Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Seattle Sounders announced Friday that Clint Dempsey would not be traveling to Colorado and will miss his third straight game due to a hamstring injury. While Dempsey has yet to find the goal in MLS play, there are bigger implications at hand. Does this latest update affect Jurgen Klinsmann calling him up ahead of the U.S. Men’s National Team’s final two CONCACAF 2014 World Cup Qualifying matches?
In case you forgot, USMNT defeated Mexico 2-0 and qualified for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, so it isn’t a big issue if Dempsey doesn’t get the call-up. At this point, I would be tentative to rush him back into playing because it could cause a serious injury. If I’m Klinsmann, I would let Dempsey rest so he can be 100 percent for both the Sounders’ playoff push and the USMNT’s preparation ahead of the 2014 World Cup.
Dempsey’s injury is not the only USMNT-related injury Klinsmann is concerned about. Michael Bradley is still nursing a sprained ankle, and will most likely not be available for USMNT’s games against Jamaica and Panama. In fact, Klinsmann was supposed to announce the latest USMNT roster on Thursday, but it has been delayed until this weekend due to injuries.
One thing is for sure. Dempsey’s hamstring injury could affect being called up, but this shouldn’t be a big shock. USMNT has already qualified for the 2014 World Cup, so why risk injured players that can cause further harm. Let them sit back and heal so they are ready to play when they are really needed,
