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USMNT January Camp: Six Notable Snubs

By Zach Galloway

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Aug 9, 2014; Chester, PA, USA; Montreal Impact forward Andres Romero (15) attempts to get the ball past Philadelphia Union midfielder Maurice Edu (21) during the first half of the match at PPL Park. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports

Maurice Edu

Of the list of players I think were snubbed from the January camp, Maurice Edu is one of two who has experience playing with the USMNT. In fact Edu has been capped by the USMNT nearly 50 times, but in the past two years he has seen much less time and has been called up less.

A year ago, Maurice Edu returned to Major League Soccer with the Philadelphia Union on loan and just yesterday the Union and Edu made the move permanent. Maurice Edu will be with the Union for a couple more years as he hopes to break into the USMNT picture once again.

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    • Edu has primarily played as a defensive midfielder, but last year when head coach of the Philadelphia Union, Jim Curtin, took over, he switched Edu to the back line and Edu really excelled there. His coolness and calm nature settled down the back line and led to a more stable defense.

    Edu deserves a chance to try center back for the national team, and he still is young enough where he could adapt to the new role and play a part for the World Cup in 2018 if he impresses. Jurgen Klinsmann has shown he does not mind trying out new positions for players to get them on the field.

    He is doing that with Jermaine Jones now although Jones will not, or at least should not, be playing a role on defense on this team in 3 and a half years. If Jones is our center back in Russia, then we should not be satisfied with the way this country develops talent.

    Not only that, but Jim Curtin has made his known that he likes Edu at center back for the Union so with all signs pointing to him getting most of his playing time in the center of the defense, he will be focused on improving as a defender. Jones is not and will not be playing as a defender for the New England Revolution.

    I know it was a bit of a long shot for the January camp since it is usually used to focus on younger talent, but I think Edu deserves a call up in the near future as a defender so he can show what he can do to Jurgen Klinsmann.

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