Surprised he wasn't on the original roster, there's a good chance he works his way into the Rapids starting XI this season.
"„Es wäre super, wenn ich wirklich eine Option für die U 21 wäre“, sagt Brooks zu Adrions Interesse. „Das freut mich natürlich.“" "It would be great if I really was an option for the [German] U21", Brooks says to Adrions [German U21 coach] interest. "That naturally makes me happy". http://www.tagesspiegel.de/sport/he...-nebenmann-fabian-lustenberger/7680312-2.html
Brooks was an unused sub in a Germany U21 game last week. He can still play the U20 WC with us (if we qualify), and file a switch to Germany later on if it ever came to that. If he accepted a Gold Cup invite instead of U20 WC, then he's ours permanently. I'm sure we'd try to get him for the GC for that very reason but I wouldn't be shocked if he turned that down for now, but still played in the U20 WC. Plus, the GC is during preseason for European clubs.
Doesn't mean he'll accept a USMNT call up initially though. I wouldn't be shocked if he was called in for the Russia friendly and declined.
CONCACAF U20 Championship preview Article Written by J.R. Eskilson & Travis Clark, ESNN Published: February 15, 2013 Twenty American players are on a mission starting Monday: qualify for the Under 20 World Cup in Turkey this summer. Standing between head coach Tab Ramos and his troops is a tricky CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament, as the U20s aim to erase bitter memories of the program’s failure two years ago, and provide an injection of optimism for its youth setup. “We are very excited to begin our final preparation for World Cup qualifying,” Ramos said in a conference call last week. “We’ve had eight camps already and we feel good about the group that we’ve selected.” Defender Shane O'Neill Ramos, the former U.S. international and arguably one of the best players ever to don the national team jersey, is in charge of qualifying after assuming the reigns from Thomas Rongen in 2011. Under his watch, the team’s form has been spotty at best, though if Ramos is able to lead this group to a spot in the World Cup, nothing in the buildup will be remembered. Over the last year and a half, Ramos has called in players from different corners of the world, eventually settling on his current group of 20 to successfully navigate their way through a group consisting of Haiti and Costa Rica, all the way to a do-or-die quarterfinal matchup that will have a spot in the World Cup on the line. Qualifying from CONCACAF is no easy task, and Ramos has tabbed a variety of players in his final roster. Thirteen of the 20 are all professionals, with six players originating from the college ranks, and a single player from the USSF Development Academy. The task at hand is known, the question is whether or not Ramos can get this group to get the job done and make the World Cup. Players to Watch D Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids): The expected starting center back for the U20 MNT this cycle was a forward on the Colorado Rapids U18 Academy team at the start of the 2011-12 season. After moving back to a defensive midfield role, then signing a deal with Colorado’s first team, O’Neill will get his chance to shine in the spotlight and play a huge role in this tournament. It’s all come along quite quickly for O’Neill, who now has the task of guiding the team’s back line through the tournament. A steady defense is a huge concern and if the Rapids defender steps up and embraces the chance, it would go a long way in assuring the team of qualification. “He works very hard, he can play either the 6 role, which is a defensive midfield role, or he can play a center back role on the right side, which is a great help for us because we’ve been a little bit depleted in that area,” Ramos said of O’Neill. “He’s done a great job. I think he’s going to be an important part of this group, and possibly not only for this part of it but moving on if we’re lucky enough to move on.” MF Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake): The most experienced professional player on the team, Gil has more than 50 appearances for Real Salt Lake and needs to be a key cog in the midfield for Ramos’ team, linking the defense with the attack in order to help make things happen offensively. His leadership ability isn’t really what he’s known for, but his background and experience with both RSL and youth national teams is going to be extremely valuable in these two games, and hopefully beyond. F Jose Villarreal (LA Galaxy): The dynamic attacker has surged onto the youth national team radar over the past two years, ever since a breakout performance on Pateadores’ U18 Development Academy title winning team back in 2011. Since then, Villarreal inked a pro deal with LA Galaxy, and hasn’t looked back - making seven appearances for the Galaxy in 2012, and scoring his first professional goal against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Likely to provide attacking width in Ramos’ preferred 4-3-3, Villarreal is almost as important to this group as Gil will be. MF Benji Joya (Santos Laguna): Joya is a bit of an unknown from a youth national team perspective. The former De Anza Force standout had not received much of a sniff from any U.S. national team team prior to this U20 cycle when Ramos called him in. His arrival to this stage is not entirely different from others on this squad though. Joya bypassed a scholarship to play at CSU Bakersfield after high school in 2011 and signed with Santos Laguna in Mexico. In September of 2012, he made his professional debut with the club. The midfielder has made four appearances this season, as he continues to fight up the depth chart for the Mexican club. For the U20 squad, he figures to be in contention for the No. 8 jersey. Joya has made five appearances already for Ramos’ group in the run-up to the event. F Jerome Kiesewetter (Stuttgart): The German-American striker, who features regularly with Stuttgart’s reserve team, was a late addition to the CONCACAF Championship roster. Although the limited time in camp would suggest he may be on a different page than the rest of the squad, Kiesewetter’s quality will make it difficult for Ramos to keep him on the bench on any point. The six-foot tall target striker is the clear cut No. 9 for this age group, and likely to be a handful for CONCACAF defenses. Scouting the opposition There are no easy games in CONCACAF qualifying. If that isn’t something the U.S. U20 coaching staff hasn’t hammered home, it could prove to be the team’s undoing. Last year’s U23 qualifying debacle showed that, and this tournament provides opportunity to make up for past shortcomings. U20 qualifying is already a different beast because of its format: the U.S. is in a three-team group alongside Haiti and Costa Rica, with the top two advancing to the all important quarterfinal. The four teams that make the semifinal stage qualify for the World Cup in Turkey. Ramos has had the chance to scout both Haiti and Costa Rica at different junctures last year, and will get the first test against Haiti, which he says is the team’s main focus right now. “Haiti is a very athletic team,” he said. “They’re a very strong right-sided team where they go forward pretty well. They have, for years, had skillful players. This time around they have a good combination of skillful players that can cover a lot of ground. There’s no question that Haiti will make things difficult for us.” Haiti’s Chery Johnley led the team in goals scored in the U20 qualifiers, while Fede Dumy also posed an attacking threat. Getting a result (especially a win) in the opening game would be ideal for the U.S., as it would all but seal at least a first or second place finish in the group, though that depends on the result of the Haiti-Costa Rica matchup as well. However, Costa Rica will provide a much sterner test. The Central American nation’s program is definitely on the rise, and their roster for the tournament includes players based in Belgium, Italy and Argentina. That doesn’t necessarily translate to on the field success, but those players combined with a domestic-based team are sure to produce trouble for the Americans. Schedule U20 MNT vs. Haiti, Monday, Feb. 18, 6:30 pm EST, Fox Soccer Channel U20 MNT vs. Costa Rica, Friday, Feb. 22, 6:30 pm EST, Fox Soccer Channel Full Roster GOALKEEPERS: Cody Cropper (Southampton FC; Maple Grove, Minn.), Kendall McIntosh (Santa Clara; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Zackary Steffen (FC DELCO Academy; Downington, Pa.) DEFENDERS: Eric Miller (Creighton; Woodbury, Minn.), Juan Pablo Ocegueda (C.D. Guadalajara; Riverside, Calif.), Boyd Okwuonu (North Carolina; Edmund, Okla.), Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids; Boulder, Colo.), Javan Torre (UCLA; Santa Monica, Calif.) MIDFIELDERS: Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake; Garden Grove, Calif.), Benji Joya (Santos Laguna; San Jose, Calif.), Mikey Lopez (Sporting Kansas City; Mission, Texas), Caleb Stanko (SC Freiburg; Holly, Mich.), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew; Gahanna, Ohio), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids; Brighton, Colo.) FORWARDS: Brandon Allen (Georgetown; Old Bridge, N.J.), Daniel Cuevas (Santos Laguna; Sacramento, Calif.), Daniel Garcia (North Carolina; Dallas, Texas), Jerome Kiesewetter (VfB Stuttgart; Berlin, Germany), Mario Rodriguez (1. FC Kaiserslautern; North Hollywood, Calif.) Jose Villarreal (LA Galaxy; Inglewood, Calif.) Depth Chart
Sounds like same break as Packwood, at least it wasn't the femur. Ives Galarcep @SoccerByIves BAD news on Marc Pelosi. He has suffered a broken right leg. Tibia & Fibula. Clean break. Surgery soon. Just brutal. #LFC
Pulisic played his first official game with BVB's U17 team, had an assist on their 3rd goal, and cross that set up the PK on their 2nd. Highlights start at 1:17 - http://tv.dfb.de/video/staffel-west-die-nachholspiele/10816/ Felix Passlack, who scored the bike and PK is considered one of the next BVB phenoms.
Where are they now from U-20 Camp back in 2010. Pretty depressing. GOALKEEPERS Edwards, Earl - UCLA - 3rd Round pick on Orlando City FC in 2015 Draft MacMath, Zac - University of Maryland - Now with Colorado Rapids - Started last 3 years for Philly Union Perez, Justin - C.F. Monterrey - Think Perez is with Alebrijes de Oaxaca in Mexico's 2nd Division, but doesn't play DEFENDERS Flores, Cristian - C.F. Monterrey - Not with Monterey or Tijuana Garza, Greg - Sporting Lisbon - Now with Tijuana and featuring regularly on USMNT at LB Hot, Sacir - Boston College - Free Agent. Was with Red Bulls in 2011, but never played then played 1 game for a German Association team in 2013 Jean-Baptiste, Andrew - Albertson - 8th pick by Timbers in 2012 MLS Draft. Bounced around and now on loan to Red Bulls II. Perry, Aubrey - University of South Florida - Played a few games in Sweden, but only one appearance since 2014 Saavedra, Gerardo - UW-Milwaukee - Doesn't look like he played any professional soccer Valentin, Zarek - University of Akron - Played a little bit in MLS from 11-13 now with a team in Norway White, Ethan - Maryland - Bounced around MLS and USL on loan, but now starting for Philly Union MIDFIELDERS Batista, Kevyn - Desportivo Brasil, - ??? Birnbaum, Steven - University of California - Starting Defender for DC United. Finalist for 2014 MLS Rookie of the Year, couple USMNT caps Garza, Victor - Tigres - Played for Dallas City FC last year and now on some Armenian Team Nungaray, Ernest - Monarcas Morelia - Bounced around Mexico. Now with Veracruz but doesn't play Orozco, Moises - Real So Cal - Think he plays for Dallas City FC Powers, Dillon - University of Notre Dame - 2013 MLS Rookie of the Year with Colorado Rapids Romero, Roberto - Cruz Azul - ??? Shanosky, Conor - DC United - Played 5 games with DC United from 2010-2014 now with Louisville City FC in USL FORWARDS Castillo, Julio Cesar - C.F. Monterrey - ??? Jahn, Adam - Stanford University - Plays some for San Jose Earthquakes Mendrano Williams, Ronald - L.D. Alajuelense - Was on Cal Poly University Ruelas, Adrian - Santos Laguna - Might still be with Santon Laguna hasn't really played and been out on loan numerous times Salgado, Omar - C.D. Guadalajara[/quote] - Top prospect on this team. Was with Whitecaps. Scored one goal and sold to Tigres this offseason still just 21.
U-20 WC Roster was stronger Roster for the U-20 WCQ GOALKEEPERS (2) Zac MacMath (Philadelphia Union; St. Petersburg, Fla.) - Mentioned above Cody Cropper (Ipswich Town; Athens, Ga.) - With Southhampton has been on a few USMNT Rosters DEFENDERS (8) Gale Agbossoumonde (Djurgårdens IF; Syracuse, N.Y.) - Now on Tampa Bay Rowdies. Was a big prospect a cycle ago Greg Garza (G.D. Estoril Praia; Grapevine, Texas) - Mentioned above Moises Hernandez (FC Dallas; Dallas, Texas) - Starer for FC Dallas at LB, but switched to Guatemala National Team Sacir Hot (New York Red Bulls; Fair Lawn, N.J.) - Mentioned above Sebastien Ibeagha (Duke; Missouri City, Texas) - plays in 2nd Division in Denmark Perry Kitchen (D.C. United; Indianapolis, Ind.) - DC United. Caps on USMNT Zarek Valentin (Chivas USA; Lancaster, Pa.) - Mentioned above Korey Veeder (Columbus Crew; St. Petersburg, Fla.) - Last played on Cosmos in 2013 MIDFIELDERS (5) Sebastian Lletget (West Ham United; San Francisco, Calif.) - Still with West Ham Amobi Okugo (Philadelphia Union; Sacramento, Calif.) - Very good MLS player for OCFC. Fringe USMNT type player Moises Orozco (UANL Tigres; Oxnard, Calif.) - Mentioned above Dillon Powers (Notre Dame; Plano, Texas) - Mentioned above Kelyn Rowe (UCLA; Newport Beach, Calif.) - Good MLS player for NE Revs. Injuries have slowed process. FORWARDS (5) Eder Arreola (UCLA; Chino Hills, Calif.) - Plays for Galaxy II Conor Doyle (Derby County FC; McKinney, Texas) - Plays with DC United now. More of a sub. Joe Gyau (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim; Silver Spring, Md.) - Dortmund. Out injuried just after making first start Omar Salgado (Vancouver Whitecaps FC; El Paso, Texas) - Mentioned above Bobby Wood (TSV 1860 München; Irvine, Calif.)- plays for Erzgebirge Aue in German 2. Gets USMNT caps despite being like the 50th best US Forward[/quote]
Milk Cup Roster 2011 GOALKEEPERS (2): Cody Cropper (Ipswich Town; Athens, Ga.) - Southampton; mentioned above Jon Kempin (Sporting Kansas City; Leawood, Kans.) -#2 GK for Sporting KC DEFENDERS (8): Michael Ambrose (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas) - MLS caliber player who signed with Austin Aztec this year leaving Maryland early Bryan Gallego (New York Red Bulls; Kinnelon, N.J.) - Signed homegrown contract with Timbers after trade for Red Bulls, but hasn't played Jordan McCrary (North Carolina; Marietta, Ga.) - Probably in NASL/USL...didn't get drafted after solid career with UNC Juan Pablo Ocegueda (UANL Tigres; Riverside, Calif.) - Plays for Oaxaca Boyd Okwuonu (FC Dallas; Edmund,Okla.) - 2nd Round pick in last MLS Draft by RSL. Hasn't played yet Jalen Robinson (D.C. United; Cantonsville, Md.) - On loan from DC to Richmond. Only 20. Javan Torre (Pateadores; Santa Monica, Calif.) - Should be a SR at UCLA Walker Zimmerman (Furman University; Lawrenceville, Ga.) - Gets some starts for FC Dallas; battling injuries MIDFIELDERS (5): Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake; Garden Grove, Calif.) - RSL - gets caps for USMNT; needs to take next step William Packwood (Birmingham City; Concord, Mass.) - Still with Birmingham City, but went on loan to Cheltenham Town in League Two Victor Pineda (Chicago Fire; Bollingbrook, Ill.) - Indy Eleven Marcus Salandy-Defour (D.C. United; Kensington, Md.) - Should be back at UVA; tore ACL as a JR Alex Shinksy (Maryland; York, Penn.) - Drafted 4th Round by Fire, but don't think he made team. FORWARDS (3): Jerome Kiesewetter (Hertha BSC; Berlin, Germany) - Made debut this year for Stuttgart Luis Rendon (FC Richmond Magic; Chesterfield, Va.) - Should be a JR at Duke; doesn't play that much really Omar Salgado (Vancouver Whitecaps; El Paso, Tex.) - Mentioned above now with Tigres
Roster for U-23s tonight against Mexico at 11 PM. Definitely a few headscratchers, but basically a US and Mexico based roster only...still have to be enough players in MLS to fill the roster. GOALKEEPERS Cody Cropper (Southampton; Maple Grove, Minn.), Jon Kempin (San Antonio Scorpions; Leawood, Kan.) DEFENDERS Christian Dean (Vancouver Whitecaps; East Palo Alto, Calif.), Juan Pablo Ocegueda (Alebrijes de Oaxaca; Riverside, Calif.), Boyd Okwuonu (Real Salt Lake; Edmund, Okla.), Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids; Boulder, Colo.), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids; Brighton, Colo.), Oscar Sorto (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif), Sam Strong (UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, Calif.), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas; Lawrenceville, Ga.) MIDFIELDERS Fatai Alashe (San Jose Earthquakes; Northville, Mich.), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake; Garden Grove, Calif.), Alejandro Guido (Club Tijuana; Chula Vista, Calif.), Benji Joya (Santos Laguna; San Jose, Calif.), Daniel Metzger (New York Red Bulls II; Holmdel, N.J.) FORWARDS Alonso Hernandez (C.F. Monterrey; El Paso, Texas), Alfred Koroma Shams (Unattached; Southlake Carol, Texas), Jordan Morris (Stanford; Mercer Island, Wash.), Mario Rodriguez (Borussia Mönchengladbach; North Hollywood, Calif.), Jose Villarreal (LA Galaxy; Inglewood, Calif.) The roster is very reliant on the 2013 U.S. U-20 World Cup team, with nine players from that team taking part. Luis Gil is the likely leader of the team as the heavily experienced Real Salt Lake midfielder has been a stalwart of U.S. youth national teams dating back to the 2009 U-17 team. Gil and Morris are the only players on this roster who have been capped by the senior U.S. national team. The Colorado Rapids’ duo of Shane O’Neill and Dillon Serna, who scored MLS’ goal of the week nine days ago, and the Los Angeles Galaxy’s Jose Villareal, who began the season with a goal and two assists, are among the U-20 World Cup veterans on this squad. Since the game is not on a FIFA international date, many age-eligible players in Europe were not available for the game. Such players include John Brooks and DeAndre Yedlin. Also, with the U.S. U-20 team currently assembled in Austria, the best players from that squad were also not available. Men’s soccer is a U-23 event at the Olympics and the U.S. will look to qualify for next year’s games in Rio di Janeiro in this fall’s CONCACAF U-23 tournament, the semi-finals and finals of which will be played in October at Real Salt Lake’s Rio Tinto Stadium. This will be the second camp for the United States U-23 team since Herzog was named coach. Last month in Europe he led his troops to a 5-2 win over Bosnia but the team fell to Denmark 1-0. Sam Strong qualifies as the most curious inclusion on this roster by virtue of the fact that he will start his college soccer at nearby U.C. Santa Barbara this fall. A six-foot-one center back, Strong was born in 1996 and is age-eligible for the current U.S. U-20 national team but has never been called in to any camp by U-20 coach Tab Ramos. Strong was selected over defender Brandon Vincent, Morris’ teammate at Stanford and a first-team All-American last year for the Cardinal. Another curious inclusion: Forward Alfred Koroma, a former youth star from Texas who was recently with the third division Austin Aztez but is currently without a club after reaching, according to the USL, a “mutual termination agreement.” Koroma came through U.S. soccer’s youth residency program in Bradenton, Fla. and played two seasons of lackluster college soccer, first at Akron then at Southern Methodist, starting a combined 14 games (out of 31 total) and scoring just seven goals. Koroma tried turning pro in 2014 but after failing to catch on with teams in Brazil he signed with Austin and had yet to play for the team before parting ways Saturday. Dan Metzger, the former Maryland star whom New York Red Bull declined to offer a homegrown contract this winter, also received a call. The midfielder was the last player taken in the second round of January’s MLS draft, by D.C. United, but was released in preseason and has now signed with Red Bulls' USL team. Despite being passed over by multiple MLS teams, Metzger continues to be summoned by Herzog. By contrast, left back Mikey Ambrose, a teammate of Metzger’s at Maryland who passed on an FC Dallas homegrown offer and signed with Austin after his junior year, has started four games for Austin and played 90 minutes in each. Born in 1993, he is age-eligible for this Olympic pool but was not invited despite appearing to have better credentials on paper. Several players have earned callups based on strong MLS showings this winter after being overlooked as collegians. San Jose rookie midfielder Fatai Alashe had never been called into a youth national team camp while at Michigan State. But he had a strong senior year, helping the Spartans to the NCAA quarterfinals and despite missing this winter’s scouting combine with an injury, was selected fourth overall by the Earthquakes and has become a regular in the starting lineup. Boyd Okwuonu had a stellar career at North Carolina but FC Dallas opted not to offer him a homegrown contract and he was taken 27th overall this winter by Real Salt Lake. A former youth national team star who was dropped after a poor showing at the U-20 team’s World Cup qualifying tournament in 2013 in Mexico, Okwuonu earned a contract with RSL with a strong preseason that has apparently jump-started his youth national team status.
"Already certain as "new signings" for Borussia are talents from their own academy like Felix Passlack, Dzenis Burnic or Christian Pulisic. "The players that are coming from the U17 team are phenomenal", says Klopp. They are one of the reasons why Klopp attests the club "a great future". But he reminded the highly talented academy players that professional football is a tough business: "The path is long and hard". http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/...el_bvb-bastelt-ohne-klopp-am-neuen-kader.html
thats the u20 World Cup roster btw also this is also swoon worthy SoccerByIves Tab Ramos named 20 players, leaving one spot for potential addition of Gedion Zelalem. Waiting on FIFA to clear him. Rosters due in a week 5/7/15, 10:29 AM
U20 World Cup Roster GOALKEEPERS (3): Jeff Caldwell (University of Virginia; Todd, N.C.), Ethan Horvath (Molde FK; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Zack Steffen (Freiburg; Downingtown, Pa.) DEFENDERS (6): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur; Westcliff on Sea, England), Matthew Miazga (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Shaquell Moore (Unattached; Powder Springs, Ga.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), Desevio Payne (FC Groningen; Greenwood, S.C.), John Requejo (Club Tijuana; Carpinteria, Calif.) MIDFIELDERS (6): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; Plano, Texas), Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana; Chula Vista, Calif.), Russell Canouse (Hoffenheim; Lancaster, Pa.), Marco Delgado (Toronto FC; Glendora, Calif.), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham; Dallas, Texas), Joel Soñora (Boca Juniors; Buenos Aires, Argentina) FORWARDS (5): Jordan Allen (Real Salt Lake; Rochester, N.Y.), Bradford Jamieson IV (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht; Beaverton, Ore.), Maki Tall (Red Star; Washington, D.C.), Tommy Thompson (San Jose Earthquakes; Loomis, Calif.) last spot left open for Zelalem
also all I want is to see this lineup once ---------------------Rubin Jamieson IV---------------------Thompson/Arriola ------------Zelalem------Hyndman --------------------Acosta Requejo---CarterVicks--Miazga------Moore --------------------Steffen
Brian Sciaretta @BrianSciaretta My guess is that if FIFA does not rule on Zelalem in time, the spot will go to Philadelphia's Zach Pfeffer so no Junior Flores at all
If Zelly doesn't make it, adopting Bradford as my player for the tournament have high hopes for him and that hair
READING WOULD NOT RELEASE NOVAKOVICH Andrija Novakovich was not involved with the U-20 team early in the cycle but began to get more looks after he signed with English Championship side Reading last summer. He was not involved in the World Cup qualifying tournament because Reading was reluctant to release him. During the season he impressed at Reading—first with the U-18s and then with the U-21s after he was promoted at the beginning of January. The Wisconsin native even made two first-team appearances in the Championship at the start of the season. According to sources, Novakovich’s exclusion from the U-20 World Cup team is due to Reading’s decision to promote the forward to the first team next season. Under FIFA rules, clubs are not required to release players for youth national teams and Novakovich could very well play an increased role with the club’s first team next season. It is likely, from Reading’s perspective, that the coaching staff and front office want their forward to be rested. JUNIOR FLORES’ OMISSION Junior Flores is well known and liked among fans of U.S. youth national teams. He plays the No. 10 position and is signed to Borussia Dortmund. He is charismatic and enjoys playing for the United States—even to the point of turning down interest from El Salvador’s national teams. But there were clear indications that Ramos viewed Flores as expendable. In January’s World Cup qualifying tournament, Flores only played 153 out of the team’s total 540 minutes (28% of minutes). In fact, he was never really seen by Ramos as a player who was going to lead this team’s offense. At a recent camp in London on March 26, Ramos told me something that seemed to be directed at Flores. “When you pick your World Cup team, you pick a starting 11 of what you think your strongest 11 players are in each position,” Ramos explained. “The rest of the group has to be full of guys who can play multiple positions. Sometimes you may leave a player, who is a great player—maybe a great No. 10—and instead you take a player who can play the No. 10, the No. 8, and the No. 6 as a secondary player. Unfortunately that has to happen.” So in the end, it was likely Ramos’ preference to go with more versatile players which cost Flores a spot on the team. DESEVIO PAYNE THE BIG NEWCOMER Just to show how quickly things can change, Ramos admitted that he had never heard of Desevio Payne until after World Cup qualifying in January. Now Payne could turn out to be the team’s starting right back in New Zealand. Payne was called into U.S. U-20 camp for the first time in March following his Eredivisie debut with Groningen. Payne was born in South Carolina but raised in the Netherlands and he hasn’t been to the United States since he was one year old. Payne impressed during the camp in London, and in particular showcased his versatility. The Dutch-American defender is most comfortable at right back but can play left back and central defense. Payne could turn out to be very valuable because he can provide Ramos cover at multiple positions. JORDAN ALLEN’S RISE IS A TERRIFIC STORY It was not easy for Jordan Allen to make the team for a variety of reasons. First, he had to beat out either Paul Arriola or Romain Gall, both of whom had been consistent contributors throughout the cycle. Second, and even more impressive, Allen had to overcome microfracture surgery in 2014—and full recovery from this procedure is never guaranteed. Allen, 20, forced a call-up to an April camp in Austria after earning minutes with Real Salt Lake. Once there he impressed Ramos because he provided a wide option and demonstrated that he could pitch in at right back. SOME VERY PAINFUL CUTS As with any World Cup team, some very difficult choices had to be made. This team was no exception and here is a list of some of the other significant cuts in addition to Novakovich and Flores. Romain Gall: The Columbus Crew midfielder was the team’s leading scorer throughout the entire cycle and was regularly a part of every U-20 camp. Amando Moreno: The Tijuana forward was also a leader early in the cycle. In the most recent camp in Austria, he scored a fantastic goal against Qatar in a 2-2 draw. Cristian Roldan: In my opinion, the most difficult cut of the entire team. Ramos stressed versatility and the Seattle Sounders midfielder has the ability to play all across the midfield—including the No. 10 role. His spot was likely taken by Boca Junior’s Joel Sonora who had a strong camp in London. Roldan has impressed early in the season with Seattle but his emergence probably came a little late. He still has a very bright future within U.S. Soccer. Lynden Gooch: The Sunderland-based Gooch was useful throughout most of the cycle given his ability to play both in the midfield and up top. He was noted for having the ability to score wonder-goals. While on the roster, Gooch was not used a lot in World Cup qualifying and his role within the team seemed to decline in 2015. Ben Spencer: Another interesting cut given how highly Ramos spoke of Spencer early in the cycle. The six-foot-five forward is very difficult to defend at this age group and he played an enormous role in qualifying for the U.S. team following the poor start. Injuries have also plagued Spencer and have prevented him from finding a rhythm at the club level – where he is currently on loan at Toronto FC II. Boxi Yomba: The Atletico Madrid youth product showed glimpses of his potential last year in a camp at Spain where he scored against Russia and Ireland. Ramos had problems getting Yomba released for qualifying but the Georgia native had a difficult time breaking into the team following qualifying. Going forward he will need more minutes within Atletico’s youth teams to break into future teams—such as the U-23 team. SIZE IS A CONCERN Outside of the defense, the team is small. Bradford Jamieson represents the only attacking player with decent size. To succeed, this team will have to play on the ground in quick. Poor conditions prevented the team from doing so in qualifying but the conditions in New Zealand should be much, much better. There will be no excuses and the U.S. team should be able to play the game it wants to play. THE FINAL SPOT As referenced above, Tab Ramos only named 20 out of the 21 spots and that almost certainly has to do with Arsenal's Gedion Zelalem who has been waiting for FIFA approval since December when he became an American citizen. Ramos has until May 14 to name the final roster and if Zelalem is cleared before then, he will almost certainly be on the team. If he is not, the spot will likely go to a play who has been a regular on the team for most of the cycle and can seamlessly fit in. The best guess is that it will go to Philadelphia's Zach Pfeffer if Zelalem is not cleared. ROSTER COMPOSITION Unlike previous U-20 teams, this team is built far more on professional players. There is only one college player on the team and that is the third string keeper Jeff Caldwell. Here is a list of how the team is composed. 7 MLS 1 NCAA 2 Holland 2 England 2 Mexico 2 Germany 1 Norway 1 France 1 Argentina 1 unattached
Andrew Das @AndrewDasNYT Tab Ramos says Pfeffer will be 21st player for U20 WC if Zelalem paperwork doesn't come through by deadline.
Tab basically said that because Crew don't have a reserve team Gall isn't getting minutes he needs and isn't fit which is why he wasn't called in. Spoiler When Columbus Crew midfielder Romain Gall finished the CONCACAF Under-20 World Cup qualifying tournament as the United States' leading scorer with five goals, his performances led to plenty of questions about whether he might propel himself into the starting lineup conversation in New Zealand. That made his absence from the actual U.S. World Cup roster all the more surprising, but coach Tab Ramos made it clear the decision shouldn't have come as a shock. For Ramos, the main issue with Gall was his lack of playing time in the months since February's qualifying tournament. Gall has yet to play a single minute for the Crew this season, and with Columbus not one of the seven MLS teams with a USL-based reserve team, Gall has had no avenue for consistent minutes. Ramos didn't directly slam the Crew for not having a reserve team, but in describing the worst possible situation for a Under-20 World Cup prospect, he essentially described Gall's predicament. U.S. SOCCER LATEST "Here’s the worst-case scenario for a U-20 player," Ramos told a roundtable of reporters in Manhattan after Thursday's World Cup roster announcement. "They’re playing at a team where maybe they don’t have a reserve team. Say, for example, Columbus this year — they don’t have a reserve team there. The Red Bulls have Red Bulls II and the Galaxy have Galaxy II, or a number of them which are doing it this year. "They’re on the verge of breaking into the first team, so sometimes they travel with the first team and sometimes they don’t. But they’re not playing the game on the weekend, and when the first team is getting Monday off, they’re getting Monday off. Then on Tuesdays, when the players are coming in and just doing 5v2s and go home, they’re doing 5v2s and going home — but now they didn’t play either. "So now they’re just constantly losing fitness, and when we call them into the U-20 national camp they come in and I feel they can’t handle the training. With the fitness coach, we can’t do double sessions when we come in every day, because if we do double sessions by the third day these guys are dead and won’t be able to play on the weekends. "This whole thing takes that away," Ramos said, referring to the growing trend of U-20 players earning regular minutes in MLS. "Now you come in and players are like every national team in the world: They come in, we have one session, they rest and get massages and prepare for games. We didn’t have that before. It’s much better now." Despite the growing number of Under-20 players earning first-team minutes in MLS and abroad for foreign youth teams, Ramos made it clear in his selections that a lack of regular minutes wasn't a deal breaker for everybody. "Joel Sonora and Emerson Hyndman are ahead of most other guys in many things because they're just that type of player," Ramos said. "They're very creative, very different, they're just developing in a different way. It's not necessarily first-division soccer that got them here, it's the way they see the game. It doesn't necessarily work that way, but we do value (first-team playing time) a lot. If you're playing 90 minutes for your professional team and you're 19 years old, that says a lot for where you are." Though Gall did wind up missing out on the Under-20 World Cup, Ramos does believe he can still develop into a quality pro, as well as someone who could still play a key role in the U.S. setup. "This is not to say Romie isn't going to be in great form in another month, month and a half, and hopefully break into the Crew's first team, and be great and make our Olympic team down the road," Ramos said. "Hopefully that's the case, but at the moment he was not in his best form and unfortunately we had to make another selection."
Gall had that game where he scored goals against that one minnow and 2 PK's vs. Jamaica in qualifying but I thought he was overall really poor in that tournament. Was too selfish and turned the ball over a lot. Jordan Allen was out almost a year due to injury and is now starting for RSL, that certainly hurt Gall.
I'm allowed to be bitter for a day. I did think about that earlier today, but for now I will not hear it
Sunil GulatiVerified account@sunilgulati Pleased to report that Gedion Zelalem has been cleared by #FIFA to represent @ussoccer
Steven Goff @SoccerInsider 6m6 minutes ago Gedion Zelalem has been added to U.S. squad for U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, starting May 30