Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
C.J. Sapong was called in to the USMNT January camp.
Derrick Jones just got back from training with Bournemouth this offseason.
Bethlehem Steel
Bethlehem signed striker Brandon Allen from Red Bulls II.
Seku Conneh – a surprise release from Bethlehem this offseason – has found a home in the South Korean second division.
MLS
D.C. United acquired David Ousted from the Whitecaps.
New York Red Bulls add yet another homegrown player to the first team.
U.S. Soccer
Bummer times: Monterrey midfielder and Mexican-American wunderkind Jonathan Gonzalez has reportedly confirmed his intention to file a one-time FIFA switch to play for the Mexican National Team.
Here’s the full 30-man (young-ish) roster for Dave Sarachan’s January camp. This is a good headline.
More analysis of the roster and the Gonzalez news.
Right back of the future Shaq Moore nearly scored against Barcelona and was apparently Levante’s best player on the field despite a one-sided scoreline.
Soccer is closing in on the big three sports in America, according to a recent Gallup poll.
Around the globe
Canada Men’s National Team has fired Octavio Zambrano. He will be replaced by former CanWNT manager John Herdman.
The Gonzalez story is a bummer on many fronts and displays the adriftness of US Soccer at this point. You’ll call him? You’ll call him. You’ll call him? You didn’t call him?
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Hell the MNT coaches visited his home….and US couldn’t even call to say “hey”. Anyway, for me, its a bummer because he plays a position the USNT needs to fill desperately, with a rock, for years and has been in flux for some time now and this young man bossed the midfield the past season from the multiple stories I’ve read.
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In other news, I love getting marketing releases about singing Brandon Allen. Good for the player, don’t get me wrong, but for real?
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January 9th.
The whole Gonzalez saga is unacceptable. That’s about as nice as I can say it. From the USMNT to his club team, to his choice. Just unacceptable. I’ll leave it at that.
You wanna kidnap the dude and have him play in the MLS?
I like life outside of jail, so no thanks ;).
man, i still can’t believe the US bombed out of world cup qualifying. what a bunch of jerks, its so shameful
Which team is more adrift at the moment. The USMNT or the Union?
The USMNT is adrift, the Union are just sunk.
Gonzalez is further evidence that the USMNT program needs a technical director who’s sole job is to manage the player pool from U14’s to the senior team. We don’t have the luxury of missing out on quality dual-national players such as Gonzalez.
Take Earnie Stewart… Please!
That was Klinsmann’s specialty. Still a bit upset he ever spent time on the sidelines. He should have stayed behind a desk and on the recruiting trail.
I would have thought soccer was more popular in the under 18 bracket, but that opinion is informed by my surroundings, which aren’t representative of the nation, clearly. For every kid I see with an Eagles cap or shirt, I see 4 with some assortment of Union or La Liga gear. (Lots of Barcas and Madrids).
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Trying to stay positive about lack of Union dealings so far… Argentinian transfer window opened yesterday. Brazilian window opens tomorrow. To be honest, I’d prefer we do our business there than in Europe, but let’s see. … My expectations are so low.
Hmm, whatever happened to Julian Green and Gedion Zelalem? Did they go to Mexico too?
Why would Mexico take them?
I think people are always over hyping the next big thing. So he went to Mexico. One minute people are for players rights, the next they criticize the team when they make a decision that doesn’t go their team’s way. Meanwhile he hasn’t done much more than the last two players has he?
Honestly I couldn’t say. I haven’t watched him, and I’m just going off of what’s been written. I’m just tired of the string of bad news coming from the USMNT. More importantly, I think Pulisic needs help. If only to just take some of the pressure and hype off one young man. I believe Pulisic has a good head, and will most likely be able to handle the pressure. He’s just not Superman. He can’t play 11 positions at once.
I hear you and agree. It’s far from clear that this guy is destined for greatness over the next ten years, although he’s on a run of good form for sure. The problem is more the idea of a player who could go either direction and heads south. It’s not about Gonzalez himself, obviously he is making the best decision for his career. It’s a bummer because it’s one more signpost on the road to mediocrity for the US team. It’s good of you to remind us all of two recently over-hyped players.
Remember when it was a big deal that Teal Bunbury chose the US over Canada.
Remind me how much time zalelem and green saw with the first team.
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Apple and oranges comparison your making in my opinion, John.
Green played for the USMNT and scored a goal at the world cup. Gonzalez hasn’t, is he an apple or an orange?
Did you see this about Green? https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2017/5/3/15513936/julian-green-usmnt-jurgen-klinsmann-stuttgart-hype
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Latest is that he was lent out by Stuttgart to Greuther Furth in the 2nd Division where he also not putting the world on fire; they are actually 2nd from the bottom. Quite sad…
He’s not the next big thing, he is a CURRENT big thing. To compare him to some reserve team players in Green and Zelalem after a season inwhich at 18 he was one of the best players in Liga MX is insulting.
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If we were going to the World Cup next year, there would be a real case that this kid had won himself a starting spot.
He hasn’t made any national team yet. One good season doesn’t make a career. Looks like he’s not going to the current World Cup, so we’ll see where each team is after.
Zelalem tore his Achilles in u-20 world cup. Bad example.
Doomsday scenario. In the January friendly, CJ and Haris mange to get tangled up with each other, both end up with ligament tears, and both are out for the season.
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You heard it here first.
What Union player who has played in that camp came back and raised his game for the Union? It’s been a curse and it’s not the first time I’ve said it.
Christ please never say that again.
I think Gonzalez started changing his mind after he got snubbed from U-20 WC. He was called into the January U-20 camp before the WC, but didn’t make WC roster. If memory serves, Derrick Jones was not called into Jan U-20 camp cuz he was trying to get US citizenship, then Jones made WC roster. Coincidence? Pure speculation on my part, but wouldn’t be surprised if true.