Cody Cropper Called into First US U-20 MNT Camp Without Rongen
Cropper with Ipswich Town Academy team
Minnesotan Cody Cropper has been called back into the US U-20 Men’s National Team camp that will play two matches against the French U-20 side in Vichy, France. The camp and matches will take place from May 15-20.
It will be the first time the team has convened since the squad lost to Guatemala in the CONCACAF Championship tournament. A victory over host country Guatemala and a trip to the semifinals would have meant an automatic place in the FIFA U-20 World Cup. It was the first time since 1995 that the team did not qualify for the FIFA tournament.
It will also be the first time this group of U-20s will gather without Thomas Rongen at the helm. Rongen, who had been the U-20 coach since 2006, was recently told his contract as head coach of the U-20 team would not be renewed.
US Soccer announced that former US National Team Player Tab Ramos would coach the team in France but they also made it clear that Ramos is not Rongen’s replacement nor the interim coach. However, Ramos was an assistant coach with the team in Guatemala and was said to be a no-nonsense sort of coach but well liked amongst the players of the team.
Cropper has now trained with Ipswich Town FC for over a year even though he was not officially signed until August. He has featured in most of the team’s academy games this season and has made 4 starts as a reserve team keeper.
It will also be the first time that Cropper comes into camp as the #1 with Zac MacMath soon to be out of the U-20 cycle and well into his first season in MLS with the Philadelphia Union.
US U-20 Men’s National Team Roster
Goalkeepers: Cody Cropper (Ipswich Town), Brian Sylvestre (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Defenders: Anthony Brooks (Hertha Berlin) , Sean Cunningham (Molde FK), Sacir Hot (New York Red Bulls), Sebastien Ibeagha (Duke University), Daniel Potts (West Ham United), Kofi Sarkodie (Houston Dynamo).
Midfielders: Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Sebastian Lletget (West Ham United, Dillon Powers (University of Notre Dame), Kelyn Rowe(UCLA), Conor Shanosky (DC United), Donny Toia (Real Salt Lake).
Forwards: Terrence Boyd (Hertha Berlin) Conor Doyle (Derby County), Josh Gatt (Molde FK), Joe Gyau (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Jerome Kiesewetter (Hertha Berlin), Victor Ulloa (FC Dallas).
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