Making Sense of the USMNT's Roster Moves Ahead of Their Match Against Honduras

After a major tournament like the World Cup, almost every team enters a period of transition. Debuts are made, younger player are given their chances and veterans start filtering out of the squad lists.

When the United States men’s national team faced off with Ecuador on Friday that was the case. Several new players were brought into the squad, and it was clear that Jurgen Klinsmann was looking to make changes to the U.S. side.

However, with a match against Honduras up next, Klinsmann made a rather strange decision. He sent home many of the stars who were looking to break into the team and replaced them with established veterans, some of whom will likely not even be at the next World Cup, via ESPN.com.

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Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Graham Zusi and Matt Besler were all called up for the match, while the likes of Luis Gil and John Brooks, among others, were sent back home.

Bringing established veterans back into the squad at a time like this is very uncommon. Their places in the team are already defined, while the younger players are the ones who need the chances to fight for a regular spot.

A quick look at the squad seems to show that Klinsmann is making it a priority to not look too far down the road right now. With the Gold Cup coming up next summer, the USMNT manager appears fully focused on preparing his squad to win a trophy.

The lineup that will likely feature against Honduras is one fans can certainly expect to see next summer. The established stars will still be leading the team, and youngsters will likely not have a place in the team.

Like it or not, Klinsmann is being very careful with his squad selections right now. He did take the time to give younger stars the chance to shine as needed, but he has immediately reverted back to his trusted players to prepare for the next big tournament.

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With the U.S. in an exciting place at the moment, Klinsmann has to be careful to make the right choices. Fans are really starting to get into the game, which means every little decision will be put under the microscope.

When the Gold Cup finally arrives, the USMNT will be expected to challenge for the title. However, the team has also got to be preparing for the next World Cup to show that there is still massive growth that can take place over the coming years.

Players like Luis Gil are going to get their chances; they are too good to be ignored. But these younger stars must also realize that their time hasn’t arrived yet, meaning the most important thing they can do is keep playing hard and be patient.

Klinsmann already seems to have an idea of the younger players he wants to slowly bring into the squad, but he isn’t going to sacrifice his main team in the process. He’s being careful and patient, and that means U.S. fans will have to be patient as well.

Right now, the Gold Cup is the overwhelming focus for the USMNT—not the next World Cup. Klinsmann will be prepared when the next World Cup arrives in four years, but he obviously believes that it is way too early to have an eye on that far down the road.

Is Klinsmann right to be using the veterans now? Should the younger stars be the focus? Leave your thoughts and comments below.