Missed Trips, Night of Drinking Before a Game Got Harkes Cut
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A six-month buildup of team discipline and conduct issues prompted U.S. national soccer team coach Steve Sampson to cut John Harkes from the World Cup roster in April, when Harkes was a starting midfielder, a 10-year veteran of the team and the squad’s captain.
In a private meeting before announcing Harkes’ dismissal, Sampson described to Harkes the following violations, Harkes and a U.S. Soccer Federation official confirmed this week:
* Harkes missed two team flights and one team bus trip in recent months. In each case, another player also was involved.
* Harkes and two other players returned to the team hotel at 4 a.m. after a night of drinking two days before the team’s game Feb. 25 against Belgium in Brussels.
* Harkes questioned Sampson when told of a position change on the practice field two days before a game against the Netherlands on Feb. 21 in Miami.
* Harkes was frequently among the last to arrive at team meetings.
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