When U.S. U17 Men’s National Team head coach Richie Williams posted the roster for the CONCACAF Championship on Sunday night, it was not a euphoric occasion. Williams has spent a long time with the players from this age group and he had to make some very tough decisions prior to the first major test for this age group.
With his roster, Williams elected to go with familiarity and the players he knew from the course of the past two years. Club Tijuana forward Brandon Vasquez served as the lone exception with his late arrival to the scene before making the final cut.
The roster decision comes with some added pressure as the outcome for this group is setting up to fall squarely on Williams’ shoulders after working with these players for the past two years.
“Most of the players that are on this 20-man roster – other than two or three – have been here at Residency full-time,” Williams told ussoccer.com. “We feel that we’ve been able to develop them and train them at a high level.”
READ MORE: Depth is key for U.S. U17s | History of U17 MNT | Ex-USYNT dot CONCACAF Rosters
