US Soccer: Olympic Qualifying roster announced
Disclaimer: if you post here, you will probably get downvoted by the annoying 14 year old who doesn't like soccer.
Looking at the U23 roster for the Olympic qualifying tournament, I can't help but be extremely excited about the future of US Soccer.
Im most excited by midfielder Mix Diskerud, defender Josh Gatt, and forwards Joe Gyau, Teal Bunbury, and Juan Agudelo. Though I am a bit puzzled that Gatt is listed as a defender, as he seems destined to be a right winger to me. Perhaps the coaches see him in the mold of Dani Alves or Kieren Gibbs: a right back who can be a serious offensive threat.
Full 19-man roster
GOALKEEPERS (2):
Bill Hamid (D.C. United; Annandale, Va.), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire; Lilburn, Ga.)
DEFENDERS (6): Josh Gatt (Molde; Plymouth, Mich.), Perry Kitchen (D.C. United; Indianapolis, Ind.), Ike Opara (San Jose Earthquakes; Durham, N.C.), Kofi Sarkodie (Houston Dynamo; Huber Heights, Ohio), Zarek Valentin (Montreal Impact; Lancaster, Pa.), Jorge Villafaña (Chivas USA; Anaheim, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Freddy Adu (Philadelphia Union; Potomac, Md.), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana; Chula Vista, Calif.), Mix Diskerud (Gent; Oslo, Norway), Jared Jeffrey (Mainz; Richardson, Texas), Amobi Okugo (Philadelphia Union; Sacramento, Calif.), Michael Stephens (LA Galaxy; Naperville, Ill.)
FORWARDS (5): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls; Barnegat, N.J.), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund; Berlin, Germany), Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City; Prior Lake, Minn.), Joe Gyau (Hoffenheim; Silver Spring, Md.), Brek Shea (FC Dallas; Bryan, Texas)
I almost downvoted you for your inappropriate use of "whom" when referring to an inappropriate downvoter. But then I was too confused by my own allegiances to make a move.
fixed. sorry
Insinuating that anyone who would dare downvote you would be an annoying 14 year old that doesn't like soccer.
no. im refering to the fact that every soccer thread on this board gets systematically downvoted by trolls (or A troll), and that only a 14 year old would give a shit enough to downvote 30 posts about soccer.
...are 14 yr olds. More likely they're people of my vintage and older (mid-40s and above).
Man, you are OLD!
Sincerely,
Late-thirty-year-old
March 13th, 2012 at 12:43 PM ^
the haters. But I thought the "14-year-old" approach was a good preemptive gambit.
I want to root for this team just because some of their names are so awesome.
Mix, Teal, Brek, Zarek ...
I maintain my stance that Freddy must be at least 30 years old. I was hearing about a crazy talented import named Freddy Adu when I was 17, and I thought he fudged his birth certificate then. If he could finally live up to the hype he had then I will forgive his inexplicable and interminable youth.
And although I generally ignore threads about things other than M football or basketball, if the NBA and NHL are allowed threads on the board then there's no reason soccer shouldn't be, especially if it's about team USA rather than an isolated pro team.
You aren't the only one that beleieves in the Adu conspiracy theory.
Some people might not know this, but Brian really like the USMNT.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:06 AM ^
Well, I was going to say that Freddy has pretty much lived up to any reasonable amount of hype, what with 17 caps with 2 goals, some memorable international appearances, long club career albeit a troubled one for a few years.
But, yeah, the hype around him was not reasonable, so I suppose that he hasn't lived up to it. Still, a good career already with a lot of productive years left.
Is Josh Gatt playing RB? I thought he was a winger at Molde.
In the last US friendly Gatt played at RB. The team is really thin across the back line with Agbossomonde out with injury and Chandler not released from his club.
I feel like Gatt's speed would be better served as a winger. Also, if they're looking for defenders, why not give a look to his teammate at Molde, Sean Cunningham. Last I heard he was doing well.
March 13th, 2012 at 11:20 AM ^
is doing a loan deal to Staebek for this season owing to lack of playing time; he's also a '93 so it's not as if anything has gone seriously wrong--he's just not a prodigy.
As to Gatt: he's played both winger and RB. In a system like Caleb Porter's, where so much possession is accumulated, a fullback often plays like a second winger anyway. So Gatt could be useful as an attacking right back, in the mold of a Dani Alves.
How many are we allowed to carry during the olympics? Any word on if we are going to call up 3 players over 23 that we are allowed to have?
March 13th, 2012 at 11:22 AM ^
18 players only--which puts a high premium on guys like Zarek Valentin who can play any of four positions. 3 overage players, which I'd be shocked to see go unused. Players like Dempsey and Donovan have expressed interest, but with the weakness at central defense and LB, wouldn't be surprised to see mostly defenders get called up.
When swan is king, the 14-year-old will be first against the wall with his opinion that's of no consequence at all.
March 12th, 2012 at 10:57 PM ^
Looking forward to the 3/22 opener against Cuba @ 9PM ET (sched link). TV listed as Universal Sports Network, which I don't get - wonder if they'll stream for free like they did with WNT qualifying, and Telemundo, which I do get, but I don't understand a whole lot of Spanish. I do understand "pelota," "offsides," "corner," and "goooooooooooooooooooool"
The U-20 WNT had to come from behind to beat Canada 2-1. A bad crossfield pass was intercepted and led to Canda's goal. But the US put the pressure on, firing off 29 shots, 10 on goal, and earning 15 corners to Canada's 6 shots, 4 on goal, 2 corners.
It wasn't until the 79' that Maya Hayes scored the equalizer and team-leading 5th goal of the tournament. Chi Ubogagu took advantage of a bad defensive play in Canada's box and slid to poke home the GWG in the 89'.
Highlights.
Reactions
March 13th, 2012 at 12:24 PM ^
I normally don't watch soccer, but always watch Team U.S.A in the World Cup and Olympics...just because it's our country's team.
Now, MLS or any other league of soccer (except for Michigan soccer, I will watch pretty much any Michigan sport), I won't go anywhere near that. I will admit that I don't understand some of the rules of soccer, but really just like watching Team U.S.A.
Maybe I'm not patriotic enough but I find myself constantly annoyed by Team USA's play. The teams always get a lot of hype but always underwhelm me. All you hear about in the US is what Donovan Landon is up to or what Dempsey did. What most don't know is that those two guys are average EPL players at best (in my opinion). I understand that the post is about the U23 team but is there any reason to believe that the younger talent is any better than the senior team's level? If not, I think I'll pass (no offense to the OP's thread, which was extremely informative and appreciated!).
This season Clint Dempsey is 7th in goal scoring in the EPL and 1ST among midfielders. Donovan has only played a few months in the EPL over the last two seasons (on winter loan) and has made a big impact both times. Both are far batter than AVERAGE players.