Jurgen Klinsmann’s latest roster for the U.S. National Team’s upcoming friendlies against Colombia and Ireland is a solid mix of experienced players and young upstarts. His message in the earlygoing was one that bodes well for Real Salt Lake’s two representatives in the team, as Klinsmann called for Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando to be among those who will be called upon to play leadership roles in the two friendlies.
“I think if you look at these veterans – Kyle Beckerman, DaMarcus Beasley, Nick Rimando, Jermaine Jones – I think those are all players that have to help get the younger players to another level,” said Klinsmann in a story on USSoccer.com. “It’s literally their jobs; it’s what we’re asking. I know everybody is busy with themselves and wants to play and show what they have, but in a transition phase after a World Cup, having a year until you play that Gold Cup in July, we need these older players. Beasley is a very important player in this going forward, and Beckerman and Rimando. They have to show what it takes to become consistent and a real professional.”
Beckerman is among the more veteran players on the squad with 40 caps to his credit, ranking behind only DaMarcus Beasley (120), Jozy Altidore (74) and Jermaine Jones (47). The 32-year-old midfielder is coming off of a busy 2014 MLS season that saw him nab three goals and three assists in 28 matches, playing 2,520 minutes for his third-highest total since joining RSL in 2007 in a trade with the Colorado Rapids.
In addition, he had a strong showing with the U.S., logging 547 minutes in seven appearances, including three starts in the Group Stage at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Rimando, meanwhile, had another stellar season in front of the net for RSL, posting a league-best 1.04 goals against average while going 13-4-7 with seven shutouts in his 24 starts. A regular in camp with the U.S., he also started in three matches and played as a second-half substitute in another to bring his career total to 16 caps.
With a slew of young players that includes 12 players with fewer than 10 caps, Klinsmann hopes to lean on those experienced players to bring the young players along and have a deep roster entering the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
“We want to have these guys telling them these things, to have an education off the field,” Klinsmann told USSoccer.com. “We have 10 days now together in London, and then we go to Dublin. This is what we coaches will watch very carefully – how the experienced players play that role and not their own role. They’ve played enough caps, they know what to do. For me, it’s really important to see how much they pass on, and can these younger players become more alert, more urgent and understand that they have to break through and not miss the train.”
The U.S. will face Colombia at London’s Craven Cottage on Friday (12:45 p.m. MT, ESPN), then meet Ireland in Dublin on Nov. 18 (12:45 p.m. MT, ESPN2).
