NEW YORK – Mix Diskerud is not in the mix with the US national team for their friendlies against Denmark and Switzerland, and New York City FC coach Jason Kreis is perplexed.
“I was very surprised, but you never know,” Kreis said. “I don’t know what the objectives of these two games are for the coach and what he’s looking to achieve or who he’s looking to look at that might be new into that program.”
Diskerud had been a regular selection under Jurgen Klinsmann and was on the World Cup roster, although he didn’t play.
The 24-year-old from Norway is off to a hot start with the MLS expansion side, starting all three games in the midfield and scoring the team’s first goal in a 1-1 draw at Orlando City SC in the teams’ season opener.
Klinsmann’s squad is mostly European-based players, as well as those competing in Liga MX. But there are five Major League Soccer players – Toronto FC’s duo of Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley, LA Galaxy midfielder/forward Gyasi Zardes, Orlando City defender Brek Shea and Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando – among the 22 players called up.
“It’s impossible for me to say, but I really had expected Mix to go,” Kreis said. “I think there’s several MLS players I would say are in the same exact category as Mix who didn’t get called, so it seems that Jurgen has a bit of a plan, but I don’t know. I hadn’t spoken to him.”
Diskerud didn’t want to comment about the exclusion. Instead he lauded teammate, and roommate, Khiry Shelton’s first-ever call-up with the US U-23 team. Shelton, who has been a spark off the bench in each of NYCFC’s three matches, is among 20 players selected by head coach Andi Herzog to compete against Bosnia on Friday and Denmark on Tuesday in a pair of friendlies.
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“I’m just really excited for Khiry, my better half right now,” Diskerud said. “He’s with the Under-23s, and he gets the chance to be part of something I wasn’t a part of, making it to the Olympics.”
Instead, Diskerud said he will root for both teams from the comfort of his Manhattan apartment.
“I’m going to watch their games, maybe with some popcorn and of course the full team as well,” Diskerud said. “I’m going to watch them. It doesn’t really feel weird.”
