Opportunity knocks for a few fringe U.S. nationals in next week’s friendlies

Nov 9, 2009, 7:12 PM UTC

Jeff Cunningham ... the recent MLS Golden Boot winner gets his first chance under U.S. manager Bob Bradley

Sometimes in life, when you lose, you win. Like when that really flakey girlfriend dumps you in college – and you realize later how wonderfully lucky you are not to be stuck with that manipulative, conniving tramp. Or so I hear.

We’ve got something like that going on with Monday’s announcement of the 22-man U.S. roster set to face Slovakia next week. U.S. manager Bob Bradley won’t be able to use Landon Donovan, Brian Ching and a few others who are still alive in Major League Soccer’s playoff races.

But some performers, having forfeited their credentials into the MLS post-season party, have been bequeathed with a wonderful opportunity, and will be spiriting off for Eastern Europe next week. Kickoff for Saturday’s match in Bratislava is set for 10 a.m. ET. (FSC and Galavision)

Four days later, the U.S. travels into Scandinavia for a match against Denmark at NRGi Park, the grounds for AGF Aarhus, which is Benny Feilhaber’s home away from home.

So this is it for players such as Jeff Cunningham and Dax McCarty. They’ll need to be in shape, in form and toeing the line in terms of doing what’s asked. They have this chance because their teams aren’t in the MLS playoffs. It will take something special, but the opportunity stands before them.

Same, perhaps for a few others who have fallen to the fringes of the national team, or who were always bubble types. Here we speak of Clarence Goodson, Heath Pearce, Robbie Rogers and … wait for it … Eddie Johnson. Remember him?

Bradley knows plenty about what Conor Casey and Jimmy Conrad can do. But they can significantly bolster their cases with a sharp and professional outing in one of the matches.

Remember, the opportunities are few and far between from here until the World Cup. There is but one FIFA date next year before Bradley’s 23-man World Cup roster will be more or less set. So for next week’s pair of friendlies, the result means absolutely nothing. But the individual performances (within the team structure, of course) can make or break dreams and significantly affect careers.

Here is the full roster:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton), Troy Perkins (Valerenga)

DEFENDERS (9): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)

FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Hull City), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas), Eddie Johnson (Fulham)

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