US Men's National Team: January Training Camp

UPDATE: Due to the civil unrest in Egypt the US will not be traveling there to compete in their fr

The US Men's National Team has two upcoming friendlies related to their January team training camp.  The first is Saturday, January 22nd vs. Chile at 10pm ET / 7pm PT at the Home Depot Center.  The second is Wednesday, February in Egypt with the time still unannounced.

Based on this roster Bob Bradley is clearly giving new players a chance.  This is very sensible considering that the next World Cup is so far off.  There should be plenty of chances for these players to make an impact and work their way onto the roster during the next cycle.  Additionally, many of players are young enough that they will fit under the U-23 age requirements for the 2012 Olympic roster. The focus is not just on youth either, considering that there are a half dozen players that are 25 or older.  Jeff Larentowicz has a chance at his first international cap, which is long past due when you look at his continued success in the MLS.  Larentowicz is the sort of player that just wins, he doesn't always blow you away with top tier skills or supreme technical ability, but he's willing to do the dirty work in midfield that helps make a difference.  It is also nice to see that Chris Wondolowski is getting a chance after his impressive MLS campaign.  During the previous season he managed to rise from relative obscurity to top-notch goal scorer and MVP candidate.  He also has a "nose for the goal" which the US team desperately needs, but it's yet to be seen if those skills will translate to the next level.

Matt Pickens and Nick Rimando are both experienced keepers with minimal international experience.  While both are skilled, goalkeeper has long been the deepest position for US Soccer talent.  As a result, I see Pickens and Rimando fighting with other camp invites Dominic Cervi and Sean Johnson for the 3rd goalie position for the 2014 team.  This is taking into consideration that Tim Howard will likely be attempting to stave off Brad Guzan trying to retain the starting goalkeeper position.

The rest of the roster shows a clear youth movement.  Some of the players are so young that they may not be ready for 2014, but may be featured by the time 2018 rolls around.  Conversely, Bradley hasn't been shy about putting young players in difficult situations.  I can't say that I necessarily disagree because if a player is ready to contribute then they should be considered regardless of age.  

There are 3 young players in particular that have caught my eye in the last year:
1) 18 year old, Colombian-American Juan Agudelo - He scored a well-placed, clutch goal (vuvuzela warning on the link) to snatch a victory in the US team's November visit to South Africa.  Plus he put together an impressive goalscoring record with the US U-17s putting home 12 goals in just 16 appearances. Agudelo is currently in a good position club-wise with the New York Red Bulls.  With the departure of Juan Pablo Angel, it is likely that he'll have a chance to at least split time up front with Theirry Henry.  Additionally, if Henry is willing and capable of teaching, then Agudelo will be able to learn at the feet of one of the all-time great goalscorers.

2) 20 year old, Norwegian-American Mikkel Diskerud - He assisted on Agudelo's goal against South Africa in his only full international appearance. If you watched the video provided above, it's clear that his tricky footwork was almost as critical as Agudelo's finishing.  Diskerud looked electric during his brief time in the South Africa game, threading in dangerous passes and creating chances.  Even if it's just as a late game sub, I could see him figuring into the plans for 2014.  Additionally, his club situation is fair considering that he starts and finishes the majority of games.  The only negative is that he's currently playing for a mid-table team in Norway, ideally the coming years would see him moving up to the Netherlands, Germany or France, while still having the opportunity for regular playing time.

3) 20 year old, American, Brek Shea - Despite his flamboyant haircut, I do actually like Shea's skills.  He hasn't necessarily lived up to his ability during his stints with the US youth teams, but he certainly has potential.  He has impressive size at 6'4" which comes with matching strength, making him tough to push off the ball especially for many midfielders and speedy wing defenders.  Shea was also one of the keys to FC Dallas' postseason success.  He still has to show improvement at the top level, but the talent is there to be a contributing member during the next few years.