U20 Mens National Team

[Soccershins]

No rest for the NCAA Champs! 2 of Akron's defenders (Perry Kitchen and Zarek Valention) are in camp for the U20 National Team. There are six new NCAA players including Louisville's Dylan Mares and Michigan's Soony Saad. I'm hoping that a strong college cup showing from these kids will translate well for the National Squad. TopDrawerSoccer wrote an article about it: U20 Men's National Team

[ZachTheZip]

Thanks for the heads up. This should be good for the players' development. I have no doubt that Kitchen and Valentin will be great assets for the U-20 team.

[Roogangs]

Great job to these two guys!! I have to ask, does anybody have an idea why Barson and Kofi were not asked. Both have been with the U20 team also. As a past defender I feel I have some defending insight. Kofi adds another dynamic to the game with his ability to go forward, even if the U20 coach does not see him doing that he still can. Kofi also has speed and is a great 1v1 defender. Barson is in my opinion a natural defender through and through. The kid is increadible in the air, brilliant passes from the back and is 100% reliable game in and game out. Not to mention "the save" in the finals. Valentin is great also but I always have my reservations about him. He is unpredictable, great games and then truely horrible games. Both Barson and Valentin are the same size with at least looking at them and the stats Barson having the weight advantage of about 20lbs. Perry hands down was a great pick.

Just my thought, what do others think? Congrats again to Perry and Valentin!!

[fknbuflobo]

Another Defender here!

Yes, I too wonder why Sarkodie and Barson are not invited as well, especially Sarkodie. Barson is rock solid, like you say. Sarkodie has amazing athleticism and skill. I predict Sarkodie to go to Full National Team soon. He may be 20 years or older; he is a Junior.

One thinks that Chad Barson deserved an invite.

While extremely talented, Valentin is sometimes wild back there, taking unnecessary chances. Barson and Kitchen have the mindset of central defenders, but Valentin strikes me as more of a wing back, similar to Sarkodie. BTW, wing back is where Valentin plays on the U20 team.

Sarkodie and Valentin enjoy taking risks, and they are good at it.

In fact that may very well be the lineup next year, providing everyone returns. Imagine Valentin moving into Korb’s vacancy on the right and Kitchen moving back into central defense, where he plays on the U20 team.

That would make the best back line in NCAA history, superseding, of course, this year’s back line.

I think Brenes will start at Holding MF next year, but not sure if he can hold it down alone like Kitchen did.

Kofi, Zarek, please give us ONE more year! The MLS will still be there.

The primary defensive aspect to shore up this off-season is Meves collecting long balls played into the box. That is David Meves’ only weakness.

[Z.I.P.]

Another Defender here!

Yes, I too wonder why Sarkodie and Barson are not invited as well, especially Sarkodie. Barson is rock solid, like you say. Sarkodie has amazing athleticism and skill. I predict Sarkodie to go to Full National Team soon. He may be 20 years or older; he is a Junior.

One thinks that Chad Barson deserved an invite.

While extremely talented, Valentin is sometimes wild back there, taking unnecessary chances. Barson and Kitchen have the mindset of central defenders, but Valentin strikes me as more of a wing back, similar to Sarkodie. BTW, wing back is where Valentin plays on the U20 team.

Sarkodie and Valentin enjoy taking risks, and they are good at it.

In fact that may very well be the lineup next year, providing everyone returns. Imagine Valentin moving into Korb’s vacancy on the right and Kitchen moving back into central defense, where he plays on the U20 team.

That would make the best back line in NCAA history, superseding, of course, this year’s back line.

I think Brenes will start at Holding MF next year, but not sure if he can hold it down alone like Kitchen did.

Kofi, Zarek, please give us ONE more year! The MLS will still be there.

The primary defensive aspect to shore up this off-season is Meves collecting long balls played into the box. That is David Meves’ only weakness.

With regards to Kofi Sarkodie, I wonder how much Kofi's past experience with the U17 World Cup plays into Coach Rongen's decision about him. If you were following, three years ago Kofi received a chorus of criticism for his supposed poor play in the US team's 2007 World Cup, where I believe we were skunked in group play, losing to among others, Kazakhstan. This could have marked the image either of Kofi himself and/or US coaches regarding his international play. However, I feel pretty sure that Kofi HAS been part of US teams since joining the UA, so I am also rather miffed about his being left off -- and I think that Kofi will be joining names like Kitchen, Gavin, Ampaipitwakwong and eventually Andrew Souders the 2012 recruit from Amherst on future full US national teams.