What More Does Kenny Cooper Have To Do To Get A Call-Up For US National Team Duty?

I’m glad Ives brings this up in his preview of tomorrow night’s US-Guatemala World Cup qualifier, but, to be honest, there’s no reason Ives, or a neophyte soccer blogger like myself should even have to wonder why Cooper is not in Guatemala City getting ready to play tomorrow night.

US coach Bob Bradley has chosen four forwards for tomorrow night’s match: Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 7/4), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 21/8), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 8/2), Eddie Johnson (Fulham FC: 8/eight)
*numbers indicate all-time World Cup Qualifying caps/goals

I don’t have a problem with Landon or Deuce, and unlike many followers of the US national team, I’m happy to see Eddie Johnson get the call-up. When a guy’s got as much speed as the Natural Born Finisher does and is only 24-years old, he should get every chance to show that he can perform at the international level as is possible.

I do, however, have an enormous problem with Brian Ching being picked instead of Kenny Cooper. I like Brian Ching a lot, but he’s the same type of player as Cooper; only older and less-skilled and less-talented. Ching is 30 so he can’t — or shouldn’t — be part of Bob Bradley’s long-term plans. Picking Ching instead of Cooper makes even less sense since Cooper has found the back of the net 13 times in MLS play this season to 10 times for Ching.

Maybe it’s me, but it seems like a no-brainer to ask the younger, more skilled player, who’s scored more, to represent the national team instead of the guy who should be thinking about retiring from international player. For whatever reason, Bob Bradley, US national team coach by default, sees it differently.

Here’s to hoping we get a result in Guatemala and Bradley gets a fucking clue along the way.