Damon Brown Evansville, Ind. Is Juergen Sommer completely gone from the national team picture? I’ve not heard anything from Coach Arena regarding Juergen in a long time. I saw him play in a “rehab” game last summer in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and he seemed to be fit and ready to go (albeit against A-League comp.) Can you tell me what’s up with him? Will he get another shot with Coach Arena? Mike Woitalla: I wouldnÆt bet on seeing Sommer in the U.S. jersey again. And as he said in a Feb. 28 Soccer America Magazine article by Craig Merz, his priority is getting back into the Columbus Crew goal. I certainly wish Sommer the best and believe he would be one of MLSÆs best keepers when healthy, but heÆs suffered two devastating knee injuries in a yearÆs span. His last surgery came on Oct. 20. Indeed, his second injury occurred after you saw him play. (Sommer tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in November 1998 and tore his left-knee ACL Oct. 20, 1999.) ThereÆs no doubt he may fully recover — he thinks heÆll be in top form by the end of the 2000 MLS season — but then heÆll first have to beat out Crew keeper Mark Dougherty. The reason I think heÆll no longer interest national team coach Bruce Arena? Arena has Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel. HeÆs also used Tony Meola and younger keepers like Tom Presthus and Zach Thornton. Sommer will never be as good as the Keller (first choice) and Friedel (second choice). These two are both excellent keepers. The 31-year-old Sommer happens to be in their age range. IÆd be surprised if Arena did not use younger, up-and-coming keepers as his third- and fourth-string choices. (If you have a question for a Soccer America Magazine editor, click “Q&A with SA Editors” in the left column of the home page under “Interactive.”)