By: COLIN REESE
This list of MLS Players That Should Be USMNT Regulars is in no particular order, and it excludes Maurice Edu who has more or less been a United States Men’s National Team regular under Jürgen Klinsmann.
Listing these players all in one place highlights the amount of quality American players that have been almost totally overlooked by Klinsmann for national team duty despite the problems the United States has displayed not only in the defense but in the ability to keep possession and score goals.
At a time when there are a higher number of quality American players than in the past, the United States Men’s National Team is not capitalizing on this phenomenon.
Winning is important, but a strong win, draw, and loss record can be deceptive if the competition isn’t that strong.
With the 2014 USA World Cup squad mostly decided, should Klinsmann have incorporated more of the new or younger players into the national team? You be the judge, but the credentials of the players listed are impressive and well-known.
Below is the list of MLS players that have been either frozen out or underused by Jürgen Klinsmann:
Benny FEILHABER
Club: Sporting Kansas City
Position: Attacking Midfielder
DeAndre YEDLIN
Club: Seattle Sounders
Position: Right Back/Left Back
Chris KLUTE
Club: Colorado Rapids
Position: Left Back/Right Back
Kofi SARKODIE
Club: Houston Dynamo
Position: Right Back
Shane O’NEILL
Club: Colorado Rapids
Position: Center Back/Defensive Midfielder/Outside Back
Dillon POWERS
Club: Colorado Rapids
Position: Central Midfielder (Attacking and Box-to-Box)
Chris SCHULER
Club: Real Salt Lake
Position: Center Back
Amobi OKUGO
Club: Philadelphia Union
Position: Defensive Midfielder/ Center Back
Perry KITCHEN
Club: DC United
Position: Defensive Midfielder/Center Back
Andrew FARRELL
Club: New England Revolution
Position: Center Back/Outside Back/Defensive Midfielder
Kellyn ACOSTA
Club: FC Dallas
Position: Right Back/Left Back
Benji JOYA
Club: Chicago Fire
Position: Central Midfielder/Winger