Timbers Harrington Earns First Call Up To US Men’s National Team

Portland Timbers left back Michael Harrington received his first call up to the US Men’s National Team camp this January, the 27 year old defender asked to join head coach Juergen Klinsmann’s squad after a banner season in the seven year MLS veteran’s career.

Full press release from the Portland Timbers below, with further analysis from Brennan Burns here:

TIMBERS’ MICHAEL HARRINGTON CALLED INTO CAMP WITH U.S. NATIONAL TEAM
Defender to join U.S. National Team for training camp Jan. 6-Feb. 2

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers today announced that defender Michael Harrington has been called into camp with the U.S. National Team by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann for the team’s January Training Camp from Jan. 6 to Feb. 2. The camp will include training in Carson, Calif., and São Paulo, Brazil, as well as a friendly against Korea Republic on Saturday, Feb. 1, as the United States prepares for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Harrington, 27, is scheduled to join the team Monday, Jan. 6, in California for training at the National Training Center. As part of the camp, the team will train and stay at its base camp for the upcoming World Cup in São Paulo, Brazil, from Jan. 13-25. The United States will then return to Carson, Calif., for training and plays host to Korea Republic on Saturday, Feb. 1, at StubHub Center at 2 p.m. (Pacific) on ESPN2.

The Greenville, N.C., native earns his first call-up to the senior U.S. national team. Harrington previously represented the United States at the U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels, competing in both the 2003 U-17 and 2005 U-20 FIFA World Youth Championships. He also spent time with the U.S. U-23 National Team leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Harrington played in all but one league match through the regular season and MLS Cup Playoffs for the Timbers in 2013, helping the backline record a league-best 15 shutouts, including an MLS single-season record 11 shutouts at home. He set career marks in both games (33) and minutes played (2,951) during the 2013 regular season as Portland finished the campaign in first place in the Western Conference and reached the conference final.

Harrington is a veteran of seven MLS seasons with Portland (2013) and Sporting Kansas City (2007-12), having appeared in more than 180 regular-season matches and recording five goals and 15 assists.

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION – Detailed Roster
GOALKEEPERS (4): Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (10): Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes), Michael Harrington (Portland Timbers), Chris Klute (Colorado Rapids), Chance Myers (Sporting Kansas City), Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids), Seth Sinovic (Sporting Kansas City), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Eric Alexander (New York Red Bulls), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Dax McCarty (New York Red Bulls), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

FORWARDS (4): Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Eddie Johnson (D.C. United), Mike Magee (Chicago Fire), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)