Teen seen: Looks like MLS fans weren’t the only ones impressed with the performance of Red Bulls youngster Juan Agudelo, called up by U.S. Coach Bob Bradley for next week’s game in South Africa (AP Photo).
*Former Chivas USA players Brad Guzan and Jonathan Bornstein (who technically remains a Goats player until year’s end when he will then join Tigres) and Rolling Hills Estates’ Robbie Rogers lead an 18-player U.S. squad to South Africa Wednesday for a friendly (11 a.m. ESPN2).
Among the more intriguing players selected: New York’s 17-year-old striker Juan Agudelo, who impressed in the playoffs for the Red Bulls, his teammate Tim Ream, an MLS Rookie of the Year nominee, and midfielder Mikkel Diskerud, who plays in Norway and like Agudelo and Ream is getting his first national team summons.
U.S. Coach Bob Bradley practiced his undistinguished fill in the blank style of quotes in press releases:
“This game is a good opportunity to look at some different players and assess their place in the pool as we continue to build for the next cycle,” said Bradley. “With our immediate focus on the Gold Cup next summer, this game in many ways is just as much the start of 2011 as it is the end of a great year.”
So that’s why you called in Robbie Findley and Jonathan Spector yet again, then Bob?
Complete roster:
goalkeepers – Dominic Cervi (Celtic), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa)
defenders – Gale Agbossoumonde (Estoril Praia), Nat Borchers (Real Salt Lake), Jonathan Bornstein (Tigres), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Eric Lichaj (Aston Villa), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)
midfielders – Alejandro Bedoya (rebro), Brian Carroll (Columbus Crew), Mikkel Diskerud (Stabaek), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Logan Pause (Chicago Fire), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)
forwards – Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Teal Bunbury (Kansas City Wizards), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake)
*FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman, who will lead the club Sunday in the Western Conference final against the Galaxy at Home Depot Center, was voted the 2010 MLS Coach of the Year, the league announced today.
Dallas boasted a 19-game unbeaten streak in MLS play at one point this season en route to the club’s first playoff appearance since 2007.
*MLS has announced the timing and procedure for the combine set for Jan. 8-11 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., two days before the SuperDraft in Baltimore.
The list of participating players will be announced in December.
From the MLS press release:
“The 2011 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas will include four rounds and 72 overall selections. Vancouver Whitecaps FC will have the first overall selection in the 2011 SuperDraft while the Portland Timbers will select second. The next eight selections are from teams that did not qualify for the 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs beginning with the team with fewest 2010 regular season points (3 points per win, one point per tie). The remaining eight positions are ranked by fewest regular season points among the teams that were eliminated in the same round of the MLS Cup playoffs.”
Finally, your transfer rumor of the day (stop me if you’ve heard this one before). Yawn.
