With a number of pivotal MLS games thick in the playoff race coming the weekend of the US men's national team's upcoming friendlies on Sep. 6 and 10 against Mexico and Uruguay, USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter had a few tricky decisions to make regarding his roster selection.
In navigating his team's needs as well as the clubs at which his players are based, Berhalter opted to leave Toronto FC trio Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Omar Gonzalez off his latest USMNT roster. TFC, who have games Sep. 7 and 11, currently hold the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot, with three teams trailing within four points or less.
The decision came down to circumstance and experience. It was a case-by-case basis.
“Having two games with Toronto FC, we had to weigh that," Berhalter told reporters on a media conference call on Wednesday. "Part of it was the position they’re in, fighting for a playoff spot. … We felt taking three players from one team would severely handicap them. Plus in this particular case, Michael, Omar and Jozy are some of the more veteran players that have been in games like this before. We thought it’d be a good opportunity to get other players involved.”
Though a lighter weekend in MLS, Toronto's trio weren't the only players Berhalter considered with a game. In fact, he did call up a handful of MLSers with a league game that weekend.
Tyler Miller and Walker Zimmerman (LAFC), Cristian Roldan and Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders) and Sean Johnson (NYCFC) all will miss matches with their clubs on the weekend, while Nick Lima and Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes), Corey Baird (Real Salt Lake) and Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy) will likely miss midweek matches the following Wednesday, just a day after the USMNT's match against Uruguay.
"We’re open to conversations like this, but we’re in a difficult position because we’re only allowed to play at certain times of the year," Berhalter admitted. "It puts us in a difficult spot, we have to make difficult decisions. Having worked in MLS, we try to be somewhat accommodating with the clubs. But sometimes there's not a perfect solution."
