CHICAGO (May 9, 2011) – The roster for the U.S. U-20 men’s national team training camp has been finalized, with 20 players set to travel to Vichy, France, to train from May 15-20 and play two friendlies against the France U-20 MNT on May 17 and May 19.
Dynamo defender Kofi Sarkodie and Dynamo Academy defender Sebastien Ibeagha were part of the 20-man squad select by interim head coach Tab Ramos. Sarkodie, the seventh overall pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, has one previous cap for the U-20 national team and was a member of the U-17 squad that reached the second round of the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Ibeagha (Fort Bend Hightower), a sophomore at Duke, has five caps for the U-20 national team and played in two of the squad's three matches during the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.
Last week it was confirmed that former U.S. head coach Thomas Rongen’s contract will not be renewed at the end of this year. Tab Ramos, who was an assistant coach during the CONCACAF U-20 Championship in April, will oversee the group during the six-day training camp. He will be joined in France by U.S. men’s national team assistant coaches Mike Sorber and Zak Abdel.
The team is made up of a combination of U.S. U-20 veterans and newcomers.
The most experienced players on the roster include midfielder Dillon Powers, who was limited by an injury during the CONCACAF U-20 Championship, but appeared during the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, and Kelyn Rowe, who led the team in scoring in Guatemala with three goals in as many games. Notre Dame’s Powers, UCLA’s Rowe and Ibeagha, who appeared in two games in Guatemala, are the only three collegians on the roster.
Including those three players, there are nine alumni of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy representing the U.S., with Derby County Wolves products Sean Cunningham and Josh Gatt the only two players from the same club.
There are six players – Anthony Brooks, Cody Cropper, Sean Cunningham, Luis Gil, Jerome Kiesewetter and Daniel Potts – who were born after Jan. 1, 1993, and are age-eligible for the team’s next cycle that will lead into the 2013 CONCACAF U-20 Championship and 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
U.S.
U-20 MNT Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Cody Cropper (Ipswich Town; Athens, Ga.), Brian Sylvestre (Vancouver Whitecaps FC; Hollywood, Fla.)
DEFENDERS (6): Anthony Brooks (Hertha BSC; Berlin, Germany), Sean Cunningham (Molde FK; Troy, Mich.), Sacir Hot (New York Red Bulls; Fair Lawn, N.J.), Sebastien Ibeagha (Duke; Missouri City, Texas), Daniel Potts (West Ham United; London, England), Kofi Sarkodie (Houston Dynamo; Huber Heights, Ohio)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake; Garden Grove, Calif.), Sebastian Lletget (West Ham United; San Francisco, Calif.), Dillon Powers (Notre Dame; Plano, Texas), Kelyn Rowe (UCLA; Newport Beach, Calif.), Conor Shanosky (D.C. United; Sterling, Va.), Donny Toia (Real Salt Lake: Tucson, Ariz.)
FORWARDS (6): Terrence Boyd (Hertha BSC; Berlin, Germany), Conor Doyle (Derby County FC; McKinney, Texas), Josh Gatt (Molde FK; Plymouth, Mich.), Joe Gyau (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim; Silver Spring, Md.), Jerome Kiesewetter (Hertha BSC; Berlin, Germany), Victor Ulloa (FC Dallas: Wylie, Texas)
Head Coach: Tab Ramos (Colts Neck, N.J.)
Assistant Coach: Mike Sorber (St. Louis, Mo.)
Goalkeeper Coach: Zak Abdel (La Verne, Calif.)
Strength Coach: Robbie Elliott (Newcastle, England)
Team Coordinator: Jon Fleishman (Long Beach, Calif.)
Equipment Coordinator: Silvestre
Lara (Kansas City, Kan.)
Athletic Trainer: John Dunham (Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Team Doctor: Dan Romanelli (Las Cruces, N.M.)
