USMNT: Diversifying call-ups an overdue necessity of progress
By Josh Sippie
The USMNT has some pretty useful friendlies coming up, and in order to participate, they will have to call on non-MLS youngsters. And it’s about time.
There has been a long and ongoing debate regarding who the USMNT should draw from the most – should it be MLS talents, keeping the American assembly line at home, or should they be more open to players that are housed abroad, in competitions that are perhaps less willing to use American talent, but also provide a stricter test of international challenges.
For the upcoming friendlies, that MLS crop will not be widely available, as the MLS season is still underway and interfering for some friendlies isn’t exactly a necessary thing to do.
As such, recent reports have indicated that the USMNT will instead turn to their players abroad, which means a pretty exciting cast of talents, including some fresh faces, should be popping up in a USMNT match near you.
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Names like Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic are obviously going to be the headliners, as the Bundesliga continues to prove fruitful for young American talents, and these two could very well be the foundation of a very special next generation of American stars.
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But looking beyond the obvious, there are some more exciting names that we could see stating their case to help diversify an MLS-laden national team.
Defenders Erik Palmer-Brown and Cameron Carter-Vickers are both included in the mix, the latter of whom especially has made a case for himself in the Premier League and could do with some minutes to help him stretch his legs a bit.
Perhaps the most exciting name to keep an eye on is Andrija Novakovich, the 21-year-old forward on loan at Dutch side Telstar. Novakovich is the definition of what a loan move should accomplish – or any move, for that matter. He amassed 19 goals in 35 appearances, which earned him second place in the Eerste Divisie, the Dutch second division.
It’s a huge step for the young man, who has shot his name to the top of the pile in terms of future forwards for the USMNT. Josh Sargent had previously been the most exciting young talent, and probably still is, but Novakovich is not far behind.
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Friendlies are friendlies, but for the USMNT, who have very little to look forward to in terms of competition over the next year or so, these are proving grounds, and seeing what non-MLS talent is out there will be a wonderful test.