The World Cup in South Africa is all in the books, and the United States team is going to do what it always does. Rebuild, and have another go at it. It’s the human way - things get torn down or destroyed, and we rebuild them.
The US squad for the next World Cup, to be held in Brazil in 2014, is likely to be one that is very different from the one we know today. Although being over 30 years-old isn’t a death sentence in football, the extra mileage does make it difficult to quickly recover (or get up from) from those knocks that weren’t such a big deal when you were 22.
Let’s use our crystal ball, and see what things might be like in 2014 for the good ol’ US of A.
Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundolo are 31. Jay DeMerit is 30. 8 other players in the 2010 World Cup squad for America will be over 30 when the 2014 finals in Brazil roll around. You would imagine that Landon Donovan, fitness permitting (at age 32), will make an attempt to feature in a 4th World Cup Finals. Donovan is a generational talent, and I can think of no replacement for him in the American team at this time. So if he is fit, it’s a safe bet that he will be there, provided that the United States qualifies. The same may apply to Dempsey who will be 31 in 2014.
Goalkeeper:
I can’t think that it will be anyone other than Tim Howard in the number 1 shirt, unless he is ill or injured. Brad Guzan (28 in Summer 2014) and Chris Seitz are also candidates for the job, and/or backing up Howard.
Defenders:
Of the group that went to South Africa it is possible that none of them will play in the next World Cup Finals. So, you have to wonder if maybe it will look something like choosing 7 from this lot:
Chad Marshall, Heath Pearce, Drew Moor, Edgar Castillo, Etchu Tabe, Jamil Fearrington, Erik Hort, Eric Lichaj, Ryan Miller, Jay Needham, Michael Orozco, Michael Parkhurst, Jonathan Spector, Zak Whitbread, Marvell Wynne Jr., Dasan Robinson, Tim Ward, Carlos Borja, Jonathan Bornstein, Eric Brunner, Kyle Davies, George John, Mike Chabala, Ryan Cochrane, A.J. De La Garza, Sean Franklin, Omar Gonzalez, Kevin Alston, Seth Sinovic, Jeremy Hall, Tim Ream, Tony Beltran, Bobby Burling, Ike Opara, Jason Hernandez, Patrick Ianni, Nathan Sturgis, Tyson Wahl
Midfield:
From: Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, José Torres, Stuart Holden, Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, Landon Donovan, Robbie Rogers, Sacha Kljestan, Alejandro Bedoya, Eddie Gaven, Dax McCarty, Freddy Adu,
Forwards:
From: Jozy Altidore, Robbie Findley, Eddie Johnson, Charlie Davies, Mike Grella, Marcus Tracy
If that seems like a long list of defenders, it’s because I think the United States has to almost completely rebuild their back four due to the old guard aging out. So it’s a matter of who is going to step up and play the best at defense.
Generally the optimum age for outfield players seems to be 24-28 years old. This is usually the best window in terms of fitness and experience - any older and fitness tends to dip, any younger and inexperience may cause a shortfall in performance on the world stage. A few players play in world cups past the age of 30, especially goalkeepers who have a much harder time amassing their match experience.
Stay tuned…
4 comments:
Do you REALLY think that Freddie Adu will ever be on the national team?
Yes, Emery, I think Freddie Adu will eventually be on the national team. He's only twenty-one, so I do think he'll be on the next World Cup squad. That is my prediction.
Freddy Adu will be be regularly capped in the American team the moment he starts playing regularly for his club.
The problem is, i don't think he has a club right now. He is under contract to Benfica, but the Lisbon club has made it clear that he does not figure into their future plans. I believe he is still on loan (from Benfica) at Aris in the Greek League. I haven't heard of him (admittedly, I could be wrong about this.) playing in a match with Aris this year though.
I wonder why things didn't work out for him at Benfica, Monaco, Belenenses, and Aris.
I don't know what will get Adu a regular place at a club, but he needs to start thinking of ways to make that happen. For starters, Adu should empower his agent to start looking to make deals with smaller clubs, with the hope of a payoff at the back end. Adu needs a club where he will play every week, but he must accept a lower wage in order to do it. Should Crewe Alexandra come calling for Adu, he'd be smart to take the work even at £350 a week.
Freddie adu is awesome! Give him time to mature and he will produce! ;)
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