Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
UPDATE: Philadelphia Union spokesperson confirms that, at team’s request, Maurice Edu will be retained for Wednesday’s game against Kansas City. He will join the US camp after that game.
Philadelphia Union midfielder Maurice Edu has been named to the 30-player provisional US national team roster ahead of the World Cup.
Edu said of his callup, “It’s very exciting. That was part of one of my goals that I set in coming back here, coming back to MLS and coming back to Philly. It was kind of a process and this is the next step in the process to what my ultimate goal is… I’m very excited to go there representing not only myself and my family, but also the Union. Obviously, now I need to go in there and work hard and get on that plane to Brazil.”
Training begins at the pre-World Cup camp at Stanford University on Wednesday, May 14. However, John Hackworth indicated in last Wednesday’s weekly press conference that he was likely to talk to USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann about holding Edu until after the midweek game against Kansas City on Wednesday, the same day the training camp is set to open.
“It’s a little bit of a balance because we have that midweek game,” Hackworth said. “I’m sure that’s something that, if that call comes I can have a conversation with Jurgen and work something out that is good for both parties.”
For his part, Klinsmann has said he expects some players will arrive later than the May 14 opening of the training camp. “It has priority that they get the job done with their club teams before they come into camp. So, we might have a few guys coming in a couple of days later than we expected them, but that’s all right.”
As of this writing, the Union have not confirmed when Edu will leave the team to join the national team camp.
The final 23-player US national team roster must be submitted to FIFA by June 2. Before then, the US will play Azerbaijan in a friendly at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on May 27 (10 pm, ESPN 2, WatchESPN, UniMás) and then Turkey at Red Bull Arena on June 1 (2 pm: ESPN2, WatchESPN, UniMás). The US will play one final sendoff game on June 7 in Jacksonville, Fla. when they host Nigeria (6 pm: ESPN, WatchESPN, UniMás).
After a closed door scrimmage against Belgium in Sao Paulo on June 12, the US opens group play in the World Cup against Ghana on June 16 (6 pm: ESPN, WatchESPN).
USMNT 30-player roster World Cup training camp roster
Goalkeepers (3)
Brad Guzan (Aston Villa/England), Tim Howard (Everton/England), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders (11)
DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla/Mexico), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin/Germany), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg/Germany), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders), Omar González (Los Angeles Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim/Germany), Michael Parkhurst (Columbus Crew), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders)
Midfielders (10)
Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes/France), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana/Mexico), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg/Sweden), Maurice Edu (Philadelphia Union), Julian Green (Bayern Munich/Germany), Jermaine Jones (Beşiktaş/Turkey), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Forwards (6)
Jozy Altidore (Sunderland/England), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna/Austria), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Aron Jóhannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes
Despite all of my wishes to the contrary, Jozy Altidore is still a member of the team. Too bad Jurgen doesn’t seem to favor Hercules Gomez. Just once more to the bridge with Jozy and then, alas, we can finally move on from him?
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Jozy Altidore and Jermaine Jones. Here’s hoping they sit comfortably on the bench in South America.
Gomez would be good for one or two goals I bet – but more importantly his off the ball movement is consistently refreshing and would open channels for others to occupy. Jurgen’s cooled on him for some reason.
On a tangent, I wonder what it would take to pry the rights to Gomez from SKC…
That’s a good thought.
If I were Edu I would be cya Hackworth.
based on Edu’s recent play, if I were Hackworth, I’d be please go.
I assumy Philly and KC would be under the same rules from USMNT; that is, if Edu has to go early, then so do Zusi and Besler. If that’s the case, are we better off with or without the USMNT guys there?
I hesitate to even bring it up… but if we are going to ever see Amobi move back to MID, this would be the time. Wheeler/Berry @ CB, Amobi as box to box.
+1
Can’t you just hear Eddie Johnson slamming his head against a wall? I’m sure he blames not making the team on his “misunderstood” personality.
Or he blames the AR that flagged him offside on that disallowed goal on Saturday.
He has a case. He was on, thanks to Fabinho.
I’m also not a fan of Jermaine Jones, but Altidore seems to play better when he’s with the USMNT. I’m guess Chandler is a charity call up? Wasn’t / Isn’t he hurt? JK has to have a 2018 call up in mind there. Same with Yedlin. I like him but I don’t think he’s ready.
When Altidore’s in form, like he was during qualifying last year for the US, he’s the best forward option for the USMNT. A down year at Sunderland doesn’t change that.
His down year at Sunderland is only one part of the assessment. Yes he scored a few goals in qualifying. And yes I have zero doubt there are other strikers to be playing before him. We will see though when/if he logs the majority of time what comes of it.
Just let Edu go to the WC camp. Imagine if he picks up a knock in this game. What a mess.
I say let him go now too but I’m not worried about him getting hurt. I’m worried about him giving half assed effort to avoid getting hurt. That does the Union no good.