Strange stuff for the U.S. men's national team as they switched up two players for the roster against Brazil next week.
After being named to the initial 23-man roster yesterday, Jermaine Jones and Chad Marshall had the rug pulled out from under them with Jozy Altidore and Omar Gonzalez replacing them.
Jones had been set to make his U.S. debut after playing three exhibitions for Germany and being approved for a switch last year by FIFA. The U.S. Soccer Federation said Thursday that after accepting the invitation, he decided to remain with his club ahead of its opener at Hamburg on Aug. 21. Jones missed last season because of a shin injury.
"I would like to thank Bob Bradley and the U.S. federation greatly for my first official invitation," Jones said in a statement released by his agent. "It is an honor that I have been working towards for over a year, and while I initially felt like I was ready to make my first appearance, it is also extremely important to me that I am 100 percent fit for my first national team game and that I make a good impression on the manager and my teammates.
"I hope to receive another invitation and finally fulfill my goal of playing with the U.S. national team in the very near future."
Gonzalez, last year's Major League Soccer rookie of the year, could make his international debut.
Altidore, who has nine goals in 29 appearances, returned to Spain's Villarreal this week after being loaned to Hull last season.
Ticket sales for the match at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., have topped 58,000 for the match, the first for both nations on the road to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Personally, I am disappointed that we won't see Jones yet but if he thinks he's not ready, that's understandable. Chad Marshall doesn't do anything for me and while I love Jozy Altidore, it didn't break my heart to not see him on this roster since we'll get our fill of him for the next 10+ years.
Omar Gonzalez is an intriguing wild card and since I don't follow the MLS at all, I honestly had never heard of him before today. Sad, I know.
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