SANDY, Utah - Kyle Beckerman was named to the 24-player US national team roster once again on Thursday by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. That was no surprise based on Beckerman’s last outing with the US against Mexico.
However, while the squad will have two exhibition contests against Costa Rica on September 2nd at the Home Depot Center and against Belgium on September 6th in Brussels, Beckerman will only be with the US team for the European leg of the journey.
The veteran has elected to remain with RSL for an important match on September 3rd against Philadelphia. That’s due to a deal brokered between RSL Coach Jason Kreis and Klinsmann.
“That came about because [of] the injuries we have right now in the midfield, and Arturo [Alvarez] leaving, Will [Johnson] leaving and Jean [Alexandre] leaving for World Cup qualifiers,” said Kreis, “we looked at that game and said we can either play with three midfielders, put someone new into the midfield, try to change our entire tactical shape or we can ask Kyle if he’d consider not going.”
In the end, it was the last option that won out.
“We were able to all put our heads together and I think out of that situation it’s a win-win for everybody,” said Kreis, of the plan that was mutually agreed upon with US Soccer. “If it had been any other circumstance – if we’d had anybody to play in the midfield then we would have said to Kyle ‘Just go ahead, and we’ll sort it out.’
“I was a player that was on the outside looking in, almost my entire career,” Kreis continued. “I understand that, but I do think that there are enough good feelings from Jurgen to Kyle, that I think he’s already shown him enough that he’s going to be a part of the national team camps for a while to come.”
Beckerman seemed to be genuinely conflicted by the situation – not an easy one, given his dedication to his club and his desire to carve a permanent spot for himself with the national team.
“It’s a tough situation for me to be in,” said the holding midfielder. “You want to be here with the team, but you want to be there [with the national team]. The door was closed for five years now, and now it’s finally open, and to give that up, it’s not something that I really like.”
With the competition for spots in the US midfield more wide open than they have been in years, Beckerman knows what he’s risking. And he knows there are other guys out there in similar situations that are going to be working just as hard to impress Klinsmann.
“Anytime you get in with a new coach, he’s looking at everything,” reasoned Beckerman. “This is an important time to show what you got, and make sure that you are showing him something that he can rely on game-in and game-out.
“Hopefully it won’t hinder me at all, but somebody’s going to have to play that position while I’m not there.”
