Julian Green gets call-up for U.S. friendlies in Europe despite having not played at senior level
Julian Green figures to finally get some actual playing time.
It won't come from Hamburg, where the talented 19-year-old has struggled to impress while on loan from Bayern Munich and has made headlines for his public spat with manager Joe Zinnbauer. No, the chance to get some meaningful minutes will come from Jurgen Klinsmann, who included Green in his 23-man squad for the United States men's national team's upcoming friendlies in Europe.
[International break: Euro 2016 qualifying scoreboard | Friendlies scoreboard]
Green is among eight midfielders who will be called in for the international break. The decision to include Green goes against Klinsmann's requirement that players get regular minutes from their club. Green has recently been demoted to Hamburg's reserves and has not played a senior team game since November 29 when he came on as a 74th-minute substitute in Hamburg's 3-1 loss to FC Augsburg.
Los Angeles Galaxy forward Gyasi Zardes, the breakout star from the January camp and early season friendies, will be one of six players from Major League Soccer who'll be taking time out from their club seasons. Orlando City SC left back Brek Shea is also part of the MLS contingent but he is listed as a midfielder.
Klinsmann gave first-time call-ups to two Liga MX players: midfielder Ventura Alvarado, a 22-year-old who plays for América, and goalkeeper William Yarbrough, a 26-year-old from Léon. He also will bring back Utrecht forward Rubio Rubin, the 19-year-old who impressed in his first USMNT appearances at the end of last year, and Bolton defender Tim Ream, who was the Championship side's Player of the Year last season.
The 32nd-ranked Americans will play Denmark in Aarhus on Wednesday. They will then travel to Zurich to face Switzerland on Tuesday, March 31.
Here is the complete roster:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Cody Cropper (Southampton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), William Yarbrough (Club Leon).
DEFENDERS (8): Ventura Alvarado (Club America), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Michael Orozco (Puebla), Tim Ream (Bolton Wanderers), Brek Shea (Orlando City SC), DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur).
MIDFIELDERS (8): Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Julian Green (Hamburg), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), Danny Williams (Reading), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy).
FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht).
