Philadelphia Union: What the January Camp Means Moving Forward

Two will stay while one returns home. What does “Camp Cupcake” mean for the Philadelphia Union moving forward?

Bruce Arena has cut his team down from what was originally 31 players to a final 23 for the two Friendlies at the end of the 2017 January Camp for the United States Men’s National Team. Three Philadelphia Union players were in the first camp of Bruce Arena’s second stint in charge of the National Team; Keegan Rosenberry, Chris Pontius, and Alejandro Bedoya. After two weeks of training one, Keegan Rosenberry returns to the Union’s preseason training while Pontius and Bedoya remain with the team for the matches against Serbia in San Diego on January 29th, and Jamaica February the 3rd.

What does this mean for the three Union players moving forward? Most importantly it means they have had their first international taste of the year and with the new coach. Perhaps it is the biggest for Keegan Rosenberry who spent much of his rookie year earning praise and was a no-brainer call-up to the national team. Him not making the 23 for the friendlies is a bit disheartening, but likely just means he can hopefully return to the team earlier and have more motivation for the upcoming season. It’s not a great sign that he misses out on actual game time, especially behind two players in Graham Zusi and Brad Evans who are not true Right Backs. It is rather alarming that he could not beat out two players not in the position every day but again he was one of the least experienced players at the professional level called into camp.

As for Chris Pontius, the fact that he is in the 23 is perhaps almost as surprising to many as Keegan Rosenberry not getting his chance to play in the friendlies. It seemed likely that his call-up was more due to having a strong season after many years plagued with injuries and more a shout out for a good season than an actual belief in his skill and his ability to help the team moving forward in qualifiers. That said Pontius is also only 29, and has shown a strong ability as a left side player and is a strong option to help out in the upcoming qualifiers. He was the highest scoring American player in the last MLS season and that should count for something. That said at most without a sustained period of strong play (much like we will need to see from Rosenberry) he seems unlikely to be a big part of the national team moving forward.

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I think the most important thing to follow is Alejandro Bedoya and his continued involvement with the national team. He has been a solid player for the national team and was a key starter in the 2014 world cup. He has returned to the United States after plying his professional career exclusively in Europe. A key cog of the Jürgen Klinsmann team it seemed up in the air whether or not Bedoya would continue on in the new regime and if he fit in the scheme of the new manager. Bedoya is a very American player who is known for his work rate in recent years and often was the more defensive of the wide players in Klinsmann’s teams, but has recently fallen from the ranks of the starters, and often with returns to MLS players seem to play less and less for the national team if they are more on the fringe side of the team.

That said Bedoya is still a top 23 player no matter what the style of team you are looking for, and it seems Arena has recognized that. It also is important to note that much of his international play has been as a right or left midfielder while now he seems likely to play in a more central position as an attacking midfielder, or a holding midfielder moving forward. This could change how he is seen as a possible part of the team moving forward especially with players such as Michael Bradley, Sacha Kljestan, and Jermaine Jones taking much of the central midfield play. That said Bedoya has often shown to work hard, and Bruce Arena was known for playing a certain style that worked hard and he should fit right in moving forward for the national team.

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Hopefully, the January camp will serve dividends moving forward for these players, whether it lights a fire in Keegan Rosenberry, or continues the form of his teammates it will hopefully help the team moving forward. Having players in the international roster talks is usually a sign of a successful team and the more players the Union have that are getting looks for the national team the better the team likely is. Add to that that this helps get some of them more ready for the early season and hopefully this is the sign of things to come in the upcoming season for the Philadelphia Union.

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