Houston Dynamo: Brad Davis on Preliminary Roster for World Cup

May 11, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis (11) kicks the ball during the second half against Real Salt Lake at BBVA Compass Stadium. Real Salt Lake defeated the Dynamo 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Ever since the United States qualified for the 2014 World Cup, fans and pundits have been debating who should be called up for the competition. Houston Dynamo fans, for their part, have been hoping to see the name Brad Davis on the list. Dynamo fans got their wish when the preliminary 30-player roster was released by the United States Soccer Federation at 2pm central time today.

Davis has been one of the player’s whose inclusion was most heavily debated for the past several months. Davis had been on the outside looking in prior to the start of 2013. With only five national team CAPs to his name, his last coming in 2010, it seemed unlikely that Davis would be in the running for the World Cup. A call up to the January 2013 national team camp changed everything, however.

Since then, Davis has been a mainstay in the national team rotation, providing National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann with an option capable of quality service and deadly set pieces off the bench. The benefit of such an option was evidenced in the final World Cup Qualifier last October against Panama when Davis provided the assists on two late Graham Zusi goals in a comeback 3-2 win that saved Mexico the blushes of failing to qualify.

While Zusi got most of the attention for the goals and the nickname “San Zusi”, it was Davis who was the true driving force. Still, his role as a substitute and the decision by Bayern Munich’s young winger Julian Green to declare for the United States left many pundits expecting to see Davis on the outside looking in.

Davis may yet be left out of the World Cup; the inclusion in the 30 only guarantees that he will participate in the training camp at Stanford University beginning May 14 and be eligible for inclusion in warm up matches against Azerbaijan (May 27) and Turkey (June 1). By June 2nd, Klinsmann must pare the roster down to the final 23 who will make the trip to Brazil.

Nevertheless, Davis now has his shot to make a final statement for his inclusion in the 23; something he has already done on the basis of his play for the Dynamo this season. While his inclusion means he will miss at least 4 Dynamo matches, fans will be ecstatic that he has a chance to fulfill a dream and participate on the greatest stage soccer has to offer.

Full U.S. Roster By Position

Goalkeepers (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake) 

Defenders (11) : DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Michael Parkhurst (Columbus Crew), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)

Midfielders (10) : Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Maurice Edu (Philadelphia Union), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

Forwards (6) : Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

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