U.S. U-19 men’s national team coach Brad Friedel has named the first roster since taking the helm earlier this month. The 23-player squad will face Spain, France and host CanaryIslands at Copa de Atlantico four nations tournament Jan. 27-Feb. 6. The squad includes 10 players earning their first U.S. national team program call-ups.
All players on the roster were born in1998 and could earn a spot on the U.S. U-20 squad that will play in the 2017 Concacaf U-20 Championship in Nicaragua with the aim of gaining a berth for the South Korea-hosted 2017 U-20 World Cup, forplayers born on or after Jan. 1, 1997.
U-19 Copa de Atlantico Tournament
(Las Palmas, Spain)
Feb. 2: USA-Spain. Feb.3: USA-France. Feb. 5: USA-Canary Islands
U.S. U-19 men’s national team
GOALKEEPERS (3): BenjaminHale* (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), William Pulisic (Richmond United; Mechaniscville, Va.), Kevin Silva (PDA; Bethlehem, Pa.).
DEFENDERS (8): Reginald Cannon (FC Dallas; Grapevine, Texas), TannerDieterich (RSL Arizona; Nashville, Tenn.), David Longo* (Weston FC; Weston, Fla.), Hector Montalvo* (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Edwin Munjoma* (FC Dallas), John Nelson (Internationals Soccer Club;Medina, Ohio), Grant Robinson* (DC United), Auston Trusty (Philadelphia Union; Media, Pa.).
MIDFIELDERS (9): Eric Calvillo (Real SoCal; Palmdale, Calif.), Pierre Da Silva(Orlando City SC; Port Chester, N.Y.), John Denis* (Beachside SC; Yorktown Heights, N.Y.), McKinze Gaines II (Lonestar SC; Austin Texas), David Loera (Orlando City SC; Orlando, Fla.), Terrell Lowe(Portland Timbers; Hillsboro, Ore.), Weston McKinnie (FC Dallas; Little Elm, Texas), Djordje Mihailovic* (Chicago Fire; Lemont, Ill.), Paxton Pomykal* (FC Dallas; Highland Village, Texas).
FORWARDS (3): Simon Lekressner* (Crossfire Premier; Bellevue, Wash.), Brian Saramago (New York Red Bulls; Garden City Park, N.Y.), Ethan Zubak* (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.).
* Players earning first national team program call-up.
We can’t know all the details, but I’d like to better understand not just why one player was chosen over another, but the characteristics of the players that were deemed inadequate. The identities aren’t so important as understanding the decision-making processes of the MNT coaches. Ideally these characteristics are publicized, well-understood and shared between age groups so there becomes some consistency in the play–that so-called Identity. I get the sense that each coach tries to do the best with the players they have (eg formations, tactics chosen) rather than making the players conform to the system.