Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino, a little bit sweaty after a game of "soccer tennis" with his staff, still wasn't close to tired enough on Tuesday to let slip any bits of information about who might play in Wednesday's U.S. Open Cup game against Charleston at Kennesaw State .
“It’s the best team that we feel we can put on the field,” he said.
Asked who definitely won’t be in the 18, he again parried: “There are various (who won’t play.)”
He did say that Josef Martinez, who saw his first action since late March in last week's 2-0 loss to Chicago, will start .
“Tomorrow is important for me going forward,” Martinez said. “I want to play 200 minutes, but I have to go with what my body’s telling me.”
Jeff Larentowicz also said that he will start in his customary holding midfielder role. Captain Michael Parkhurst said he hasn’t been told if he is playing.
Regardless of whether the majority of the regular starters are in the 11 on Wednesday, there’s a chance that some of the non-regulars will see some action later, if not sooner, because Atlanta United has four games in 11 days.
“We always keep in mind the importance of getting young guys minutes,” Martino said.
When he was hired, one of the points of importance mentioned by technical director Carlos Bocanegra was Martino’s record of developing young players, which is why he was being pressed on whether players like Andrew Carleton and Chris Goslin will appear against the Battery.
Martino countered with Carleton, 16, Brandon Vazquez, 17, Anton Walkes, 20, and Harrison Heath, 21, have all made debuts this season. He said it’s not normal to have so many young players debut in a season.
“The most important thing is having a solid first team and then move guys up into that first team,” Martino said.
He added that Atlanta United’s academy is less than a year old. It needs time.
“I don’t think the stage of the players where they will see the most development is with me,” he said. “It’s with the youth teams.”
Larentowicz said whoever plays will be ready because of the importance of the event.
“It’s a Cup competition where you can win four, five games and be playing for a trophy,” he said. “Whether you are a starter or coming off the bench, you need to be ready.”
Because all the players train in the same systems together, Parkhurst seemed confident that any of those who haven’t played much can step in and carry out their role if tapped by Martino.
“The way they fit into the system is like for like,” he said.
Whether Martino uses some of the 11 who have been used through most of the 14 games or he makes wholesale changes, Wednesday’s game won’t be easy.
Charleston leads the USL’s Eastern Conference with 27 points (8-2-3). Though Atlanta United loanee Romario Williams, second in the league with 10 goals, is away with the Jamaican national team, the Battery still feature several quality players.
Larentowicz said the difference between some of the players on an MLS roster and those in the lower leagues isn’t that great. Their rosters are filled with good players because he said it’s difficult to make it onto an MLS roster. USL was considered third division until earlier this year when it and the NASL were granted provisional co-second division status by the United State Soccer Federation.
Talent, coupled with the fight and passion that Larentowicz said he has experienced when playing teams from lower divisions make for a lot of interesting story lines. Plus Charleston is Atlanta United’s affiliate and who doesn’t want to defeat their bigger brother?
“It’s going to be a fun game to watch, especially if you are on the outside looking in just to catch a game,” he said.
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