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BRIAN SCIARETTA - Tuesday, October 20, 2009

USA U17 head coach Wilmer Cabrera named the team that will represent the USA in the 2009 U17 World Cup that starts next week in Nigeria on Monday evening.

The USA will be lead by forward Jack McInerney, midfielders Luis Gil, Marlon Duran, and Will Packwood, defenders Jared Watts, and Eriq Zavaleta, along with goalkeeper Earl Edwards.

The notable names not included on the roster are Sebastian Lletget, Charlie Renken, and Joseph Gyau. While unclear for the reasons behind the omission for each player, all three have signed professional academy deals within the past year with European teams.

Gyau and Renken signed with Hoffenheim this past August, and have been loaned out to the Vancouver Whitecaps. Lletget started to play for the famed West Ham United's academy this spring after he obtained his Italian passport which gave him the coveted European Union status.

Over the past year, Cabrera has seen his team come together and earn a series of impressive results. In July, the USA won the Copa Macae in Brazil outscoring all opponents 14-2 over six games. In September, the team had a successful trip to London that was highlighted by a 3-1 win over Chelsea FC's U17 side.

Now the USA will be looking to build on this success at the U17 World Cup where they have been placed into Group E along with Spain, Malawi, and the United Arab Emerites.

US Roster for 2009 U17 World Cup

Goalkeepers

Cardona, Keith NY Red Bulls
Edwards, Earl La Jolla Nomads
Richey, Spencer Crossfire Premier

Defenders

Herold, Zachary West Pines United FC
Kitchen, Perry Chicago Magic
Okwuonu, Boyd Celtic Green
Polak, Tyler CSA Legacy
Watts, Jared North Meck Storm
Zavaleta, Eriq FC Pride

Midfielders

Duran, Marlon Latino Americana
Gil, Luis Pateadores
Martinez, Carlos Wilmington Jr
Packwood, William Birmingham City
Palodichuk, Nick Washington Premier
Shinsky, Alex Super Nova FC

Forwards

Agudelo, Juan NY Red Bulls
Chavez, Victor Real So Cal
Craven, Andrew First Coast Kickers
Jerome, Stefan West Pines United FC
McInerney, Jack Cobb SC
Sarle, Dominick BW Gottschee

Dave

Wednesday October 21, 2009 7:18 pm

Oh gosh, when will Tyler P. turn 19 and we be done with him. The guy is the epitome of why USSF development is a bust.

dude

Tuesday October 20, 2009 5:03 pm

I don't think Gulati, Bradley, or Rongen have anything to do with Cabrera and this situation. This is his show. When I first read about these exclusions, I was quizzical. But Cabrera has been a GOOD example of what a coach can do to improve the US's style of play. The team is promising and, for once, capable of dominating other teams with skill and daring rather than grit and athletic ability. I don't think we will have Lletget when all is said and done, I think he would play for Italy faster than an Italian player can dive. Renken's injured, and Gyau is his judgement call. If we regret his absence, I doubt it will be on par with Subotic. Don't see Gyau or Renken leaving, but if they do, it's not necessarily on Cabrera. We don't have a tractor beam that enslaves talented players to our will.

Give this one space. He's shown better than Rongen and Bob.

BigDinLA

Tuesday October 20, 2009 12:14 pm

Or maybe Jonesta and Hank you guys are wrong. Do you really think Cabrera was going to come out and admit to snubbing the players. First off as a whole I really like what Cabrera has done with the U17's, but the USSF as a whole IS pretty poorly run. The exclusion of non-Bradenton players has been a long running affair and the culprit is Sunil.

RegK

Tuesday October 20, 2009 12:08 pm

Hank- Bravo!! you seem to be privy to US Soccer information. I did jump the gun on the Renken comment but with the other two, for me it really doesn't make sense. I did read Cabrera's quotes days ago: "It's because they didn't make it" (probably talking about Gyau); and "They don't want to be here" (probably talking about Lletget).

As I say Cabrera has an ego, I must be talking out of my rear making assumptions (oops), but how can you say Joseph Gyau's father is "an overbearing stage father"? That is kind of harsh, oh I forgot what I said earlier in that you must be privy to US Soccer information. As for the Lletget situation, I will take your word that your friend Cabrera did everything that he could to get him. So maybe Lletget will do a G.Rossi and not want to play for the US but in turn show up in the starting 11 for Italy down the line!! Also, your sentence about Lletget not needing to showcase must work for Gyau too since he has signed with Hoffenheim, hey maybe we'll see him represent Ghana down the line.

It's good to see that people took the time to comment on US Soccer, we care.

Jonesta

Tuesday October 20, 2009 11:23 am

Amen Hank. Someone who seems to be able to reason with more brain power than that of a ten year old. You are spot on. Some people will just bash USSF no matter what. Bob Bradley sucks, no Sunil sucks, no Rongen sucks, now Cabrerra...gimme a break people.

Hank

Tuesday October 20, 2009 10:43 am

Wow. Why do you assume that it is the coaches fault or some ego thing? Did you read the articles? Have you been following the team? This is what Cabrerar said:

"If someone is not here, it is not because we don't want them," said Cabrera. "It's because they didn't make it, or they got injured, or they don't want to be here. I'd rather have a less skillful player but more committed than a skillful player that is not committed with this. But we've got the players that we've got and we are ready and we can't look back."

Renken is hurt and has been for some time. So there's one. Gyau is not one of the best three players in this group. He is a very talented dribbler and that is about it. He was hardly a starter for the first team and his father is an overbearing stage father who is overplaying his son's hand considerably. Gyau in terms of talent is well behind Jerome, Mcinerney, Gil, Duran, Martinez to name a few.

As to Lletget, that gets more complicated. We do not know all the facts for that omission. But we do know that Cabrera did go out of his way to bring Lletget into the fold even though he was not at Bradenton. So why assume that it is Cabrera who is excluding him? Perhaps Lletget wants to focus on his career safely in London and not in very dangerous Nigeria? Perhaps he doesn't require the showcase because he is already playing for a club well known for developing young talent.

RegK

Tuesday October 20, 2009 10:27 am

Dustin, I fullly agree with your post. The three best players in the squad are left out, this makes no sense!! It seems like the coach has some kind of big ego, in other articles that I've read he passes the non-inclusion of these players on to the players by saying they didn't want to be included. What U-17 kid would not want be included, especially when these three were in it through qualifying. It will be interesting to see where these three end up when it comes U-20 time, maybe we'll see Gyau with Ghana, Lletget with Italy, Renken with Zambia. VERY BAD MOVE BY US SOCCER!!

Dustin Johnson

Tuesday October 20, 2009 9:54 am

I think we need a real explanation why 3 of the best players who grew up in the United States in this age group are not playing. Especially, when you consider that each of these players could conceivably play for another national side. One of them is even the son of a former US national team player. I don't get it.

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