Alejandro Bedoya
Maurice Edu told Rangers manager Walter Smith that there is talent in them thar Yanks; with the USA set to face Brazil tonight at the New Meadowlands, Rangers second-in-charge Ally McCoist will be in New Jersey to scout the possibilities.
Specifically mentioned are Alejandro Bedoya and Benny Feilhaber.

Alejandro Bedoya
Maurice Edu told Rangers manager Walter Smith that there is talent in them thar Yanks; with the USA set to face Brazil tonight at the New Meadowlands, Rangers second-in-charge Ally McCoist will be in New Jersey to scout the possibilities.
Specifically mentioned are Alejandro Bedoya and Benny Feilhaber.

[from the AP] Ajax, Besiktas and Fenerbahce have shown interest in acquiring Jozy Altidore from Villarreal in addition to Premier League clubs, and a loan and permanent transfer both are possibilities for the 20-year-old American forward.

"A lot of the top clubs around Europe have been in touch, and we're just looking at what's the best for Jozy's career at this point," his agent, Lyle Yorks, said.

[from the AP] Ajax, Besiktas and Fenerbahce have shown interest in acquiring Jozy Altidore from Villarreal in addition to Premier League clubs, and a loan and permanent transfer both are possibilities for the 20-year-old American forward.

"A lot of the top clubs around Europe have been in touch, and we're just looking at what's the best for Jozy's career at this point," his agent, Lyle Yorks, said.

So the USA have announced their final 23 a couple of days earlier, so we can see the pool of players that will line up against England in our opening World Cup encounter on 12th June. 17 are based in Europe, nine in the UK (Not incluiding DaMarcus Beasley, who is unattached but most recently played for Rangers, or Landon Donovan, who had a brief but successful spell at Everton earlier in the season).

Now that the deserved hoopla has calmed down about the United States beating Algeria and making it to the second round of the World Cup, it's time for a reality check. That is that the United States, while playing very well in the first round, are currently not good enough to make it far in this tournament.

In case you missed it, last night ESPN hosted the 18th Annual ESPY Awards. Amongst awards for "Best Jockey" and "Best Bowler", they also handed out three awards to the US Men's National Team (or specific players from the squad). Landon Donovan picked up the award for "Best MLS Player" and the "Castrol Edge Performance Under Pressure Award" (not quite the Ballon d'Or, but it still counts).

I got a busy Saturday so we're going to have to do this alphabet style:

A.Landon Donovan could play on any team in the world. He was fantastic, making both U.S. goals. His awareness and composure on the ball is on a different level compared to his teammates. He has to carry the team this next month and he just might.

Lots of American transfer updates this morning, so I'm lumping them all together. I'm pulling most of this from the excellent Soccer By Ives...

• In Germany, Kicker is reporting that Ricardo Clark has signed with Eintracht Frankfurt until the end of the season, with the club having the option to extend the deal for another three years.

Even before the United States 4-2 loss to the Czech Republic there were already plenty of reasons for U.S. fans can worry.

Jozy Altidore only scored two goals during the entire English Premier League season; Oneywu, Bocanegra and DeMerit are all not 100 percent and maybe a lot less; there isn't an average left back on the squad; Ching is a lock to go to South Africa.

While currently enjoying a successful season with AGF Aarhus, Benny Feilhaber will be using this month's USMNT camp to not just improve his fitness, but also to provide experienced leadership to an otherwise inexperienced team.

On Tuesday May 11, Bob Bradley and USSF have to submit their preliminary 30 man World Cup finals roster to FIFA. While those of us outside the team don't get to see the roster until it becomes public, the players getting called up typically find out several weeks in advance of the roster going public.

photo by Ben Queenborough/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

A day before the U.S. men's national team friendly against Brazil, Jozy Altidore revealed that although his club future is uncertain, he'd like to stay with Villarreal.

(Daryl here, filling in on the USA blog. Hallo.)

There was a discussion on this site yesterday about exactly who the US's central midfield pairing should be. Michael Bradley, Jose Francisco Torres, Ricardo Clark, Benny Feilhaber, Stuart Holden and Maurice Edu all got a mention. But no one talked about Schalke defensive mid Jermaine Jones.

Let the Bob Bradley scrutiny begin!

In the next eight weeks or so, with an increasingly "intelligent" American soccer public, Bob Bradley will be under the microscope unlike any American soccer coach in history. Of course, it won't compare to the pressure in England, Brazil, Germany, Argentina or most anywhere else for that matter.

The USA's most recent friendly in Amsterdam brought up some very big questions about the USA midfield. With Ricardo Clark and Benny Feilhaber injured US fans were treated to a midfield pairing they'd been asking to see: Jose Francisco Torres and Michael Bradley. Except it didn't exactly go as planned.

Americans Robbie Findley (#20) and Edson Buddle (#14) celebrate Buddle's second goal in the USA's 3-1 win over Australia in their final World Cup warm up match in Sandton, South Africa on 5/6/10. Images via Daylife/Getty

The good ole US of A: they've brought us hot dogs, apple pie and some game that looks like cricket, (but totally isn't).

With the World Cup over, I'm going to be be taking a multi-part look at the players currently making up our player pool, and the players who will be making their case to be included on the 2014 roster. I'll be looking at who's played in their last World Cup, who's got another tournament (or more) in them, and who will be fighting to make their first World Cup roster.

I came across an article on MLSSoccer.com earlier this morning and really thought it was worth discussing. The article is about former MLSers and other Americans/Canadians abroad that should return home to play in MLS. I can't say I disagree with many on this list and I have a couple more that probably just need to suck it up and return home so they can actually see some playing time on the field.

I came across an article on MLSSoccer.com earlier this morning and really thought it was worth discussing. The article is about former MLSers and other Americans/Canadians abroad that should return home to play in MLS. I can't say I disagree with many on this list and I have a couple more that probably just need to suck it up and return home so they can actually see some playing time on the field.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. men's national team will play its first match of 2010 on Saturday against Honduras in Carson, California (9pm, Fox Soccer Channel/Telefutura), and while most of the team's top stars won't be playing, the match is still an important one in terms of trying to figure out who are Bob Bradley's best options to fill out the World Cup roster.

It looks as though the USMNT's spell of bad luck may be over.

This past weekend Clint Dempsey returned to action in Fulham's 3-0 defeat by Manchester United. He played 72 minutes and played well considering it was his first game back from seven weeks of injury. We can expect Dempsey to have no trouble regaining his fitness and finesse in time for the WC in June.

Since Bob Bradley was named coach of the US National Soccer team shortly after the US crashed out of the 2006 World Cup, he has made it a mission to put his players up against the best the world has to offer. Since 2006, the US team has travelled to Asia, Europe, Africa and South America looking for games, experience and quality opponents.

U.S. 2 Turkey 1

Former Galaxy striker Robbie Findley, above, was a difference-maker for the U.S. today in their come from behind win against the Turks in Philadelphia in their final game before leaving for South Africa. (AP Photos).

As was Jose Francisco Torres, who similarly came on as a second half sub and on this basis should be starting for the U.

In the next few days, USMNT Coach Bob Bradley will begin showing his cards and send out invitations to 28-30 players to join his camp in Princeton later this month. Before those invitations go out, it is time for all the fans, pundits and blowhards to pipe in with our opinions on which 23 lucky souls should be on the plane to South Africa.

It was a relatively slow news day in the soccer world on Monday, what with World Cup preliminary rosters set to be unveiled on Tuesday and the Europa League final headlining proceedings on Tuesday.

Here are some items to ponder as Monday winds down:

The U.S. 30-man preliminary World Cup roster will be unveiled on ESPN2 at 2pm.

The final roster for the World Cup is scheduled to be announced today. After a friendly loss to the Czech Republic last night Bob Bradley should have his mind made up on everyone. The current list of 30 needs to be trimmed down by 7 to 23. See my choices below.

Keepers
Tim Howard (Everton, England)
Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton, England)
Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England)

All the keepers get to go.

Aarhus midfielder and US international Benny Feilhaber suffered an ankle injury in training on Monday with no immediate time frame set on a return.

And if you literally scanned the 'Nats training room today, you'd probably run into Oguchi Onyewu. He's in for some fitness testing and will be back with AC Milan this weekend.Meanwhile, AGF says Benny Feilhaber is expected to be back in the line-up on Monday.Finally, Stuart Holden has returned to Bolton from a rehab center and is walking without crutches.

A little more than two months stands between the U.S. national team and its World Cup destiny, less than 10 weeks before 23 Americans will be chosen to represent the United States in sport's biggest event.

The World Cup roster picture is pretty clear for the most part, but some plotlines continue to develop as we draw ever closer to Bob Bradley's deadline to pick his roster.

Photo by John Todd/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Benny Feilhaber has made a smooth transition back into AGF Aarhus' lineup since recovering from an ankle injury that threatened his World Cup hopes, but while Feilhaber has enjoyed individual success, his club has not.

1. Edson Buddle, Herculez Gomez, and Eddie Johnson will all be given opportunities to book their tickets to South Africa. Buddle and Johnson will have good moments, and Gomez will look a little lost. That said, none will come close to breaking up the Altidore-Dempsey tandem that should be a lock to start against England.

Hunter Martin - Getty Images

What says "Clint Dempsey" like a relatively quiet afternoon ... that leads to this game-winning goal?

View full size photo »

I've worn a rut in my noggin with all this head-scratching over Saturday's U.

The roster for the upcoming friendly against Brazil was announced last night: GK: Brad Guzan, Timmy Howard D: Carlos Bocanegra, Jon Bornstein, Steve Cherundolo, Clarence Goodson, Chad Marshall, Jon Spector M: Alejandro Bedoya, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, Jermaine Jones, Sacha Kljestan F: Edson Buddle, Robbie Findley, Herculez Gomez This roster is interesting to say the least and not at all what some of us.

AGF midfielder Benny Feilhaber has bagged a hat trick, with two of the goals coming from the spot, to see his side past Ekstra Bladet Cup foes Skive. Highlights are forthcoming, but may not be up until tomorrow.One goal we aren't likely to see is the one by Helmond Sport handyman Charles Kazlauskas in last night's KNVB Cup loss at Veendam.

Club Altas Bajas Rumores Chivas No tiene Gaucho Ávila; Sergio Arias; Juan Ocampo Elías Hernández; Chuletita Orozco; Aldo de Nigris Toluca Sergio Lugo (DT); Diego de la Torre; Rodrigo Millar Chepo de la Torre (DT); Héctor Mancilla Jaime Javier Ayoví; Rubens Sambueza; Santiago Silva América Nicolás Olivera; Jorge Hernández Torito Silva; Jesús Sánchez; Ismael Rodríguez; Guillermo Cerda; Isaac Acuña; Michel García; Leonín Pineda Giovani Dos Santos; Hobbit Bermúdez; Fernando Meneses; Diego Buonanotte; Gonzálo Chila; Hachita Ludueña; Guille Franco; Leandro Augusto; Carlos Bacca; Tressor Moreno; Joffre Guerrón; Nery Castillo Cruz Azul Hugo Droguett; Marcelo Palau; Isaac Romo Maximiliano Biancucchi; Joel Huiqui Javier M.

Photo by ISIphotos.com
There was plenty of ugliness, but some promising moments for the U.S. national team in its 2-1 loss to the Netherlands.

The Dutch midfield dominated, its wingers showed up great speed and moves and the Americans struggled to find many of their own chances in the first half.

I'll just assume you all have hands up and turn it over to Benny Feilhaber.- Greg Seltzer

Things were looking bleek for the U.S. national team on the injury front as recently as a month ago. Between Charlie Davies' uncertain future and the knee injuries to Clint Dempsey and Oguchi Onyewu, the U.S. squad had three of its marquee players facing uncertain recovery timetables while others, such as Ricardo Clark and Benny Feilhaber, were also injured.

Bob Bradley has a lot of thinkin' to do right now. (Getty Images)

I realized I've slacked on my World Cup hype duties these last couple months and now that the big event is a month and a half away I need to pick it up here. Today just seems like a good day to talk about the USMNT and who Bob Bradley will call into camp next month.