ussoccer.com speaks to MNT midfielder Kyle Beckerman about his role with the USA in this episode of Opportunity Knocks. The Real Salt Lake captain discusses his goals for 2013 as he looks to be a valuable part of Jurgen Klinsmann’s squad trying to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil.

A couple links worth checking out today on this otherwise non-newsworthy day.

I posted the MLS Generation Adidas tour highlights earlier today of their 4-2 loss to Ajax’s reserves, but here is a match report of the game.  And they brought back the daily video diaries, which I enjoyed so much last year.  The first one is by Zarek Valentin, while the second one is by Amobi Okugo.

Much like the Q&A with Juan Agudelo about his training stint at VfB Stuttgart from earlier this week, US Soccer’s website now has one up with Kyle Beckerman.  Interesting to see that Beckerman was “placed” at Kaiserslautern by Jurgen Klinsmann.

Speaking of these MLS training stints in Europe, former USMNT head coach and current Galaxy head boss Bruce Arena does some questioning of these stints.

Greg Seltzer caught up with Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel to talk about the Spurs’ start to the season.

Clint Dempsey did a video interview with BBC’s Football Focus last week, before scoring his 37th goal on Monday.  And The Shin Guardian looks at Dempsey’s career in the Premier League and wonders if there is any real comparison to another player in the league.

Someone on twitter suggested keeping track of all these MLS players who are training in Europe this offseason, so I decided to keep this list, which I will update whenever a new name pops up.  So if you know of anyone I am missing, please leave the player and some kind of link to a news story on them training in Europe in the comments.

Here is who I can think of off the top of my head:

Juan Agudelo – VfB Stuttgart & Liverpool
Kyle Beckerman – Kaiserslautern
Bill Hamid – West Bromwich Albion
Sean Johnson – Everton
Perry Kitchen – SC Freiburg
Jeff Larentowicz – Bolton Wanderers
Zac MacMath – Everton
Amobi Okugo – SC Freiburg
Zach Pfeffer – TSG Hoffenheim
Tim Ream – West Bromwich Albion & Bolton Wanderers
Robbie Rogers – Kaiserslautern
Omar Salgado – Fulham
Brek Shea – Arsenal

A bunch of different things to check out today.

Apparently all the cool kids are going out on training stints with various teams across Europe.  Omar Salgado will be at Fulham for two weeks.  According to his agent, Juan Agudelo will be in Germany with VfB Stuttgart.  Kyle Berckerman and Robbie Rogers will also be in Germany, but with Kaiserslautern.  And also according to that last link, U-23er Perry Kitchen will be at SC Freiburg.

Jurgen Klinsmann speaks and the players listen.

Staying with the USMNT….I tweeted this on Monday, but there are some rumors that the Camp Cupcake could be headed down to Panama for a game in January.  I also just read that a Galavision announcer said during the US-Slovenia game that the US will play Guatemala in Seattle as well as another unknown opponent at an unknown stadium during that same time period (possibly the Panama match?).  But these are just internet rumors at this point.

Some last few reads with the U-23 team.  Claudio Reyna talks about the youth program, Anthony Brooks gives us a recap of the recent camp in Germany and Conor Doyle also talks about some camp stuff.

Some other odds and ends.

Michael Parkhurst has signed a year extension with FC Nordsjælland.

Jose Torres is close to returning to the field after missing some time with an operation to his left foot.

And finally, CONCACAF has released the 2014 World Cup qualifying schedule.  The US starts things off on Friday, June 8, 2012 against Antigua & Barbuda (that is one team, not two teams, as that would be tough playing 11 vs. 22).