CARSON, Calif. – Did Robbie Rogers do enough last year to earn a spot in the US national team's January camp?
According to Jurgen Klinsmann, the answer is yes – sort of.
If this were a normal year, the LA Galaxy left back likely would’ve been among the 28 players Klinsmann assembled this week at StubHub Center to start off the cycle that will lead to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
But this isn’t a normal year, at least not to Klinsmann, who chose to use the camp to begin preparations for this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup and develop talent in advance of next year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, with the emphasis on under-23 talent costing Rogers his shot.
“There was a thought about Robbie [coming in],” Klinsmann told MLSsoccer.com Wednesday afternoon. “He had a good season, also, obviously, a winning season. The situation is just, and this is what this kind of camp ended up with was: How can we develop the maximum amount of Olympic team players at the same time?
“If it was purely senior guys, Robbie would be in that camp.”
So would others, Klinsmann said, but the opportunities for Rogers and other prospective veterans aren’t for the here and now.
Klinsmann's roster includes 11 players who are age-eligible for next year's Olympics, including defenders Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Shane O'Neill (Colorado) and Rogers' Galaxy teammate Oscar Sorto.
The other potential Olympians are Generation adidas goalkeeper Alex Bono, a Syracuse All-American available in Thursday's MLS SuperDraft, Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jon Kempin, midfielders Dennis Flores (Club Leon), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Marc Pelosi (Liverpool), Dillon Serna (Colorado) and Wil Trapp (Columbus), and former Chivas USA forward Julio Morales (Tepic).
Rogers, a 2008 Olympian who made 18 appearances for the national team from 2009-2011 and was on the 30-man preliminary roster for the 2010 World Cup, reenergized his career last season with a move to left back for the Galaxy.
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He had retired briefly in early 2013, but returned to the game, signing with LA that May after training with the club for about a month.
Klinsmann said he gave strong consideration to including Rogers on the January roster.
“I said, 'Ah, it's a pity not to give that guy that a chance,'” Klinsmann said. “On the other side, we said, 'You know what, it is important to have 12, 13 Olympic team players in here, because we've got to build them. The sooner the better.'
“And that's why some players were left out, and Robbie was one of them. But there's always definitely an open door.”
