There's not exactly a slew of team news coming at the moment, though our first home match in some time is rapidly approaching — praise be on high! — though it'll be without a number of our first-choice players. In fact, that number, depending on your definition of first-choice, ranges from 5 to 11. Yes, it's quite a range.
It's hard to be particularly upset at internatial call-ups when it means that your players are rated on a high level, and it certainly says good things about the state of Major League Soccer, but I can't help but shake my head a bit at the timing.
See, even if we'd not had a match on Saturday, I'd be frustrated a bit that our players are pulled from our squads and sent off to national team camps. I'm not particularly a fan of the way the international game functions, though it's well-instituted by now and likely won't change. But when our first player returns home with an injury between now and Sept. 6, don't expect me to smile about it.
Let's be clear, though: I don't blame the club for scheduling the match during an international week. When you're in a tight spot, and it's available, by all means, take it. If our injuries weren't so extensive, it would hardly be a problem at all, but clearly, luck hasn't smiled on us. If the league is dedicated to producing players of national-team statuses, they'd do well to bar matches from taking place during international breaks, but there's little reason to blame the club for this
I do often wonder, though, why the national team status is so coveted. Is it a form of nationalism or patriotism? Does it merely represent being honored as one of the best 23 or so players in a nation at any given moment? These are things I often find myself wondering. I'm a club man, myself, and while I do enjoy watching international matches, my clubs always come first.
Of course, I don't mean to take anything away from our international players, particularly Kyle Beckerman, who has worked incredibly hard to be handed a spot on the roster again. I'm pleased we have players recognized, but it's all a bit odd to me at times.
As the world turns: Martin Vasquez and the Klinsmann
Martin Vasquez, director of soccer operations at the Real Salt Lake Arizona Academy, has been named Jurgen Klinsmann's first assistant, which is some achievement for him — it's not the first time he's worked with Klinsmann, and I'm sure he'll do well in the spot. It's not entirely clear how this will effect his work with the academy, but I'd imagine he's not heavily involved in day-to-day operations and will well be capable of performing both responsibilities to a full extent.
Right, not much else for you today, but if anything big happens I do promise I'll try to let you know.
'Til tomorrow!
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