relationships ... with the managers of the club," he said. "It's still a two-way street."
The midfield is the deepest and strongest U.S. unit, so don't expect Nowak to use an overage player there. This unit includes Freddy Adu (Benfica, Portugal) and Bradley (if they are available), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA) and Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), plus Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo) and Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew).
Nowak isn't expecting any problems with MLS clubs on any domestic-based players he will call into the team.
"Of course, I consider all guys from MLS," he said. "We have a great relationship over there for years. We all know how important it is to treat MLS clubs. We try to accommodate their needs."
But Nowak obviously will want to accommodate his own needs for the team. While soccer is one of myriad sports in the Summer Games, realizes that getting an Olympic medal would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the players and himself.
"I will look to have the best possible team going to the Olympics because we have a chance to advance," Nowak said. "The group is very strong. We're not kidding ourselves when we see our position. In soccer, anything is possible. When we have full strength, then we can deliver some good performances."
Well, that's the key phrase -- full strength. Whether Nowak will be able to put together what he considers to be a full-strength team, it remains to be seen.
Michael Lewis covers soccer for the New York Daily News and is editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He can be reached at SoccerWriter516@aol.com. Views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
