Olosunde excited to be with USMNT after surprise call up
PHILADELPHIA » Matthew Olosunde had just finished up a training session with the reserve team at Manchester United when his phone rang with United States assistant coach Richie Williams on the other line.
Williams called to inform Olosunde that the senior national team was tracking his progress and wanted to invite him to the training camp this week in Philadelphia ahead of a friendly against Bolivia on May 28 in Chester, Pa.
“It was a pretty neat surprise,” Olosunde said prior to Wednesday’s training session at the University of Pennsylvania. “It was a bit late notice as well, so I was a bit shook at the call up, but it was good, it was exciting.”
It’s also a homecoming for the 20-yearold Olosunde, who grew up in Trenton and came through the city’s Mooch Soccer program before moving on to the Princeton Soccer Association and the Red Bulls Academy.
“It feels great,” he said. “I got to see my parents as soon as I landed, and they came to visit. It was really welcoming to be here.”
Olosunde has spent the last two seasons on the books at Manchester United, but hasn’t broke into the Premier League side’s first team. His progress was stunted by injuries this year and he’s reached a point in his career where he needs to get first-team minutes, which may necessitate a move away from United whether it be a loan or permanent transfer.
“I want to go back really strong, really fit and trying to get a look into the first team,” he said. “That’s really what I’m looking for. I’m looking forward to trying to get minutes, and if I can do that, it would be great.”
At 6-foot-1 and with excellent athleticism, Olosunde is an interesting fullback prospect. He’s played both right and left back for the United reserves and has experience as a winger from his time with youth teams.
“He’d be a good poker player,” interim coach Dave Sarachan said. “He doesn’t reveal much. He sort of keeps a steady keel, but inside I think he’s really excited. He was a little nervous the first day, but quickly settled in. The last day and a half, he’s started to feel a little more comfortable.”
The U.S. plays the first of three friendlies on Monday night against Bolivia before travelling to Europe to face Ireland (June 2) and France (June 6).
The Americans are at the beginning of a rebuilding process after they infamously failed to qualify for this summer’s World Cup in Russia by crashing out on the final Concacaf match day with a stunning 2-1 loss at Trinidad & Tobago.
That has, at least, created a youth movement within the national team. The 22 players called in for the Bolivia match have an average age of 22 years, 286 days.
In addition to Olosunde, the roster features six players who have yet to be capped and six others who have two or fewer appearances. The two players with the most caps (20) are superstar teenager Christian Pulisic, who was not with the team on Wednesday after playing for Borussia Dortmund in a friendly against LAFC on Tuesday night, and Joe Corona, who plays for Mexico’s Club Tijuana.
“It’s a bit more comforting knowing I have other people around me who are at a similar age who I know and am used to,” Olosunde said. “It really helps.”
Sarachan expects to make a number of changes to the squad that contests the two games in Europe, and he’s unlikely to be the coach who picks the next national team roster after that, assuming the federation ever gets around to hiring a general manager and permanent head coach.
Olosunde, though, could be a candidate for the upcoming 2020 Olympic cycle where the men’s tournament is reserved for under-23 players.
That’s why he’s relishing this occasion. “Great things can happen unexpectedly,” Olosunde said. “You just have to be prepared for it and make sure you can take it and grasp the opportunity.”