[U.S. SOCCER] Coach Bob Bradley invited 25 players into the first U.S. national team camp of the year, including nine uncapped players and 10 players with 10 appearances or fewer. The squad convened Jan. 4 at the Home Depot Center to prepare for a Jan. 24 friendly against Sweden and to give Bradley a look at more candidates for the final phase of 2010 World Cup qualifying.
Absent from the camp are foreign-based players in the midst of their season, leaving room for 21 domestic players and four with Scandinavian clubs that are in their offseason.
The defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew are represented by five players, the most of any club.
"This is the beginning of a big year for the national team, and it is important that we get started off heading in the right direction,” said Bradley. “This is another great opportunity to reinforce the principles of how this team operates both on and off the field, as well as getting players ready for the match against Sweden and the first World Cup qualifier this year against Mexico in February.”
The Houston Dynamo’s Brian Ching is the most experienced player on the roster with 32 U.S. caps (appearances).
FC Midtjylland defender Danny Califf leads the four players based in Scandinavia, the seven-year international having appeared in three matches in 2008, including a start in the 0-0 draw against Argentina on June 8 at Giants Stadium. Troy Perkins was Valerenga’s keeper as it won the 2008 Norwegian Cup. IK Start defender Clarence Goodson started in the victory against Guatemala in November. Hammarby striker Charlie Davies was part of the USA’s squad at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The quartet is available because the Scandinavian leagues are shut down for the winter break.
After the Sweden match, the USA will begin the final round of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup when it hosts regional rivals Mexico on Feb. 11 at Columbus Crew Stadium.
The Jan. 24 Sweden game takes place at the Home Depot Center and will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and Galavision.
U.S. Training Camp Roster
(Carson, Calif., Jan. 4-25)
PLAYER (pos.) Caps/Goals Club
Busch, Jon (GK) 1/0 Chicago Fire (MLS)
Bornstein, Jonathan (D) 13/1 Chivas USA (MLS)
Califf, Danny (D) 21/1 FC Midtjylland (Denmark)
Cameron, Geoff (M) 0/0 Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Carroll, Brian (M) 6/0 Columbus Crew (MLS)
Ching, Brian (F) 32/9 Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Clark, Ricardo (M) 16/1 Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Cooper, Kenny (F) 3/2 FC Dallas (MLS)
Davies, Charlie (F) 4/1 Hammarby IF (Sweden)
Franklin, Sean (D) 0/0 Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)
Gaven, Eddie (M) 5/0 Columbus Crew (MLS)
Gibbs, Cory (D) 19/0 Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Goodson, Clarence (D) 2/0 IK Start (Norway)
Hesmer, Will (GK) 0/0 Columbus Crew (MLS)
Holden, Stuart (M) 0/0 Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Jewsbury, Jack (M) 0/0 Kansas City Wizards (MLS)
Kljestan, Sacha (M) 12/0 Chivas USA (MLS)
Marshall, Chad (D) 4/1 Columbus Crew (MLS)
Perkins, Troy (GK) 0/0 Valerenga IF (Norway)
Pickens, Matt (GK) 0/0 out of contract
Rogers, Robbie (M) 0/0 Columbus Crew (MLS)
Rolfe, Chris (F) 9/0 Chicago Fire (MLS)
Thorrington, John (M) 3/0 Chicago Fire (MLS)
Wingert, Chris (D) 0/0 Real Salt Lake (MLS)
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS
Jon Busch (Chicago Fire), Will Hesmer (Columbus Crew), Troy Perkins (Valerenga), Matt Pickens (out of contract).
DEFENDERS
Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland), Sean Franklin (Los Angeles Galaxy), Cory Gibbs (Colorado Rapids), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Chris Wingert (Real Salt Lake), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC).
MIDFIELDERS
Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Brian Carroll (Columbus Crew), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Jack Jewsbury (Kansas City Wizards), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), John Thorrington (Chicago Fire).
FORWARDS
Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire).