Bob Bradley’s roster says it all. While it’s nice to see fresh faces like Preston Zimmerman, Freddy Adu and Sal Zizzo on the U.S. national team squad to face Switzerland, it’s frustrating to see the national team coach in a position where he can’t call on his best domestic-based players. As USSoccerPlayers’ Ian Plenderleith points out, “for at least the fifteenth time this season,” the MLS calendar is clashing with the international soccer calendar.
It’s MLS playoff crunch time, and Bradley’s roster reflects that. Which is why we see the likes of Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Robbie Findley and Chris Seitz (both Salt Lake) — whose teams are all out of the playoffs — “earning” their first call-up while more promising youngsters from teams still jockeying for their playoff position have been left out.
It’s not Bradley’s fault, says Plenderleith, it’s Major League Soccer’s. In sum: “At this stage of the season, there should have been a free weekend so that at least some players who have shown form in MLS this season could have been rewarded with the chance of a cap, and the opportunity to show Bradley that they can repeat their league form on the international stage.” Meanwhile, the likes of L.A., Chicago, Columbus and Colorado can thank Bradley for not calling their players up.