Nowak Selects Roster for U-23 Camp and China Tour

US U-23 head coach Peter Nowak has called in 22 players for a training camp at the Home Depot Center prior to the U-23’s two match tour of China.

Here is the roster Nowak picked out of a baseball cap:

GOALKEEPERS (2): Zac MacMath (St. Petersburg, Fla.), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (7): Hunter Freeman (New York Red Bulls), Patrick Ianni (Houston Dynamo), Jon Leathers (Furman University), Mike Randolph (Los Angeles Galaxy), Nathan Sturgis (Real Salt Lake), Tim Ward (Columbus Crew), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Arturo Alvarez (FC Dallas), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Michael Harrington (Kansas City Wizards), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Sacha Kljestan (CD Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas)
FORWARDS (6): Josmer Altidore (New York Red Bulls), Adam Cristman (New England Revolution), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), Sal Zizzo (Hannover 96)

This group is full of young talents who have proven themselves on the domestic level and finally deserve a call-up; Arturo Alvarez, Stuart Holden, Hunter Freeman, and Mike Randolph among them. I have a feeling, or am hoping, that the Eddie Gaven selection was made by way of the Iny, Meeny, Miney, Mo method, and not based on thinking. Or maybe Nowak is trying to get fired so he can land the Red Bull job. I’ll let the Adam Cristman selection slide too. Even though the guy is taking shirt sizing lessons from Taylor Twellman (baby gap small) up in New England, there are only so many U-23’s out there.

U-20 stars Jozy Altidore (is it a coincidence that my spell-check mistakes Jozy for the word “Joy”, I think not), Robbie Rogers, Nathan Sturgis, Chris Seitz, and Sal Zizzo (bench splinters firmly planted in ass) also make the trip. I think Tim Ward was on that team too, but mistakenly thought it was a hockey tourney in which the coach instructed him to be a goon and just body-check anything with a pulse. Canada will do that to you.

Overall a positive roster selection. Time to separate the boys from the boys who aren’t as good as the other boys.

Thoughts on the roster? The eventual U-23 Olympic Squad? Anything at all having to remotely do with the U-23’s? Didn’t think so. But in all honesty it will be good to get a look at these kids.