Juergen Klinsmann calls up young squad to start new World Cup cycle
The 22-man roster U.S. national team Coach Juergen Klinsmann has called up for the first training camp of the new four-year World Cup cycle includes a dozen players who were not on the team that played in Brazil.
The U.S. will meet the Czech Republic on Sept. 3 in Prague.
“When you start a new cycle, you want to see as many new players and young players breaking in as possible,†Klinsmann said. “Obviously you always respect your established players, and you always want to give them the space to continue their good work. But you also want to use that opportunity going forward to introduce young blood into the program, give them time on the training field, and you also want to give them time in a real game and prove a point.
“Show us what you have. Show us your talent, be confident and go for your next level. This is what comes up in the next couple games. It’s about young players coming in and hopefully doing well, with the established ones being part of it as well.â€
Among those Klinsmann figures to take a long look at are 18-year-olds Emerson Hyndman, a midfielder for Fulham, and forward Rubio Rubin, who signed with Utrecht in July. Neither has played for the senior national team.
Also on the roster is Stanford’s Jordan Morris, a forward who scored the winning goal for the U-23 national team against Bahamas last month.
“We have watched Jordan through our youth national teams and in the development academy for the last couple of years, and he is a very promising player,†Klinsmann said. “We saw him during our two weeks at Stanford for the World Cup preparation camp and also from his play with U-23 team in the Bahamas, and we felt like this was a good opportunity to introduce him to the senior team.â€
Only one player from Major League Soccer -- goalkeeper Nick Rimando -- was called into camp. Seven players called up play professional in England while another seven play in Germany.
The roster (with club affiliation in parentheses):
Goalkeepers: Cody Cropper (Southampton), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Michael Orozco (Puebla), Tim Ream (Bolton)
Midfielders: Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), Brek Shea (Stoke City)
Forwards : Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Joe Gyau (Borussia Dortmund II), Jordan Morris (Stanford), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich)
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