Adams: Pulisic talk unfair to players in USMNT camp
Adams: Pulisic talk unfair to players in USMNT camp
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Tyler Adams responds to Landon Donovan's comments regarding the USMNT
Tyler Adams says 'the criticism is fair' when asked about Landon Donovan's recent comments on the USMNT.
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Tyler Adams is ready to talk about the players who are in camp with the U.S. men's national team, rather than those who aren't.
Much of the focus on the team's Gold Cup roster has been centered around the key names who will be absent for the upcoming tournament.
None of the players have been in the spotlight quite like Pulisic, the team's talisman who requested the summer off after a grueling campaign with AC Milan.
With some of the USMNT's more established players absent, there will be opportunities for unproven players to make a case to Mauricio Pochetiino ahead of a home World Cup next summer.
Speaking to reporters ahead of Saturday's friendly against Turkey, Adams said the focus should be on those players.
On the missing players, Adams said: "Those guys are such important players to our squad, and every single person knows that. They are some of my best friends, guys that I talk to consistently, but the focus can't be on guys that aren't in camp. It has to be on the guys that are in camp and the opportunity that's at hand for a lot of these young players."
Pulisic has made 50 appearances in back-to-back seasons with Milan, where he's revitalized his career and become one of the most important players for the Rossoneri.
Given his importance to the USMNT, the 26-year-old's absence has been a major talking point. But for Adams, the continuing focus on Pulisic isn't fair to the players who will be looking to regain the Gold Cup title.
"I think it's unfair to players that have gotten called in that we're talking about Christian and the reasons that he's not in camp," Adams said. "It's taking the focus away from the team.
"He has personal reasons and maybe needs a break, or just to decompress a little bit from all the football that he's played in the past couple of years. And we need to focus on the guys that are here in camp, and the expectations that we can live up to."
The USMNT will face Turkey and Switzerland in pre-Gold Cup friendlies before kicking off the Concacaf competition against Trinidad and Tobago on June 15.
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