Getting invited to as many U.S. men’s national teams camps this year as possible is the goal of Atlanta United fullback Brooks Lennon.
Speaking Monday from the team’s camp in Arizona, Lennon said the players are working hard to put themselves into position to be selected by manager Gregg Berhalter for three coming World Cup qualifying games.
“All the focus is training here as hard as as we can to prepare as well as possible for us to go out there and get the three wins that we need,” he said.
The U.S. will play El Salvador on Jan. 27, Canada on Jan. 30 and Honduras on Feb. 2. The U.S. has 15 points and is second in the CONCACAF table. It trails Canada by one point and leads Mexico by one point with six games remaining. The top three nations will qualify for the World Cup in Qatar later this year.
Lennon said the current camp is very competitive because of what’s at stake with the qualifying games. Every player currently in Arizona is based in MLS. Players based in Europe and other continents will join later this month. This is the second consecutive camp in which Lennon was invited. He fulfilled a goal set last year when he was called into the December camp. He started in a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina to earn his first cap for the U.S. team.
“I was really happy to do that,” Lennon said of the appearance. “Now it’s just keeping my head down and pushing forward and doing everything I can to to stay involved in this group and understand Gregg and his tactics and what he wants out of me as a player. I know I can do that. I’ve taken his ideas with open arms and and he knows I’m a player that that’s going to give everything for the crest.”
Lennon said he appreciates Berhalter’s desire to let the fullbacks get involved with attacks. Lennon tied for seventh in MLS in key passes (70) last season. He finished with six assists, giving him nine in his first two seasons with the club.
Lennon said he needs to continue to work on his positioning, something that he said Berhalter has spoken to him about and they’ve discussed in film sessions.
“This is a huge season for me,” Lennon said. “Being being able to get into this camp, and I want to see how many how many camps I can get called into this this year, and hopefully have a great season.”
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Atlanta United’s 2022 MLS schedule
Feb. 27 vs. Sporting KC, 3 p.m., FS1
March 5 at Colorado, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
March 13 vs. Charlotte, 4:30 p.m., FS1
March 19 vs. Montreal, 4 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
April 2 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
April 9 at Charlotte, 3 p.m., ESPN
April 16 vs. Cincinnati, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
April 24 at Miami, 1 p.m., ESPN
April 30 at Montreal, 4 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 7 vs. Chicago, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 15 vs. New England, 2 p.m., ESPN
May 21 at Nashville, 7:30 p.m. FOX
May 28 vs. Columbus Crew, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 19 vs Miami, 4 p.m., ESPN2
June 25 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 30 at New York Red Bulls, 8 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 3 at NYCFC, 5 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 9 vs. Austin, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 13 vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 17 vs. Orlando, 3 p.m., ABC
July 24 at L.A. Galaxy, 9:30 p.m., FS1
July 30 at Chicago, 5 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
August 6 vs. Seattle, 3 p.m., ABC
August 13 at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. BSSO/BSSE
August 17 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
August 21 at Columbus, 6 p.m., FS1
August 28 vs. D.C. United, 4 p.m., UNIV
August 31 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 4 at Portland, 5:30 p.m., FOX
Sept. 10 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept. 14 at Orlando, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept 17 vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m., UniMas
Oct. 1 at New England, 1 p.m., UniMas
Oct. 9 vs. NYCFC, TBD, BSSO/BSSE
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