The FIFA window fast approaching will be devoid of such games, however the Nov. window has not shut. Such games are yet another casualty of the Coronavirus crisis as they have passed for the month of October.
USMNT GM Brian McBride informed "After extensive conversations about holding a Men's National Team camp in October, as it relates to hosting international opponents and getting our players together wouldn't allow us to move forward. We appreciate the incredible amount of work our staff did and the discussions with Major League Soccer. We are making considerable progress for November."
Should Nov. work out it wold be a full 8 months since the team was together, that being their 1-0 victory over the Ticos, past games not played include, Wales & Netherlands, Concacaf Nations League, and WC Qualifiers.
USMNT HC Gregg Berhalter stated "Both players and staff are disappointed. We are confident we can find a way foward in the near future that will provide an opportunity to play matches in preperations for the important competitions next year."
Those 2021 items he alluded to would include the Nations League Final set for March, Gold Cup in July, and most importantly WC qualifiers, slated to kick off in Sept. To think that the qualifiiers may not come to pass is chilling.
I fully understand and appreciate the team not wanting to travel, I would bet that other nations are not looking to travel here either. The bubble concept has worked well, that the players are unable to get into camp who are US based, is not good. MLS players are being released to other nations, if there is a break in play in Oct. or make one, as I have yet to see a schedule for that month, why are they not conducting a camp for the domestic players and others on the edge of NT play? It had been addressed earlier that they would in fact do one for the US based players and another for those in Europe, what caused this turnabout. I would think that world wide the virus is much less of a threat and knowing where the hot spots are makes it far easier to deal with. THis is a set back the USMNT can ill afford, if it is being done out of extreme caution, then I am fully behind it, if players are not comfortable being elsewhere in the nation, then so be it do not do the camp.