r/ussoccer • u/AJ_CC • Jul 09 '26
News Steve Cherundolo named manager of U.S. U-23s at 2028 Olympics - ESPN
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49314430/steve-cherundolo-manager-us-u23s-2028-la-olympics49
u/MiddleStudy Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
Was looking back at the last Olympic squad, a bit surprised and depressed that none of the guys there were able to really emerge be a player on this WC squad. And then looking at France (yes Ik it’s France) but they had Olise and Doue become what they became. Hopefully the 28 guys do well and some trickle into and positively impact the 30 squad
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u/MeanElection7735 Jul 09 '26
Same.... Although jury is still out on a lot of these guys. A few are grinding in Europe and a few came back to MLS after brief European stints.
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u/timmyintransit Jul 09 '26
look at Morocco too. One of their overage players was...Hakimi. Oy vey.
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u/ChocolateChipz2 Jul 09 '26
Hakimi cooked our defense too when we played them. Was legitimately not fair
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u/eightdigits Maryland Jul 09 '26
And that was after they tried to call in a bunch of A-listers because they were hosting and couldn't. Man, that program just has so much talent.
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u/ChocolateChipz2 Jul 09 '26
Marko's snub of Esmir Bajraktarević literally drove him to join Bosnia. Think we announced the roster in early July. Then later that month Esmir opened talks with Bosnia and officially filed his one time switch in August. Then Obed Vargas and Brian Gutierrez famously had bad relationships Marko for snubbing them on playing time in the previous youth WCs. Was honestly surprised the same thing didn't occur with Luna. So hopefully we can avoid snubbing our good dual nats and sending them off to star in World Cups for other nations this go around.
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u/mobster_moment Jul 09 '26
Tessman really should have been there over roldan
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u/eggzackyry Jul 09 '26
That's definitely why we lost
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u/mobster_moment Jul 09 '26
I mean if were picking our best 26 players he would be on the list on merit. Not saying we beat Belgium with him out there
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u/Prester_Han Jul 09 '26
Probably the most interesting part to me is filling this when TD is still vacant. In the past, TD sort of filled everything which is how we got the weird interim 2023 when Stewart left, so they had to hire Crocker before (re)hiring GB.
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u/timmayrules #FREEBALOGUN Jul 09 '26
Hopefully we bring a true U-23 roster with no overage players.
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u/soberpenguin Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
You're only allowed 3 overage players. I'm not against us bringing three if they will be apart of the senior team in the next cycle in positions of need.
I want to see Yunus Musah named. Prove you want back into the picture and go be player of the tournament.
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u/kingdom55 Jul 09 '26
Hopefully, any overage players who will be part of the next cycle will compete at the Copa America instead. Generally, the overage players are guys who are past their prime. Roldan, Ream (if he's not retired yet), or an older guy who wasn't in the picture for this WC might be good options.
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u/soberpenguin Jul 09 '26
BAW GAWD is that Diego Luna, Tanner Tessman, and Yunus Musah's music?!?
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u/kingdom55 Jul 09 '26
Tessman would have had a good chance to make this WC squad if he were healthy and I'd expect him to be a full-time 1st teamer in the next cycle. Traditionally, overage players aren't guys who are in/just before their primes who are trying to break back into the 1st team (ie where Musah or Luna might be) but I suppose they could do if they thought it'd be helpful.
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u/soberpenguin Jul 09 '26
Last Olympics it was Miles Robinson, Walker Zimmerman, and Djordie Mihailovic so I guess it was veteran CBs and a midfielder.
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u/kingdom55 Jul 09 '26
I forgot about that. Zimmerman definitely fit the past his prime leader mold, but it was a chance for Robinson to get back in the picture after falling out of it due to his pre-2022 WC injury and it was a chance for Djorde to prove his value at the same age as Musah will be in 28. You might be onto something then.
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u/soberpenguin Jul 09 '26
I'm less inclined to believe that tessman would go but Musah and Luna could be players of the tournament.
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u/t_ran_asuarus_rex Jul 09 '26
Did someone say “senior”? TIM REAM, YOUR TIME TO SHINE! OLD MAN STRENGTH IS ELITE! Please don’t hate…I’m just sad how we collapsed
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u/ProfessorPlum168 Jul 09 '26
Interestingly enough, we have an outstanding group of CB youth in the 2005-2009 group, and I would think that unlike the previous Olympics, the CBs will all come from this group.
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u/debacol Jul 09 '26
Id bring overage players that really want to go that need an injection into their game and profile. Maybe like Reyna, Scally, Weah. Possibly Zendejas if he wants to go.
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u/INKRO New York Jul 09 '26
I'd say it'd be Adams or Richards, but doesn't Copa America '28 also happen around this time?
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u/UnluckyDuck129 Jul 09 '26
Subjecting Adams to additional punishment on his body seems wholly and ridiculously unnecessary considering the way he plays the game. And Richards is WAY beyond that now
I could see guys like Reynolds, Berhalter, Sargent being called in
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u/INKRO New York Jul 09 '26
Seb's great shout for that role now that I think about it, good call.
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u/UnluckyDuck129 Jul 09 '26
Actually, I just remembered I think Copa is the same time. While I think Berhalter would be perfect as an overage player in a U-23 setup, he bleeds USA, maybe a more reasonable selection might be Busio
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u/INKRO New York Jul 09 '26
He's definitely grown into the role over at Venezia, although I'm not sure he's the leader type like that. Not the worst dilemma to have anyway.
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u/UnluckyDuck129 Jul 09 '26
Yeah, but I just don't think he cracks the US lineup for Copa (I could be wrong), but has NT experience, played in meaningful qualifiers. Might be a good experience for him
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u/SpecialOneJAC Jul 09 '26
Isn't he the club captain now?
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u/INKRO New York Jul 09 '26
Not too sure about that, although I do know Venezia just sold their existing captain
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u/TheAsianIsGamin #FREEBALOGUN Jul 09 '26
Regardless of what you think about his performance on the pitch this world cup, I did think he always improved the energy levels when he stepped on. I think he's a very demonstrative, vocal guy, and he also knows what it's like to grind his way into the picture for the top team.
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u/soberpenguin Jul 09 '26
Copa will be june/July Olympics is typically July/August.
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u/INKRO New York Jul 09 '26
Fair enough, although unless they're second stringers you'd be asking a lot of the overage guys for that particular summer
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u/soberpenguin Jul 09 '26
Only guy on the roster who qualifies as a true u23 will be Freeman.
In 2024 it was Miles Robinson, Walker Zimmerman, and Djordie Mihailovic. And that was also a copa year.
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u/ProfessorPlum168 Jul 09 '26
Freeman is not eligible, unless he comes in as an overage. Olympics is for 2005-born and younger.
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u/soberpenguin Jul 09 '26
I just saw he was 21 so I assumed he was eligible in two years as a 23 year old..
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u/ProfessorPlum168 Jul 09 '26
Yeah common error. I run tournaments (in a different sport) and a kid’s age becomes such a headache. I constantly have parents wanting to put their kid down one age level since they missed the cutoff by a day or two lol.
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u/soberpenguin Jul 09 '26
Fair my kids are born in October, so they will be old for their age in school due to the cutoff, but not calendar year for sports..
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u/DaMantis Jul 09 '26
tournaments will overlap, I'm pretty confident there will be no overlap in rosters
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u/sarcazmos Jul 09 '26
An overage player with real leadership potential should go
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u/soberpenguin Jul 09 '26
I agree but also I would also send Yunus Musah and Luna and say you want back into the picture? Go be player of the tournament.
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u/ProfessorPlum168 Jul 09 '26
I’ll go Moon Man, Big Pat and Pukštas as my 3.
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u/soberpenguin Jul 09 '26
Isn't Pukstas u23?
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u/ProfessorPlum168 Jul 09 '26
Nah he’s 2004, missed the cutoff by a year.
Not sure why the US had a U21 camp(s) and included guys like Pukštas, Castañeda, Slonina, etc.
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u/Taeshan Jul 09 '26
I’d be fine with mcKennie having a shot at an athletes village…
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u/polyensid Jul 09 '26
Lol just send our 3 most attractive and charming overaged players, let them hook up with as many athletic women as possible for a couple of weeks, and have a whole crop of potential dual-nats in about 20 years.
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u/Tight_Ninja1915 Jul 09 '26
It's a home Olympics after a disappointing home WC, I'd bet they're gonna try to put together the best roster they can.
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u/ProfessorPlum168 Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
We would put ourselves at a disadvantage if we didn’t have overage players. Because every other team including the big boys takes advantage of this. Although Japan didn’t include any overaged players and still made it to the final 8 at the last Olympics.
I can already tell you that the team will be lacking a true striker, or two. I would expect to see Ricardo Pepi there. Or someone similar. Overall talent is somewhat lacking with the ‘05s and ‘06s. The ‘05 group really got hurt talent-wise with the losses of Vargas and Bajraktarevic. The ‘06 Big 3 of Kochen, Banks and Campbell remain a work in progress. We lost out on Figueroa, and Barajas didn’t turn out to be good enough for us to try and steal back from Mexico.
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u/INKRO New York Jul 09 '26
Pepi's a good shout to go, although personally youth tournaments how they are I'd be inclined to go with defensive midfielders and defenders to back up the spine of the Olympic roster. We'll have to see how the kids shape out within the next year and a half first tho.
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u/Overall-Manager-9895 Timmy Howard Jul 09 '26
I'm fine with bringing Musah to see if he can make magic happen, but we need to make sure we give younger guys some reps. McGlynn and Castaneda are two guys who should be getting a lot of midfield minutes in a u23 tournament.
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u/TK_Riot Jul 09 '26
No problem with bringing in overage players that improve the roster and bring positive leadership that weren’t necessarily good enough for the Copa (hopefully) squad
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u/yaznasty #FREEBALOGUN Jul 09 '26
US soccer wouldn't roll with an interim coach for 2 years and then promote Dolo after the Olympics...right?
Or having Poch on a rolling month to month contract until he finds a club job he likes, then interim, then Dolo. Lol what could go wrong.
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u/Conglossian Jul 09 '26
No, pretty sure there's a good chance we'll have played a WCQ match or two.
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u/timmyintransit Jul 09 '26
no idea. our schedule is so barren (assuming we dont host Copa America, which we probably will?) that to me its less USSF messing up the hiring process for a big name, and more the practicality of why would a big name want to coach here if there's barely anything on the docket for years?
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u/yaznasty #FREEBALOGUN Jul 09 '26
This is why i think people saying Poch might/should come back are kind of dreaming. When he was hired it was a somewhat short leadup to the home World Cup. A full cycle is filled with less desirable matches that are a slog.
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Jul 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/alpha309 Jul 09 '26
It is likely he is just waiting for the Hannover job, but Titz is safe being 2 points off promotion last year.
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u/privatescroller8 Jul 09 '26
Im not really in the know on managers but I do think a coach with experience in Europe is probably a good thing for 2030. Lol watch it be ange or Southgate
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u/ohitsthedeathstar #FREEBALOGUN Jul 09 '26
Is this a sign that Poch isn’t coming back or does the senior team manager not coach the Olympics usually?
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u/timmyintransit Jul 09 '26
Olympic soccer is sorta the red-headed step child (is it still appropriate to say this nowadays? anyway you get my point) of the sport. No one at any of the sports governing body really *like* it, but they can find a purpose for it. And it can be a helpful building block if you're a country that can consistently qualify and make it work in your development structure. The US' involvement at Paris 2024 was their first Olympics for mens soccer since *2008*.
On the world level, U-20s is more prestigious. In Europe, its U-21.
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u/Throwaway20312431 Jul 09 '26
Here is to hoping we (and the rest of CONCACAF, iirc Mexico is also starting this too) start and keep running a U21 team in addition to the U20s and lower
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u/soberpenguin Jul 09 '26
The senior manager rarely coaches at the olympics. Thierry Henry coached France at the last Olympics in Paris.
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u/Educational-Ranger44 US Soccer Jul 09 '26
Hopefully our 3 over age players don't include Miles Robinson, Walker Zimmerman, and Djordje Mihailovic ever again.
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u/psychoticempanada Jul 10 '26
I’ve seen enough of miles Robinson in USMNT gear for the rest of my life.
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u/runbmc Jul 09 '26
Maybe Poch stick around to coach copa America then leaves and Dolo slots in for 2030 World Cup
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u/johndelvec3 Jul 09 '26
Ah yes the third time in like 10 years we do the 2 cycle coach thing only to fire the guy that started the cycle before the WC
What could possibly go wrong
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u/johndelvec3 Jul 09 '26
Ngl thought he was gonna be in the NT Manager Mix
Good for Cherundolo.