USMNT tunes out Donovan, Dempsey criticism, says Tyler Adams - ESPN

Tyler Adams said the United States men's national team has tuned out criticism from former players.

Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey, who share the American goals record with 57 each, are among those who have been critical of current regulars not in the struggling roster preparing for the Concacaf Gold Cup.

«We don't talk about that internally as a group,» Adams said Wednesday during a Zoom interview with The Associated Press. «The noise on the outside is the noise on the outside. I think we need to focus on what we need to do as a group and continue to build.»

Star Christian Pulisic is skipping the June camp and Gold Cup to rest after playing about 120 games for club and country over two seasons.

«Whether it was Gold Cup, whether it was Copa [América], whether it was Confederations Cup, whether it was the World Cup, I wasn't going to miss competitions,» Dempsey said last week on the «Men in Blazers» podcast. «For me, I don't understand it because that wasn't my mentality. I always wanted to play in those games.»

Watching Portugal celebrate its win over Spain in Sunday's UEFA Nations League final, Donovan said on the Fox postgame show: «I can't help but think about our guys on vacation not wanting to play in Gold Cup.»

Pulisic has not spoken publicly of his decision.

The U.S. has lost four straight games, its longest skid since 2007, following a 4-0 rout Tuesday night by Switzerland.

«This is part of the process,» Adams said. «You're going to win games. You're going to lose games. It's about continuing to build that. I think we're on the right path. We have to continue to build and try the things that we've been training. It'll take a little bit of time, but it will come together.»

Adams didn't dress for the Switzerland