Bruce Arena Opportunity Quotations

We were able to use this game as an opportunity to see some players. The part that I felt was valid was that we watched our players have to deal with coming from behind, being down a goal.

With only one international fixture date prior to the World Cup, this is an important opportunity for our players based in Europe to demonstrate their form and fitness.

With only one international fixture date next year, this is an excellent opportunity to get our group together as we continue to shape our team for the World Cup.

Some of the players are on the fence, so to speak, and have their last opportunity to show - basically the European-based players. For our players it's also very good for them to be in a venue where they also get to play Italy and feel somewhat comfortable in this venue before we actually come back for our final preparations.

Having the opportunity to get a feel for the stadium and the environment here is very valuable.

We have some extra numbers in positions where we can afford the opportunity to look at some of the European players in this game and rest some of the domestic players. An example of that would be Eddie Pope and Jim Conrad. Based on play over the past month and a half, they would be included in this roster if we were simply basing it on performances. But we have guys we need to look at now.

This is an opportunity for some fresh faces, and we're going to see what they are about at the international level. This game is important because it can eliminate some players from consideration, and it can improve the situation of others.

In this kind of game, you have to jump on any opportunity you get. That made the difference.

Tim continues to be a very talented goalkeeper that we think, given time and the right opportunity, is going to continue to improve and be a terrific goalkeeper at the international level. One day he will be the No. 1 goalkeeper for the U.S.

In games like this, you have to jump on any opportunity that you get.

Although we will be playing with a less than full roster, this game will provide an outstanding opportunity for some of our players to show they deserve strong consideration for the World Cup roster.

I think there's some disappointment in some players because it was an opportunity for them to try to convince me that they belong on our roster for the World Cup. Most did not have a strong argument; some did.

It's an opportunity now for a number of players who haven't received a whole lot of minutes in the first three games to show us what they're about.