Mexico, Colombia on tap for U.S.

Continuing its preparation for a crowded period of competition in 2011, the United States U20 Men’s National Team will participate at the Torneo de Las Americas later this month in Kennesaw, Georgia. The international tournament comprises a three-game round robin setup against Mexico and Colombia.

“We have seen Colombia before and know what Mexico is about,” U.S. U20 MNT Head Coach Thomas Rongen said. “We want to see where we are, look at new players and integrate them with those that we haven’t seen in over a year. We need to see where we are at, and where we have to go.”

Members of the 20-man roster, comprised of Major League Soccer and overseas-based professional players, will have to prove that they belong in this squad that will compete in the 2011 CONCACAF U20 Qualifying Tournament in April as the team hopes to qualifying for the FIFA U20 World Cup.

“We have slowly gotten an idea to identify our star players and want to bring them in as often as we can, which is hard with European players. The U20 landscape has changed over the years. It was mostly domestic (pro) or college players, but now in 2010 almost half the team is outside of the country.”

A large matter of concern to Rongen is the lack of playing time the MLS players have been getting. With MLS not having a reserve league until the 2011 season, a lot of players like Bryan De La Fuente, Conor Shanosky, and Fuad Ibrahim, have not been getting enough minutes this past season to guarantee an improvement in play that one hopes for from a professional player. The biggest question for the U.S. Soccer staff is to learn how these players have been able to keep themselves physically fit and match sharp.

“Every league team in the world has a reserve team, and even a U20 team. Those players, outside of training, play 40-50 games a year,” Rongen said. “Here they play 10 minutes in 30 games which is equivalent to about 300 minutes, or four games.

“This is concerning to me, and it should be for the league, that these players aren’t getting any minutes. We aren’t giving them an avenue in a critical developmental time in their careers and are taking a step backwards. “

It will be interesting for Rongen to learn where these players are physically. According to him, the European and Latin American based players should be fit. It’s a matter of how the handful of MLS players will respond.

Some players that aren’t in question and will be dependent on their experience and leadership with the U20’s are Amobi Okugo and Tristan Bowen. Playing with the Philadelphia Union and LA Galaxy, respectively, they have a large advantage over the rest of the domestic players.

“It will be the first time for players like Bowen and Okugo since last year’s competition,” Rongen said. “Bowen can use some of the experience playing and starting for LA, training with top players, and share his experience with our players. He made a big step from December and made a lot of progress. We expect him to be a player upfront with Juan Agudelo and Moises Orozco.”

There are questions still left on the squad. Rongen has only called up eighteen players, leaving two slots open for college players. Even though teams are in the middle of the NCAA Soccer Tournament, Rongen has already mentioned some possible call-ups. On his radar are defenders, especially center backs, which he has mentioned is the weakest link in this U.S. squad.

Zarek Valentin and Kofi Sarkodie from Akron, Sebastian Ibeagha from Duke, and Eric Schoenle from West Virginia, were the handful of players that Rongen admitted taking a look at. Of course it all depends how far these players progress in the NCAA tournament and whether there aren’t any academic conflicts.

If the action on hand for the U.S. isn’t enough excitement for everyone, a recent addition to the coaching staff should be. Fresh off his last game with D.C. United, Rongen named the inclusion of legendary MLS player Jaime Moreno to his staff.

The former Bolivian international is the most decorated MLS player and by most considered the best player in the history of the league, including Rongen. Moreno has mentioned several times that he would like to pursuer a career in coaching and already received his USSF B-License.

“Bruce Arena, Dave Sarachan, and myself ran a Coaching B-License Camp in DC. I felt that Jaime just belonged in that group and it made all the sense for the best player of MLS to get some time with our forwards,” Rongen explained. “He can show them the finer points of play as a forward. He is among the best players in America that has played at the highest level. He can relate to the American players and understands the belly of the beast. “

Even though the Torneo de las Americas is mostly a series of friendlies, having a small roster and playing powerful teams will allow Rongen and his staff to evaluate his guys in more detail.

“It’s great because these players are being put in pressured situations. With Mexico it’s a rivalry game, from the youth to the senior teams,” Rongen said. “The better and harder the teams the more you find out about each individual and how they handle adversity. It will be good to see how our players respond to distress. With a 20-man roster, we give everyone playing time and find out who does and doesn’t belong."

Roster By Position

GOALKEEPERS (2): Eduardo Fernandez (Real Salt Lake AZ; Casa Grande, Ariz.), Jonathan Kempin (Sporting Kansas City; Leawood, Kans.) 
DEFENDERS (7): Gale Agbossoumonde (G.D. Estoril Praia; Syracuse, N.Y.), Bryan De La Fuente (Chivas USA; Bell, Calif.), Greg Garza (G.D. Estoril Praia; Grapevine, Texas), Korey Veeder (Crystal Palace Baltimore; St. Petersburg, Fla.), Parker Walsh (Karlsruher SC; Roanoke, Va.
MIDFIELDERS (5): Sebastian Lletget (West Ham United; San Francisco, Calif.), Alex Molano (NK Dinamo Zagreb; Grapevine, Texas), Amobi Okugo (Philadelphia Union; Sacramento, Calif.), Moises Orozco (Tigres; Oxnard, Calif.), Conor Shanosky (D.C. United, Sterling, Va.), Alex Zahavi (Maccabi Haifa F.C.; Los Angeles, Calif.), Cesar Zamora (Chivas USA; Sylmar, Calif.)
FORWARDS (4): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls; Barnegat, N.J.), Tristan Bowen (Los Angeles Galaxy; Van Nuys, Calif.), Fuad Ibrahim (Toronto FC; Richfield, Minn.), Omar Salgado (Unattached; El Paso, Texas)