United States Gets Historic Victory Against Mexico and Closes the Perceived Gap

Mexico blanked the United States in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup final 5-0.

Mexico came from behind in the 2011 Gold Cup final 4-2, which led to U.S. Soccer Federation relieving head coach Bob Bradley.

Then Mexico won the gold medal in the Olympics August 11 by beating Brazil while the United States team failed to even qualify.

With the likes of young, rising stars Javier Hernandez, Oribe Peralta and Giovani dos Santos the talk of the town has been large the gap is between Mexico and the U.S.

With the United States’ historic 1-0 victory over Mexico in a friendly at Azteca Stadium Wednesday, the first time in 75 years the U.S. has beaten Mexico in Mexico, the gap may not be as big as people have made it out to be.

Sure, Mexico’s roster didn’t feature any of the players from the gold medal-winning team, but Hernandez was playing as was goalie Guillermo Ochoa. Mexico was still supposed to have an advantage in quality over the U.S., especially an American roster without Clint Dempsey, Carlos Bocanegra, Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore.

Mexico was 23-0-1 against the U.S. in Mexico for the past 75 years and was 19-0-1 at Azteca. Mexico had outscored the U.S. 81-14 in that time frame.

Even in the game the odds were stacked against the U.S. Mexico spent most of the game, especially in the first half, attacking. Mexico outshot the Americans 15-6. They had 10 corner kicks compared to zero for the U.S.

But the U.S. defense, led by goalkeeper Tim Howard and the unusual pairing of Maurice Edu and Geoff Cameron at center back, was strong all night and never broke.

The team was also opportunistic, taking advantage of its shots on goal, and doing so before Mexico did, and got a goal from the unlikeliest source—Michael Orozco Fiscal, scoring his first international goal off a nifty back-heel from Terrance Boyd.

The difference in this U.S. team may be the man who took over for Bradley, Jurgen Klinsmann.

Klinsmann has his team doing things it’s never done before. Not only did the team get this monumental victory in Mexico, but it also defeated Italy for the first-time ever—in Italy nonetheless—in a friendly in February.

“I think it’s huge. It’s huge for all American fans and it’s huge for the team. It’s historic. We were well aware that we’ve never won here at Azteca and this is an amazing experience for all the players. We told them before the game, ‘This moment is for you, go and grab it.’ We are aware that is was a lot of work,” Klinsmann told the press after the game. “Tim Howard kept us in the game I don’t know how many times. It was an absolutely fantastic performance by Tim. Also, the back line were holding their strength for the whole 90 minutes. It was a fantastic team performance. We know we still have to improve in many elements. We have to keep the ball longer, we have to create more chances and we have to do a lot of work still, but I think this gives us a lot of confidence.”

With Klinsmann providing encouragement, a new attitude and a new vision for the federation and the team getting these big results the future is bright for American soccer.

Mexico may be getting all the press right now, but the long-term goals are winning World Cup Qualifying and the World Cup.

Moments like these will steer the American team in the right direction and make people believe that the gap between Mexico and the U.S. is not as large as they once perceived.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Tom Mihalek

USMNT: Celebrating the 10-Year Anniversary of the Upset over Portugal

Ten years ago today the United State’s men’s national team scored a huge upset, one that would propel the team to where it is today.

June 5, 2002 marked the Americans opening game of the 2002 FIFA World Cup against Euro 2000 semi-finalsts Portugal.

Not much was expected of the United States after they floundered in the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, losing all three group stage matches, scoring one goal and finishing last in the field of 32 teams.

But 2002 ushered in a new era.

The United States raced out to a 3-0 lead within the first 36 minutes of the match, putting the Portuguese players on their heels. The U.S. scores came from John O’Brien, an own goal and a diving header from Brian McBride.

Portugal would claw back within one goal, thanks in part to a Jeff Agoos own goal, but the U.S. team held strong and finished the game with the victory.

It not only was the start of the best World Cup run for the U.S. since 1950 but the win sparked a whole new  attitude and set of expectations for the nation.

The team would escape the group stage and face Mexico in the round of 32, where they would defeat their archrivals 2-0. It was the second consecutive match the teams played that ended with that score line in the USMNT’s favor and continued in a string of “dos a cero” matches in a decade of dominance in the region.
It saw the Americans reach the quarterfinals of the tournament, the first time since 1950, where they would lose a 1-0 heartbreaker to eventual runners-up Germany.

It was only the third time an American player—Claudio Reyna—was named to the All-Tournament team and the first since 1950. It established the idea that American players could compete with and against the world’s best.

It was the beginning of a fantastic (and still ongoing) career for Landon Donovan. In that game against Portugal a then 20-year-old Donovan started and made his World Cup debut against Portugal. It was his cross in the 29th minute that was deflected into the goal to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead.

Since then he has developed into one of the team’s best players, the country’s all-time leader in goals and assists and has played hero multiple times for the national team, including the final game of the group stage in the 2010 World Cup. He is now making a run to play in his fourth World Cup as the team readies itself for qualifying for the 2014 tournament.

Much credit has been given to then-head coach Bruce Arena for instilling in his players the confidence they needed to believe they could beat such a good team. It’s a confidence seen in the team in other big games over the years that helped them beat elite teams.

It’s also the current attitude that new coach Jurgen Klinsmann is trying to instill in his team. He wants the team to play aggressively and with confidence that they can, in fact beat anybody. It’s an attitude that helped the team defeat the Italian national team in Italy this past February.

The United States has emerged as a good soccer nation. The team is no longer taken lightly around the world. And while they may not always come out victorious, they challenge themselves and compete with the world’s best. Expectations are continuously raised for the team.

And it all started ten years ago today with a landmark victory over Portugal in the World Cup.

When Will Kenny Cooper Get A Call-Up to the United States Men's National Team?

In the Red Bulls 1-1 draw with Chivas USA it was Kenny Cooper who scored the equalizer. In the team’s first US Open Cup game against the Charleston Battery he scored the first goal of the game, one that would eventually be the game-winner.

The tally against the Goats was his 11th of the season and ties him with San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski for the league lead. He’s also tied for the league lead with Wondolowski with four game-winning goals.

The two share the same amount of goals, but what is different is that only one is currently in camp for the United States Men’s National Team in preparation for its upcoming friendlies ahead of World Cup Qualifying.

Chris Wondolowski and former MLS forward Herculez Gomez were both called into camp and deservedly so; they’ve been on incredible scoring streaks.

It is well-known that players getting consistent minutes for their clubs and playing in good form are favored for spots with the national team. So with Cooper playing his best soccer in years, the time has come to once again ask: When will Kenny Cooper get called up?

Cooper has been a scoring machine in his time with MLS and is playing his best soccer since 2008 when he scored 18 goals in 30 games (19 goals in all competitions) for FC Dallas.

The Red Bulls acquired him in the offseason for a 2013 first round draft pick and allocation money and it seemed like a lot to give up for a guy who plays a position the team was pretty deep at. But Cooper quickly rose to the cream of the crop and has been much needed since Luke Rodgers was denied a visa, Juan Agudelo was traded, Corey Hertzog was loaned out and Thierry Henry missed several matches due to injury.

Cooper has consistently delivered for the Red Bulls this season. He is on his second four game scoring streak of the season and he has been able to make an impact on the game from both off the bench—where he was the first two games of the season—and starting.

As the United States struggled to finish against Brazil Wednesday despite plenty of chances the team is still looking for answers on the offensive side of the ball.

The 27-year-old Cooper, once a Manchester United prospect and reserve squad member, has had fans clamoring for the team to give him a shot since the beginning of his career. And in the chances he’s risen to the challenge.

He’s made 10 appearances for the USMNT and scored four goals. In his first World Cup Qualifying start for the Yanks in 2008 scored. He also scored twice in the 2009 Gold Cup.

The consistent snubs are puzzling, but Cooper just keeps playing and scoring.

“I’ve had the honor to represent my country and it has been some of the highlights of my career, there have been some amazing moments and I’m hungry for more of those opportunities,” he said in an interview with the press after practice in late May.

Cooper is a big forward who can play with his back to the goal but is actually a better technical player than his size suggests. As he’s shown in his partnership with Henry this year, he does a good job of playing alongside another forward and sharing the ball, not only scoring for himself but feeding and creating space for his partner to score as well.

He also just has a nose for goal, putting in some rebounds and so-called “garbage goals” as well.

He’s in his prime and getting lots of playing time for his club. He says he has never been contacted by Jurgen Kilinsmann but the question is why not?

What else does Cooper have to do to earn just an opportunity?

Photo Credit.

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

United States Win Over Italy Marks Progress On Many Different Levels

For the past ten years American soccer has gotten better due to many players getting the chance to play with good teams in respected European leagues.

In the United States Men’s National Team’s 1-0 victory against Italy –its first win against the Azzuris ever—it looked like all the time developing has finally shown true progress as a soccer nation.

The win was a team effort but in a lineup that featured 10 of the 11 starters playing in Europe some names stood out: Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers) and Tim Howard (Everton).

Some may say that they are the team’s best players and they should stand out, but they all put in notable performances against one of the world’s elite teams. How they played and how they handled the pressure of the game said a lot about how they have improved over the years.



Tim Howard is the team’s most consistent player and didn’t have to make any miraculous saves tonight. But as the United States started to lose its interest in attacking once it had the lead Italy dominated possession and was a constant threat.

Howard and Bocanegra remained calm under pressure and time and time again turned away the Italian offense. Howard made some key saves and Bocanegra covered for mistakes from other defenders and kept another clean sheet—the 23rd of Howard’s international career.

Dempsey has been one of the hottest players in the English Premier League this season. Player of the Year for the club last year, Dempsey has scored 16 goals in 34 games in all competitions for the Cottagers this season. His confidence is soaring—a must for any goal scorer—and he isn’t afraid to let a shot fly.

His creativity and talent have always been there but his confidence and maturity were honed in England. He still celebrates in style and trash talks his opponents but in the game against Italy commentator Taylor Twellman commented on Dempsey’s newfound business-like approach to the game that he's noticed in recent interviews and how it shows that he is maturing as a player.

The central midfield tandem of Bradley and Edu was extremely efficient tonight. It’s been a challenging year for Bradley: his father was sacked as national team coach, he stopped receiving playing time with his club team—Borussia Monchengladbach—and even lost his starting spot in the midfield for the USMNT for the beginning of Jurgen Klinsmann’s tenure.

A move to Chievo Verona though put him back on the pitch and right at the center of the action. He is the team’s main central midfielder and has played very well. Against Italy he was all over the field breaking up plays. He always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and his ball movement was clean and crisp.

Edu, who hasn’t fared well with the USMNT since the 2010 FIFA World Cup, has continued to plug away at Rangers. A valuable member of that club, the team is scrambling to keep him before his contract expires. Against Italy he stepped in and played his best game for the team in the past year. He made good decisions both defensively and offensively and played a clean game. The fans watching the game didn’t hear his name much, but as a holding midfielder that’s a good thing, meaning he wasn’t out of position or making costly errors.

Klinsmann wants to make the team more possession-oriented. A key to holding onto the ball for longer and more efficient periods is play from the midfielders, specifically the central midfielders. Bradley and Edu are defensive-first-minded players but they can play both ways and against Italy they showed they hold the keys to the team’s progress. Both displayed fine footwork and an ability to move the ball out of trouble as well as link the defense to the offense.



Altidore is also another player that will play an important role in the team’s new mentality. He didn’t score and he will likely be criticized for that. But the things he was able to do speak volumes of his improvement.

The 22-year-old is having an incredible season with his club team, scoring 13 goals in 34 games across all competitions. He is gaining confidence week-to-week, developing good work habits and he is also finally learning how to use his size to his advantage.

At 6-feet-1-inch Altidore is a big, strong forward. The best plays he makes are when he shields the ball from his opponents and turns his defender. He has an advantage over guys and should use it. When he was younger, however, he would try to dribble and take guys on, usually trying to do too much and turning the ball over. Against Italy though he looked like a target forward. He got into space, played with his back to the goal, collected the ball and because he was properly shielding it he was able to pass it off—like he did on the assist of Dempsey’s goal—or turn and free himself from the defense.

Being able to hold the ball, as noted before, will be critical and if the team continues to play with only one forward Altidore will, at times, need to be able to collect the pass, shield and wait for help. He has been doing it more and more and the Italy game showed how much he has improved.

There is still so much for the team and these individuals to do to improve. In the second half, when protecting the lead, the team reverted to a more defensive-shell, something that they will need to un-learn.

But the first-ever victory over Italy, in Italy, against a top-tier country, in a pressure-packed environment and scoring against the run of play showed progress.

Progress was displayed not only by the team as whole but also by individuals. As more individuals like Altidore, Bradley and Edu take their games to top-level teams the whole team will continue to make successful leaps in terms of ability.

Photo Credits.
All phots: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

Gregg Berhalter is First American to Coach Professional Soccer in Europe

After decades of American soccer players failing to catch on to clubs in Europe, America’s brightest young players are finally getting the chance.

In the 1990’s many of the U.S. national team players were college players or guys that were signed full-time to be with the national team. Very few exceptions played in Europe.

But now, guys like Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Steve Cherundolo, Michael Bradley and Carlos Bocanegra are fixtures on some teams in the most elite leagues on the continent. Youngsters like Brek Shea, Tim Ream and Juan Agudelo are knocking on the door, all training with teams in the English Premier League.

Playing in Europe is no longer an improbable dream but a realistic possibility. So naturally, it’s time to start venturing to the next frontier: coaching in Europe.

Gregg Berhalter, a former USMNT defender, has been hired by Hammarby IF of Sweden’s Superettan (second division) to be its new head coach. Berhalter signed a two-year deal with an option for a third. He is the first American-born former national team player to coach a team in Europe.

Hammarby, the former club of Charlie Davies, is not top-flight European soccer but it’s a start, and a necessary one at that. They do, however, have the third highest attendance in all of Sweden.

Former USMNT player and National Soccer Hall of fame inductee Marcelo Balboa commented on how Americans coaching in Europe could help develop the game in the U.S. in an interview with Potomac Soccer Wire in October of 2010.

“We challenged our players many years ago to play at the highest level, to go overseas and make their craft,” Balboa said. “I think now we’re at a point where that same challenge needs to be put out to our coaches. Our coaches now need to expand their horizons out of MLS and look for that European job or that South American job, to get that kind of experience and bring that back to the United States.

“Our players have a little more experience than our coaches do. It’s time that our coaches start getting that experience overseas.”

Berhalter is a surprising candidate to be one of the first guys to make the jump.
He spent the first 15 years of his professional career in Europe, playing in the lower leagues in the Netherlands, Germany and England. Those experiences certainly helped shape his game and earn two trips to the World Cup, which must give him some clout in Europe.

The surprise is that Berhalter just retired from playing at the end of the 2011 MLS season, where he held the duel responsibility of player and assistant coach.

A European club is giving a young (Berhalter is 38-years-old) American with very little coaching experience a chance to lead their team in an attempt to get back to first-division soccer for the first time since 2009.

“[Hammarby] looked at where I’ve been the last couple years with the Galaxy and with Bruce Arena and my role there and then they looked at my background as a player,” Berhalter told ExtraTime Radio. “I obviously spent 15 years in Europe and they felt like that diversity in terms of being in three different countries and experiencing these different soccer cultures will be a real plus in the long run.”

Even more surprising is that initially the team was looking for an experienced manager who had previous ties to Hammarby, according to Berhalter on ExtraTime Radio.

Former USMNT player and current AZ Alkmaar (Jozy Altidore’s team) technical director Earnie Stewart thought this moment was still a long-time coming, commenting on the situation in an interview with MLSsoccer.com in 2010.

“First of all, there's a problem in the way football in the United States is looked upon, and that reflects upon the coaches,” he explained. “We're still making progress, still getting better, still getting to where we want to be.”

Stewart added that any coach that does get an opportunity would have to have some kind of connection in Europe to help get that job.

Berhalter’s connection was former L.A. Galaxy midfielder Chris Klein, who sits on the board of Hammarby as an AEG representative and assisted with the coaching search. AEG owns the Los Angeles Galaxy and holds a 49-percent share of Hammarby.

For those that are surprised that Berhalter would be the first American to coach in Europe, ahead of famous national team coaches Bruce Arena or Bob Bradley or player-turned-coach Jason Kreis, Tab Ramos or Claudio Reyna keep in mind that John Harkes was the first American to play in the English Premier League. He did not have any professional experience before moving to Sheffield Wednesday, but his career turned out just fine.

It’s an historic moment for U.S. soccer and Berhalter has a rather large challenge ahead of him. But it’s a challenge that Berhalter, and American soccer, need to be ready to face.

Video feautre about the career path of Gregg Berhalter. Video from YouTube.


Photo Credits.
Gregg Berhalter: AP Photo/Gus Ruelas

United States Men's National Team Holds Open Practice at Red Bull Arena

It’s been said in the media that new United States Men’s National Team head coach Jürgen Klinsmann is still in the honeymoon stage with the team and its loyal supporters. Klinsmann still seems like quite the charmer and is endearing himself to the fans.

Emotions are positive for the German coach. He finally won his first game with the USMNT on Saturday and on Monday, one day before the team takes on Ecuador Klinsmann opened the team’s practice at Red Bull Arena to the public.

Only a day before a game, the practice was light and featured a lot of stretching as opposed to an intense one, but it was a unique opportunity for fans to see how the team went about their daily business with a new coach as well as what Klinsmann’s personal interactions with individual players and the team as a whole are like.



As the players trotted onto the field Klinsmann explained the purpose of the practice and what the fans would see. Things started off with the players breaking up into small groups and doing some one-touch passes in a circle with defenders in the middle. The goalies, in the meantime, did some drills on their own at the end line.



The field players then went to the opposite end of the field and did a lot of stretching. All the players are in the middle of their seasons now. Add in intense training and playing with the national team and injury prevention becomes a big concern.

After stretching the team went into an 11-vs.-10 half-field scrimmage with Clint Dempsey donning a blue pinny and playing as the extra man for both teams. While the starting lineup for the Ecuador game isn’t out the white team featured mostly regular starters like Tim Howard, Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundolo and Jozy Altidore while the orange team featured the likes of Nick Rimando, Jeff Larentowicz and Edson Buddle, three guys who did not play on Saturday.

The play was pretty back and forth for the most part but with little execution. Only two goals were scored during the 20 or 30 minutes the team scrimmaged for, one by Clint Dempsey (for the white team) and one by DaMarcus Beasley.

Beasley was an interesting player on the left-side for the white team. Beasley showed some speed on the flank and dribbled in circles around Michael Orozco Fiscal. At the same time though, Danny Williams seemed to have his way with Beasley, dribbling around him or pushing him off the ball.

Williams was impressive in his ability to push the ball past his defender and his crosses, as were scrimmage teammate Brek Shea’s, were dangerous.

The highlight of the scrimmage came in a series of nice plays. Kyle Beckerman, playing for the orange team, collected a loose ball and slammed a shot at Tim Howard. Howard saved it and –like his pass to Landon Donovan in the Algeria game at the World Cup—threw the ball almost the length of the field to Jozy Altidore. Rimando came out to cut Altidore’s angle off, but the big forward chipped it over his head for what appeared would be a nice goal. While the ball floated back down to the field however New York Red Bulls defender Tim Ream came in, got underneath the ball, and cleared it before it went in the back of the net.



When the scrimmage was completed some of the players that logged big minutes in Saturday’s game (Altidore, Onyewu and Bocanegra for example) stretched at midfield. The rest took part in a crossing drill.

On the left was, as suspected, Brek Shea, Timmy Chandler and DaMarcus Beasley. On the right was Williams, Steve Cherundolo and Jonathan Spector.

Each side would take turns crossing the ball to a man in the middle: Jeff Larentowicz, Teal Bunbury, Juan Agudelo or Orozco Fiscal.

The crossing and finishing both left a lot to be desired but Larentowicz had the goal of the practice when he took a cross and put a diving header into the net past Rimando.



Klinsmann himself got in on the drill as well, for a brief moment, collecting a rebound and shooting it into the back of the net, earning a nice ovation from the crowd.

At completion of the drill, Klinsmann talked to his team in a huddle and then he and the players thanked the fans for coming out.

The practice wasn’t too intense but it got the fans excited about the team and for the game against Ecuador.

Klinsmann, the players and the fans are optimistic about the team’s future. Now it’s up to the new coach and the players to see how long that optimism lasts.

Tim Howard Saves Shots and the United States Men's National Team

Under Bob Bradley, the United States Men’s National Team was a reactive team: play tough defense and withstand pressure from the opposition and go on the counter attack when the other team overextends itself and is vulnerable.

With Jurgen Klinsmann at the helm the USMNT is working on being a proactive team, attacking and imposing its will on its opposition.

The similarity of both regimes is that they both rely on Tim Howard being at his best.

In the team’s 1-0 victory over Honduras the goalie was once again asked to play hero in net in order to preserve a positive result, just like he has time and time again since being named the No. 1 keeper in 2007.

Howard made six saves, a number of which showcased his incredible athleticism, and was named Budweiser Man of the Match.

The win was his 37th for the red, white and blue tying him for second with Tony Meola on the all-time wins list, behind only Kasey Keller (53). And he has earned every single one of them, not to mention the ties the team has a direct result of his stellar play.

Against Honduras Howard made several big saves. In the 18th minute Honduras sent a ball over the top of the defense that Jerry Bengston collected and went in 1-vs-1 on Howard but the keeper made a point blank stop to deflect the shot away.

He made a diving save on Carlos Costly in the 26th and then in the second half he made a leaping grab on a long range shot from Boniek Garcia.

“Tim is getting to a time in his career where he realizes these are the golden years for him ahead,” Klinsmann told the media after the game. “We really enjoy what he brings to the table.”

Howard is one of only two players to start all four games under Klinsmann (Carlos Bocanegra is the other). His consistently strong play is very important to new German head coach right now.

As the team is adjusting to playing a more attacking style they sometimes get caught too far up field. The formation has changed, with only one defensive midfielder as opposed to the two the team used to put on the field. So on the counterattack there are only five players back to defend at most.

If (and at times when) a player is beat or when there is a lot of space many shots come through. It is up to Howard to save them and bail out the rest of the team while they (hopefully) hustle back.

Howard’s ability to make spectacular and clutch saves lets the rest of the team continue to learn how to attack and go up field, make and learn from mistakes and allows the team not to get frustrated giving up a number of goals and revert back to their old less productive ways.

Klinsmann knows he needs good goalkeeping during these experimental times so the players can learn on the fly but the team can still get results that aren’t too discouraging. One only has to look at his roster selections to see the faith that he has placed in Howard.

Brad Guzan has been the first-choice backup behind Howard the past few years and has started big games during World Cup qualifying and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. But he hasn’t been called up to the National Team by Klinsmann yet. Neither has Marcus Hahnemann, the third goalkeeper on the 2010 World Cup team and Howard’s new teammate at Everton.

The backup has been Bill Hamid, a 20-year old goalie for D.C. United that has not made an appearance for the United States at any level.

There were games in the past, like the Argentina friendly at Giants Stadium or the game against England to open the 2010 World Cup, that the USA would not have gotten a point in had it not been for Tim Howard.

Last night, even with a new coach and new philosophy, was no different. And as the U.S. team continues to work on its attacking style of play and new young players are brought into the fold nothing will be more important than the veteran and extremely talented presence of Howard.

A feature of Tim Howard, his rise to stardom and his intensity. Video from YouTube.


Photo Credits.
Tim Howard: AP Photo/Paul Sancya

Jozy Altidore Remains the Best Forward for the United States National Team

While the United States Men’s National Team failed to score against Costa Rica on Friday, Jozy Altidore—the starting striker whose primary job is to score goals—proved that he still is the top forward on the depth chart.

Under former head coach Bob Bradley Altidore was the starting forward—sometimes with a partner, other times alone—but due to a lack of goals with the national team and a lack of scoring and playing time at the club level many wondered how much longer that would last.

Some, albeit prematurely, labeled the 21-year-old a bust and longed for a better striker to come along.

Then came the emergence of Juan Agudelo. The 18-year-old scored two goals in his first three matches with the National Team. His energy and work rate when he entered matches brought the team’s play to another level and he exuded confidence. Many labeled him the next best thing, even though Agudelo has failed to score a goal in his past eight games with the United States.

While Agudelo is a promising prospect, Altidore, in his first game playing for new head coach Jürgen Klinsmann, showed that he is the better option up top for the time being.

Altidore has 39 caps compared to Agudelo’s 11 and the elder forward showed his age, experience and skill set are more valuable to the team than what Agudelo brings to the table, especially considering the sample of both players from the Costa Rica game.

Altidore likes to take on his opponents one-on-one from time to time, but he is at his best when he is playing as a target forward with his back to the goal. He is a very strong forward with broad shoulders. Defenders cannot outmuscle him. Altidore’s greatest goal of his career came against Spain in the 2009 Confederation’s Cup when he turned defender Joan Capdevilla off the ball and blasted a shot into the back of the net.



Against Costa Rica Altidore did a good job of making himself a target to his teammates and creating passing lanes. His ability to hold off defenders helped the team get more players involved in the attack. His passing was good and he linked up very well with his teammates, especially Brek Shea and Landon Donovan, which created a number of close chances.

Altidore was active and his presence helped other players get involved which made the U.S. very dangerous in the first half.

Agudelo came on as a second half substitute for Altidore, and although he played with much energy, like he usually does, the offense seemed to stall a bit.

As a lone forward it wasn’t all Agudelo’s fault. The defensive back four, Maurice Edu—the holding midfielder—and the rest of the midfield seemed to tire a bit causing a break in the transition and smooth passing from defense to offense.

Agudelo, however, has a smaller frame than Altidore and got pushed off the ball a bit, especially when the game grew more physical as it dragged on.

While Agudelo seems to have a good partnership with Shea—evident in the tying goal against Mexico in Klinsmann’s first game—his biggest fault is that he can become a bit individualistic.

Part of it is inexperience but Agudelo holds onto the ball for too long. His decision making isn’t always the best and he has a tendency to try and dribble his way out of trouble. This causes teammates to start standing and watching, draws more defenders to Agudelo and causes turnovers.

Agudelo still has his moments of brilliance and he is dangerous when he slips behind the defense. A partnership with Agudelo and Altidore would be one to watch and develop.

But at the current stages of the careers of both players Altidore is the guy who belongs at the top of the depth chart.

Photo Credits.
Jozy Altidore: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Juan Agudelo: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Jürgen Klinsmann and the German feel of the United States Men's National Team

The United States Men’s National Team is going through an identity crisis. All that’s left is changing the flag from red, white and blue to the black, red and gold of Germany.

The signing of Jürgen Klinsmann as head coach of the senior team gives this team an increasingly strong German presence, one that had already begun to develop prior to the new skipper’s arrival.

Klinsmann is a former World Cup winner for Die Mannschaft, as well as a player for a European Championship winning team and a German Footballer of the Year award winner in 1994. He is one of the most famous and well-respected players in Germany’s soccer history. And as a manager he revamped the nation’s playing style and helped them finish third in the 2006 World Cup, when they hosted the tournament.

As he writes in his manifesto, Klinsmann transformed the German National Team into an offensive minded squad; attacking, being aggressive and “proactive”. To help the senior team accomplish this transformation, Klinsmann reached out to many of the German Bundesliga coaches to help implement that style of play throughout the country, creating a national identity through style of play.

It’s a style many USMNT supporters have wished their country would adopt and it seems that Klinsmann plans to implement. And he’s relying on players with strong ties to the German game to introduce it to the rest of the USA.

The team already has midfielder Jermaine Jones. He grew up in Frankfurt-Bonames with his mother and his father was an African-American soldier stationed in Germany. He played professionally in Germany from 2000-2011 before being loaned to EPL side Blackburn Rovers. Jones even made three appearances for the German National Team (under Klinsmann’s assistant-turned head coach Joachim Löw) before using a FIFA rule change to allow him to switch eligibility to the USMNT.

There is also the tantalizing prospect, Timothy Chandler. He was born in Frankfurt—also to an African-American soldier and German mother—lived in Germany his entire life and has played professionally only in Germany. He plays right fullback, but can also play on the wing.

Fans want to see more of Chandler, already labeling him the next starter at right fullback, but he was not named to the Gold Cup roster (left off due to concerns from his club team) and was an injury scratch for the Mexico friendly. Still, he figures to play a large role on the team moving forward.

Also, Steve Cherundolo and Michael Bradley, while they are not German citizens, have played in the Bundesliga during the time of Klinsmann’s influence on the club level.

Don't forget that Klinsmann was also the coach of Bayern Munich when American star Landon Donovan was on loan there in 2009.

All five players were named to Klinsmann’s first roster as head coach of the USMNT, but there’s even more ties to his German background lurking on the team, and they are with some surprising players.

DaMarcus Beasley, Ricardo Clark and Edson Buddle have all thought to be completely out of the National Team picture after the 2010 World Cup. All three, to the shock of many USMNT supporters, have been placed on the 22-man roster for the Mexico friendly, earning a chance to prove their worth to the new coach.

What do all three have in common, other than thought to be finished with the USMNT? They all have played club ball recently in Germany.

Clark has played both midfield and center fullback for Bundesliga 2 side Eintracht Frankfurt and Edson Buddle has scored three goals in 17 league appearances since joining fellow Bundesliga 2 team FC Ingolstadt 04 last summer. Beasley, though he just joined Mexican –side Puebla this summer, was a member of Bundesliga club Hannover 96 the past two seasons.



One would imagine all three are in an “Impress now or forever hold your peace” situation with the USMNT, but it isn’t far-fetched to imagine that their experiences in German soccer have earned them all one last chance.

Don’t expect the parade of German-Americans (or those playing professionally in Germany) to end soon either. Some other options still exist.

Goalkeeper David Yelldell, a German-American who has made one career appearance for the USMNT, signed with Bundesliga club Bayern Leverkusen this summer. He was briefly named the team’s starting goalkeeper in July, although he did not play in the team’s first game of the season. He could emerge as a No. 2 keeper behind incumbent starter Tim Howard.

Alfredo Morales is a 21-year-old German-American defender for Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin. Young players on top-tier teams usually get a good amount of hype from the American soccer media (think Eric Lichaj), so Morales’ name could get mentioned frequently in the upcoming years.

Luis Robles is another goalkeeper who plays in Germany. He plays for Bundesliga 2 team Karlsruher (previously with FC Kaiserslautern) and has made one appearance for the USMNT in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

So Klinsmann (and USMNT fans) wants the team to play more offensive-mindedly, more aggressive and with more technical skill. He wants them to play more like the German National Team. So to do that he’s bringing in players with ties to Germany who have experienced the style of play Germany plays, a style Kilnsmann influenced onto German teams with support from their soccer federation in 2004.

And how bad a model could the German National team be for the United States? Historically they are one of the most successful nations to participate in the FIFA World Cup and have finished third in two straight editions of the tournament (not to mention a second-place finish in 2002, pre-Klinsmann).

The Mexico friendly will usher in a new era for the American team, the “German era”. Now it’s time to see if Klinsmann can replicate that success of Die Mannschaft in the “land of the free and the home of the brave.”

Photo Credits.
Jürgen Klinsmann: AP Photo/Mary Altaffer
Jermaine Jones: AP Photo/Stephan Savoia

Pieces of Jürgen Klinsmann's introduction as USMNT head coach. Video from YouTube.

Is Oguchi Onyewu No Longer a First-Team Choice for the United States?

AP Photo/Elise Amdendola

When the United States took on Canada in their opening match in the Gold Cup on Tuesday, the U.S. put their A-team on the field.

That is, their A-team minus one usual starter: Oguchi Onyewu. The mainstay in the Yanks starting lineup since 2005 was benched for Tuesday’s match.

Onyewu has had Gold Cup success before, scoring an extra time winner in the semifinal match in 2005 and being named to that tournament’s Best XI. However the past two years have not gone smoothly for the mammoth defender, and now his time with the National Team may have come to an end.

Once the cornerstone of the defensive back line, Onyewu’s career has taken a turn for the worse since 2009. He signed with AC Milan, one of the top teams in Italy, in July and has made zero Serie A appearances with the club and only one (brief) Champions League appearance. Much of that lack of playing time stems from an injury suffered with the USMNT.

In an October World Cup Qualifying match against Costa Rica, Onyewu leapt up for a header only to fall in a heap, suffering a patellar tendon rupture in his left knee. He recovered, rehabbed and came back in time for the 2010 World Cup, but with so much time off it was obvious to the media, fans and coach Bob Bradley that “Gooch” was extremely rusty. He started the first game of the group stage, was subbed out of the second one and was benched for the remainder of the tournament.

After the World Cup there were some bright spots that some thought meant he was returning to form. In an October friendly against Poland, wearing the captain’s armband, he scored a goal to put the team ahead 2-1 (they would eventually settle for a draw, 2-2).

In November he got into a skirmish during practice with teammate and world-superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic, which if nothing else, suggested that the big man still had some fight left in him.

Then in January he was loaned to Dutch club FC Twente, where he was a regular in the starting lineup, albeit at left fullback rather than his normal central defense position. Still, the playing time was what everyone thought he needed.

However after he started the recent team’s friendly against Spain (when they were thrashed, 4-0) Onyewu was benched for the first game of a very important Gold Cup.

People have been highly critical of Onyewu in the past two years. He has looked slow, out of sync with the rest of his team and unfit. He has had opportunities with the National Team to prove to the coaching staff that he has recovered but he has not looked comfortable on the field in the majority of games.

Finally Bradley has benched him, and his status with the National Team does not look good. In a game featuring the USMNT’s top lineup, Onyewu was benched in favor of Clarence Goodson and Tim Ream.

Goodson is a tall defender who is very good in the air, gets forward on set pieces and scores as well as Onyewu did in his prime and is a key player for his club team.

Ream is considered to be the next big thing for the U.S. defense. He is very calm and poised on the ball. His best skill is his passing ability out of the backfield. This allows for the team to actually obtain possession and gets the transition going the other way going much faster and smoother. Thos two things are instrumental in the USMNT’s scheme and helping the team improve against some of the better teams in the world.

Also on the depth chart is Jay DeMerit, a tenacious defender with a very good work ethic (currently recovering from an injury) and prospects Omar Gonzalez and Ike Opara. Maurice Edu played the position in the 2008 Olympics, Jonathan Spector can play any position along the back line and other players with National Team experience (Ricardo Clark, Heath Pearce and Marvelle Wynne) have moved positions and are playing centerback for their clubs. There is also the possibility that other young fullbacks that we haven’t heard of yet get hot, much like how Edson Buddle and Herzulez Gomez did before the previous World Cup.

Bob Bradley was patient with Onyewu’s recovery, but now it seems, with other options becoming available, that his patience has worn thin.

There was a time where an average or hurt Onyewu was still head and shoulders the best defender in the U.S. player pool.

If the game against Canada is any indication, those days, as well as his days playing with the first-choice team, are over.

Stop Calling for a Soccer Savior in the United States

Editorial

I recently read an article that asked if Juan Agudelo was the savior of U.S. soccer. The thought behind the piece began, as it always does, listing the names of players who have not lived up to expectations but that maybe this time we had found the one.

Agudelo is an impressive player, and hopefully he continues to play well. But this style of writing needs to end. It’s lazy writing and accomplishes nothing. It is in fact the type of writing that makes the audience resent the media: building a character up in order to tear him down even harder.

The article linked to above isn’t the only one that deploys this technique, it is just the most recent I’ve seen. The names of “failures” are the typical ones mentioned: Charlie Davies, Jozy Altidore, Eddie Johnson and, of course, Freddy Adu. This isn’t to say they haven’t been disappointing, or that we shouldn’t expect more from them. But why must every young, talented American soccer player be a savior? The writers make knee-jerk reactions to good and are just as quick to criticize and devalue through times that are not as fortunate.

The first problem with the “soccer savior” story is how it originates. Far too often a potential savior is pulled from an extremely small sample size.

The majority of Juan Agudelo’s mainstream hype has come from an entire three games with the U.S National Team; his third appearance against Argentina in March was, at the time, one more game than he had played in with the New York Red Bulls total. Jozy Altidore made 43 total appearances with the Red Bulls, his first professional club team. That’s just over one full MLS season. Eddie Johnson’s most impressive run with the National Team was for his seven goals in six World Cup qualifiers. And Freddy Adu, he never played in a professional match in his life when the media firestorm anointed him the chosen one.

How can greatness be judged in a handful of games? You can learn some things about a player, but his eventual career path has so many active variables that you just can never tell that soon. The media justifies these responses by saying things like, “The American public is hungry for its own soccer superstar.” Really, it is sports writers hungry for a quick easy story. One that is framed around little information and could very well turn out wrong, but even then it would create another story.

There is a good reason the sample size is so small—the age of the players. Adu and Altidore are 21-years-old, Davies is 24 and Agudelo is only 18. Johnson is the oldest of the aforementioned players, at 27, but even so the tipping point of his success came roughly seven years ago (making Johnson a mere 20-years-old).

The point is all these players burst onto the scene at a very young age—they couldn’t even legally buy a beer. Yes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney became superstars at equally young ages and have become the biggest name in the sport. But that doesn’t mean that if these American players haven’t reached their peak at the same age then they are failures.

For starters the youth development programs in the country are notoriously not as strong as those overseas. Places like the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida and MLS academies are helping to close the gap, but it’s not there yet. Therefore it takes more time for players to properly develop.

Bob Bradley, the head coach of the USMNT, has brought players like Altidore, Adu and Agudelo in for developmental purposes. In order to make the team more successful (and in doing so helping the sport become more popular in the country) Bradley’s philosophy was to make the available player pool deeper. That has meant expanding the pool to bring in younger players and bring them along at the senior level. Some, like Agudelo, flourish in the early stages. It is a process, however.



By no means is Agudelo a complete player because of his good showings in three international matches. And Adu not making a World Cup team thus far does not mean he never will. There is still a lot of time for both of these players to hit their primes and until then they will be learning the game, improving their skills and becoming good soccer players, regardless of the superstardom they achieve.

One thing that halts these players is the moves they make in the transfer seasons. With a little help from the media hype that surrounds them, the players’ profiles grow attracting them to big name teams. They move but are not ready to see the field and get buried on the bench.

Bought by Fulham in 2008, Johnson has only made 20 total appearances for the English Premier League club. He’s been loaned out three separate times. Altidore, after signing with Spanish giant Villareal, is on his third loan and Adu is on his fourth loan from parent club Benfica in Portugal.

The problem is that the players aren’t allowed to develop at the proper rates. Even the teams they are loaned to are in top flight leagues around the world and are looking to win games, not develop other team’s talents.

While these young players are training at high levels and learning what it means to be a professional, at the end of the day they have to crack the lineup and see the field. Otherwise they are no longer fit for games, their confidence gets shaken and they get rusty, dulling their once dazzling talents.

Then the media swoon over them like vultures, declaring their careers all but over.

The media is not at fault for player’s choosing the wrong team to transfer to. But for some reason the lack of proper time to develop gets lost in the coverage.

There is nothing wrong with being excited for a young player’s success. And if that player will help lead soccer to a higher status on and off the pitch then that’s great. But expectations need to be kept in
check.

The soccer savior theme needs to be put to an end. It’s beyond hyperbole now, it’s a cliché. Anytime a young player has a good run of form, even for only a handful of games, he becomes the new flavor of the week. And then when the hot streak cools and the player must work through adversity—an essential part of a player’s development—the media turns their back on him, labeling him a failure.

It’s a tired form of writing and accomplishes nothing other than squeezing as many headlines out of a buzz worthy player as possible. It makes it look like writers are not out to cover the beautiful game but rather essentially create and manipulate their own stories.

Besides, with the USMNT improving its quality of play on the pitch, MLS becoming a financially stable establishment and pure interest in the global game on the rise (i.e. sales for the FIFA video game, TV ratings for the World Cup and English Premier League matches) is a savior really needed?

Photo Credits.
Juan Agudelo and Teal Bunbury: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Freddy Adu: AP Photo/Nick Wass

Americans Make Big Moves During Transfer Window

The January transfer window was an active one, especially for members of the United States Men’s National Team.

Some big names made big splashes in the market, and many made moves in search of more playing time. Michael Bradley’s loan to Aston Villa was the most publicized of any change of teams for Americans and Freddy Adu has found another new team to try and break into.

Then there are the unlucky Americans, the ones who needed a change, or were rumored to switch teams, but nothing panned out for them.

Here’s a look at the pros and cons of the biggest American moves (and non-moves) that went down during the transfer window.

Jonathan Bornstein: to UANL Tigres, leaving Chivas USA

Pros: The Mexican league is slightly better than MLS. The teams are deeper and the rosters aren’t as restrictive as those in MLS. So playing against some tough competition should definitely help the left back.

It also helps that he gets experience playing in Mexico, a place the USMNT has a lot of trouble winning in.

Cons: Mexico isn’t that much of an improvement over the United States. For a guy who started a number of games for the USMNT in World Cup qualifying, the Confederations Cup and the World Cup the move isn’t one that gets a lot of people’s attention. You wonder how little did he showcase himself?

Verdict: Bornstein had done everything he was going to with Chivas and Tigres is better than some other suitors he’s had (Maccabi Tel-Aviv). He isn’t moving to a bad league by any means, and just changing scenery will re-energize him and make him compete just a bit more.

Eddie Johnson: to Preston North End via Fulham (loan)

Pros: Like a lot of guys on this list, playing time was a big factor in Johnson needing a move. He’s played in 11 games for Fulham this year, 10 of them as a sub. That number is three more than the amount of games he had previously played for the team since joining them in 2008.

He’s done alright for Fulham in the limited action he’s gotten this season and hopefully he can ride a little bit of momentum to Preston.

Cons: He just hasn’t had any luck in Europe. He’s bounced around a lot, not ready to become a full-time member for Fulham and not good enough that any of the teams that he’s been loaned out to have wanted to keep him.

He did ok in Cardiff City, playing in 30 league games (25 as a sub), scored two goals and added four assists. Those numbers aren’t great though. He just hasn’t been able to really catch on anywhere.

Verdict: Johnson burst onto the USMNT scene scoring four goals in his first two appearances, but since his breakout year of 2005 things have gone incredibly slowly for him, mostly because of his unsettled club situation. Who knows if he’ll ever get on the field—let alone score—with any regularity, but Preston doesn’t seem like a bad place to try.

Kenny Cooper: to Portland Timbers, leaving 1860 Munich

Pros: Since arriving at Munich in 2009, Cooper made only 15 total appearances for the club across all competitions and he got on the field only seven times as a substitute when he was loaned to Plymouth Argyle. Over those 22 games he scored only three times.

In MLS he will not only be playing regularly once again, but he returns to the league where he was one of the hottest scorers. In 90 league appearances with FC Dallas he scored 40 goals, including 25 goals in his final 45 games.

Cons: Cooper will be coming back to the States with much less confidence then when he left. Every situation is different, and Cooper’s trek to Germany didn’t go over well. It happens. But athletes have a sense of pride in their abilities and Cooper will be coming back having been served a bit of humility.

Verdict: Cooper made a good move to come back to MLS. At one point fans were clamoring for him to get a call-up to the National Team, but now they seem to have moved on. It’s time for Cooper to get back on track and he will get that opportunity in Portland.



Edson Buddle: to FC Ingolstadt, leaving Los Angeles Galaxy

Pros: His paycheck is much bigger now. Going from the salary cap-hindered MLS, to the free-spending scene in Europe, Buddle will earn much more for his services.

Also, Ingolstadt is a club struggling mightily on the offensive end of the field, so if he can keep up the scoring pace he had with the Galaxy in 2010, the team will need him on the field.

Cons: The German Bundesliga 2 is not in any way better competition than MLS. It’s actually a step below. Not only is the league not as good, but his team is in the relegation zone, so it’s a bad team in a league that isn’t that good. He’s lessening his value there.

Verdict: The allure of Europe is strong to any player, and sometimes you have to start in a lower division and move your way up. It looks like Buddle took advantage of maybe his only chance at a big payday in spite of the level of competition.

Robbie Findley: to Nottingham Forest, leaving Real Salt Lake

Pros: 2010 was a rough year for Findley. After finishing 2009 as the leading scorer for MLS champion Real Salt Lake, he lost his touch in 2010, scoring only six goals in 26 games. He was nagged by injuries throughout the MLS season, and even though he was selected for the World Cup roster, he could not find the back of the net, no matter how good some of his chances looked.

He struggled but has enough potential that he still was able to get a transfer to England.

Cons: If he doesn’t rediscover his scoring touch, Findley will wind up on the bench. At least in MLS he would’ve been given the opportunity to play out his struggles.

Verdict: His form hasn’t been anything to be excited about lately, but he does have the skills to bounce back. Maybe he’s been distracted by a potential move to Europe, and now that he has it he’ll be more focused.



Jermaine Jones: to Blackburn via Schalke (loan)

Pros: Jones went from the dog house at Schalke to being revered at Blackburn. He went from the bench to starting in his debut. The team had been looking for a defensive midfielder for some time and manager Steve Kean has praised him.

Also playing in England will allow Jones to sharpen his English, which will help him further integrate himself with the USMNT.

Cons: None.

Verdict: Jones may have secured the best move among American players this winter. He’s gone to a team that really wants and needs him and he’s performed well in the early going. He’s a tough player and should enjoy a good tenure with the club, which also has an option to buy him.

Benny Feilhaber: stayed at AGF Aarhus

Pros: He stays comfortable at a club for which he has shined for all season.

Cons: Feilhaber needs a new challenge. Aarhus is only in Denmark’s First Division, so the competition isn’t as good. He’s proven himself on this level and he needs to move on.

Verdict: Feilhaber is falling on the midfield depth chart for the USMNT and he needs to be playing against better competition to continue to prove himself. He will most assuredly need to move on this summer.

Eric Lichaj: stayed at Aston Villa

Pros: Lichaj, only 22-years-old, is still young and has time to improve. By staying at Villa, he will get to train day-in and day-out with a good EPL side.

Cons: After enjoying a nice five-game stretch being featured in the team’s lineup, and playing pretty well, Lichaj has quickly moved back to the bench. The decision is a little curious. That being said, if Lichaj is going to continue to sit the bench, it would be better to have him at least loaned somewhere where he can get consistent minutes.

Verdict: He’s young, but promising. He’s shown well when he’s appeared for both club and country, so more playing time for him would be nice. For his sake, hopefully a loan can be worked out in the future.

Landon Donovan: staying at Los Angeles Galaxy

Pros: He finally gets to rest. Donovan has been playing nonstop for the past few years, playing for the Galaxy, for the USMNT (in the Confederations Cup and World Cup) and two winter loans. He’s been at it every month it seems, so it’s good for Donovan to take some time to sit back and recharge the batteries.

Cons: Donovan has proved to be one of, if not the best, player for both club and country. After two successful winter loans it’s time for him to take the next step—a full transfer.

Verdict: Donovan has said since the end of the MLS season he needed to rest and wasn’t going anywhere this winter. Expect a move this summer.



Oguchi Onyewu: to FC Twente via AC Milan (loan)

Pros: He finally escaped the Milan bench. He signed with the club in 2009 but has yet to make a league appearance for them (his patellar tendon injury in World Cup qualifying was brutal to his status at the club).

He started and played in his debut for the Twente, so as long as he’s healthy he’ll likely be on the field for them.

Cons: Twente played Onyewu at left fullback. While he did fine for the team, and the USMNT is definitely hurting for a player to man that position, there is no way Onyewu will be the answer there. He doesn’t have the speed to cover the fast wings on the international level, so while it’s nice he’s playing it’s not at a position that he’ll help his country at.

Also, he’s so rusty he injured himself in the second game he played at Twente. He says it is not a serious injury, but the man has a lot of cobwebs to shake out.

Verdict: The move was an absolutely necessary one. Many wonder if Onyewu is really in Milan’s plans, so it’s good he’s someplace else for the rest of the season. If he’s healthy, he’ll play and that really is the most important thing for him right now.

Brad Guzan: to Hull City via Aston Villa (loan)

Pros: Guzan escapes Brad Friedel’s shadow and finally gets his turn to start. He’s been the No.2 for the USMNT without starting a league game since he left Chivas USA in 2008. Now he’s started five games in a row for Hull City, and he’s fared pretty well.

Cons: The loan was originally only for a month, but it has since been extended for another month. That’s a short time to enjoy the spotlight of starting between the pipes. At the end of February he’ll be back to the back at Villa.

Even before then, previous starter Vito Mannone could return for injury and Guzan would have to compete with him for the starting spot.

Verdict: Guzan needed this move. The only other thing he could have asked for was for a longer loan. Friedel’s been rumored to be leaving the club soon though, so he may finally get his chance at Villa sooner rather than later.

Freddy Adu: to Rizespor via Benfica (loan)

Pros: He actually has a team now. Benfica didn’t want him. Aris, the team he actually was still on loan with, didn’t want him. He trialed with Sion, Randers and Ingoldstadt but none of those teams wanted him either.

So someone finally put him on their roster. That’s a plus in his career considering the way things have been going.

Cons: Rizespor is in the second level of the Turkish soccer—not a talented league at all. It’s an improvement he’s on a team, but he could’ve easily come back to MLS and been playing at a much higher level.

What made him think Rizespor was the place he needed to be is an interesting anecdote we’d all like to know.

Verdict: One has to wonder how far Adu’s career has slid so far down to wind up at Rizespor, but you can’t hate on it too much, it is a roster spot. Let’s see if they actually play him.



Jozy Altidore: to Bursaspor via Villarreal (loan)

Pros: Unlike Adu, Altidore wound up in turkey’s highest division, which is a very talented league. Bursaspor is a talented team and Alitdore has a good possibility to get a lot more playing time than he was at Villarreal.

Cons: Playing time won’t just be handed to him. Bursaspor doesn’t have the stable of forwards that Villarreal did, but they do have guys in the mix. They also acquired Scottish international striker Kenny Miller and they still have their previous forwards.

Altidore has played well enough, but he’s struggled to score at all levels since his loan to Hull City last season. He’s going to need to pick up the pace.

Verdict: If Altidore can secure more playing time, it’s a good move. He’s been steadily, quietly, improving, but it won’t mean anything until he’s scoring goals. The move is a good one.

Michael Bradley: to Aston Villa via Borussia Monchengladbach (loan)

Pros: Bradley leaves the basement of the German Bundesliga to the EPL. His career continues to move upwards and this is the latest step up. Aston Villa has had its troubles in central midfield so Bradley should get his opportunities, especially since manager Gerard Houllier has been interested in him since the World Cup.

Cons: It’s the biggest league in soccer and Bradley isn’t going to be handed anything. Aston Villa brought in Jean Makoun and still has Stiliyan Petrov and Nigel Reo-Coker, despite their struggles. So he’ll have competition and he’ll have to push himself to come out on top and stay there.

Verdict: This is a fantastic opportunity for Bradley as he continues his rise to soccer stardom. He’ll have to work hard, but that’s never been an issue for Bradley. It’s an exciting move and a well deserved one.

Photo Credits.
Michael Bradley: AP Photo/Hassan Ammar
Edson Buddle: AP Photo/Elise Amendola
Jermaine Jones: AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Oguchi Onyewu: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Jozy Altidore: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

New York Red Bulls Have Two of America's Brightest Young Stars

The New York Red Bulls have had success developing superb talents that become big contributors for the United States Men’s National Team. USMNT first-team regulars Tim Howard, Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore all spent the entirety of their MLS careers with the franchise before moving on to bigger things in Europe.

The team may have two more names to add to that list.

After Saturday night’s friendly against Chile, current Red Bulls Tim Ream and Juan Agudelo continued their sharp form and further established themselves on the international stage.

Both players earned their second cap for the USMNT and impressed many.

Ream, who started and played every single minute for the Red Bulls in his rookie season, went the full-90 for the Americans. His composure and communication skills, for the most part, were good.

What was best though, and what drew a lot of attention during the MLS season, was his passing ability from the back. Ream does a good job seeing the field and getting the ball out cleanly. The good attack in the run of play that led to the penalty kick started with a Ream pass up the field.

There is a strong group of center backs ahead of Ream on the depth chart, but his performances in MLS and the last two friendlies with the USA have been good. He’s not far off the pace and those ahead of him are older, making Ream a real possibility for the 2014 World Cup. One thing he has done recently is move ahead of Omar Gonzalez as the better center back prospect, although the two do make a good combination that hopefully can grow together.

The player that drew the penalty kick to set up the equalizer against Chile was teen-sensation forward Juan Agudelo. He stole the spotlight in the friendly against South Africa in November, scoring in the 85th minute.

Against Chile, he came on as a substitute in the 60th minute and, along with fellow youngster Teal Bunbury, really provided a spark to a stalling US attack. Like Ream and Gonzalez, Agudelo and Bunbury are developing a good chemistry together (some are comparing their rise to the recent pairing of Altidore and Charlie Davies).



Agudelo is strong when dribbling at someone and can either play up top or out wide on the wing. The Red Bulls—where Agudelo was a rookie/home-grown player this past season—attempted to bring him on slowly, but when they started him in the final two games of the regular season and both playoff games, those plans quickly changed.

Each time he has stepped onto the pitch, be it for club or country, the excitement level of the fan base grows. The difficulty for the Red Bulls, as well as Bob Bradley (more so with Agudelo than Ream) will be tempering expectations with his development. There is still a lot of room to grow and it is important that his development not get stunted with lofty expectations and ill-advised transfers.

For the Red Bulls, Agudelo should join Ream in the starting lineup in 2011. On the field they will provide lots of energy and creative talent going forward.

Off the field, as their status with the USMNT improves, their marketability will do the same. Add them to main attractions Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez and the Red Bulls should be able to pack the stadium.

There are a couple of concerns, however. Firstly, the question often asked is how much longer the Red Bulls will be lucky enough to deploy these two talented players. Young and skilled, transfer rumors will swirl and, eventually, the two will follow in the footsteps of players like Howard, Altidore and Bradley and take their games to the next level.

From what Red Bull ownership is saying, that time is still a couple of years away though, and until that day comes the team should just focus on doing the best they can while they have these talents.

Also, as they secure their spots on the national team they will frequently be unavailable to the club during the season. For example, the CONCACAF Gold Cup will be played this summer, overlapping with the MLS regular season. Both have an outside shot of making the squad and if they do they will leave the team for the duration of the tournament.

The Red Bulls—as is the whole league—are no stranger to losing players to international duty, however, so they do know how to handle the situation.

What is most important is that the team currently holds two of the brightest young soccer stars in America and they will be strong contributors to the club trying to win its first championship in the history of the franchise.

Photo Credits.
Juan Agudelo: AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
Tim Ream: AP Photo/Rich Schultz

Oguchi Onyewu Gets Mean Again

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

At the beginning of the summer of 2009, Oguchi Onyewu was enjoying a wildly successful soccer career. He was a mainstay in the U.S. Men’s National Team starting defense and he completed a transfer to Italian giants AC Milan.

Things haven’t gone smoothly since then.

He has made only two appearances with Milan—a friendly against Club America in the World Football Challenge and a Champions League game against Zurich, both losses—injured his patellar tendon in a World Cup qualifier and even though he made the World Cup roster he was benched after the first two games.

He still hasn’t been able to find the field for Milan.

However a spark of life has been injected into Onyewu.

He was named captain for the U.S. in an October friendly against Colombia, a testament to his hard work and perseverance during his rehab. More recently, the physicality of Gooch’s game returned.

Onyewu was involved in a scuffle on Milan’s training ground with top striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. According to reports, Onyewu was upset by a reckless tackle from the Swede and responding by choking him, followed by punches being thrown.

Club vice president Adriano Galliani told reporters, “I'm happy when I see players pumped up. I'm happier seeing fiery training sessions than boring ones.”

While the violence is not something that should be taken lightly, Onyewu was a force in the U.S. lineup because of his size—at 6’4” he is the tallest field player to play for the National Team—strength and his physicality. He is famous for his takedown and ensuing stare down of Mexico striker Jared Borghetti.

Frustrations may have taken Onyewu to the edge, but he needs that edge. He needed to remind the soccer world that he is a physical force to be reckoned with. Onyewu needs to establish his presence on the pitch and if this fight makes Onyewu more aggressive on the field, than it isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

He is the best center back in the U.S.’ player pool. However he hasn’t played like it. It’s time to get that mean streak back in him. Hopefully, the fight means that he isn’t putting up with being a bench warmer anymore, that he’s taking action.

A determined, angry, and physical Gooch means a strong centerpiece to the United States defense.

Video from YouTube, talks about Onyewu's strengths (his strength and physicality) and shows the stare down with Borghetti.

Who's Next?

One of the more positive things that Bob Bradley did in his first four years as manager of the U.S. National Team was to expand the player pool.

He brought in an abundance of players to friendlies and competition matches, and a relatively large number of players earned their first caps under him.

Now in his next World Cup cycle, you can expect more of the same from Bradley. Since the World Cup, Omar Gonzalez, Brek Shea, Eric Lichaj and Jermaine Jones have earned their first appearances for the Stars and Stripes.

Bringing in new players does two things. For one, you give plenty of players the honor of representing their country and in doing so you can unearth some real talent that can develop and help in some big competitions.

Also, even if they don’t project to be World Cup-roster players, in smaller tournaments and friendlies they can give guys like Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey rest without jeopardizing a win, or at least a positive result.

The following is a list of ten players that could soon be making their first appearance for the National Team.

David Yelldell

With Marcus Hahnehmann contemplating international retirement, it would be time to really test the depth of the goalkeeper pool.

Yeldell has been the first choice keeper for MSV Duisburg in the German 2.Bundesliga. He has two shutouts on the season and another in the first round game of the DFB Pokal match.

The team is 5-2 on the season and Yeldell has a 0.86 goals against average.
He is 29-years-old and doesn’t project to be a player for the long-term, but he has showed good form and could come in handy getting spot starts, providing relief to the top two of Tim Howard and Brad Guzan.

Yelldell has duel eligibility with Germany, so while it is unsure whether he will accept an invitation to play with the United States, it could be good to get him cap-tied.

Sean Johnson

Johnson is a long-term project. A Generation Adidas player for the Chicago Fire, he has impressed early on in MLS.

Projected in the beginning of the season as a reserve, he has assumed the number one goalkeeper role in Chicago. He has started 12 games and has three shutouts. While, to the surprise of some, the Fire has struggled, and it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Johnson himself, he has showed tremendous athleticism, making some impressive saves.

He stole the show in the five DP matchup with the New York Red Bulls, keeping Juan Pablo Angel, Thierry Henry and the rest of the Red Bulls from scoring. He was rewarded with the first of his back-to-back MLS Save of the Week awards.

Johnson is far from an established product, but he does figure to be a part of the youth team that will look to qualify for the 2012 Olympic team and he could quickly make his way to getting some senior team action.

Michael Stephens

The rookie midfielder from UCLA has been a good find for former U.S. National Team head coach Bruce Arena and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

While Landon Donovan, Edson Buddle, and David Beckham get the majority of the attention for that team, Stephens has quietly put together a solid rookie campaign.
A playmaker in the midfielder he is second on the team, behind only Donovan, in assists with eight.

Stephens’ productivity has slowed down a little as the season wears on, but he still provides quality on the wing.

It also doesn’t hurt that he’s learning from one of the best players in the nation’s history in Donovan.



Jeff Larentowicz

While central midfield is a position of gluttony for the United States, Larentowicz has earned his chance to put on a USA jersey.

He is a durable, hard-working player who improves every season. He is ninth in the New England Revolution record books in games started (103) and minutes played (9,305).

He is another player that had a chance when he was called-up to last year’s winter camp, but a knee injury forced him to be unable to complete camp.

This year with the Colorado Rapids he is tied for first in games played (28), second in minutes and even as a defensive-midfielder he is third in goals.

Sean Franklin

Another Galaxy player to get thrown into the Senior National Team mix, Franklin has been called up twice but has yet to appear in a game, the when he withdrew from camp because of an injury.

The former MLS Rookie of the Year has six assists this year. He is overshadowed on defense by Omar Gonzalez, but he has helped rejuvenate a once extremely poor Galaxy defense.

He’s another outside fullback that can push into the attack, and if he can stay healthy he should finally get his first cap sometime relatively soon.

Mikkel Diskerud

The 20-year-old Norwegian-American midfielder has played well this season for Stabek IF. He has contributed early, doling out two assists one week, following that up by scoring a game-winning goal the next. In 47 league-appearances since 2008, he has scored seven goals.

At 18, he played in a UEFA Champions League match. He worked his way from the bench to the starting lineup.

Marcus Tracy

The 2008 Hermann Trophy winner for being the nation’s most outstanding college player, and 2007 College Cup winner, should play himself into some call-ups for the National Team this World Cup cycle.

The striker currently is recovering from a calf injury, and in 15 league appearances for Aalborg has only scored twice, but he is still developing. He has showed promising signs though.

In his first game in the Danish Superliga he scored the game-winning goal.

Last winter he earned a call-up to the National Team’s training camp, but withdrew before the team’s friendly against Honduras because of an injury.

He is certainly talented and there is no reason to believe he won’t get more looks in the near future.

Tim Ream



A lot of folks were surprised when the New York Red Bulls drafted this Saint Louis University center back in the second-round of the MLS Draft. But head coach Hans Backe said that he felt Ream could eventually be a national team player.

He’s not only made Hans Backe look like a genius, but Bob Bradley has spoken very highly of the rookie recently.

Ream has started and played every single minute for a Red Bulls squad that has given up only 27 goals in 28 games, fourth best in the league.

He has good poise and the ball and is known for his strong passing game out of the backfield.

Many in the soccer community see Ream as a strong National Team candidate for the 2014 World Cup and he will be making his debut sooner rather than later.

Chris Wondolowski

Edson Buddle got on the World Cup roster thanks to his blistering hot start to the MLS season. He’s still the league leader in goals but Wondolowski, another striker, has been even more impressive.

Wondolowski, a two-time MLS Player of the Week, sits in second place in goals scored with 14 but it isn’t just how many he’s scored, it’s when he scores them. He leads the league in game-winning goals with eight.

His San Jose Earthquakes surprisingly clinched a playoff spot, which has made Wondolowski mentioned as a possible MVP candidate.

With a thin striker pool, Wondolowski has certainly done enough to earn a look.

Hunter Freeman

His club teammate, Clarence Goodson, at I.K. Start in Norway has played some brilliant soccer lately and continues to be further involved with the U.S. National Team. However Hunter, the other American defender for Start has also been an anchor on the backline.

He has played in 24 of the team’s 26 matches and routinely goes the entire 90 minutes. And while he may not be the goal scoring threat Goodson has proved to be, Freeman is comfortable pushing forward and getting involved in the attack and can play some midfield as well.

He’s in form and he also has gotten time with some of the youth national teams, notably with the U-23 team that qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

He has played well alongside Goodson, and it is time to finally give Freeman a go with the senior side to see what he can do.

Photo Credits.
Wondolowski: AP Photo/Stew Milne
Larentowicz: AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Ream: AP Photo/Rich Schultz