DaMarcus Beasley has been invited to the USMNT’s January camp, a glorified workout for MLS-based players and an opportunity for the national coaching staff to monitor them in an otherwise overlong offseason, and that’s really funny for people who seem to have a particular agenda.
It's really funny because DaMarcus Beasley was a sensation under Bruce Arena at the 2002 World Cup. That was a long time ago, so who cares that Beasley is only 34 — younger than Patrice Evra and just a year older than Philipp Lahm, it was a long time ago. And the fact that the eternal Rafa Marquez defeated the USMNT in Columbus? Let's forget that too. Never has hating the USMNT been so in vogue.
Dunno @RangersFC, @ManCity. @DaMarcusBeasley actually has to beat a defender + the keeper in this one. pic.twitter.com/oO8AMu5yMH
— Houston Dynamo (@HoustonDynamo) October 19, 2016
Beasley is exploring free agency in MLS after three seasons with the Houston Dynamo, probably because he's so old, but Dynamo manager Wilmer Cabrera, the former Colombian defender who amassed 48 caps for Los Cafeteros, was in their squad for two World Cups, four Copa Americas and probably knows something about defending, says: “You have the possibility to have a player that has played in four World Cups. With that experience and with him being the best left back in the league, it would be fantastic [to have him back]...I would love to have DaMarcus Beasley back in Houston, because for me he’s the best left back in MLS.”
Cabrera is desperate for the Dynamo to come to terms with Beasley. But what does Cabrera know? He's probably really old too.
If you just forget the fact that this is a domestic-based squad, that left back has long been an area of weakness for the USMNT, that Klinsmann was often rightly criticized for playing Fabian Johnson and Matt Besler out of position there, and that a player with 123 caps, four World Cups and Champions League semifinal experience might set the perfect example of how to go about doing your business throughout camp, you’ll know that this is a really stupid, really funny move too.
Bruce Arena is, 100%, just going to reassemble the 2002 World Cup squad. You heard it from the deep, dark abyss of social media first.