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One of the downsides to half of your national team player pool playing their club soccer halfway across the world is the amount of travel they have to do. In the case of Geoff Cameron’s latest injury that could be problematic in protocol.
Normally national teams call in players even if they’re injured so they can evaluate their status themselves. However, Stoke City manager, Mark Hughes, is not a fan of that idea for his player. Speaking to the media after his club’s 1-1 draw with West Ham on Saturday, he pleaded with USMNT manager Jurgen Klinsmann not to take this measure with Cameron.
“I wouldn’t have thought so. I’d be a little bit aggrieved if the USA called him in to check him over. Clearly he’s not here today because he is not fit. They should hopefully take our word on that,” Hughes said. “I don’t see any point in them asking him to travel just to get checked over. That would compromise him a little bit as well. If sense prevails hopefully he will be fit and well for the next time they come together.”
With the roster announcement coming on Sunday, I’d be very surprised if that conversation hasn’t already happened and the decision has been made. It sounds like Hughes is using the media to voice his displeasure and hoping Klinsmann changes his mind at the last minute. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see for sure.