US Men’s National Team coach Jurgen Klinsmann has announced over Twitter that he will take a 30-man preliminary roster to the pre-World Cup camp to be held at Stanford University over a two week period of time beginning on May 14th.
Leading up to today’s decision there was a lack of clarity as to whether Klinsmann would take the maximum 30-man roster to Stanford or whether he would take a more streamlined approach by naming his final 23-man roster, or some number in between.
In the end Klinsmann has taken the most competitive and prudent approach of taking 30-men, allowing them to contend for spots while affording some cushion for potential injuries that may arise. The decision now sets up a seven-man cut that Klinsmann and his coaching staff will make by the June 2nd roster deadline.
We will bring all 30 players on #WorldCup preliminary roster into camp in Stanford. Will be a great competition for spots! #RoadtotheRoster
— J_Klinsmann (@J_Klinsmann) May 1, 2014
The 30-man roster will be released upon submission to FIFA on or before May 13th, with training camp beginning the following day. Players will compete for playing time in the three friendly matches lined up to prepare the USMNT for Brazil -- against Azerbaijan at Candlestick Park on May 27th, Turkey at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey on June 1st and Nigeria at Everback Park in Jacksonville, Florida on June 7th.
The Yanks camp at Stanford will take place at the Cagan Stadium soccer facility beginning on May 14th but will not be open to the public.
“This is going to be the foundation of the World Cup,” US coach Jurgen Klinsmann said in a video interview released Thursday by the U.S. Soccer Federation. “It’s a dry climate. It’s fresh air. We can add more sessions into that period than we usually would do.”