This is the day when World Cup coaches had to submit to FIFA their preliminary World Cup rosters.

That included, of course, U.S. coach Bob Bradley, and he sent along a list of 30 names, 23 of whom will actually go to South Africa next month.

The list has generated real interest among U.S. soccer fans, and even some interest among generic U.S. sports fans, which means the sport continues to grow, domestically.

A look at who’s on and who’s not, and the surprises on either side of that.

First, the list, as prepared by U.S. Soccer.

What do you think?

First, it’s always easier to note the surprises who are on the team, still, over those who are not. Noting an absence is always more difficult.

So, the surprises to make the next-to-last cut:  forward Edson Buddle, midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, forward Herculez Gomez and forward Robbie Findlay. Why? Because between them, those four guys have nine appearances with the senior national team. Total. One for Buddle, two for Bedoya and Gomez, four for Findlay. Just a few minutes ago, Bob Bradley (and Bruce Arena) had never really been impressed by them.

Two concepts at work here.

1. The U.S. is thin at the attacking end,  and three of the surprises are forwards. At least one of them is going to make the team, maybe two, and it depends on how they show in practice beginning next week, and in the two friendlies ahead of the final squad being anounced.

2. Two of the three guys are scalding hot. Edson Buddle has nine goals in eight matches for the Los Angeles Galaxy. And Herculez Gomez just scored 10 goals in 14 matches for Puebla in the Mexican League, sharing the league lead. Again, it shows that when it comes to the national team, who’s hot is a major factor. So in that sense, that these two guys are in camp is not a shock.

OK, who are the notable absentees?

Charlie Davies leads the list, and not because he has been playing so well but because he had become a key part of the team, during qualifying last year. In the interim, however, he nearly died in a mysterious middle-of-the-night crash outside Washington D.C. and just now is coming around. It was a warm-and-fuzzy story to think he could make it to South Africa, but it was never a realistic one. His absence from the forward position is what opened things up for the surprises (above).

Freddy Adu. Again, not because he was playing so well, because he hardly played at all, in Greece (not Portugal), this year. But he was going to be The Next Big Thing in U.S. soccer a few years ago, and now he can’t make the next-to-last cut. The little midfielder isn’t old, but he needs to do something, and soon.

Conor Casey. The big target forward had some nice moments last year, when he also led Major League Soccer in scoring. But most of what he did for the national team came while Brian Ching was nicked up, and Ching is very similar to Casey — except more athletic. Don’t really need two bulky target forwards.

Frankie Hejduk. OK, this isn’t much of a surprise. The man is in great shape but he’s also 37 years old. I love Frankie, and he would have brought toughness and leadership to a team that sometimes seems lacking in both departments. He helped the team qualify, last year, but he got nicked up, and my wanting to see him on the team was more emotional than practical.

A few other thoughts:

–Stuart Holden. Just back after an injury, and we shall soon see if he is ready to contribute. He was coming on fast, and moved to the Premier League (with Bolton) this season, but then came the injury …

–Maurice Edu. Missed practically all of 2009 with a knee injury, but came on for Rangers in the second half of the Scottish League season. A possible starter at defensive mid.

–DaMarcus Beasley. Didn’t play often and didn’t play well for Rangers, but the left-side mid is getting a chance to show he can turn back the clock to, oh, 2002. If he can play the position, it would free up Clint Dempsey to play a sort of withdrawn forward, behind (presumably) Jozy Altidore, answering the “who plays forward question.”

–Oguchi Onyewu. Perhaps the key to the team. The big central defender blew out his knee last November, against Costa Rica, and he just now has been active with AC Milan. If he is good to go, that makes the shaky U.S. defense a lot better. Keep an eye on him.

–Steve Cherundolo and Jonathan Spector; Jonathan Bornstein and Stuart Pearce. Those are the two leading candidates to play right back and left back, respectively. Perhaps the weakest position on the team. A couple of those guys need to show they can cover as well as get forward.

–Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Carlos Bocanegra, Michael Bradley, Tim Howard.  Five guys who are sure starters on June 12 against England, barring injury. Just need to figure out the other six guys on the pitch with them.