USMNT: 5 Bold Predictions about Klinsmann’s World Cup 2018 Roster

Jul 16, 2013; Hartford, CT, USA; USA player Brek Shea (23) reacts after scoring a goal against Costa Rica during the second half at Rentschler Field. Team USA defeated Costa Rica 1-0. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Prediction #4: Brek Shea makes the final 23-man roster coming off the bench.

Shea’s story is a well-known one. After becoming a household name at FC Dallas of MLS, Shea took his talents to Stoke City of the EPL, never to return to the same form again. While it seems like Shea has been a disappointment for the national team for a decade, he is still just 24 years old.

What has always made Shea such an intriguing prospect is his size and ranger for a winger. At 6-foot-3, he is much taller than the prototypical wing but is still able to cover as much, if not more ground than the average player. However, the psychological part of the game has escaped Shea for quite some time now. He simply fails to make easy plays at times, leaving everyone scratching their heads. In his last appearance with the USMNT, he showed glimpses when he was forced to play quickly, but when given time and space, he just failed to be decisive and committed unnecessary turnovers.

Regardless of what he has done lately, Shea is still on Klinsmann’s radar based on potential alone. With a pretty solid technical skill set, tremendous size, and great pace for that size, it is easy to be mesmerized by him and his flowing blonde mohawk. Perhaps four years will allow him to mature both as a person and player, allowing him to finally reach his full potential.

Shea failed to ever really solidify a role with Stoke City, and with that said, he has been linked to a few MLS clubs over the past year or so. While anybody that tries to compare the level of competition in MLS to that of overseas is kidding themselves, Shea certainly isn’t getting any better riding the bench at Stoke. A move to MLS would guarantee him playing time and a chance to re-establish himself as one of the brightest prospects that the United States has.

Nothing Shea has done shows that he is headed in the right direction, but this prediction is a gut feeling. At 24, he certainly can’t regress any more, right?