The American Soccer Youth Movement

 With the transfer window coming to an unemphatic ending yesterday, at least as far as Yanks are concerned, and the Bob Bradley/USSF re-up complete, it is now time to wave goodbye to the old and exchange pleasantries with the new.

I'm of course talking about the time of removing the war veterans and incompetent:
RB Steve Cherundolo
CB Carlos Bocanegra
CB Jay DeMerit
LB Jonathan Bornstein
CM Ricardo Clark
FW Robbie Findley

Sure, the first four on that list have a lifeline probably through the 2011 Gold Cup at least, and perhaps after they're still at the top of their game (this also means I'm really hoping that Bornstein has a Renaissance while in Mexico, because we need the depth).  Ricardo Clark is quickly being crowded out by the depth already in central midfield (Bradley, Jones, Edu, Feilhaber, Torres,).  Robbie Findley couldn't score at a Paris Hilton sleepover party.  Now, in to replace those guys:
CB Omar Gonzalez- Age 21, LA Galaxy
CB Gale Agbossoumonde- Age 18, Sporting Braga
RB/LB Eric Lichaj- Age 21, Aston Villa
RB Daniel Williams- Age 21, SC Freiburg (Pictured Below, bottom)
LB Edgar Castillo- Age 23, San Luis
CM Jermaine Jones- Age 28, Schalke 04
CM Mikkel Diskerud- Age 19, Stabaek
FW Conor Doyle- Age 18, Derby County (Pictured Below, top)
FW Danny Mwanga- Age 19, Philadelphia Union
FW Sebastien Le Toux- Age 26, Philadelphia Union
FW Yevgeni Starikov- Age 21, Zenit St. Petersburg (Pictured Above)

 The idea is simple:  Get these guys involved sooner rather than later.  The United States needs to explore its youth, because come 2014, the old horses like Cherundolo, Bocanegra, and DeMerit will all be at least 34 years old.  Top class teams around the world such as Brazil (which we experienced first hand last month), Argentina, Germany, and hell, even England, are calling up youth in batches to get them acquainted with the international game.  Why can't the US do the same thing?  Bob Bradley's reliance on the old guard and favorites is well known and documented, but recently he has been catching on to what the rest of the world is up to, by calling in guys like Alejandro Bedoya and Omar Gonzalez.  Sure there's always kinks to be worked out, but the wealth of experience gained is well worth it.  Am I saying we should start relying on guys who can't legally buy a beer yet?  Not at all.  But get 'em in the mix.  Throw 'em in to the fire, ala Gonzalez vs Brazil and Bedoya vs. Netherlands. 

Stories of guys like Conor Doyle, Yevgeni Starikov, and Daniel Williams are becoming more and more common place, which shows the US is developing depth.  What would've been amazing 20 years ago, is now being approached with a more of a "lets see what he can do" attitude.  Well, these kids have made it, and its time to try and take advantage of that.

Transfer bus is now leaving the terminal...

As the bell time approaches on this latest transfer window, let's catch you up with the latest from Americans Abroad:

According to Freddy Adu's twitter, he's staying at Aris...what kind of time he gets remains to be seen.

Benny Feilhaber will likely not be moving in this transfer window, bad for Benny, guess we wont see him called up for a while, even if he does play every game for them, how much better is he going to get in the Danish second league?

QPR signed a forward from Derby County, so Eddie Johnson's potential loan there is pretty much out. However, this opens up more time for 18 year old Conor Doyle, who started Derby's last match. Impressive much?

Still waiting on news about Jay DeMerit, who is still in England, so I'd guess probably a bottom feeder EPL side (West Ham or Newcastle?) or a decent Championship side. Crystal Palace, Leeds, and Sheffield United have all been rumored in the past.
 
Clarence Goodson had a bid from Belgian runners-up last season K.A.A. Gent rejected by his current Norwegian club IK Start.  Gent still has time to renegociate, but they must do so quickly.  Goodson also rejected a move to FC Kaiserslautern earlier in the transfer window and there was some reported interest from current Danish Superliga champions FC Copenhagen. 
 
Rumors of Jozy Altidore's potential loan move to La Liga bottomfeeders Levante seem to have fizzled out.  Wouldn't have been a good move anyway in my opinion.
 
More to follow as it becomes available...

Bob Bradley and USSF Re-up through 2014

It took 65 days, but Bob Bradley's future is certain.  His contract has been extended until December 2014.  This is eliciting an uproar from the casual to the most hardcore if US Soccer supporters, who wanted to see, if not a big, sexy name, at least a willingness from Sunil Gulati to try something different, ala Juergen Klinsmann.  But as per usual, US Soccer has chosen the safe, the known, and the tested. 

My initial reaction is vile hatred.  Not at Bob Bradley, but at the spineless Sunil Gulati and the USSF.

Bob Bradley though, has his merits:

2007 Gold Cup- Champions
2009 Confederations Cup- Runners-up
World Cup Qualifying- 1st place
World Cup Group- 1st place

Bob Bradley's shortcomings come in his in-game tactics and line-up choices.  Players like Jonathan Bornstein, Ricardo Clark, and Robbie Findley continue to get calls, when they've all shown time and again that they simply cannot cut it on the international level.  If Bradley can stop being a homer, with these three especially, I'll be a much happier camper, but until I see the roster for the upcoming matches against Poland and Columbia, I'll be bitter.

Transfer News Ahoy

DaMarcus Beasley has a new home in Germany.  News broke about an hour ago that Beasley has linked up with fellow countryman and captain Steve Cherundolo at Hannover 96 in the Bundesliga.  Beasley was brought in to replace Carlitos, who suffered an ACL tear and will likely miss most of the season.  The oft injured Beasley moves to a less physical league, but encounters a tougher and deeper league.  The fact that Beasley was brought in to replace a starter means that he'll have a good chance at grabbing the starting role as soon as he is introduced.  I like the move, he faces a good chance at a good amount of playing time and can get back in the mix in the US pool moving forward.  Plus with the team captain behind him, he won't be short of support or confidence.