is not in session right now. How in the world is Heath Pearce still being called Up? He is dreadful and should not be in the final 23, with Castillo and Bornstein ahead of him. Orozco deserves a chance.
I don’t think the 3rd goalkeeper spot is settled. Perkins is a good GK, but he has many more years ahead of him. I would like to see the veterans Hartman or Thornton get it. They deserve it as a final send off and a reward to their long careers for American soccer. Third Choice GKs never see action at the WC. it is just a symbolic position and position of honor.