NEW YORK (AFP) - Teen prodigy Freddy Adu was selected for the United States for next month's Gold Cup football tournament announced on Monday but Charlie Davies, battling back after severe injuries, did not make the list.
US coach Bob Bradley called Ghana-born midfielder Adu's nod the biggest surprise on the 23-man roster that will gather Thursday in North Carolina to start their training camp for the North American continental championship.
"This is a good time to size this guy up again."
A notable absentee from the lineup is Davies, who has scored six goals in nine games this season for DC United of Major League Soccer as he fights to return after serious injuries in a 2009 car crash that kept him out of last year's World Cup.
"We certainly have seen a lot of progress from the start of the MLS season. We're excited about that," Bradley said.
"I still feel that it's not totally where it needs to be. In terms of his all-around contribution to the team, I think he's still working his way back."
Davies had said last week he felt he was ready to help the US squad in a key biennial event in which the Americans were humbled 5-0 by arch-rival Mexico in the 2009 final.
The Americans, seeking a fifth Gold Cup crown, face a friendly with World Cup champions Spain on June 4 in Foxboro, Massachusetts, and a Gold Cup opener versus Canada only three days later at Detroit.
"We look at this as being an important tournament for the United States," Bradley said.
"These tournaments lay a lot of good groundwork for the future. When you look at how things develop over a four-year cycle, those times when you are together for four weeks at a time are really important."
Adu, who turns 22 two days before the Spain match, is playing for Turkish second-division side Rizespor, the latest stop in a long pro journey that began at age 14 with DC United, where he struggled to become a regular starter.
"Freddy has fallen out of the scene a little bit. Typically playing in the second division in Turkey doesn't bring you back into the scene," Bradley said.
"We respect the fact he made this move to go to a smaller club because he had to show people he was willing to do whatever to keep going.
"This seems like it's a good opportunity to get him back in with the team and challenge him and see if he has continued to grow and mature."
Squad
Goalkeepers: Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton Wanderers/ENG), Tim Howard (Everton/ENG), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (St-Etienne/FRA), Jonathan Bornstein (UANL Tigres), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover/GER), Clarence Goodson (Brondby/DEN), Eric Lichaj (Leeds United/ENG), Oguchi Onyewu (FC Twente/NED), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United/ENG)
Midfielders: Freddy Adu (Rizespor/TUR), Michael Bradley (Aston Villa/ENG), Clint Dempsey (Fulham/ENG), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers/SCO), Benny Feilhaber (New England Revolution), Jermaine Jones (Blackburn Rovers/ENG), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht/BEL), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)
Forwards: Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Jozy Altidore (Bursaspor/TUR), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
US coach Bob Bradley called Ghana-born midfielder Adu's nod the biggest surprise on the 23-man roster that will gather Thursday in North Carolina to start their training camp for the North American continental championship.
"We're looking forward to seeing when he's in camp how he's handling things, a maturity that tells us experiences along the way have been measured and that he understands all that has to come together to move along," Bradley said.
"It's an opportunity that has been earned because he has shown talent in the past. We felt it would be a good time to bring him back in and challenge him and see where it all stands."This is a good time to size this guy up again."
A notable absentee from the lineup is Davies, who has scored six goals in nine games this season for DC United of Major League Soccer as he fights to return after serious injuries in a 2009 car crash that kept him out of last year's World Cup.
"We certainly have seen a lot of progress from the start of the MLS season. We're excited about that," Bradley said.
"I still feel that it's not totally where it needs to be. In terms of his all-around contribution to the team, I think he's still working his way back."
Davies had said last week he felt he was ready to help the US squad in a key biennial event in which the Americans were humbled 5-0 by arch-rival Mexico in the 2009 final.
The Americans, seeking a fifth Gold Cup crown, face a friendly with World Cup champions Spain on June 4 in Foxboro, Massachusetts, and a Gold Cup opener versus Canada only three days later at Detroit.
"We look at this as being an important tournament for the United States," Bradley said.
"These tournaments lay a lot of good groundwork for the future. When you look at how things develop over a four-year cycle, those times when you are together for four weeks at a time are really important."
Adu, who turns 22 two days before the Spain match, is playing for Turkish second-division side Rizespor, the latest stop in a long pro journey that began at age 14 with DC United, where he struggled to become a regular starter.
"Freddy has fallen out of the scene a little bit. Typically playing in the second division in Turkey doesn't bring you back into the scene," Bradley said.
"We respect the fact he made this move to go to a smaller club because he had to show people he was willing to do whatever to keep going.
"This seems like it's a good opportunity to get him back in with the team and challenge him and see if he has continued to grow and mature."
Squad
Goalkeepers: Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton Wanderers/ENG), Tim Howard (Everton/ENG), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (St-Etienne/FRA), Jonathan Bornstein (UANL Tigres), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover/GER), Clarence Goodson (Brondby/DEN), Eric Lichaj (Leeds United/ENG), Oguchi Onyewu (FC Twente/NED), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United/ENG)
Midfielders: Freddy Adu (Rizespor/TUR), Michael Bradley (Aston Villa/ENG), Clint Dempsey (Fulham/ENG), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers/SCO), Benny Feilhaber (New England Revolution), Jermaine Jones (Blackburn Rovers/ENG), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht/BEL), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)
Forwards: Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Jozy Altidore (Bursaspor/TUR), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
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