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Convey makes (belated) case
by Ridge Mahoney, May 14th, 2010 5:34AM
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TAGS:  men's national team, mls, san jose earthquakes


[MLS] In Saturday's rematch of teams that have already met, New England gets a chance to atone for a 2-0 loss in San Jose, for which Bobby Convey’s excellent form – five assists – kindled faint hopes he might get a call. He didn’t.

When he came back to MLS last spring, Convey discussed how his national-team prospects faded with a change in head coaches from Bruce Arena to Bob Bradley and problems with injuries at English club Reading. Since Bradley took over following the 2006 World Cup in which Convey played all three games, he’s appeared just four times for the USA.

“It’s competitive, but there’s a lot of players in my position on the national team, so it’s been extremely disappointing to not go with the national team,” Convey said in March 2009. “Through the injury situation I was in, I would have loved to have some support from the national team. That was difficult. I played well before and I want to come back and play well now, but it was disappointing to have guys in the same situation as me in Europe and still would be coming in, and I’m the only one who doesn’t. You get on with it. The coach chooses who he wants to choose. It is what it is. I haven’t spoken to Bob. I’ve talked with him a couple of times. Obviously I wasn’t in the plans. There’s a reason behind that. It’s not just playing.”

Convey hasn’t offered details of a rumored falling-out between him and Bradley. His play last year didn’t merit a recall, but this season he’s been fitter and stronger, and the national team is far from deep at left mid.

If he’d been in this form and shape throughout 2009, and was able to play left mid consistently instead of toggling between that position and center mid and left back, who knows if he’d be lower down the ladder than Robbie Rogers and Alejandro Bedoya.



0 comments
  1. Mike Gaynes
    commented on: May 14, 2010 at 9:14 a.m.
    "...far from deep at left mid."??? The US is plenty deep at left mid, with Torres, Rogers, Holden, Beasley, and Bedoya all capable of handling the position... and all in a far superior manner to Bobby Convey. His play has never merited a place on the national team, and that includes all three of his miserable appearances at the 2006 World Cup, where he clearly didn't belong. The fact that Convey is more productive this year because he is "fitter and stronger" is an indictment, not a compliment -- he should have been fitter and stronger for years, not just now. Convey's failure to develop his own undeniable talent is a product of his own lack of professionalism over the years, and very much his own fault.

  1. Jermaine Gause
    commented on: May 14, 2010 at 9:54 a.m.
    While Bobby is definitely playing better than last year, it was just ONE stellar performance. He needs be more of a consistent leader for San Jose before he worries about the USMNT again.

  1. I w Nowozeniuk
    commented on: May 14, 2010 at 10:32 a.m.
    Convey has shown squat except for one game...that alone qualifies him for consideration on the USMNT? Get real, i've watched Convey in about 5 games this MLS season and he has no international qualities, just as selectees Sacha and Rogers are over their heads.

  1. Ric Fonseca
    commented on: May 14, 2010 at 1:07 p.m.
    Hola, I "dubya" Nowozeniuk! How's it going? I wonder just where is the maturity level of US players who were not called in for camp? First its Davies, now Convey, who's next? Funny I haven't heard - yet - any cry of sour grapes coming from Freddy Adu or even Frank Hejduk about not getting the call. Just 'cause one plays abroad out of the MLS sphere of influence does not make you a MNT call up. So, my advise to the guys that didn't get the nod, is to show some maturity and get to gettin for 2014 and possibly beyond!


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