By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (July 2, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- From Spain and Brazil to Haiti and Honduras. Not exactly the penthouse to the outhouse but, hey, you get the idea.
The United States National Team begins group play in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup in Seattle against the Spice Boys of Grenada on Saturday. They'll bring a different roster to Qwest Field than the one that was on display recently in South Africa. Of the players in the Confederations Cup squad, only Freddy Adu, Heath Pearce, Charlie Davies and Luis Robles are holdovers.
Coach Bob Bradley has done what was necessary by allowing more established players like Clint Dempsey and Oguchi Onyewu to finally begin their off-season break. Meanwhile, the likes of Landon Donovan and Ricardo Clark will return to their club teams and restart league play in Major League Soccer.
Bradley and the rest of the National Team staff seem to view this tournament as an opportunity to try out a few new faces while bringing some veterans back into the fold. Of the 23 players listed on the roster, 15 play their club ball in MLS. 16 players in the group have five National Team appearances or less to their credit.
The “old hands” in the squad include a returning Steve Cherundolo (51 caps) along with Brian Ching (36 caps), Jimmy Conrad (24 caps) and Heath Pearce (23 caps). Freddy Adu's 13 appearances for the US make him the fifth most experienced player in the side while a resurgent Santino Quaranta (11 caps) returns to the fold for the first time since 2005.
This version of the regional championship does not quite have the same luster as the 2007 occasion. That year saw all teams assemble their first choice squads in an effort to not only win the Cup, but also clinch qualification for the 2009 Confederation Cup. Sure, the next few weeks matter, but they mean something a bit different than two years ago.
The 2009 incarnation of the Gold Cup seems to be more about trial and experimentation than it does actually winning. Of course, every country wants to win, but teams like the US and Mexico are steering away from their typical starting elevens and giving lesser known names a chance to stake their claim for more meaningful opportunities.
With the testing mindset of the United States going into this tournament, it begs the question as to how well this assembled group might actually fair against the rest of the competition. The first thing to look at would have to be the general makeup of the other squads and what leagues the majority of their players come from. Compare the strengths of those respective leagues to Major League Soccer and you should have a general idea of how well situated the US might be for success over the coming weeks.
Let's start with Group B and the three teams the United States will face in round robin play. Grenada enters the tournament carrying 11 of the 23 players that ply their trade domestically. They are mostly part-timers that haven't matched up well against the US in the past.
A few players listed in the team have managed to grab employment in England, but only Delroy Facey and Rimmel Daniel of 2nd Division Notts County and Gillingham respectively have managed to pick up full-time gigs in the UK. Shalrie Joseph of the New England Revolution would be the most recognizable player for US fans, but he's injured and his contribution is expecting to be limited. Needless to say, Grenada will come into the Gold Cup as huge underdogs.
The Haitian squad is made up of 13 players currently signed to domestic clubs and will also have a difficult time making it out of this group. They did prove a hard opponent in Gold Cup 2007 with draws against Guadeloupe and Costa Rica in their first two group games before losing to Canada and bowing out in the 1st round.
Honduras has gone the route of the United States in bringing in mainly domestic players for this competition. Veteran names like Carlos Pavon, Carlos Costly, Amado Guevara and Wilson Palacios have been omitted from the squad while Manager Reynaldo Rueda gets a look at some of his younger players.
Based on the makeup of these three outfits it would appear that even with a bit of a weakened squad the United States should, for all intents and purposes, qualify out of group play without a ton of trouble. MLS is certainly a stronger league than the domestic offerings in Grenada, Haiti, or Honduras. Moving on after the first three games could prove a bit more difficult.
Group A sees Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Jamaica battling it out for survival into round 2. The Canadians boast a roster full of international talent and may come into this tournament as the odds on favorite to capture the title.
With players like Mike Klukowski (Club Brugge), Julian de Guzman (Deportivo La Coruna), Paul Stalteri (Borussia Monchengladbach) and Richard Hastings (Inverness) Canada certainly has come to play and will surely be disappointed without at least making the semifinals.
Costa Rica brings 17 players from domestic clubs to the United States for the Gold Cup and, like Canada, will be favorites to advance from Group A. Veterans Andy Herron, Walter Centeno, Christian Bolanos and Harold Wallace make up the spine of the squad. We'll consider the Costa Rican Primera Division to be at or close to the level of MLS and slide the Ticos in as favorites to reach the knockout round.
El Salvador and Jamaica are looking like the also-rans in this group. 18 domestic players will make the trip for the Salvadorans while the Reggae Boyz bring a roster of mainly international competitors. With a strike force of Marlon King (Wigan) and Ricardo Fuller (Stoke City) the Jamaicans could be dangerous going forward. The question is whether they can keep any out in the back.
Group C seems a bit easier to break down with Mexico and Panama being the favorites to advance. You can virtually cross out Nicaragua who brings a roster almost exclusively filled by Nicaraguan Primera Division players. No offense, but that group just won't be strong enough to advance.
Guadeloupe sprung some surprises back in 2007 by advancing all the way to the semifinals before a narrow 1-0 loss to Mexico sent them packing. History tends to repeat itself. With a roster stocked with players from the lower levels of France you never know.
Mexico brings a roster of mainly home-based players with only Carlos Vela (Arsenal) and Gio Dos Santos (Tottenham) coming in from abroad. The Mexican Primera Division is usually viewed as being stronger than MLS on the whole. Mexico ought to be favorites to ease through Group C and onto the knockout matches.
Panama should do the same with a first choice roster making their way to the United States. 17 of 23 players on the roster have made more than 20 appearances for their country with Ricardo Phillips (68 caps) and Jose Anthony (67 caps) leading the way.
At the very least we will get an opportunity to see how a roster mainly comprised of home grown talent fares against a group where they matchup well, and hopefully get to test themselves in the knockout rounds. One gets the sense MLS will be proud of the results.
Graig Carbino covers American Abroad and writes a weekly column for USSoccerPlayers. Contact him at graiger11@yahoo.com
