Best of MLS who won’t participate in next week’s U.S. camp

So I say, just for grins, let’s spin this puppy dog around and look at it from the other end. There will be some good players in MLS who won’t be part of the high-profile proceedings.

Here’s my list of the Five Best Players who won’t be in Bradley’s camp next week:

1. Kyle Beckerman – Yes, yes, I know Beckerman didn’t look great in the important qualifier last year on his home ground. But he was terrific in the national shirt during last year’s Gold Cup. And simply put, he’s a cop on the beat in MLS. Week after week, he bosses the midfield at Rio Tinto and he gets forward as much as any holding midfielder in the league.

2. Chad Marshall – I know some people expect him to pop up in camp. And he may. But I believe the dye was cast late last year as Clarence Goodson got the call over Marshall in a couple of camps. Marshall has been as strong and composed as ever when he’s gotten into the Crew’s lineup. Trouble is, injuries here and there have prohibited the good, solid run that Bradley would probably need in order to be convinced.

Nos. 3-5 and more after the jump ...

3. Bobby Convey – I know this name surprises some people, as the left-sided attacker has fallen so dramatically out of the picture. But he is now back to old Convey form, the level of performance that got him plucked from MLS and into the competitive leagues of England in the first place. He’s benefitting now by being left alone in a role atSan Jose (as a left-sided midfielder) rather than jostled about in the lineup. He had three assists Saturday and was tireless in two-way work all afternoon in the win over Red Bull.

4. Omar Gonzalez – The big Galaxy center back will get his chance. It’s just a little early yet for the 21-year-old. I fully expect that he’ll be front and center in the next qualification campaign.

5. Dax McCarty – The FC Dallas midfielder has two things working against him. First, he got settled into the FC Dallas lineup a little late to get on Bradley’s radar for big qualifiers. Plus, he’s a bit of a ‘tweener, not really an attacking midfielder nor a true holding midfielder. He is, however, a terrific two-way player and probably the best all-around man for FC Dallas. He’ll get his chances going forward.

Notes and disclaimers: Brad Davis would probably appear next on the list. But as one editor once told me when I tried to fudge and give him a “Top 6” list instead of Top 5, “Six is a stupid number!” So, sorry, Brad. Sacha Kljestanwould go right to the top of the list, but I expect to see him in camp. Same for Edson Buddle. I don’t suspect we’ll see Robbie Rogers or Brian Ching in the U.S. camp; I just don’t know if they deserve to be among my top five of absentees. Finally, San Jose’s Brandon McDonald is way off the national team radar, but he may not be forever. He has recently been assigned a central midfield role at Buck Shaw, and he looks promising there. (He formerly played that spot for Los Angeles before a move to the back line.)