Jurgen Klinsmann promised he'd shake things up following the 2014 World Cup, cutting loose some veterans and brining in a new crop of youngsters for the first friendly of the 2018 cycle.
On Thursday he proved good to his word, calling in just 10 World Cup holdovers to a squad heavy on youth for the USMNT's trip to face the Czech Republic on September 3.
“We look at this as the start of our project towards Russia in 2018, and in this first step we get to look at many of our talented young players based in Europe,” said Klinsmann in a US Soccer release. “We have some great youngsters coming through the ranks that are starting to break through with their clubs teams and are ready to challenge for spots on the Senior Team, and even most of our World Cup veterans from Brazil on this roster will be coming into the prime of their careers in the next four years, so this is an exciting opportunity.”
By far the biggest surprise was the inclusion of Seattle Sounders Academy product Jordan Morris, an attacker who is preparing for the college season with Stanford University. Morris, a sophomore, is looking to become the first college player to make a full national team appearance since Ante Razov in 1995, and the first to make a national team camp since Chris Albright in 1999.
Other youngsters who could make their US debuts include goalkeeper Cody Cropper (21) of Southampton, midfielder Emerson Hyndman (18) of Fulham, and forwards Joe Gyau (21) of Borussia Dortmund and Rubio Rubin (18) of FC Utrecht in Holland.
They'll all be looking to follow in the footsteps of Bayern Munich winger Julian Green (19), who continues to have a presence in Klinsmann's plans as he tries to win his way into Pep Guardiola's squad.
In total there are six players who've yet to be capped for the US in this squad, though their inexperienced is balanced by veterans like Brad Guzan in goal, Geoff Cameron and Fabian Johnson in the backline, Alejandro Bedoya and Mix Diskerud in midfield, and Jozy Altidore up top.
Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando is the lone MLS player to earn a call-up for the camp.
ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3): Cody Cropper (Southampton), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (7): John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Michael Orozco (Puebla), Tim Ream (Bolton)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), Brek Shea (Stoke City)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Joe Gyau (Borussia Dortmund II), Jordan Morris (Stanford), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich)
