15 USA Players to Watch out for in 2015
The next 12 months represent a crucial period in the careers of many players in the United States men's national team talent pool.
Whether it be veterans who struggled in 2014 or new faces trying to keep their place, plenty of players will be looking to leave a positive impression on manager Jurgen Klinsmann.
We chose to keep an eye on these 15 players for a wide variety of reasons. Most of them are in need of big seasons at the club level, while a few need to prove they are not one-hit wonders.
Here's a look at 15 United States players who you should watch throughout 2015.
Tim Howard
1 of 15
Tim Howard is a very familiar face to the American public, but 2015 will be a key year for Everton's first-choice goalkeeper.
Since taking a one-year hiatus from international duty after the World Cup, Howard's form has dropped off at the club level.
Other than his terrific 12-save performance in the UEFA Europa League against Wolfsburg on September 18, the 35-year-old has been underwhelming between the pipes for the Toffees.
When he returns to the national team in the fall, he will face a fierce amount of competition for the No. 1 shirt from Brad Guzan, Nick Rimando and Bill Hamid.
Based on his current club form, Howard is not guaranteed to regain his first-choice position when he rejoins the USMNT.
Bill Hamid
2 of 15
By the time Howard puts on an United States jersey again, Bill Hamid could easily be the first-choice 'keeper for Jurgen Klinsmann's side.
At just 24, Hamid has turned himself into one of the elite goalkeeping prospects in the world. In 115 appearances for D.C. United over the last five years, Hamid has recorded 30 shutouts and has made 375 saves.
He was always on the USMNT radar, but he finally made the leap into the first team following a terrific 2014 regular season with the Black and Red.
With D.C. poised to capitalize on the momentum it earned in 2014, Hamid should continue to thrive for club and country.
If all goes right during the first six months of 2015, Hamid could get a chance to start during the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup and prove his worth to Klinsmann.
Matt Besler
3 of 15
After a brutal final few months of 2014 with Sporting Kansas City, the pressure is on Matt Besler to succeed in the middle of the back four.
Not only will Besler have to fight off the critics from the end of last season, he will also have to adjust to a new partner at center-back, following the departure of Aurelien Collin.
With the physical Collin now with expansion side Orlando City, Besler will be tasked with being the heart and soul of the Sporting KC defense. If he performs well in that role, he could end up as a starter during the Gold Cup.
If the 27-year-old struggles to regain his pre-World Cup form, he could drift out of the USMNT picture entirely because of the presence of a few young center-backs.
Matt Hedges
4 of 15
One of the players ready to take over from Besler if he has a rough start to the MLS season is FC Dallas' Matt Hedges.
The 24-year-old experienced a breakout season under manager Oscar Pareja in 2014, and he is only expected to get better as his team's defensive general.
Hedges did earn a call-up to the USMNT January camp, but it came a week after the original roster was selected.
With an extra chip on his shoulder from the early snub, Hedges should go into the MLS preseason with more motivation than ever.
If he can parlay that into another strong season at FC Dallas, Hedges could finally become a permanent member of the USMNT squad.
Tim Ream
5 of 15
Many fans forget about Tim Ream when they talk about the USMNT's top center-backs, but the 27-year-old could jump back into the conversation once again in 2015.
The Bolton Wanderers player did earn a few call-ups toward the end of 2014, but he didn't leave a major impact on the team.
One way Ream can grab some headlines stateside is a strong run of form during the second half of the Championship campaign.
If Ream and Bolton can move up from their current 15th-place position, more people will shift their attention to the player, who is on the outside of the USMNT first team looking in at the moment.
Chris Klute
6 of 15
Chris Klute is not an established USMNT player or a young star on the cusp of breaking through, but he has the chance to change that in Columbus this year.
After a successful 2013 season with Colorado, Klute's form—just like that of many Rapids players—dropped off during 2014.
If the 24-year-old can play more like the 2013 version of himself with the Crew in the upcoming MLS season, he should find a way back into the USMNT conversation.
Another factor going in Klute's favor is the wide-open competition for both full-back positions. While DeAndre Yedlin, Fabian Johnson and Greg Garza are the favorites to earn starting jobs on the defensive wings in 2015, Klute could have a say in that if he takes advantage of his change of scenery.
Lee Nguyen
7 of 15
When Lee Nguyen takes the field for New England's season opener in Seattle on March 8, he will have plenty of eyes watching him thanks to his amazing 2014 campaign.
Nguyen will have to prove to the rest of MLS that his 2014 season, during which he scored 20 goals, was not a fluke.
Because of his success in the middle of the Revolution attack, Nguyen will face tougher tactical game plans from every single opponent in 2015.
Even after the addition of Jermaine Jones, Nguyen was the player who made the New England attack run to perfection.
If he is able to continue his strong form into 2015, New England has a good chance of returning to the MLS Cup Final.
Miguel Ibarra
8 of 15
Jurgen Klinsmann has delivered plenty of surprises over the last four years with his roster selections, but no choice turned heads like Miguel Ibarra's call-up in the fall.
The 24-year-old Minnesota United winger may not have seen the field much in the final four USMNT games of 2014, but he did impress enough in training to earn a trip to the January training camp.
Just like Nguyen, Ibarra will have to back up his terrific 2014 season with another in 2015.
If he continues to impress with Minnesota, Ibarra could earn a spot in the Gold Cup squad and even a move to an MLS side.
Julian Green
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Before anyone began to drool over the prospect of Gedion Zelalem committing to the USMNT, Julian Green was seen as the must-watch teenager in the talent pool.
Six months after scoring a late goal at the World Cup against Belgium, Green is fighting for playing time at Hamburg in the Bundesliga.
Since joining HSV on loan from Bayern Munich, Green has seen the field on five occasions. Four of those appearances were as a substitute.
Green's struggle to find playing time should come as a warning to all United States fans who expect so much out of Zelalem right away.
If the 19-year-old is able to use his time at Hamburg as a learning experience, he should become an even better player in the future for both club and country.
Perry Kitchen
10 of 15
With guys such as Perry Kitchen thriving at D.C. United, it would not be a shocker to see a few players from Ben Olsen's side in the red, white and blue over the next few years.
Kitchen was the midfield enforcer for a D.C. team that used a predominantly American lineup for most of the 2014 MLS season.
In his fourth year in the league, Kitchen turned into more of an offensive threat, with five goals and four assists for the Eastern Conference regular-season champion.
One thing to watch in 2015 in regard to the play of the 22-year-old is his discipline. He picked up 11 yellow cards and committed 65 fouls in 31 matches last season.
If he is able to cut down on his bookings, Kitchen has the potential to become one of the top central midfielders in MLS.
Maurice Edu
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Making a case to put Maurice Edu's name back in the USMNT conversation is hard for some, but it is easy for others.
Edu, who spent the 2014 season on loan in Philadelphia, joined the Union on a full-time basis from Stoke City this offseason. But we're not exactly sure what position the 28-year-old will play.
The former Rangers midfielder has played the majority of his career in the defensive part of midfield, but he can also slide into a role at center-back and perform well.
Once he receives playing time at one specific position, we will be able to evaluate just where Edu stands in the national-team picture.
With so much young talent coming through the ranks in midfield, Edu's best chance to jump back on Klinsmann's radar may be at center-back, where only a few players have displayed a ton of consistency over the last 12 months.
Juan Agudelo
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Believe it or not, Juan Agudelo still exists.
The 22-year-old forward is still without a club, but a recent report from Goal.com claimed that he is considering an offer from 1860 Munich in Germany.
Once seen as one of the better American forward prospects of his generation, Agudelo has failed to secure first-team action at club level for close to a year.
Based on his recent moves, Agudelo appears to be determined to make his mark in Europe before even considering a return to MLS.
Regardless of what he does on or off the pitch in 2015, Agudelo's status is worth watching, especially if he begins to score goals when he eventually finds a home.
Eddie Johnson
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Another American forward who has experienced a roller-coaster career is Eddie Johnson. In his first season with D.C. United in 2014, Johnson scored just seven goals in 26 games.
Due to his lack of production for Ben Olsen's side, Johnson was left off the preliminary 30-man roster for the World Cup. His exclusion came after a successful 2013 that included a standout Gold Cup performance and a goal against Mexico in World Cup qualifying.
Since he rejoined MLS in 2012, Johnson's goal production has decreased from 14 to nine to seven. The number of shots the 30-year-old takes has also dropped over the last three seasons from 72 to 51 to 42.
If Johnson can rid himself of that awful trend, we could make a legitimate case to see him back in the Stars and Stripes. Until then, all we can do is wonder when he will be able to score on a consistent basis again.
Charlie Davies
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One of the best stories to come out of MLS in 2014 was the resurgence of Charlie Davies.
Davies was seen as one of the top forwards in the USMNT talent pool before he was involved in a car accident in 2009.
After years of uncertainty at the club level, Davies settled into New England's forward rotation. The 28-year-old scored three goals in 16 regular-season matches before he caught fire in front of goal in the postseason.
During the Revolution's run to the MLS Cup Final, Davies scored two braces in four games to give him a ton of momentum heading into the 2015 season.
If he delivers up top for New England in 2015, Davies might earn the chance to play for the USMNT for the first time since his accident.
Jozy Altidore
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One of the most watched USMNT players in 2015 will be Jozy Altidore, who recently returned to MLS with Toronto FC.
Altidore's club career hit a road block at Sunderland, but many expect him to regain his form and score over 10 goals in MLS.
If the 25-year-old thrives in the league, the USMNT forward situation will look a lot better.
Altidore has remained the first-choice option at the position, but he has recently delivered a few uninspiring performances.
If confidence begins to flow through his veins in Toronto, the USMNT will be in terrific shape up top when the entire first team plays together.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
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