If the Copa America is disgruntled that some teams sent less than their best, the Pan-American games must feel worse.
With the U20 Cup going on, Bob Jenkins is taking an U23 team of college players. Some have previous national team experience (Gonzales, Alston, Hall, Kelly, Myers, Anibaba), but there's not a single pro in the bunch.
GOALKEEPERS (2): Warren Gross (Penn State), Kevin Klasila (Santa Clara University)
DEFENDERS (5): Kevin Alston (Indiana University), Shawn Barry (Miramar, Fla.), Greg Eckhardt (Clemson University), Greg Folk (UCLA), Chance Meyers (UCLA)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Jalil Anibaba (Santa Clara), Danny Barrera (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), TJ Cyrus (Norfolk, Va.), Jeremy Hall (University of Maryland), Dan Kelly (Indiana University), Stephen McCarthy (Santa Clara University), Michael Stephens (UCLA)
FORWARDS (3): Danny Cruz (Glendale, Ariz.), Omar Gonzalez (University of Maryland), Peri Marosevic (University of Michigan)
On the women's side, Jill Ellis is leading a young team, while other countries, such as Mexico, are taking the full national team.
GOALKEEPERS (2): Chantel Jones (Virginia), Alyssa Naeher (Penn State);
DEFENDERS (5): Lauren Barnes (Upland, Calif.), Kaley Fountain (Wake Forest), Nikki Marshall (Colorado), Brittany Taylor (Connecticut), Lauren Wilmoth (UCLA);
MIDFIELDERS (5): Becky Edwards (Florida State), Tobin Heath (North Carolina), Teresa Noyola (Palo Alto, Calif.) Nikki Washington (North Carolina), Kylie Wright (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.).
FORWARDS (6): Lauren Cheney (UCLA), Gina DiMartino (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) Michelle Enyeart (Portland), Jessica McDonald (Phoenix College), Casey Nogueira (North Carolina), Kelley O’Hara (Stanford)
The team with the most quality might be the one most Americans are completely unaware of - the fustal squad.
GOALKEEPERS (2): Nick Vorberg (Milwaukee Wave), Brett Phillips (Milwaukee Wave)
DEFENDERS (3): Pat Morris (Philadelphia KiXX), Joe Hammes (Milwaukee Wave), Troy Dusosky (Milwaukee Wave)
MIDFIELDERS (4): Jamar Beasley (Detroit Ignition), John Ball (Rochester Raging Rhinos - USL1), Matt Stewart (Chicago Storm), Denison Cabral (Baltimore Blast)
FORWARDS (3): Don D'Ambra (Philadephia KiXX), Enrique Tovar (California Cougars), Lee Tschantret (Baltimore Blast)
Players to watch on the teams: Well, Anibaba nearly made the U20 squad, so he's an up and comer. On the women's side, Teresa Noyala is one of the best young players I've seen in a while. On the futsal team, Jamar Beasley (yes, he's DaMarcus' brother) is an exciting player.
9 comments:
I'm surprised they're not sending young mls players like Kirk who don't see much action with their teams and didn't get to go to with the u-20.
WOW! Kevin Klasila just graduated from the high school I attend. I was shocked to see his name there right at the top of the roster.
I find it amazing that an incoming freshman keeper that probably won't even start in his first year at Santa Clara (or maybe he will?) has made the US U-23 team, even if it is a depleted one. Thanks for posting this, Andrea!
By the way, what exactly are the Pan-American games? Kind of like a CONCACAF U-23 competition?
A little unfair to lump Mexico in there for taking its full team when the US is taking its third stringers and beyond to the Women's Pan-Am games, after all the women are in lead up to the World Cup and Mexico didn't make the tourney. Add in that the US women are sending some pretty good players to this tournament in spite of being in the run-ups to Women's World Cup.
As for the men, I say this is a definite plus to be able to field three and four and five major tournament teams (u-17s, u-20s, u-23s, Men's A-Gold Cup, Men's B/C-Copa America, Futsal) all in one summer when I can recall (I'm still a youngin' at 33) when we only had enough class players to field one of these teams at a time, let alone compete in major tournaments.
It's about time we start using our human resources like this and testing players at the higher levels and giving them experience earlier and earlier to bring the best and strongest talent to the table when it really counts.
Canada is sending their full women's team to the Pan-Am games as well. They're using the tournament as a warm-up to the World Cup (and perhaps as a possible consolation trophy) so it's not as if Mexico is the only one bringing a strong full team.
As far as MLS players not going, I think the league looked at Gold Cup Copa America, the U20s and said, "Forget asking for our players for anything else!"
Kirk may not be a starter, but he definitely gets playing time with the Galaxy.
The men's tournament was actually changed to a U-20 tournament. The CONMEBOL teams are only sending U-17 squads.
http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/news/story?id=552522&s=fut&type=story
They're also allowed three overage players, so it's a little like the Olympic-style set-up.
Kevin Klasila does start for SCU as a freshman.
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