Home On The Range

The Galaxy have signed Robbie Keane, making their current Designated Player striker, Juan Pablo Angel, a disposable asset. 

Of course, the move didn't come from out of the blue. The Galaxy need a forward who can be effective, or the club probably won't survive the playoffs. Angel wasn't much of a force for the Galaxy at all. Normally, bringing in an overseas striker for a proven MLS performer isn't the best move, but Angel's production dropped off a cliff when he joined the Los Angeles squad. 

Luis had a theory earlier in the season that Angel was unsettled because his family remained back East. They finally completed the arrangements to join him, but now he's been traded. 

On the plus side, it looks like Angel is headed across the hallway to join Chivas USA. So perhaps LA's rivals will reap the benefits of an avenging Angel, who certainly didn't seem happy about the trade. 

It's funny how one of Bruce Arena's best coaching moves was to bring Angel to New York, and one of his worst moves was to bring the same player to LA. 

Yet it also seems to be Arena's weakness to hang on to the past glories of certain players for far too long, Jeff Agoos, Claudio Reyna and John O'Brien certainly come to mind. 

Will Keane be a scoring star for the Galaxy? Meh, the fantasy of a big name player joining MLS and tearing up the league simply doesn't happen very often. About the last time it worked out was with Angel.

The Fun of it All

As someone who knew Luis when he was very overweight, I've seen first hand his transformation and have gotten occasional glimpses into the effort losing so many pounds entailed. Of course, that doesn't mean I have a true inkling of how much blood, sweat and tears all of it took. I'm still working on my first marathon (hopefully in Luis' pace group) scheduled for next year. 

Yet as much as I respect Luis for putting in the work required to change his life to a healthier one, and as much as I believe Bob Bradley is an excellent ideal for the discipline that leads to effective results, I can't help but think there's more to the beautiful game than working hard. 

That's honestly what encouraged me the most about watching Klinsmann in his first USA game as coach. "Grinsy Klinsy" has been teased about his enjoyment of the sport and of life itself, before, but it's both an infectious and important reminder to see his enthusiasm for the game. 

Bradley's intensity was impressively intense. Then again, there's a reason why the word "tense" is part of "intense". 

I'm not saying there wasn't a lighthearted side to Bradley. He's human, and actually has a clever sense of humor. His moments of levity as a coach probably had more effect on the squad partly because something special is by definition a bit rare.

Yet Bradley was definitely all about the work, and that was the mantra he continuously preached to players. 

The reason that didn't always sit well with me is that I fell in love with soccer not because of love for the industry and effort the sport required, though I respect the running and stamina the non-stop action demands. But what I love are the creative, special moments. I marvel at the players who have the skill to dance with the ball, the intuition to find a teammate with a no-look pass, the precision to bury a cross into the net with one touch. I cheer for daring dribbling against multiple opponents,  fearless diving headers, bicycle kicks, slick rabonas, the Cuauhtemina, the Cryuff turn, the bending freekicks, the cheeky shots through the legs.

What most encouraged me about Klinsmann's debut in the USA - Mexico friendly was seeing how he simply enjoyed the game and communicated that to his players. Klinsmann didn't just nod at the USA players who came off the field, acknowledging their effort. His genuine enthusiasm communicated to each player personal affirmation, appreciation and a whole, "ain't this grand?" vibe.

I didn't see a cohesive, mature and disciplined USA squad versus Mexico, but there was energy, especially in the second half. Most of all, there was a freedom, an exploratory nature, to their attack at that point. Yes, it needs to be less random to be effective, but it was still encouraging to see. 

"Attacking, fearless, and fun" is what I texted to a former player who asked me what I'd seen to like about the USA in the match. 

"Fun is the key word" he texted back. 

I think it really is. Inspiration is too often overlooked as a coaching criteria. Soccer is a creative game, and to really play well, one must love to play and have fun with the ball. The USA isn't going to get better at the beautiful game simply by having more young players turn pro at a younger age. It's going to take more players kicking the ball around by themselves, trying crazy tricks and turns, dancing with the ball, taking almost-impossible shots again and again, putting in the work without ever thinking of it as work, learning and growing through the sheer fun of it all. 

Klinsmann fell in love with the sport like that, and he still retains some of that spark. Hopefully, he can use that spark to light a fire in USA soccer.

Up Next For USMNT

It's not often the US national team comes around these parts, around SoCal.

Sure, Home Depot Center gets a friendly once a year, but that's in January after a weeks-long camp that usually features a bunch of new faces. While those friendlies can be entertaining, it's tough to watch the US play international friendlies on FIFA dates (with full teams) as well as World Cup qualifying matches and other meaningful games in far-flung destinations around the country.

This year has been a bit of a treat for local US fans. Okay, maybe it's not as much of a treat to have watched the U.S. lose to Mexico in the Gold Cup final but the chance to watch the U.S. play in the final of a tournament isn't one that comes around that often.

And neither is the chance to watch a strong U.S. team at Home Depot Center.

Such is the case on Sept. 2 when the U.S. hosts Costa Rica at Home Depot Center. Since it's a FIFA date, US coach Jurgen Klinsmann will have the option of calling in his full side for the match.

But some were trying to take this joy away from local US fans. Some were suggesting that Klinsmann call in a team of MLS players to play in this match and then call in a team of European-based players for the came in Belgium, slated for Sept. 6.

Thankfully, Klinsmann put that to rest. After the Mexico match, Klinsmann said he would use the same team for both games.

It just makes sense. He had, what?, two training sessions, three maybe, to handle the US before a game against Mexico, changed things around nevertheless and came away with a 1-1 result and, more importantly, a strong sense that things were changing for the better.

This will be a chance for Klinsmann now to spend some more time with the team, to further instill his system, his style, his tactics and to help the team grow and develop. Why not call in the same team for both games?

I get the travel is long and the flights are tough from Europe to Southern California. But oh well. They're big boys, they can deal with it. Chalk that up to job hazards. Besides, the players will have Sunday to travel and Monday to get adjusted. It won't be the first transatlantic flight for those guys. Tuesday would be a day where you could start to get together and train while Wednesday and Thursday could be more intense training sessions before the match on Friday.

Regardless of the intensity of the training sessions, though, simply allowing for Klinsmann to be with the team's key players both now and in the near future will be vital for the growth and development of the squad.

A Believer In The Work

In my life - outside of family - there are three people who have influenced me the most, whom I can point to as being a true role model for me. One was Paul Oberjuerge, my former editor at The San Bernardino Sun, who gave me my start in journalism and allowed me to cover soccer back in 1998. The other was a trainer I had at my local gym, whom you will hear about soon enough. The third was Bob Bradley, recently deposed U.S. men's national team coach. Why Bob Bradley? Let me tell you why (and I don't think I've ever told this to anyone) ...


The work. Believe in the work.

Anyone who spent any amount of time around Bob Bradley in 2006 heard about the work.

Results weren't important because as long as players put in the work in training, things would take care of themselves. In fact, the only way to have a chance of positive results was through the work the players put in training.

It seemed like a strange concept for me. I mean, wins and losses are pretty objective while the work was rather subjective. Chivas USA had had a miserable 2005 season and they needed a turnaround - and a fast one at that. That meant wins and draws, something they'd had far too little of the year before.

And Bob Bradley was the man entrusted to steer the ship in the right direction. Right off the bat, he tried to change the culture surrounding the club, by bringing in guys like Ante Razov and Jesse Marsch, drafting the likes of Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan and helping them mesh with incumbent stars in Juan Pablo Garcia and Francisco "Paco" Palencia.

How would that team be judged? I knew that it wouldn't be judged by the work. At least, that wasn't my initial reaction.

Around the start of the 2006 season, I had come to a bit of a crossroads in my own life. I'd always struggled with weight. I had been overweight in my youth, got a bit bigger once out of high school but for the latter part of my 20s, I ballooned out of control, tipping the scales at more than 300 pounds.

I didn't have the work in me to do anything but sit around and eat.

But in March 2006 I began meeting with a personal trainer at the local gym. It was an interesting experience. I wasn't around gyms very often those days... or any days before then to be honest. You don't get to three bills by going to the gym, after all. But there I was, not really having much confidence in myself, feeling like it was a lost cause even before I got into the gym, wondering if I should just leave the trainer hanging and bail.

I stuck with him through our initial meeting, though. I weighed in at a whopping 308.6 pounds. Afterward, the trainer asked me what I wanted my goal to be. I told him that I wanted a one in front of my weight. It was pie in the sky, I was fully aware. Later, we went and worked out. I did the elliptical for seven minutes, the exercise bike for eight more and was sore for three days afterward.

But this time I wanted to give it a good try, this weight loss thing. I hadn't ever really been serious about it, but this time I figured may as well. I had two little girls, ages 2 and 6 months, and I didn't want to be the "fat dad" at school. It was already embarrassing enough being around professional athletes looking the way I did. I didn't want to embarrass my daughters once they were old enough to realize such things.

I remember one of the first times I interviewed Bob Bradley, right around the time I'd met the trainer for the first time. I was sweating like crazy - I used to sweat a lot for no reason. I asked him a few questions. He talked about the work that the team was putting in during the preseason.

It seemed like every time I caught Bob Bradley after a training session, he brought up the work. The work was good, the work was getting better, the work, the work, the work... It was hardly ever about wins and losses, mostly always the work.

I started to put in a lot of my own work in at the gym. As the season began, so too did my weight-loss journey. I was doing cardio, working out on the elliptical. I was doing circuits on different machines, working out my legs, arms and keeping my heart rate up. It was slow at first, painful most of the time and, to be honest, enjoyable none of the time, but I had put my faith in the trainer. And I'd paid about $1,000 for 20 sessions, so I also had that to drive me.

Now, my trainer did not want for me to weigh myself very often. He said the best way to get an accurate gauge of my progress was to weigh myself once a month. He had my faith, so I didn't deviate from his intsructions.

It was tough at times to not weigh myself. I was doing all of this stuff, I had changed my eating habits pretty much overnight (out with sodas, fast food, frozen dinners; in with veggies, home-cooked meals and water). I wanted to have some sort of affirmation that I was headed on the right path instead of the trainer's constant praise.

A light went off. Slowly at first, but it began to flicker.

Here I was, putting in the work. What was going to get me where I wanted to get? The work. What would be the most important thing for me to focus on? The work.

The scale would only tell so much. I could see some weight loss after a week and then relax and ease off on the work.

Much like Chivas USA could have gotten excited about a win and may have started to ease up on their own work.

For both of us, things were paying off, right?

Much like wins and losses, my own weight was not the most accurate reflection of myself back then. It was in the work. I had to stay true to the work in the gym, to the work I put in when preparing meals, when avoiding junk food, when avoiding going over my calories.

I understood what Bob Bradley had preached for so long.

The work had become the most important thing in my life.

After one month, I had lost 10 pounds. The second month, I dropped 13 more. For five consecutive months, I lost double-digit pounds. By November, I was down to 250 pounds, the lightest I'd been in years. I may not have looked like it but I felt like a new man.

Bob Bradley left Chivas USA in December 2006 for the U.S. national team. My trainer had departed my gym only a month prior. I was to fend for myself. That winter featured few workouts but also no pounds gained.

The gym was not a part of my life in December, or in January 2007, or in February. By March of that year, I told myself that one of two things would happen - 1) I would go back to the gym, re-dedicate myself to the work and lose the rest of my weight, or 2) I would put it all back on.

Number two was not an option. It just wasn't. I went back to the gym. On my own, I started working out, hitting the elliptical and the weight machines for the most part. Like a cattle prod on my backside, Bob Bradley's words about the work would resurface at the gym.

I weighed myself about once every two weeks. After one stretch that saw me hit the gym for about six out of seven days, I didn't lose a single pound. I had started at 236 and finished at 236. I upped the work. It wasn't good enough and the work became twice as challenging. By October of 2007, I had dropped to 199. By November, I got under 190, probably for the first time since I was in high school.

The work. It worked. Who would have known that such a philosophy would have carried over from the soccer field to a source it was likely never intended to influence?

Me, in June 2005 and at the finish line of the 2010 San Francisco Marathon

Since then, I took up running. I started slowly, running a 5K in June 2008 and a 10K later that year. I ran a half-marathon in April 2009 and ran my first marathon in February 2010. I have run four marathons now and will run marathon number five in March 2012... and hopefully marathons six and seven will follow next year as well.

I'm confident in myself. I am a believer in the work. I'm all about the work I put in when I run. Running a marathon is great but training for it, putting in long runs on weekends and getting my midweek runs - doing the work - is what will get me to the finish line. The work is what counts, not my time.

Thank you Bob Bradley, for instilling the work in me.

Klinsmann's Debut: Initial Reactions

Jurgen Klinsmann's US debut came and went and left behind a night-and-day performance and a 1-1 draw against Mexico.

So what can we conclude about the match? Well, I'm not one to draw major conclusions from a friendly, but since this wasn't just any other friendly, here are some things that jumped out at me.

* Brek Shea is good: Yes, the FC Dallas star is a pretty good player. I'd vote him as my MLS Most Valuable Player right now, and he continued his stellar game-changing performances against Mexico. Shea created the game-tying goal by finding space to slip a ball across the goal mouth to Robbie Rogers. Shea's play with FC Dallas has been screaming national team inclusion, and his play off the bench should help him gain a stronger foothold on the squad.

* Midfield madness: So many players saw time in the middle of the field on Wednesday. It was a good thing, don't get me wrong. It's just kind of difficult to digest all of them. For me, it was nice to see Jose Torres play as long as he did and also nice that both him and Shea were on the field at the same time. With Torres and Landon Donovan and Shea knocking the ball around to one another, there is potential there to create some offense and break down opposing defenses. Torres did better when Shea came in as he was allowed to play more centrally. It looks as if Torres could become a key figure in the middle of the field.

* Forward's struggles: Edson Buddle did well to knock bodies around but was unable to receive the ball too much. His replacement, Juan Agudelo, had some touches - some of them good - but had poor decision-making and was a hindrance more than anything. The forwards did not really perform well at all, but perhaps that was a difficult thing to ask considering how the team played overall in terms of where the buildup came from. Perhaps it would be best to play Clint Dempsey up top alone as his scrappy type of play may have come in handy on the field Wednesday.

* Solid D: Michael Orozco may not have been a first choice of many to start but Orozco did not look out of his league in the match. Quite the contrary, he more than held his own against Mexico. How much that has to do with his own ability and how much that has to do with the fact that he's seen most of those guys in league play is uncertain but what is for sure is that he is now in the mix to gain playing time in upcoming matches.

* Change is good: Change truly was a good thing for this team. There are a lot of areas that need addressing still and definitely some rough edges but that need softening but Klinsmann has had all of three days to work with the team and already it looked much different than the U.S. has looked in a while. It looked as if the U.S. players were ready to run themselves into the ground if need be. Donovan on one play showed some great determination when he darted around a defender on the left side of the penalty area and raced in towards the goal only to be knocked down and not receive a penalty in his favor. It may or may not have been a foul but Donovan sure did not look tired or winded while racing around the corner. And neither did any US players for that matter. There was a lot more energy and desire on the field tonight than there has been for a while.

What stood out for you the most?

Instant Reliance

What lineup will Jurgen Klinsmann use tonight in his USMNT debut against Mexico?

We'll all have to wait and see of course, and another thing we'll have to wait and see about is what players Klinsmann will rely heavily on during his time as US coach.

Might those players be on the field tonight against Mexico? It's not only possible but likely that some key players from the Klinsmann era will be on display from the start. Take a look at previous US coaches' debuts and you'll see some coaches who jumped right into it with some players who would be key in their respective cycles.

Bob Bradley's first match

USA 3:1 Denmark

at Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif.

USA: Matt Reis; Chris Albright (Bryan Namoff, 63), Jimmy Conrad, Bobby Boswell (Dan Califf, 89), Jonathan Bornstein; Pablo Mastroeni (Kyle Beckerman, 86), Ricardo Clark, Landon Donovan, Chris Rolfe (Heath Pearce, 74); Eddie Johnson (Kenny Cooper, 63), Nate Jaqua (Justin Mapp, 46)

* Both Bornstein and Clark would go on to play in the 2007 Gold Cup, 2007 Copa America, 2009 Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup. This was their first cap for the US.

* Donovan also did the same but he was already an established player.

Bruce Arena's first match

USA 0:0 Australia

at Spartan Stadium, San Jose, Calif.

USA: Zach Thornton, Jeff Agoos, Carlos Llamosa, Eddie Pope, Richie Williams (Chris
Armas 46), Eddie Lewis (Ben Olsen 73), Clint Mathis (Mark Chung 69), Joe-Max
Moore, Cobi Jones, Roy Lassiter (CJ Brown 90+), Brian McBride

* This was a radical shift, since this match featured only MLS players.

* Jeff Agoos, Clint Mathis, Joe-Max Moore, Carlos Llamosa and Cobi Jones went on to represent the US at the 2002 World Cup while Eddie Pope, Eddie Lewis and Brian McBride played for the US in both the 02 and 06 World Cups.

* Ben Olsen didn't make the US roster for the 02 World Cup but was in Germany for 2006.

Maybe it's too far to look back at this but just for kicks... (draw your own conclusions)

Steve Sampson's first match

USA 2:2 Uruguay

at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas

USA: Jurgen Sommer, Lawrence Lozzano (Zak Ibsen 46), Alexi Lalas, Paul Caligiuri,
Jeff Agoos, Cobi Jones, Mike Burns, Chad Deering (Ante Razov 46), John Kerr, Jovan
Kirovski, Ernie Stewart

Anyway, it might seem like there's an established hierarchy of players on the team that Klinsmann takes over from Bradley, with guys like Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Carlos Bocanegra, Tim Howard *the* unquestioned stars of the team and their respective positions. And it might seem like youngsters like Brek Shea, Edgar Castillo, Michael Orozco, Tim Ream, Jose Francisco Torres, Bill Hamid and Juan Agudelo are perhaps too young and inexperienced to rely on right now.

Maybe, but the first group of players will all be well into their 30s in 2014. Someone's going to have to step up and fill those other roles. Klinsmann's probably well aware of it all, and maybe pegging some of these youngsters as key players right from the start.

It's not like it hasn't happened before.

Klinsmann Era Gets Underway

Jurgen Klinsmann will begin his USMNT coaching career with a game against Mexico tonight in Philadelphia.

While the result won't mean a whole heck of a lot, some (many?) fans and media are taking this game rather seriously. Of course, it's a game no US supporter wants to lose. It doesn't matter if it's a friendly, a qualifier, a game on FIFA 11.... probably no US fan wants to lose to Mexico under any circumstances.

Before I get into the heart of this post, I think that sometimes it's necessary to go back in order to move forward. A bad loss here may not necessarily mean the ship is sinking or that the US is really in a tailspin. In fact, I wrote a story about the virtue of patience, at least Bruce Arena is preaching patience.

Anyway, it's perhaps interesting to look at how Arena progressed while looking at his matches against Mexico and the idea of patience. Remember, when Arena took over in 1998, the US team was in shambles after a terrible showing at the World Cup in France, highlighted (or perhaps low-lighted?) by player bickering and a bit of a revolt against then-coach Steve Sampson.

Arena was perhaps then under no immediate pressure - at least not more than usual - and had time to build the squad. There was patience.

His first match against Mexico went badly. Mexico beat the U.S. by 2-1 in San Diego at the USA Cup 99 in March of that year. In August, the US lost to Mexico in Estadio Azteca by 1-0 in extra time in a Confederations Cup semifinal (to this day, I will argue that that was the best chance the US has had of beating Mexico in Azteca, but we'll save that debate for another day).

Things started to slowly change in the United States' fortunes after that. A makeshift Mexico squad lost by 3-0 in USA Cup 2000 in June of that year. But in October, the tide really shifted towards the US in the border skirmish rivalry. Landon Donovan debuted with a goal in a US win over Mexico, by 2-0 in October at the LA Coliseum.

In February 2001, the US beat Mexico by 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier but lost to El Tri in Azteca in July by 1-0. A 1-0 friendly win in Denver preceded a World Cup Round of 16 matchup in 2002, won by the US and helping the squad reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

Patience then saw Arena guide the team not only to repeated success against Mexico but more importantly to the deepest stage the US had reached in the World Cup since 1930.

It took some early losses and early setbacks against Mexico but to help propel the US forward. And the Klinsmann era might also start with some setbacks against Mexico. Or it could be like Bob Bradley's first match against Mexico, a surprising (or was it?) 2-0 win over Mexico in Arizona in February 2007.

Either way, Klinsmann will get tossed into the fray with the United States' biggest regional rival. It's a measuring stick that will let Klinsmann know right away where the US stands on several levels.

CONCACAF Groups Set

CONCACAF Champions League groups were finally set after the second legs were completed this week. There weren't too many surprises as all MLS and Mexico teams went through - although Olimpia of Honduras made things interesting with Santos Laguna.

Each group looks difficult and each group has its challenges but perhaps the most challenging group is.... well, let me write about each group and decide.

Group A

LA Galaxy (USA)
Alajuelense (Costa Rica)
Morelia (Mexico)
Motagua (Honduras)

The Galaxy will try and put last year's qualifying debacle behind them as they will get their first crack at the Champions League (they've played in several Champions Cups prior). But the road is difficult for all teams. Tegucigalpa could be the most difficult venue amongst the quartet but Motagua has struggled on the road in their brief CONCACAF history. Morelia shredded their Haitian opposition in qualifying but in league, they are coming off a loss to Pumas. Morelia will meet up against Monterrey and Guadalajara before the tournament begins, which could reveal what kind of side Monarcas could be in league. Alajuelences meanwhile are a traditional power in Costa Rica and are trying to re-establish themselves, having won the last two Costa Rican league titles.

Group B

Colorado Rapids (USA)
Real Espana (Honduras)
Santos Laguna (Mexico)
Isidro Metapan (El Salvador)

Colorado won MLS Cup 2010 ahead of FC Dallas and claimed a spot in the tournament proper because of that, but the Rapids are not having as strong of a season as their cup rivals are. Colorado looked to have suffered some doom when forward Conor Casey was lost for the season recently but the team has responded well, with eight goals in three games since. Isidro Metapan will participate in the group stage for the second time as they reached the 09-10 edition, but the El Salvadorans seem like a longshot to advance. Santos Laguna have won their first two league games by a combined 7-1 and figure to be the toughest side in this group while Real Espana will have their challenging venue in San Pedro Sula as an advantage.

Group C

Pumas UNAM (Mexico)
Tauro (Panama)
FC Dallas (USA)
Toronto FC (Canada)

Pumas could be the best team in the entire tournament. The current Mexican league champions, Pumas have three wins in three games in the Apertura 2011 season thus far. Traditionally, though, Pumas have fielded reserves and youngsters for their international competition. How serious Pumas take this tournament should be evident from the start. Tauro of Panama reached the tournament directly and can be a tricky side - Tauro ousted Chivas USA from the tournament in 2008. This is the lone group with two MLS sides as Toronto and FC Dallas will square off two more times. FC Dallas has the horses to compete for a spot in the knockout rounds while Toronto has a new-look side who could come together well in this tournament. And Toronto could have the edge over FC Dallas and Tauro - Toronto tied Cruz Azul in Mexico in the tournament last time around, a rare result for an MLS side.

Group D

Monterrey (Mexico)
Comunicaciones (Guatemala)
Seattle Sounders (USA)
Herediano (Costa Rica)

The champions of CONCACAF lead Group D as Monterrey returns and will try to defend their title. Monterrey will be tough both home and away, as their second-leg victory over Real Salt Lake in the final earlier this year proved. Herediano are in their first group stage and were embarrassed by Cruz Azul in their first attempt at qualifying, losing at home by 6-2 in 2009. Comunicaciones have won 24 Guatemalan league titles and won a CONCACAF crown in the 70s but will be hard-pressed to do well in this tournament. Seattle Sounders meanwhile have the experience from 2010-11 to count on and did well to take care of San Francisco of Panama when they needed to in the preliminary round. Certainly Seattle have the talent to do well in this tournament.


Alright, based on my observations, some of which I included above, it seems to me that the toughest group is Group A. Motagua are a dangerous team loaded with strong players such as Amado Guevara, Guillermo "Pando" Ramirez and Ivan Guerrero - all former MLSers. Group A is wide open as any of the four could finish anywhere from first to last.

The weakest group seems like Group D. Guatemalan sides traditionally have fared poorly in this tournament while Herediano are wide-eyed first-timers. Group C looks top-heavy with Pumas playing so well of late but Toronto could surprise and be a bit of a wild card in the mix. Group B looks quite balanced. Although Santos have done well, they lost Christian Benitez and will rely on Oribe Peralta for offense.

The tournament kicks off on Aug. 16, and just what group proves to be the trickiest will begin to sort out soon enough.

Observations and Ideas on JK's first USA roster

Both Freddy Adu and Landon Donovan burned up youth teams as young forwards, and Klinsmann seems to have returned them to that spot, perhaps because of the current dearth of American attacking talent in front. DaMarcus Beasley as a forward seems to me a stretch, however. I'd really rather have seen Herculez Gomez get the call. Good to see Buddle wasn't forgotten, because I think he can contribute. 

In the midfield, I'm not surprised Michael Bradley got the call. He's a good player, and unlike others in Europe right now, he actually could use national team minutes. But by giving Clint Dempsey a rest, moving LD and Adu to forward, Klinsmann has made room in the midfield for a number of players who could either challenge Bradley for a starting spot or become his new regular partner there. Rico Clark, Mo Edu, J. Jones, even Kyle Beckerman. I wonder if Klinsmann's strategy here is to see all the possibilities play side by side and then make his evaluation. It's a bit of a science experiment, but I like the approach, because I feel that previous USA coaches didn't experiment enough with player combinations. Brek Shea is hopefully past the stage where a USMNT callup makes him run around like a purposeless headless chicken, and can instead show off the talent that shocks his detractors and delights his fans. Jose Torres has to prove he's ready for the big-time as well, because who else in that midfield (unless JK is just kidding with listing LD and Adu as forwards) is going to distribute with any creativity? 

Defenders - Orozco has some bite, but hopefully, he's learned to make wiser choices than that elbow he threw long ago in the Olympics, because Mexico, even in a friendly, is an intense match. Goodson is a good footsoldier, Castillo has a burner's speed, but needs to mind his defensive positioning, Ream has the opposite problem, with generally good positioning and not so much in the speed or aerial department. Latest reports are that Chandler is out with an injury, so the German jokes 'Dolo was planning to share with him about Klinsi will have to wait. I think it's good that Pearce gets another chance, because it seemed he was dropped rather quickly previously. I'd still like to see Dunivant get a look-see, though I grant that his speed, or rather, the standard of it, may be what's held him back on the international level. That's the kind of stuff that's tough to guess, though, because Dunny seems to get to where he needs to be to stop a defender just fine in MLS matches. 

Hamid is an interesting goalkeeping pick, and perhaps JK doesn't want Brad Guzan to get too comfortable as heir apparent. Or, even more likely, didn't want to pull him from his club's preseason. Howard, of course, is the standby, though he was far from rock solid in the Gold Cup final. I hope away from the media, he's focusing more on fixing the errors he made than worrying about the amount of Spanish the trophy announcer speaks.

I'm intrigued by the roster, but to me, the real glimpse of Klinsmann's plan will be how he uses these players. Who starts from this bunch and where? What would you like to see?

Goalkeepers: Bill Hamid, Tim Howard

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra, Edgar Castillo, Timmy Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Clarence Goodson, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Heath Pearce, Tim Ream

Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Ricardo Clark, Maurice Edu, Jermaine Jones, Brek Shea, Jose Torres

Forwards: Freddy Adu, Juan Agudelo, DaMarcus Beasley, Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan

Klinsmann's First Roster: Good, Solid Mix

Finally, US Soccer coach Jurgen Klinsmann released his first-ever US national team roster as he called in 22 players to face Mexico on Aug. 10 in Philadelphia.

First the roster, then some thoughts.

Goalkeepers: Bill Hamid, Tim Howard

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra, Edgar Castillo, Timmy Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Clarence Goodson, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Heath Pearce, Tim Ream

Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Ricardo Clark, Maurice Edu, Jermaine Jones, Brek Shea, Jose Torres

Forwards: Freddy Adu, Juan Agudelo, DaMarcus Beasley, Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan


Surprises: Perhaps the biggest surprise on here is Bill Hamid, the young DC United 'keeper. Hamid has played 17 games for DC this season and is the man in charge there for the foreseable future. However, so is Tim Howard so Hamid's impact won't be felt until much later on, if at all.

Ricardo Clark and Michael Orozco Fiscal were surprise nods, each getting back on the squad after having fallen out of favor. DaMarcus Beasley returns as well. Beasley worked hard to get himself onto a club and has done well in his limited time with Puebla. Beasley is not quite at the age where he can be put out to pasture so he still has something to offer. Orozco Fiscal gets the nod in central defense and could be an option for the future while Clark is welcomed back after his World Cup fiasco. Perhaps Klinsmann has kept tabs on him because of his club and maybe Klinsmann was able to talk to someone at Eintracht Frankfurt to get insight on Clark. Whatever the case, Clark - who was always a serviceable player - gets a chance to start fresh.

Omissions: You can't have a roster without seeing who is gone. Chad Marshall is a player I think should have gotten way more playing time with the U.S. national team than he has received. He is the top defender in MLS over the last 5-6 years and yet he has to watch a guy like Tim Ream get fast-tracked onto the national team. It's disappointing that Marshall is not more recognized for his talents and ability.

No Joe Corona, which is also disappointing. Now, this one is not a managerial decision necessarily. Corona may be leaning towards playing for Mexico or perhaps Klinsmann just does not feel Corona is quite ready for the full national team but Corona's situation is not as clear-cut as Marshall. Corona is a talent for certain but he has options in terms of national team and - who knows? - he may very well receive a call from El Tri for this match.

Also not on the squad is Todd Dunivant, who was both Heath Pearce and Edgar Castillo ahead of him apparently. But - to the joy of most US supporters - Jonathan Bornstein is not on the roster either.

Perhaps the biggest name not on the roster is Clint Dempsey, but all indications seem to point to rest being the reason why Dempsey won't be in Philadelphia next week.

Forward Lot: Landon Donovan is listed as a forward in the roster Klinsmann revealed. But so too is Beasley, so that may not be saying much. Still, if Donovan will play forward for the U.S., then it's perhaps not surprising to see Jozy Altidore not on the squad. Donovan could carry the scoring load for the U.S. under Klinsmann and if the new coach has pegged his scoring hopes on Donovan, it's not a bad thing. Donovan is after all the US national team's all-time leading scorer.

Herculez Gomez was not called in, but another World Cup player who should have played more is. Edson Buddle returns and again, perhaps his playing for a German club helped his own situation. It would have been interesting to see both Buddle and Gomez on the roster but they will each have to keep working harder to get or maintain their spots on the team.

Dynamic Duo: It's good to see both Brek Shea and Jose Torres in the mix at midfield. Those are two players who just didn't fit in Bradley's system and now with Klinsmann in charge it could be where one or both of those guys have a lot more freedom to create and test the opposing team.

Overall, this is a strong roster with some players who are at the top of their game now, others who are near that point and still others who have plenty to offer down the road. The game against Mexico is a must-win in the sense that any US game versus Mexico is a must-win, so these players and this roster's strength will be tested soon enough.

What do you think? Well done by Klinsmann? Strong initial roster? Surprised by some of the names?

Great American Hope

Herculez Gomez will play at Estadio Azteca tonight for Estudiantes. Azteca is of course the most hallowed ground in all of Mexico. One of the nation's most popular club teams plays there as America calls Azteca home. But more significantly, Azteca is home to the Mexican national team.

Azteca though has been conquered by Americans before - at least individually. The U.S. has always done miserably there but Eddie Lewis and Charlie Davies have scored goals there in World Cup qualifying matches.

But have any Americans scored there in a club game? Might Herculez become the first American to score there for a club team?

No.

If he scores there, it will be a great accomplishment both for himself and for Americans abroad. But he will join a list that has already been started.

Cle Kooiman scored for Cruz Azul in a Clasico Joven at Estadio Azteca on Nov. 29, 1992. Match stats here. Funny thing is, the Ontario, Calif.-born Kooiman scored three goals during his career in Mexico and one of them happened to be in Azteca.

But is Kooiman the only American to ever score a goal at the Azteca for a club team? I don't even know if that information exists as to how many Americans have scored goals for club teams there but so far Kooiman is the only one I can think of or discovered when researching it.

Kooiman was a bit of an oddity. He captained Cruz Azul during his time there, in the early 1990s. For an American to be on such a high-profile Mexican club then was very rare but to be captain... I remember finding out that he was American. One of my aunts - a staunch Cruz Azul supporter to this day - defended him and said he was one of their toughest players and how she was a big fan of is. I wonder if she had that defensive position right away because Azul fans had to defend an American as captain or if she just had a thing for the guy and stuck up for him because of that.

Anyway, Kooiman so far as in the list, and Herculez Gomez could make that at least two Americans who've broken through at Azteca for a club team.

Seaworthy Barca

So I got an e-mail about Barcelona player's visit to the Miami Seaquarium. Meh. That stuff doesn't really turn the needle for me but I figured it might for some people out there.


So I figured I'd post some of those pictures here for you to enjoy.


All pictures courtesy of MLSsoccer.com

Marketing Success

To smell like Guardado is apparently the ideal. 

Now, we know that El Tri is a big commercial success in the USA - but this article breaks it down into more specific categories, and it's clear that emulation is a big part of the whole marketing drive. 

That said, some have already mentioned how Jurgen Klinsmann brings more glamor to team USA - does anyone think that will translate to more sponsorship deals and business partnerships? Or will El Tri remain the undisputed King of CONCACAF commercialism?

First Calls

Admit it - you can't wait until Jurgen Klinsmann reveals his first U.S. national team roster.

I can't either.

It could either be a completely different new set of names or a lot of the old standbys. Or a mix of both. Since it's an international fixture date, Klinsmann won't be limited with his choices. He will have carte blanche to select the squad of his liking.

But who will that include?

Some faces I would include right off the bat...

* Brek Shea. In case you hadn't noticed - and Bob Bradley hadn't - Brek Shea is having an MVP-type season with FC Dallas. He'd get my vote for MVP if I had to vote right now. Shea is a bit of a mystery player though as both Bradley and FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman have tried him out at different positions, but Shea is the kind of player who you just throw in there, give free reign to and watch him perform magic. Shea has scored some tremendous goals this season and can do the same with the national team, if given a chance. His lone chance to prove his worth was in a drab match against Colombia a season ago and was sadly nowhere near the Gold Cup squad when the roster was announced in May.

* George John. A teammate of Shea's in FC Dallas, John is what Oguchi Onyewu used to be - a great hope in central defense. John is a physical presence in the center of the defense and anchors one of the top defenses in MLS. He's also eligible to play for Greece. If he doesn't get a call soon for the U.S., he could very well opt for Greece and has expressed interest in doing so anyway. John could give the Americans a physical presence in central defense that, combined with players like Omar Gonzalez, Clarence Goodson and, my personal choice in Chad Marshall, could offer Klinsmann a wealth of new options to try out.

* Joe Corona. A major reason why Xoloitzcuintles of Tijuana reached the Mexican First Division was the LA-born, San Diego-raised Joe Corona. The right-sided midfielder has scored some good goals in his brief career and was singled out by LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena as Xolos' best player in a friendly in March - even though Arena did not know Corona was American. Corona is eligible for three countries - El Salvador, Mexico, the U.S. Probably best to bring Corona in now than to risk losing him to Mexico (Corona has expressed no interest in playing for his mother's birth nation of El Salvador).

* Jose Francisco Torres. Yes, JFT made the World Cup squad, but he barely got a sniff of the field in South Africa. Bradley's preferred choices of Michael Bradley and Ricardo Clark, along with Benny Feilhaber and Maurice Edu, were the ones who saw the field, and Jermaine Jones has since been brought into the central midfield puzzle. Torres, though, was always a player who was going to be difficult to squeeze into a Bradley formation. Klinsmann could get the best out of Torres, a pacy, creative player who could add some spark to the team.

Any other young or overlooked players you'd like to see Klinsmann bring in right away?

No More Gloom And Doom

I just finished writing my column for The Press-Enterprise. Shockingly, it was on Bradley and Klinsmann and how the move was the correct one.

Now, I'll post a link when it's published but one of the points I made is one I've blogged about here. I translated the results from the Gold Cup over to World Cup qualifying and said that the U.S. would struggle to reach the World Cup if such results hold - wins vs. Canada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, losses vs. Panama, Mexico; nine points from five home games means a longshot to reach the World Cup.

I think more than how the team looks or roster choices that went awry or even bad results (losses vs. Ghana, Mexico), what did Bradley in was this. Say what you will about how easy this region is, if you go in unprepared and not focused, it becomes quite difficult. Mexico found that out both in 2001 and 2009 when they struggled mightily in the early part of qualifying. The Americans would have found that out with a Bradley-led side in 2013 and unlike Mexico, the U.S. wouldn't have been able to rely on their home-field advantage for wins even in tough times (09 wins vs. Costa Rica, vs. Trinidad & Tobago).

It's this gloom and doom that led to the ouster, and this scenario Klinsmann will try to avoid.

With him in charge... well, it's tough to say right now what the team will look like. We will see what sort of team he puts together here before too long. But whatever squad Klinsmann selects, it will be entirely his, not a continuation of the Bradley era.

That alone is hopeful, right?

Road Becomes Clearer

On Saturday, the U.S. and CONCACAF all learned their opponents in upcoming World Cup qualifying and just what the road to Brazil 2014 will look like.

Some got a favorable draw while others didn't. And still others were handed a somewhat difficult task.

Group A: United States, Jamaica, (likely) Guatemala, (likely) Haiti.

Not an overly troubling draw for the U.S. Could have been worse. Games at Jamaica and at Guatemala won't be easy and Haiti seems like it could pose some logistical challenges. But I can't imagine the U.S. not gaining nine points against this group.

The U.S. was in Jamaica's semifinal group in 2004 and had Guatemala in their group in 2000. It was a difficult go of it against both those opponents. Guatemala tied the U.S. in Guatemala and a Brian McBride goal helped give the U.S. a late 1-0 win over them here. The U.S. meanwhile needed some late heroics (Brian Ching goal) to help salvage a draw at The Office in Kingston. Not easy playing on the road but still, points are within reach.

Group B: Mexico, Costa Rica, (likely) El Salvador, (likely) Trinidad & Tobago

This is easily the toughest group. All four of these potential group rivals were in the Hexagonal last time around. Mexico is the clear favorite and should have no problems winning... at least, that's what conventional wisdom says. Mexico lost at El Salvador in the Hex last time around, and conventional wisdom would have called for a Mexico victory or a draw at worst.

Still, Mexico should come out on top. The battle for the second spot is intriguing. Costa Rica is the second-strongest side in this group but that doesn't mean anything. Costa Rica will surely have a tough go at it in El Salvador while Trinidad & Tobago is the wild card. They could either be a dangerous side or roll over and die.

Group C: Honduras, Cuba, (likely) Panama, (likely) Canada

Could this be Canada's road to the Hexagonal? The Canadians have not made it into the final six since 1997 despite having some strong talent go through there in the decade-plus since then. Canada should have a slight edge in the weather department as matches in the fall will be quite cool.

Honduras were the lone Hex participants from this group in 2009 and while they wrapped up a World Cup spot, they are also a bit of an inconsistent side as their Gold Cup 2011 form proved. Over six matches, though, Honduras' quality should win out while Canada will have to play stronger than they did in their unsuccessful Gold Cup '11 run as well.

These matches will all take place between June 1 through Oct. 16, 2012.

Change of Heart

Local beat reporter Scott French made the trip up to Vancouver to cover the Galaxy and was rewarded with Landon Donovan's first quotes on the USA coaching change. Kudos to French, a long-time veteran of the soccer scene, for the scoop. 

Donovan's positive reaction to Jurgen Klinsmann's hire didn't surprise me, although he didn't always think so highly of the German coach, however. 

“You don’t know who you’re going to get,” Donovan said. “Everyone says Klinsmann. I don’t know Klinsman from Adam. It’s a change. For me, it’s hard to just move on and say, ‘Change is good. We have a new coach.’ I grew very close to Bruce and I like Bruce.” 

Granted, that story I wrote was back in 2006, but I still remember it clearly as one of the few times I wanted to turn my recorder off and argue with a player. Usually reporters aim to be a fly on the wall, letting players vent, but I was indignant and disappointed with LD's attitude. 

"Seriously?" I wanted to ask him. "You're a forward and an attacking player who has a chance to be coached by one of the greatest scoring threats in the game. He has immersed himself in the American game so much he plays for teams here anonymously, coaches local youth clubs, and talks seriously about how to improve the development pipeline. He's the only German guy I know who seemed to be pulling for the USA to defeat Germany in 2002. His criticisms of USA soccer seem to be incisive, including those of you, by the way."

Donovan's point wasn't really so anti-Klinsmann as it was anti-change, though, but that still seems weak. Change is often difficult, but it's also energizing. The status quo needs to be shaken up at times. S.O.P, or standard operating procedure, can get soggy, old and predictable.

But Donovan's attitude toward Klinsmann changed a lot in 2009, when Klinsmann went out of his way to give Donovan a chance in Europe with one of the greatest teams on the Continent - Bayern Munich. Donovan played pretty well during his short loan, but the Bayern board didn't budge on Klinsmann's request to offer LD a contract. The whole incident contributed to the dismissal of Klinsmann later than season.

Bottom line, a coach who is willing to risk his job over a player believes in that person's potential, and Donovan probably realized that. Plus, he got a chance to play under Klinsmann's coaching at Bayern to to get comfortable with his approach to things. Donovan's praised Klinsmann ever since.

Of course, it doesn't hurt to say good things about the new coach.

To a certain extent, Klinsmann comes into the job during a transition period, one that hasn't been shaping up well for the USA. Donovan and Dempsey, the USA's top players, are older, so the future of the team lies elsewhere. But where?  I'm watching other squads participate in the U20 World Cup, but the USA didn't make that tournament, which is a great stage for young players to prove their mettle. Klinsmann's going to have to find another way to discover and mold the new generation.

Bornstein's Reaction

Bob Bradley had his many detractors for various reasons but one anti-Bradley sentiment centered on his choice of one player - Jonathan Bornstein.

The 2006 MLS Rookie of the Year did well in his initial call-ups to the national team but overall has had an up-and-down time of it with the United States, mostly down. Perhaps the final straw was Bornstein's performance in the Gold Cup, when he came off the bench against Mexico and was beaten repeatedly in El Tri's 4-2 win.

Now that Bradley is gone, Bornstein is gone too - or so the thinking goes. Thus, Bornstein is not exactly thrilled with the change - again, that's the thinking.

What does Bornstein have to say about this?

Bornstein took part in a press conference in Monterrey, Mexico, where Tigres are preparing for a league fixture against Queretaro and according to published reports had this to say:

"Durante cinco años, en ese tiempo ganamos mucho, tuvimos muchos buenos tiempos,. Es muy triste y desafortunado que esto pasara. Pero así es el negocio, esperemos ver el futuro de Estados Unidos, pero los cinco años pasados fueron buenos.

“El futbol de Estados Unidos escogió a Jurgen Klismann para crecer el nivel no sólo de la Selección Mayor, sino también de los Sub 17 y Sub 20, todos. Este es el plan con Klismann y vamos a ver.”

Which translates to...

"For five years we won a lot, had a lot of good times. It's sad and unfortunate that it happened but that's part of the business. We'll see what the future of the United States brings but the last five years have been good.

U.S. Soccer chose Jurgen Klinsmann to grow the level not just of the national team but also of the Under-17s, the Under-20s, all of them. That's Klinsmann's plan and we'll see.

With regards to Jurgen Klinsmann taking charge:

“Vamos a ver, siempre con un nuevo entrenador, siempre hay nuevos jugadores porque él tiene jugadores que a él le gustan y para mí es un comienzo nuevo y tienes que trabajar mucho más para demostrar tus habilidades a un nuevo entrenador y por mi yo voy a tomar la decisión como es."

... which translates to...

"We'll see. Whenever there is a new coach, there are always new players because he has players he likes. For me, this is a new start. You have to work hard to show your abilities to a new coach. For me, I'm taking the decision for what it's worth."

It's Klinsi

It's a bit weird to be writing about Jurgen Klinsmann getting the head coaching job at US Soccer so long after I thought it should happen. 

I thought he should come in after Bruce Arena's tenure, and I thought Arena stayed overlong. When Bradley got the job instead of Klinsmann, well, I thought it was a mistake. Not one that would sink the program, but one that wouldn't move the men's team forward.

It's not just that Bradley hadn't been exposed first-hand to techniques and approaches outside of the USA that constitute top-level soccer. Klinsmann has shown a willingness to think outside the box and shake up the status quo. It's easy for teams to get stale. 

Plus, I've never bought into the thinking that the American player is so fragile that he needs an American coach to understand him better. I've always thought it was about landing a coach who understood the game better and could point players in that direction. 

Klinsmann is in a weird position, coaching-wise. He could be at a number of clubs, even after Bayern Munich canned him. The reason he's not isn't because the offers aren't there. It's for the same reason he turned down the USA position in the first place. He's happy. He can afford to be picky. If things don't line up the way he wants, Klinsmann can pass on an offer. 

The timing of Rongen losing the USA U20 position and Wilmer Cabrera's recent middling U17 results could have given Sunil Gulati the carte blanche from the U.S. Soccer board of directors to hand Klinsmann the keys to the castle in terms of overhauling the US development system. Things could change drastically from top to bottom. 

It was the development system that was the sticking point back when Klinsmann first refused Gulati's offer. 

All that said, I was hoping Marcelo Bielsa would be the pick. It's not that I'm unhappy about Klinsmann, but other coaches offer a number of qualities to the USA post as well. I like how Bielsa's talents line up with what the USA team seems to need.

Bradley's Firing: Winners, Losers

Bob Bradley is gone from the US national team, and with his ouster and impending replacement, the national team figures to undergo change. Certainly this team will be different now that Bradley is gone, with some new faces coming in and some old faces gone.

Who stands to gain from the move? Who may find it difficult to maintain his spot on the team or get back onto the team?

Winners

* Maurice Edu. The one spot where the U.S. has true depth is at central midfield. Bradley seemingly has alternated with central midfielders throughout his tenure. Michael Bradley has been the lone automatic starter but at times the same label was given to Ricardo Clark and Jermaine Jones. Edu, however, might be the team's best central midfielder yet his time in the position was limited at best. Edu was solid when he came on during the World Cup but Bradley turned to Clark in the decisive match against Ghana, and Edu was all but passed over by Jones when he debuted for the team in 2010. Edu has his best chance now of locking down a spot on the First XI, a spot that should have been his awhile back.

* Chad Marshall/Heath Pearce/Todd Dunivant/Omar Gonzalez: The US defense is and has been miserable, but that does not mean there aren't any good American defenders. In Marshall, Pearce, Dunivant and Gonzalez, Bradley had four top MLS defenders at his disposal but rarely called on them. I have to believe that a Marshall-Gonzalez pairing flanked by either Dunivant or Pearce on the left would have done better than Goodson-Bocanegra and Bornstein did. Marshall has been the best defender in MLS over the last 5-6 years yet who gets called ahead of him? Tim Ream, who has not even done a fraction of what Marshall has in MLS. And who had a poor showing in the Gold Cup, bad enough to relegate him to the bench? Tim Ream.

* Mexico-based Americans: Jose Francisco Torres, Edgar Castillo, Herculez Gomez... all talents the U.S. can utilize yet none were effectively used by Bradley. Torres and Castillo have seemingly fallen off the map, and while the players haven't logged many minutes with their respective club teams in recent seasons, they were never given a clear chance of winning a spot on the US when they were at the top of their club games. A new set of eyes might feel it's worth a chance to give players who compete in a league that's better than MLS a shot of winning a spot on the national team. There is one obvious exception to this which I'll get into below.

Losers

* Jonathan Bornstein: Few could figure out why Bornstein was constantly given playing time when his play with the U.S. did not warrant it. Yes, the left back position is one of need but there have been other options throughout Bradley's tenure but few have gotten so much attention at that position as Bornstein. The former Chivas USA star had his moments with the team but overall his play has been shoddy, highlighted by his disastrous performance in the Gold Cup final last month.

* Sacha Kljestan: Another former Bradley player at Chivas USA, Kljestan also received more play with the US than warranted. Perhaps it was the potential Kljestan showed when Bradley drafted him fifth overall in 2006, or the potential he showed under Bradley that season or in 2007, but with the play Kljestan received it was as if he was being groomed to take over the position on a full-time basis.

* Oguchi Onyewu: "Gooch" was the defender of the future, the rock that would lead the U.S. into the next two World Cups. Then he got hurt. And then he struggled to find his form. Yet Bradley still insisted on keeping the mammoth physical specimen around as he took up a spot on the World Cup team although he was clearly not ready to play, and then took up a spot in the Gold Cup 2011 squad when again he was not ready for action. Onyewu will be fortunate to get another call to the team in 2011.

* Michael Bradley: It's tough to be the coach's son. A lot of the anger and darts tossed Bob Bradley's way hit Michael as well. Michael was in a no-win situation. No matter how well he played, it was never good enough. Michael has scored in some very important games - against Mexico in a 2009 World Cup qualifier (both goals in a 2-0 win); versus Slovenia in the World Cup and against Mexico in the Gold Cup final last month. Yet his goals were never good enough to appease his critics, who wanted both him and his father gone. Now, Michael may very well retain his spot on the team but where he comes up short is in the mental part of the match. His father was sacked, and I have to believe that will affect him. Perhaps not in the long run as much, but he needs to impress the incoming national team coach instantly, and if he's not in the right frame of mind right off the bat, his chance to do so could be done with.

Agree? Disagree? Anyone I left off of either list?