Vanney Out for World Cup
Greg Vanney, the former Galaxy defender who moved to the French first division club Bastia this year to improve his chances of making the U.S. World Cup team, saw all hope of doing so vanish Saturday.
An MRI exam on Vanney’s right knee showed that the injury he suffered during Thursday night’s 5-0 victory over Jamaica at Giants Stadium was more severe than first believed.
“The results came in today and unfortunately he has a second-degree sprain in the MCL [medial collateral ligament] and he will not make our 23-man roster,” U.S. Coach Bruce Arena said. “He would have been our 23rd player.”
Vanney, one of 10 alternates named by Arena when he selected his World Cup roster last month, said Friday that he felt he would be going to Korea/Japan ’02 in place of Chris Armas, who was knocked out of the final 23 when he tore a knee ligament in a 2-1 victory over Uruguay last Sunday in Washington.
But what was initially diagnosed as a minor sprain turned out to be worse for Vanney.
“I talked to him this morning before he left [to return to Los Angeles],” Arena said. “Obviously, he’s disappointed. I think he suspected yesterday when he was feeling a little sore that that was probably the case. It’s going to take him probably about six weeks to have a full recovery.”
Under World Cup rules, all rosters have to be finalized by Tuesday, 10 days ahead of the May 31-June 30 tournament. Arena said he will again turn to the list of alternates.
“Take the goalkeepers away [from the remaining nine alternates], and there are seven candidates there,” he said. “We’re leaning toward a midfielder or a defender.”
The midfielder option opens the door for Brian Maisonneuve of the Columbus Crew, a France ’98 veteran; Brian West, also of the Crew, and D.C. United’s Richie Williams, who will be 32 two days before the U.S. plays Portugal on June 5.
If Arena decides to add another defender, the choices are Steve Cherundolo, the Hannover ’96 (Germany) right back who started seven of the U.S. team’s 16 qualifying games, and Richard Mulrooney of the San Jose Earthquakes.
The seven have only 53 international appearances between them, led by Williams’ 20 games for the U.S.
Arena said he would contact the player selected on Saturday evening and that it was possible he could join the team before today’s game against the Netherlands at CMGI Field.
“That person will not play tomorrow,” Arena emphasized.
Nor, of course, will most of the top Dutch players. Coach Dick Advocaat’s original 18-man squad included such international stars as Frank de Boer (Barcelona), Jaap Staam (Lazio), Edgar Davids (Juventus), Pierre van Hooijdonk (Feyenoord), Patrick Kluivert (Barcelona) and Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United). Van Nistelrooy already has withdrawn, Kluivert is rumored to be out, and it will not be until kickoff that the makeup of the Dutch team will be known.
The Netherlands lost only two of its 10 qualifying games but still finished third in its group behind Portugal and Ireland and therefore failed to qualify for the World Cup.
