Three of FC Dallas' Generation adidas players will not be with the club this week, instead joining the U.S. under-20 national team for the Campos Verdes international tournament in Portugal. Those making the trek are 16-year-old midfielder Abdus Ibrahim, 17-year-old midfielder Brek Shea and 18-year-old defender Anthony Wallace.
FCD likely would have had a fourth player on that list if rookie goalkeeper Josh Lambo wasn't injured. Lambo suffered a broken jaw after a collision in a reserve division game with Chivas USA and continues to recuperate.
Still, FCD head coach Steve Morrow is proud that three of his six Generation Adidas players are heading for the U-20s.
"For us to have four players go to the U-20s is great and shows the depth of young talent that we've got here," Morrow said. "It's always a great experience for those kids. They're not going to miss any playing time here because they will be back into L.A. for our game against Chivas and a reserve game there as well. It's a good experience, a great honor for them and for FC Dallas for them to be involved. I hope they do well."
So far this year, Ibrahim started and played the full 90 minutes in FCD's only reserve division game. Last year, the young midfielder played in two reserve matches and had one goal. Last summer, he was on the U.S. team at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea and appeared in all four matches. This is his second appearance with the U-20s after participating with them in a camp in Argentina last November.
Shea was the second overall pick in this January's draft. The College Station, Texas native scored three goals during preseason and is pushing starting left wingback Blake Wagner hard for playing time. Morrow has recently said that Shea should make his MLS debut very soon. Whether that's as a starter or off the bench is the only question.
"I hope that I get to get into a game soon," Shea said. "I just have to show Steve (Morrow) that I can be consistent and play at this level. When he gives me a chance to play, I want to be good and do the best that I can."
In January, he was slated to join the U.S. U-20s at Copa Chivas in Guadalajara, Mexico but a minor injury he suffered during the combine forced him to miss that trip.
"I'm happy," Shea said. "I missed our last trip to Mexico because I was injured. There are some new guys in there. I'm happy to see the guys again. It's unfortunate for (Josh) Lambo being out but it's good for me, Ibee (Ibrahim) and Wally (Wallace). I'm excited."
While Shea missed playing for the U-20s in January because of injury, Lambo, who is Shea's roommate, did make the trip. But this time, Lambo is hurt. "It's ironic," Shea said. "I would much rather go to Portugal than Mexico because I like Europe."
Wallace is the only one of the three to play with the first team so far in 2008. He played the final three minutes of FCD's 3-3 draw in Houston last Sunday. The south Florida product also made his MLS debut last September, starting in a match at New England.
In 2007, Wallace started four of five games at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada and also participated in a camp with the U-20s in Argentina in November. In January, he also took part in the final camp with the Under-23 team before the start of Olympic qualifying.
"I'm just looking forward to getting back into it with the 20s," Wallace said. "They have a lot of young players coming in now. I was one of the young guys and now I'm one of the old guys. I'm looking forward to it."
He is also glad to have two teammates that he knows quite well accompanying him on the trek to Portugal.
"This isn't my first time going with Brek (Shea) but it is my first time going with him here," Wallace said. "It will be nice having my teammates there with me on those long flights."
The U-20s will train in Beja, Portgual for two days before playing their first game on April 15 against Northern Ireland. The following day, they will face Cape Verde Islands before finishing with a match against host side Portugal on April 18.
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
