Real Salt Lake: Robbie Findley named to U.S. World Cup roster

When Real Salt Lake forward Robbie Findley didn't take the field as the U.S. National Team played an international friendly against the Czech Republic Tuesday night, it was assumed his fate was sealed for the World Cup — and it probably was, just not in the way many expected.

Findley was named Wednesday morning to the 23-man roster that will be traveling to South Africa to represent this country at the world's largest sporting event.

"I was definitely nervous (when I didn't play)," Findley told the Deseret News. "I figured it meant I was either going home or staying, but I just told myself that I had done everything I could to put myself in position to make the team and now it was out of my hands."

It was an honor not only for Findley, but for his club team as well.

"We are really, really excited for the situation for him," said RSL coach Jason Kreis. "We look at it as another feather in our cap here with Real Salt Lake and the recognition of what we are doing as a team. All the credit goes to Robbie, but we feel we had a little hand in helping his development as a player and it reflects well on the club as a whole."

Many of the U.S.'s expected starters for next month's tournament didn't play in the 4-2 loss, but 17 of the 30 players trying to make the squad got a look. It was a final chance for coach Bob Bradley to evaluate some of the "bubble" players.

Findley must have made quite an impression over the previous week at training camp, because while four forwards took the pitch, he and expected starter Jozy Altidore were the only two forwards of the 30 players that didn't get in the game — and Altidore wasn't one of the 22 players on the available roster for the friendly.

"After the game we went back and had dinner and then Bob (Bradley) and the coaches took about an hour to talk things over and make a decision — it was the longest hour ever," said Findley. "I found out about 2:30 in the morning that I made it. It was amazing.

"I felt almost a sense of relief," Findley added, "but then it was excitement. I felt thankful for all those people in my life that got me to where I am today."

During coach Bradley's success in both qualifying for the World Cup and in other competitions like the Confederations Cup last year in South Africa, he has employed a 4-4-2 formation, and generally the two forwards have followed the same mold: one "target" or bigger, stronger forward — Altidore of Hull City of the English Premier League can do much more than just be a target, but fits that role nicely — and one "speed" forward, which is certainly Findley's biggest asset on the pitch.