In the end, soccer is about scoring more goals than the other team. And Jack McInerney has been one of the best in MLS at putting the ball in the net for almost a full calendar year.
McInerney has been rewarded with a place on Jurgen Klinsmann’s preliminary 35-man Gold Cup roster. No other Union players were selected.
Five of the seven forwards selected play in MLS, and McInerney will have stiff competition to make the final 23-man roster, which must be announced by June 27. Chris Wondolowski, Will Bruin, Landon Donovan, Alan Gordon, Herculez Gomez, and Bobby Wood are the other strikers selected.
While Donovan and Gomez are near-automatic selections, there appears to be space for an inexperienced player like McInerney to earn a place behind them.
The Union striker has nine goals in twelve matches in 2013, building on his eight goal and three assist season a year ago. McInerney has emerged from Peter Nowak’s doghouse to put his team on his back after only 36 starts over the course of four seasons.
For the 20 year old, this is a watershed moment in a career that is on a steep upward trajectory.
MLS also recognized McInerney’s consistently strong season with a second straight Player of the Month award, only the third time a player has received that honor in consecutive months.
First Union call up (though I guess its not technically a call up is it) ever. (Parke when we first got him doesnt count)
I”m proud and happy.
Well deserved. Never should have been cut from the u-23’s. The kid’s going places so enjoy him while you can.
a shame what he ends up playing with on the union due to hacktics
How cool would it be to see him play with the big boys?
Great news! He really deserves a spot.
Hopefully this will signal the beginning of the end to the Okugo experiment. It was a great success in we found a way to get a talented kid on the field and we have an emergency back if we need it but he is not a center back going forward and we are better off getting him in his proper position.
This is just awesome, I immediately shared the story on Facebook. He should follow it up with an all star performance. I really hope he starts or gets to play. Can’t wait to see jack in a US jersey.
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That being said, Okugo has been so stunted by being thrown in at CB. I really hope it’s not permanent.
I suspect Okugo’s morale was being buoyed by a Gold Cup prospect. Now that it has passed now is the time to think about Okugo’s realistic chances of getting on the NT are in the midfield and not on defense.
1. Congrats to Jack. I look forward to seeing him represent the USMNT.
2. How many weeks will the U be (potentially) without his services? (I reckon 6)
3. Who steps up in his place? How does (or should) Hack manage this?
Le Toux/Casey will probably be good enough to get us through.
Okugo is a top five MLS CB and should/would have been selected but for the old guards Onyewu, Boca, Fiscal and Goodson. Happy though that Mac is there to represent the U as his accomplishments this year cannot be ignored.