Here are the immediate, important points to consider as Jurgen Klinsmann has released the final 11 names from his Orlando training camp. This 27-man selection will be culled to 23 before three friendlies and a pair of World Cup qualifiers.
So, here goes …
- The most significant omissions are Bolton center back Tim Ream, FC Dallas winger Brek Shea, New England midfielder Benny Feilhaber and Anderlecht midfielder Sacha Kljestan.
- Ream and Shea are somewhat surprising. You can’t say as much about Feilhaber, nor about Kljestan. Feilhaber didn’t appear in the last two U.S. matches. And Kljestan simply hasn’t been a Klinsmann fixture over the last 9 months, with only sporadic appearances.
- I know Kljestan’s omission has some folks in a twist, and fair enough. But it simply cannot be that much of a surprise. You may think the Anderlecht man should be on the roster, and that’s OK. But did you really expect it? Little has happened to indicate that it would. Based on the relative strength of the position (he’s a holding midfielder in Anderlecht’s 4-2-3-1) and based on Klinsmann’s past call-ups, it was always something of a longshot.
- Shea’s omission is and isn’t surprising. On the one hand, the left-winger has been a Klinsmann staple over the last nine months. But Shea isn’t performing at top rev at the moment, and last week’s silly stunt surely didn’t help. (A goofball bit that cost the FCD man a three-game MLS suspension.)
- Without Shea, things look a little narrow on this roster. Landon Donovan is the closest thing here to a true “wide” man. Michael Bradley, Fabian Johnson, Jose Torres, Danny Williams and Graham Zusi have played wide internationally before, but mostly as guys who tend to (and generally prefer to) tuck inside.
- Edgar Castillo? Personally, I don’t see it. The coach obviously sees something many of us don’t.
- Terrence Boyd’s presence may surprise some, seeing as he remains a reserve for Borussia Dortmund. Then again, he’s already been capped, so perhaps it’s not a big shocker.
- Chris Wondolowski (pictured) and Herculez Gomez are proof that form matters – in most cases, at least. The omissions of Shea and Edson Buddle are also demonstrations that the coach will continue to weigh current capacity to get the job done.
- Landon Donovan? No, he’s not performing well at the moment for the Galaxy – but who is? Donovan has earned some benefit of the doubt in my book. That is, he can still be a difference maker in certain moments. So I have no problem with bringing the L.A. attacker into the 27-man camp, at very least. The coaches can see where it goes from there. Besides, experience at this level counts, and Donovan certainly has that, now into his second decade with the U.S. national team.
The team will train in Orlando until May 25, when Klinsmann will select a final 23-man roster. The American are schedule to depart then for Jacksonville, for May 26 friendly against Scotland (8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, Galavision).
