When reports circulated that Jermaine Jones had lost consciousness Friday, the possibility seemed very real that the U.S. national team’s first choice holding midfielder would miss Tuesday’s match against Jamaica.
Sunday night, Jones apparently confirmed the fears via Twitter.
Given what we know now about concussions and how to deal with them, that cannot come as a big surprise. U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann says the team is covered all the way around. You do wonder why Klinsmann would not summon Kyle Beckerman, who was a first-choice under Klinsmann just a year ago?
Fatigue was a big topic Sunday as the American players spent their first full day in Seattle, some of it in the company of our own Richard Farley.
About this Blas Perez news, the reports that Panama’s top striker, a man so important to the small central American nation’s efforts to arrive into its first World Cup finals, was out for Tuesday … I’m not buying it.
The source was respected TV voice Andres Cantor, and I am certain that Cantor was told Perez would not play. But seriously? What amounts, essentially, to tummy trouble has ruled out a tough guy like Perez a full 72 hours before Tuesday’s contest in Seattle?
No. Not buying it.
Joshua Mayers from The Seattle Times, always on top of all things soccer around The Sound, reminds us again of the big crowd expected Tuesday … and how it could bust into the Top Ten crowds in U.S. qualifier history.
About the same time PST’s Farley was thinking about and hearing about the U.S. left side and how Klinsmann’s adaptability is being put to good use, Brek Shea was telling the Soccer Today radio show and podcast that he will be reevaluated in Dallas today and may meet up with the team in time for next week’s match in Utah.
We’ll have more later today on the temporary grass field and how it may impact Tuesday’s proceedings. Until then, here’s what one man thought of the field – and he was far from impressed.
At least the weather seems to be cooperating. Tuesday forecasts call for the usual temperatures (50s and 60s) but only a small chance for rain. That should assuage fears of a deluge that would leave that temporary field in worse shape yet.
