Bob Bradley has decided to experiment with the call ups for the friendly next Wednesday against Switzerland. Freddy Adu, Danny Szetela, Robbie Findley and Maurice Edu are among the younger players called into the squad, while grizzled veterans Eddie Lewis and Marcus Hannehman earned much deserved recalls. With MLS once again playing right through an international break, Bradley's options for calling up MLS players was limited, especially given the friendlies proximity to the end of the MLS Regular Season.
Here is the full squad:
Goalkeepers - Marcus Hahnemann (Reading), Tally Hall (Esbjerg fB), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders - Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham), Dan Califf (Aalborg BK) Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liège), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock), Steve Purdy (1860 Munich II)
Midfielders - Freddy Adu (Benfica), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Benny Feilhaber (Derby County), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Eddie Lewis (Derby County), Danny Szetela (Racing Santander), Sal Zizzo (Hannover 96)
Forwards - Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Preston Zimmerman (Hamburg)
I'm particularly pleased that Edu, Findley and Califf are in the squad. All three have been playing very well with their clubs. Eddie Lewis is now 33 but the fact that he starting for Premier League Club means he must be considered still in good enough playing shape for the National Team.
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4 comments:
By itself, the fact that Eddie Lewis is playing for Derby County doesn't mean anything as far as his playing time with the US National Team. As it is, he's NOT starting every game for Derby as you said; he's made 4 starts and came off the bench once in 9 league games.
Benny Feilhaber has played for Derby less than Lewis has, starting just once and brought on as a sub twice. You can't tell me that Lewis will play before Feilhaber based on the fact that Lewis has played more for a Premier League club, it doesn't work like that. Even though Feilhaber hasn't taken on a large role for the Rams yet, everyone knows he's a talented player and has a bright future with the US.
It also doesn't help Eddie Lewis that he's a hybrid player (left back and left wing) without a true position. You'll see Adu, Beasley, and probably Szetela on the left wing before you see Lewis there and the future of the National Team at left back is Jonathan Bornstein.
Lewis is one of the best players we've produced whereas Feilhaber is all USSF produced hype. Any manager worth his salt would choose Lewis over Feilhaber.
I have a stupid question. Do Edu and Wynne count as foreign players for Toronto FC? If so another dumb dumb MLS rule?
Adu finally gets call up! Go Freddy!
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