U.S. men's national team head coach Bob Bradley on Thursday called in two dozen players to prepare for a pair of upcoming friendlies. Eleven of those selected play professionally in MLS.
Bradley's squad will start training on March 19. They play Ecuador on March 25 in Tampa, Fla., and then face Guatemala on March 28 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. Because the games fall on international dates, Europe-based players were available for selection, and Bradley chose 13 of them.
"This camp provides a great opportunity to see some of our experienced players from Europe, as well as some new faces, and incorporate them into the group and share the ideas that we have been building on since the beginning of the year," Bradley said. "By the end of this camp, we will have had the chance to work with a vast majority of our player pool. It will be extremely beneficial when we have to make decisions about the Gold Cup and Copa America."
Eight MLS teams will be represented at the camp, with the Chicago Fire, Houston Dynamo, and the Kansas City Wizards sending two players each. While Justin Mapp and Chris Rolfe will represent the Men in Red, Brian Ching and Ricardo Clark will be on hand from the defending MLS Cup champions, and Jimmy Conrad and Eddie Johnson make up the Wizards contingent.
Other notable MLS selections include FC Dallas striker Kenny Cooper, who scored on his debut against Denmark in January and could play in front of his hometown fans at Pizza Hut Park. Cooper is one of 11 players on the roster who have five or fewer caps; that list also includes Clark, Mapp, D.C. United midfielder Brian Carroll and Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
At the other end of the spectrum is Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan, who has scored 27 goals in 86 appearances for his country. He is just seven goals behind Eric Wynalda for the all-time lead. Rounding out the MLS representatives is New England Revolution striker Taylor Twellman.
This pair of friendlies is the U.S. side's last until preparations for the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America begin in June. The USA will play a tuneup match against China on June 2 and then participate in the Gold Cup from June 6-24 and Copa America from June 26-July 15.
Also this week, two MLS players were tabbed by Canadian national team boss Stephen Hart for a training camp and friendly in Bermuda.
Hart named Dynamo midfielder Dwayne De Rosario and Galaxy defender Ante Jazic to his squad. Another Canadian national team call-up, defender Kevin Harmse, is on trial with the Galaxy. The Canadians will play the Bermudan national team on March 25 at the Bermuda National Stadium in Hamilton.
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
Goalkeepers (3) - Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton FC), Kasey Keller (Borussia Moenchengladbach)
Defenders (8) -Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham FC), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Jay Demerit (Watford FC), Oguchi Onyewu (Newcastle United), Heath Pearce (FC Nordsjælland), Frank Simek (Sheffield Wednesday), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)
Midfielders (7) - DaMarcus Beasley (Manchester City), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Brian Carroll (D.C. United), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Benny Feilhaber (Hamburger SV), Justin Mapp (Chicago Fire)
Forwards (6) - Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire), Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)
