Taylor Twellman makes no bones about his chances of making the U.S. national team's 23-man roster.
"As far as I'm concerned, I'm still on the bubble," said Major League Soccer's 2005 MVP during the New England Revolution's media day at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
C'mon, Taylor, you've scored five goals in your last seven matches for Bruce Arena's side, and had another two strikes called back last fall that the U.S. manager argued on your behalf. While his goals weren't exactly against world powerhouses or during a nail-biting World Cup qualifier, the notion that he cannot get it done on the international level has to be a thing of the past.
When pressed even further a few hours later, the Revolution striker refuses to admit that he's feeling good about his chances, saying that he just wants to hear his name called on May 2 -- when Arena announces the team on ESPN's "SportsCenter" -- before he thinks any more about it.
"In all fairness, nothing ever good is ever said about my play with the national team."
He's got a point, as no player in Arena's overflowing player pool has been scrutinized as much as Twellman over the past few years. The "he's just a good club player" label is still whispered in press boxes, written in articles and bandied about on message boards.
But that fact of the matter is that if Twellman is considered "bubble" material right now, then there are a lot of players out there in MLS, alone, that are worth taking a last look at to determine whether they are "safe" or not come next Tuesday's announcement.
Chris Albright, Los Angeles: Had he not injured his knee at the start of the January training camp, his chances would be a heck of a lot better. However, a strong match against Jamaica earlier this month, especially when getting into the attack and on set plays, has kept him in the mix. On the plus side, Albright is versatile enough to play both as a left back and as a right back, not to mention in the midfield or even up top, where he began his career. He's also a player who Arena knows will be a positive influence in the locker room, whether he sees any time in Germany or not.
Combining his performance against Jamaica with a few stellar outings for the Galaxy in April definitely puts him, at the very least, very high up on the "alternate" totem pole. He's likely one of two or three names fighting for the 22nd and 23rd spots on Arena's list. Nervous times, yes.
Status: Firmly on the bubble
Brian Ching, Houston: No one can fault this powerful striker for how he has started the 2006 season. He has done all he can on the domestic level, scoring five goals in four games for Dynamo. Unfortunately, he's in the middle of a numbers game at the striker position. The fact that Twellman outscored and outplayed Ching during the matches in 2006 doesn't help his cause. Should Arena opt for five strikers, he'd be in. However, the most he'll likely take to Germany is four, which seemingly would put him on the alternate list.
Status: Bubble
Jimmy Conrad, Kansas City: Has had a strong start to his 2006 season, even though he's still recovering a bit from a hernia operation. His ability to get his head on corner kicks is one of his strong points, as was shown during the match against New England two weeks ago when he scored the game-winning goal in a Wizards victory. He didn't fare well against Germany in the 4-1 loss last month, yet he has had a very solid start to his international career since first getting the chance last year. Arena knows that Conrad's presence in Germany will only help his side, as he provides comic relief and is a very likable teammate.
But will that factor in enough to outweigh the World Cup experience and knowledge of playing against European strikers that Gregg Berhalter has? Conrad's best chance to make the side is if Berhalter has fallen out of favor with Arena or if Carlos Bocanegra is somehow left out of the mix.
Status: Firmly on the bubble
Clint Dempsey, New England: The only reason he even warrants mentioning is due to the altercation he had with Revolution captain Joey Franchino in March. But after returning to the national team for the game against Jamaica, the unpredictable midfielder is back in Arena's good graces. After really coming on with the U.S. over the past year (four goals in the last 11 months), and excelling for his club team all of last season, there shouldn't be too much drama for him between now and Tuesday.
"There's nothing you can do anymore," he said. "I've been happy with my performances."
Status: Safe
Chris Klein, Real Salt Lake: Had his short-lived stint as a right back worked out better, his outlook would be stronger. Even though his first few matches with Real Salt Lake have gone well, there are simply too many other midfielders higher up on the depth chart for Arena to take Klein.
Status: Not looking good.
Pat Noonan, New England: His health is a bit of an issue at the moment, as the wear and tear of playing almost non-stop during the MLS offseason and the several knocks he took against Jamaica have taken a toll a bit. Currently, Noonan is listed as "questionable" for Sunday's home opener against Chicago due to a right hamstring strain. If he plays, you can guarantee that Arena and his coaching staff will be monitoring him closely. And if he's deemed to be healthy, one would think that Noonan will be in a dogfight for that final spot, as he's a player that Arena has faith in and believes can fill a few position needs, whether it be as a flank midfielder or as a striker off the bench.
Status: Firmly on the bubble
Ben Olsen, D.C. United: No other player in the pool has come on as strongly as this veteran midfielder has over the past four months. Following up several good showings with the U.S. over the winter and early spring, Olsen has also been one of the best central midfielders in MLS through the first month of the season. On a team that, surprisingly enough, doesn't have a lot of leadership, Olsen's ability to do so on and off the field might just be the clinching reason that he finds his way to his first World Cup.
Status: Safe
Steve Ralston, New England: The 31-year-old is doing whatever he can at the moment to make his way back onto the field for Sunday's match against Chicago. But, as of the moment, the groin strain he suffered against Jamaica is making that a 50-50 situation. "I'm hopeful, but I just don't know," he says.
As the only true flank midfielder in the mix, Ralston's inclusion in the 23-man roster makes sense. He was one of the players who helped get the team to Germany, too. But Arena has stated that he has learned from his mistakes in 2002 when he selected a few players who had injury concerns before the World Cup. So, without a doubt, how his groin holds up on Sunday (and how he feels the next day) will play a huge part as to what happens come Tuesday.
Status: Bubble
Josh Wolff, Kansas City: It hasn't been a great start to the 2006 season for Wolff. Not only has he yet to find the back of the net, but he's also seemed to lack his usual pace. However, this veteran striker has produced for the U.S. over the years and has proven himself in a World Cup. He's also one of the few strikers in the pool that has a definite chemistry when playing with Brian McBride.
Status: Safe
Kerry Zavagnin, Kansas City: John O'Brien's return to MLS and improving health makes it tough for Zavagnin, as does Olsen's re-emergence, since they all play the same position. If either O'Brien, Pablo Mastroeni or Claudio Reyna was unable to go, Zavagnin would most definitely be on the roster. But the fact that all three players are now healthy makes it virtually impossible for Arena to select Zavagnin on Tuesday.
(What's worth watching is if any one of the four aforementioned players re-injures themselves in May. If that happens, Zavagnin is one of the alternates who will be high on the list to get the call.)
Status: Bubble
Marc Connolly is the managing editor of ussoccerplayers.com and regularly writes to MLSnet.com. Marc can be reached at marc@oakwoodsoccer.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs
