Tag: Marko Mitrović

‘He destroyed us!’ – McCarty questions Luna Olympic snub after RSL masterclass vs. Atlanta

The veteran midfielder said Atlanta United “felt the wrath of his snub”

Dax McCarty admitted he was baffled by Diego Luna being left off the U.S. men’s national team Olympic roster, a snub that inspired the Real Salt Lake star to a “masterclass” performance against McCarty’s Atlanta United side.

Luna was left off the USMNT squad heading to France, with Colorado Rapids playmaker Djordje Mihailovic named to the team as an overage player in his place.

After receiving the news of his omission, Luna tallied three assists and a goal in Real Salt Lake’s 5-2 win over Atlanta United last weekend.

McCarty was on the receiving end of Luna’s star performance, saying on his Major League Journeymen podcast that the 20-year-old has a right to feel aggrieved about being left off Marko Mitrović’s 18-man roster.

“With Atlanta United, we unfortunately just got our butts kicked by Real Salt Lake and Diego Luna was absolutely fantastic. He was the best player on the field,” the veteran midfielder said.

“We don’t know what goes into these decisions, we can only judge it for what it is. I think Luna has has a right to be perturbed because he absolutely destroyed us with Atlanta. It was a masterclass of a second half from him. We felt the wrath of his snub.”

McCarty played alongside Mihailovic with the Chicago Fire when Mitrović was an assistant coach, saying that he believed the coach opted for the overage Mihailovic over the age-eligible Luna due to his longstanding relationship with the now-Rapids playmaker.

“I think it came down to what overage players are available. What overage players can we bring, and is it going to be Diego Luna or Djordje Mihailovic?” McCarty said. “If we can get Djordje Mihailovic released from Colorado, the preference was Djordje. That’s clear because Marko has a relationship with Djordje, he’s known Djordje for years.

“I’m curious what Marko has seen in the U-23 camps that we don’t know about that led him to the decision to say, ‘I’m not going to bring Diego Luna, who’s age eligible but I’m going to bring Djordje instead.’

“For me it came down to that: Djordje Mihailovic versus Diego Luna. I think Diego Luna should be there.”

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Zimmerman joins final pre-Olympics USMNT camp as overage player

The veteran defender appears likely to be heading to the Olympics as an overage player

U.S. men’s Olympic head coach Marko Mitrović has called in a 25-player roster for the team’s upcoming training camp and friendly against Japan.

For the first time this cycle, the roster includes one overage player: Nashville SC defender Walker Zimmerman, who now looks like a safe bet to head to the Olympics as one of the team’s overage options.

Zimmerman has earned 42 caps with the senior USMNT, starting three of four games at the 2022 World Cup. He is one of 19 players on this roster with at least one senior cap.

This camp represents the last chance Mitrović will have to evaluate players ahead of naming his 18-player roster in July for the Olympics. The men’s tournament is restricted to under-23 players, with the exception of three spots for overage players.

The U.S. will hold a training camp in Kansas before a match against Japan on June 11 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.

For the first time since 2008, the U.S. men qualified for the Olympics this summer. Mitrović’s team will open the tournament against host France on July 24, and will then face New Zealand and Guinea in the group stage.

USMNT U-23 June roster

Goalkeepers (2): Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea)

Defenders (7): Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy), Bryan Reynolds (KVC Westerlo), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Tomkinson (Norwich City), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United FC), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

Midfielders (7): Cole Bassett (Colorado Rapids), Gianluca Busio (Venezia), Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew), Rokas Pukstas (Hajduk Split), Tanner Tessmann (Venezia)

Forwards (9): Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt), Esmir Bajraktarevic (New England Revolution), Taylor Booth (Utrecht), Cade Cowell (Chivas), Damion Downs (Köln), Johan Gomez (Eintracht Braunschweig), Duncan McGuire (Orlando City), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg), Griffin Yow (Westerlo)

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Mitrovic named U.S. U-23 men’s head coach ahead of 2024 Olympics

U.S. Soccer has its men’s coach for the Paris Olympics

U.S. Soccer has promoted two youth national team head coaches on the men’s side of the program.

Marko Mitrović was on Wednesday named the Under-23 head coach, with the 45-year-old taking charge ahead of the team’s preparations for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Additionally, Michael Nsien has been named the new head coach for the Under-19 men’s national team.

The first camp of Mitrović’s tenure will be held during the October international window.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have Marko and Michael continue to be an important part of our men’s program as both of these teams serve as crucial steps in the National Team pathway,” said U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker in a press release. “During his time with the Under-19s, Marko was instrumental in guiding our rising talents.

“We’re looking forward to him now leading our Under-23 men’s youth national team as this age group provides these players with an incredible opportunity to continue their development by facing elite opposition on the world stage and competing for an Olympic world title. We’re also confident that Michael is ready to lead our U-19 age group, a critical level for our young players aiming to take the next step in their careers for club and country.”

Mitrović to lead U.S. men’s Olympic team in 2024

Mitrović joined U.S. Soccer in April 2022, taking charge of the U-19 team. He also worked as an assistant coach for the senior team under interim head coaches Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan.

“It’s been an honor working for U.S. Soccer and I’m tremendously proud of the opportunity to lead the USA at the Olympics,” said Mitrović. “I’ve gotten to see first-hand the high-potential players rising through our development system and I’m excited for them to represent their country proudly on such an important stage.”

Previously, Mitrović has worked as an assistant coach for Serbia’s U-20 team, the U-15s at Red Star Belgrade, before arriving in the U.S. as a member of Veljko Paunovic’s staff with the Chicago Fire. Mitrović stuck with Paunovic when the latter was hired by Reading in the English Championship, returning stateside to accept the U-19 men’s post last year.

Nsien, who was an interim assistant under Callaghan during the USMNT’s Gold Cup run this past summer, was hired in November 2022 as the U-16 boys’ head coach. The Oklahoma native spent four years as the head coach of FC Tulsa in the USL Championship, leading the team to playoff appearances in 2020 and 2021.

Nsien’s duties as head coach of the U-19 team will coincide with a role as the head coach of the U.S. men’s team for the PanAmerican Games, which will take place from October 27-November 4 in Chile. The team for the PanAmerican Games must be selected from players born on or after January 1, 2001.

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