SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake Captain Kyle Beckerman will be participating in a Google+ Hangout from U.S. Men’s National Team Camp on Wednesday, answering questions from select RSL fans in a chat moderated by Claret-and-Cobalt Color Commentator Brian Dunseth at 2:30 p.m. MT.
Beckerman is currently in Palo Alto, Calif., where the USMNT is in the midst of a pre-World Cup training camp. Beckerman and RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando both left Salt Lake City for the 30-man camp last Wednesday. From the 30-man group currently in California, a squad of 23 players must be chosen by June 2 for the final roster that will travel to Brazil for the FIFA World Cup. A date to announce the U.S.’s final 23-player World Cup roster has not yet been set.
Beckerman will participate in Wednesday’s Google+ Hangout with Seattle Sounders FC defender DeAndre Yedlin. Their Hangout will be the first in a series of four Google+ Hangout’s conducted by USMNT players this week.
Select RSL fans will be awarded the opportunity to participate in Wednesday’s Google+ Hangout on Air. Selected fans will connect with Beckerman through an extensive “jumping” model where the players will join multiple fan hangouts rather than one single location. In addition to fielding questions in the Google+ Hangout, Dunseth will also ask Beckerman questions that have been submitted through social media with the #ForClubAndCountry hashtag.
Fans interested in participating in Wednesday’s Google+ Hangout must fill-out a web form by clicking here in order to have a chance at being selected. RSL will notify fans that have been selected to participate in the Hangout by the end of the day on Tuesday.
The Palo Alto portion of the USMNT’s training camp will end on May 27, when Beckerman, Rimando and the rest of the U.S. squad will take on Azerbaijan at Candlestick Park in the first of three Send-Off Series friendly matches. The U.S. will travel east following the friendly against Azerbaijan, taking on Turkey at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. on June 1 before facing Nigeria on June 7 at Jacksonville’s EverBank Field in the final two Send-Off Series matches. The U.S. will travel to Brazil for the World Cup following the Nigeria match. The Americans will kick off Group G action on June 16, taking on Ghana in Natal, Brazil.
Beckerman and Rimando aren’t the only RSL players currently at a pre-World Cup training camp; RSL forward Alvaro Saborio is also on international duty, training with Costa Rica as part of its 30-man preliminary World Cup roster. Costa Rica must also name its final 23-man roster for the World Cup by June 2.
Any RSL players that travel to this summer’s World Cup in Brazil will miss a minimum of six of RSL’s league matches and at least one – and up to three – Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches. RSL won its first match without Beckerman, Rimando and Saborio, defeating Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado Rapids 2-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday.
