Thomas Rongen Quietly Assembling a U-20 Class to Remember

Thinking back to 2007, everyone was hailing the youth being boasted by the United States U-20 side, and for good reason.  Names like Josmer Altidore, Michael Bradley, Danny Szetela, Sal Zizzo, and Freddy Adu came out of that class and those five (for better or for worse) had set up shop at European clubs, Altidore with Villarreal in Spain, Bradley with Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany, Szetela with Racing Santander in Spain, Zizzo with Hannover 96, and Adu with Aris Thessaloniki in Greece.  Those five players helped lead the US to finish 1st in their group (which included a 6-1 trouncing of Poland and a dramatic 2-1 win over Brazil), then proceeded to beat out Uruguay in the Round of 16 before falling in the quarterfinals to Austria.  It was a great run and Altidore and Bradley have established themselves as regular starters for the US National Team.

The 2009 version featured significantly less popular youngsters as the US fell out in the group stage, following embarrassing 3-0 losses to both Germany and South Korea.  The 2009 class featured players like Bryan Arguez , Mikkel Diskerud, Jared Jeffery, and Sean Johnson, but even these successful professionals weren't enough to push the US through.

Gearing up for a busy 2011, Thomas Rongen has a depth pool that many international coaches would drool over.  He's also done his fair share of digging up some some dual, and in one a case, a triple international player(s).  Names in this class include promising young stars such as GK Cody Cropper (Ipswich Town), DF Gale Aggbossoumonde (Estoril Praia) DF Greg Garza (Estoril Praia), MD Joseph Gyau (Hoffenheim), MD Sebastien Lletget (West Ham United), MD Joshua Gatt (Altach), FW Jack McInerney (Philadelphia Union) and FW Conor Doyle (Derby County).

Other big names coming out of this class include the well known New York Red Bulls prodigy Juan Agudelo, Adrian Ruelas who is currently on trial at Celtic in Scotland, and cult hero Omar Salgado, who gave up his position at CD Guadalajara to play for the United States.

Two names that I am particularly excited about are dual-international Fabien Hurzeler, a 17 year old Bayern Munich academy star, who was the German U-17 captain, but no longer appears to be in the plans with them any longer.  Rongen scooped him up and has invited him to the US' training camp for the beginning of January.  The other is triple-international Alex Zahavi, currently playing professionally at Maccabi Haifa, he holds citizenship from the United States, Portugal, and Israel.  He is a right-footed, left winger who loves to cut inside and attack.  He made his US debut at the Torneo de las Americas tournament in November and scored a goal against Colombia.

This is arguably the deepest, most collectively talented class for a US youth team ever.  Where the other classes have featured popular young stars, there were significant holes.  If there is a hole in this class, I really am having a hard time finding it.  A solid collection of professional and college players have really gelled under the guidance of the Dutchman Rongen.

With 2011 holding the U-20 CONCACAF Championship in April in Guatemala, and the U-20 World Cup in July and August in Colombia, Rongen will need to nail down his final group of around 30ish players and next months training camp is part of that.

Looking forward, I expect nothing less than at least a win in the CONCACAF Championship, and a march to the quarterfinals in the World Cup.  That is where Rongen and these young players need to aim.

In 2011, the United should be expecting nothing less, with the start of a new World Cup cycle, a star could rise in the U-20s and make a name on the national side come June 2014.  This is where it starts.

American Outlaws Rally

A quick shout-out to my 3,000+ brothers and sisters around the country who will hopefully be converging on Las Vegas in March.  I'll hopefully be among them.  I urge any reader of this blog and any follower of US Soccer to check out these guys.  US matches just wouldn't be the same without them. 

January Camp Roster Released...Finally (UPDATED)

The 2014 World Cup cycle is (un)officially underway.  Bob Bradley named a 24 man roster for the annual Camp Cupcake in Carson, California, which will culminate in the January 22 match against Chile at the Home Depot Center.  Here is the roster:

GOALKEEPERS (4): Dominic Cervi (Celtic), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Matt Pickens (Colorado Rapids), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (9): A.J. DeLaGarza (Los Angeles Galaxy), Sean Franklin (Los Angeles Galaxy), Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy), Ugo Ihemelu (FC Dallas), Zach Loyd (FC Dallas), Ryan Miller (Halmstads BK), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Anthony Wallace (Colorado Rapids), Marvell Wynne (Colorado Rapids)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Eric Alexander (FC Dallas), Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro), Sam Cronin (San Jose Earthquakes), Mikkel Diskerud (Stabaek), Jeff Larentowicz (Colorado Rapids), Dax McCarty (D.C. United), Brek Shea (FC Dallas)
FORWARDS (4): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Justin Braun (Chivas USA), Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

Late night here, so here's some two cents from the mastermind(s) at Ninety Plus:

• All kinds of youth here, but really only a few of the 24 players called in should be expecting much of a future in with the full team.  The rest are potential stop gaps should there be an injury crisis.
• What a great collection of young forwards, something that we haven't seen at a Camp Cupcake in years.  Agudelo, Bunbery, and Braun are probably the three best American forwards in MLS under age 23.
• Wait...(sniffle)...I'm having a moment, this is the first January roster that does not feature any of the US' version of the three stooges (Robbie Findley, Ricardo Clark, Jonathan Bornstein).
• I'm really looking forward to this leftback battle; Anthony Wallace, Ryan Miller, and AJ DeLaGarza.  I see it coming down to Wallace and Miller, and the slight edge to Miller in this one.  Does Tim Ream maybe even get a trot out on the left?? Doubtful, but it is the season for experimentation
• To counter a Chile team which is sure to bring some young attacking flash to the table, will Bob Bradley counter with a strong defense, or will he counter speed with speed?  Considering his recent experimentation's, I would say that we see a bit of an energetic, attacking side.  But we'll need to see Chile's line-up to better guess this one.
• Here is my favored line-up:

------------------------Cervi

Franklin-----Gonzalez-----Ream-----Miller

--------Lawrentowicz------Cronin

Diskerud------------McCarty---------Bedoya

-----------------------Bunbery

I need some Yanks in my life. 

Holiday Haitus

Hey all, considered doing a piece on the failed 2022 US World Cup Bid, but in my healths best interest, I decided to let FIFA be FIFA. 

We'll return with the release of the January "Camp Cupcake" roster.  Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Years.  Who knows, maybe something big will turn up before then.  How 'bout them Timbers kits ehh?

USA Youth Shows Promise, Beat South Africa Late

It took 85 minutes and a 17 year old, but the United States found a way to stifle an experienced World Cup team, in their house.  The game, some 10,000 miles away from home, against a team with 11 of their 23 players from the World Cup, was a drag-it-out, punch/counter-punch match for 85 minutes, until debutantes Mikkel Diskerud and Juan Agudelo combined beautifully in the box, with the entry pass from Agudelo into the box for Diskerud who controlled and slipped a pass to an on-rushing Agudelo who controlled and finished past the 'keeper. 

I was one of the many USA fans who saw this as a bit of a throw-away match, one to get youngsters involved and acquainted with the system.  Very few thought this group would be able to stick with a South African team playing in front of 50,000+ of their home fans. 

Agudelo showed experience and poise beyond his years in a game where the "veterans" were easily the worst performers for the US. 

Here are the player ratings:

Brad Guzan (8): Solid performance from the US number two.  Controlled the air and stopped attempt after attempt with relative ease.  He needs to transfer out of Aston Villa though, Arsenal would be GREAT.

Eric Lichaj (6.5): In his first ever US start, Lichaj was matched up against Bafana Bafana fly man Siphiwe Tshabalala, and acquitted himself well.  The yellow card was a bit reckless but I feel like that was more of a statement tackle than anything else.

Clarence Goodson (7): Marshaled the US backline with efficiency and aerial prowess.

Tim Ream (6.5): Was undressed by good passing moves twice, but past those showed well in his debut.  At this point could make a argument for the top 6-8 centerbacks in the US pool.

Jonathan Bornstein (3): The most experienced player on the roster looked like 12 year old.  Was only better than Robbie Findley.

Alejandro Bedoya (6): Was active and dangerous throughout, but dropped off late.  Worthy of more looks.

Logan Pause/Brian Carroll (5.5): You really can't not group these two together.  They were strong defensively but they're collective distribution was lacking.

Robbie Rogers (6): Was decent enough on the flank and created a couple good chances.  His low shot in the first half deserved a better finish.

Eddie Gaven (6): Workman-like effort from Gaven, on both offense and defense.

Robbie Findley (1): Absolutely terrible, pathetic, embarrassing, awful, and all other sorts of negative words.  Every time he touched the ball it either flew away about 20 yards, or he controlled and then ran to nowhere.  He sucks.

SUBS:

Jonathan Spector (5.5):  Clearly showing the rust associated with not playing for the worst team in the EPL.  Really needs a transfer for the Championship in January

Teal Bunbury (6.5): Worked hard and hustled.  Proved more useful than Findley just minutes into the second half when his low shot required a sharp save.

Juan Agudelo (8): Impressive from the 17 year old.  A controlled and smart finish.  I can't emphasize enough that we don't start heaping tons of pressure on this kid.  He'll get another look in January and we'll move forward from there.  Remember he has only played two games in MLS.

Mikkel Diskerud (7.5): Another youngster who showed well in his debut.  Probably gets another look in January and could break in to the first team come Gold Cup time in June.

Nat Borchers (6): The 29 year old from Real Salt Lake showed why he was a finalist for MLS Defender of the Year.  He was strong in the air and controlled the back line following Goodson's exit.

Gale Agbossoumonde (NA): One good header away late on, but really not enough to warrant a grade.  Made his debut, probably another who gets a look again in January.