McBride Wants In on the Olympics

Around the time it was announced that the United States would be participating in the Copa America in Venezuela, I thought Brian McBride would be the perfect player to come back to the national team to provide leadership to a young team on one of soccer’s greatest stages.

But that didn’t happen.

McBride coming back for the Olympics? That has a very real chance of happening.

Ives Galarcep is reporting today that McBride and Olympic Head Coach Peter Nowak are in discussions to have the Fulham captain be one of the team’s three overage players in Beijing.

The report states that McBride is interested in being on the team, as in his decorated soccer career, the one thing he has never accomplished has been playing for his country in the Olympics.

McBride’s interest in being on the squad, coupled with a possible conflict with a World Cup Qualifying game against Guatemala for the senior team, make the return of McBride a very exciting prospect.

He is exactly the type of match-tested vet you want providing leadership to a squad bursting with young talent.

A front line of McBride and Jozy Altidore would wreak physical havoc on backlines throughout the tournament.

If all goes as hoped, count on seeing Brian McBride back in the United States strip at Beijing 2009.

If you were Peter Nowak, who else would your other two over-aged players be?