D.C. United 2011 MLS Season Preview

AP Photo/J. Pat Carter

In 2010 the New York Red Bulls went from worst record in MLS to first place in the Eastern Conference. Their Atlantic Cup rival D.C. United is poised to make a similar ascent up the standings.

After finishing last season with the worst record in MLS, and failing to qualify for the playoffs for a third consecutive year, D.C. made a lot of changes to its roster, picking up some very recognizable names.

Joseph Ngwenya, Josh Wolff, Pat Onstad, Dax McCarty and Charlie Davies will all represent the Black and Red on the pitch this season.

Ngwenya, Wolff and Davies were all brought in to help an impotent offense that was the only team in MLS last season to not score 30 goals (21). All the attention will be on Davies however.

It seems like ages ago Davies was a promising USMNT forward that wowed fans with his blistering speed, earned their respect with his tireless hustle and got their attention with his “Stanky Leg” goal celebration. Then a car accident not only almost took his soccer career, but his life as well.

Davies has persevered, though, and has done his rehab. His parent club, FC Sochaux, thought he was unfit for first team action with them so he needed a fresh start. In a surprising twist he wound up exactly where it all fell apart for him.

Fans around the world, especially American fans, will watch Davies closely; Is he still as fast? Can he score? What’s going to happen if someone comes in with a hard challenge? Can he be the great player we thought he would be before the accident?
It’s a lot to live up to, but leading up to things Davies seems to realize what he’s gotten himself into, relishes it and just wants to focus on getting first-team fit again.

He’ll have plenty of support behind him in the midfield. Last year’s Rookie of the Year Andy Najar will be joined by Designated Player Branko Boskovic, Santino Quaranta and Dax McCarty. Najar was the team’s leader in goals scored last season and the team’s lack of talent really thrust him into a starring role. But it won’t be all up to him this year.

The majority of the team is young, so McCarty will provide the leadership this squad lacked last year. He’s only 23-years-old, but he’s been in the league since 2006 and last year with FC Dallas he made it to the MLS Cup final. He’s getting increased looks from the USMNT and was the team’s captain in its January friendly against Chile.

The big names have come on offense but the defense is a bit thin. It was supposed to be homegrown product Bill Hamid’s time to shine in net, but he suffered a shoulder injury early in preseason. Backup Steve Cronin was also injured, so it’s up to 43-year-old Pat Onstad—who retired and signed with D.C. to be an assistant coach, only to unretire to fill out the goalie position—to lead a relatively unfamiliar unit. Outside of rookie Perry Kitchen, the team’s first round pick, the rest of the defense is a bunch of unknowns.

A big problem for United is that while the additions are of high-profile names, do they still bring talent or are they working on name alone? Teams get rid of players for all different reasons, but make no mistake about it Ngwenya, Wolff and Onstad were all let go by their respective teams. Wolff only scored two goals last season, Ngwenya netted only one goal and Onstad retired. And can Davies stay healthy?

The defense looks to be the weakness but the other positions are full of potential and promise. Things may start out a little rocky, but this team does have the talent to at least sneak into the playoffs.

If anything, this team gives the faithful fans something to be optimistic about despite the performances over the past few years and the possibility that the team may be moved.

Charlie Davies talks about the car accident and D.C. United. Video from Fox Sports.

New York Red Bulls 2011 MLS Season Preview

AP Photo/Bill Kostroun

All eyes will be on the New York Red Bulls in 2011. A worst-to-first season in 2010, a great stadium and big name foreign players to go with promising young Americans has everyone talking about the possibilities for this team. But this squad is far from a lock on winning it all.

Consistency has always been an issue for this club. While soccer seems to have more player movement compared to other sports in the country, the Red Bulls—going back to when they were the MetroStars—has had a constantly revolving door of players and coaches.

Born in 1996, current head coach Hans Backe is the twelfth man to lead the club. No coach has lasted more than three seasons, and only two have done that. So while Backe gets another crack at things, assistant coaches Richie Williams—who had been with the team since 2006—and Des McAleenan—the goalkeepers coach since 2002—were fired.

The two have been with the club for long periods of time and have been through it all. Williams, for the past couple of years, has been a hot commodity for a head coaching position in the league. To fire those two only a few weeks before the season begins is a perplexing move and could be indicative of larger issues within the club.

Also not returning is the franchise’s all-time leading goal scorer Juan Pablo Angel. In four seasons with the team he scored 61 goals in all competitions. His contract expired however and the team decided to go in another direction.

As peculiar as it was for the team to so easily get rid of one of its best players ever, there is some consolation in that the expected forward tandem could be the most hyped about duo in the league: Thierry Henry and Juan Agudelo.

Henry was the marquee designated player signing last summer for the Red Bulls. There was a lot of excitement about him coming to MLS after the FIFA World Cup, yet his performance didn’t match it. He scored only two goals in only 11 league games, missing three of the team’s final four games—including the first leg of the playoffs—and coming on as a late-sub in the match that eliminated them from the playoffs.

Henry trained with Arsenal over the winter in order to regain fitness and health. If he can stay healthy, his first full season in the league should be noteworthy.

Agudelo has rocketed to the forefront of the American soccer scene. A rising prospect, Agudelo didn’t actually play in MLS until October, and only played in four games (two regular season and two playoff matches). However, that was enough to make USMNT coach Bob Bradley bring him in for a friendly, in which Agudelo came off the bench and scored the game-winning goal.

With no Angel in New York, Agudelo should get a lot more playing time this season. Also, with no real established forward in the national team pool (with the exception, possibly, of Jozy Altidore) many USA fans will have a close eye on the development of Agudelo.

The team has a similar situation on the backline as well. DP Rafa Marquez will team with 2010 Rookie of the Year candidate and rising national team player Tim Ream.

Marquez brought a lot of presence and patience to the Red Bulls lineup and could be even better moving from defensive midfield to his preferred position of center back. Ream enjoyed a great rookie campaign, showcasing his poise and technical ability on the ball. These two will anchor an otherwise shaky defense.

Left fullback may be the biggest weakness on the club right now. Roy Miller is the incumbent starter, but after a good first half of the season his form dipped drastically towards the end and he was especially rough in the playoffs. If he cannot regain his form, he could very well lose his position to Danleigh Borman.

On the right side, Chris Albright had a solid season but he is 32-years-old with a strong injury history and the club is worried about his durability in the short and long-terms.

The goalie position is still unsettled as well. Last year’s starter Bouna Coundoul had a career year, starting all but three games (which he missed because of national team duty) and setting the franchise record for shutouts (11). However, he sometimes loses focus and makes ridiculous mistakes, and he could be in the dog house for spending January with his national team of Senegal rather than with the Red Bulls.

So Greg Sutton has been seeing a lot of first team action in preseason. He has solid fundamentals, but last time he was the first choice goalkeeper, he had a disastrous season.

Linking the suspect defense with a growing offense is the midfield, a solid group. Joel Lindpere leads the way after having a wonderful season with the team, scoring three times, assisting on a team-best six goals and displaying a tireless work effort. He is joined by Dane Richards, the Jamaican speedster who scored five goals last season (second-best on the team) and seemed to be a revived player with the arrivals of Henry and Marquez.

New to the unit will be international transfers Jan Gunnar Solli and Teemu Tainio. Tainio, a Finish International player, has played at extremely high levels of soccer his entire career, playing for clubs like Auxerre, Tottenham and Ajax.

Solli, a member of the Norway National Team, can play the wing and was very successful at SK Brann. Red Bulls management hopes that these two under-the-radar signings can be just as fruitful as the Lindpere one was last season.

This Red Bulls team is one with a lot of talent, a seemingly high amount of offensive potential and the ability to be one of the best teams in the league.

They will be the favorites to win the East and reach the MLS Cup final.

The franchise, though, has a tough history of not meeting expectations and with some instability, especially in the coaching ranks and on defense, the threat of another lost season still looms over the club.

Hans Backe previews the team's preseason in Mexico. Video from YouTube.

Seattle Sounders 2011 MLS Season Preview

AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

In the franchise’s second season, the Seattle Sounders proved that its great 2009 season was no fluke and that this team was a true contender. They didn’t improve on their first year campaign, despite all of the preseason buzz.

The team won its second consecutive U.S. Open Cup, the first club to do so since 1983. However, they couldn’t escape the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs for the second straight time.

The season was salvaged after the team started off to a disappointing record of 4-8-3. Over the team’s final 15 games, the Sounders only lost twice.

The biggest addition to last year’s squad didn’t come from a trade or transfer. Instead, the Sounders will be glad to have defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado return to the lineup after spending the majority of last season on the disabled list.

A valuable piece, Hurtado’s presence should solidify the backline and give the team a bit more presence. What was a huge strength in 2009 dipped in form in 2010. The Sounders gave up the most goals out of all eight playoff teams (35). Hurtado should help them get back to form.

Even more discouraging for Seattle was the offense. Seattle scored 39 goals last season, seventh in the league. Four of the five other playoff teams from the Western Conference—including all three that finished ahead of Seattle—scored more goals than they did. Adding insult to injury was the fact that former Sounder Sebastian Le Toux scored 14 goals with the Philadelphia Union.

Again, the Sounders are hoping an entire season from one of their own players helps the cause. After joining the team after the World Cup last season designated player Blaise Nkufo scored five goals in 11 games and became the first player in the club’s MLS existence to score a hat-trick.

Adding him to the ever dangerous Freddy Montero and Steve Zakuani for a whole season should improve the offense. That being said, the three have had to work a lot of kinks out this preseason, failing to score up until the final game when Montero scored twice.

So that, for now, leaves the midfield as the dependable unit. Alvaro Fernandez, another designated player signing that joined the club after the World Cup, will lead the way in his first full MLS season. He is joined by Osvaldo Alonso and Brad Evans, two players that, while unsung, have been crucial to the team’s stability and success.

The midfield unit will be rounded out by rookie Michael Tettah and Swedish signing Erik Friberg.

The biggest question coming into this season will be what kind of depth will the Sounders have?

The team lost defenders Tyrone Marshall and Nate Sturgis and midfielders Peter Vagenas and Sanna Nyassi—who scored both goals in the U.S. Open Cup final victory. It is a difficult time to lose guys who have contributed to the team with an upcoming appearance in the CONCACAF Champions League to go with MLS and Open Cup play.

There is also a sense of urgency to make the most of the team’s talents before Nkufo and goalkeeper Kasey Keller, one of the best Americans to ever play the position, retire at the end of the season.

Seattle seems to be relying on the lack of drama from former DP Freddie Ljungberg and whether he will stay or go as well as getting full seasons of production from Hurtado, Nkufo and Fernandez. They have a smart ownership group and have made smart in-season signings, so Seattle should have enough to get through the beginning of the season.

With a loaded schedule though, will the team be able to stay healthy?

It’s hard to imagine Seattle not making the playoffs for a third straight season, but can they get past the first round?

2011 Seattle Sounders commercial. Video from YouTube.

Los Angeles Galaxy 2011 MLS Season Preview

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

The 2010 season was another year the Los Angeles Galaxy fell short.

Again with one of the most loaded teams in the league, the Galaxy was the top-seed in the Western Conference for the second consecutive season and won the Supporter’s Shield. However, they were bounced in the semifinals of the MLS Cup playoffs.

It appears management won’t settle for anything short of the franchise’s third championship, so the team brought in several big-name acquisitions over the offseason.

The team was dealt a rather large blow when breakout star and 2010 leading goal scorer Edson Buddle left Los Angeles for Germany. Who would pick up the goal scoring slack?

The organization acted quickly in not only replacing Buddle, but improving its entire stable of forwards. The Galaxy traded for Adam Cristman and Chad Barrett and acquired Designated Player Juan Pablo Angel—the New York Red Bulls’ all-time leading goal scorer—in the Re-Entry draft.

Angel may be 35-years-old and have some injuries that have bothered him in recent years, but he still was New York’s leading goal scorer not only last season, but all four years he was with the franchise. He is deadly as a penalty-kick taker.

Barrett is a nice-pickup for the squad. He’s only 25-years-old and put together a few solid seasons with Toronto FC and the Chicago Fire. With more experience and a better supporting cast to serve him up top, Barrett could be in store for a big year stat-wise.

The defense also got a new addition this year, adding Frankie Hejduk through the Re-Entry draft. He’s 36-years-old and hasn’t been relied on by the Columbus Crew or the U.S. National Team recently like he was in years past, but he can still play. He should help solidify the backline as well as continue to help young defensive standouts Omar Gonzalez and Sean Franklin mature.

The front office has done extremely well drafting players the past few years and has a good mix of youth and experience on the roster. Make no mistake about it though, the Galaxy are in a win-now mode. Angel, Hejduk and defender Gregg Berhalter are all towards the end of their careers. Landon Donovan, arguably the best player in league history, has been flirting with a move to Europe for a few years now. Also, David Beckham, the league’s first Designated Player, is in the final year of a five-year contract he signed with the team.

Maybe more important than the new additions, though, is the health of Donovan and Beckham. After multiple years of nonstop soccer with the Galaxy, their respective national teams and going on winter-loans, both of them finally slowed down this past offseason.

After playing year-round, Donovan, with his stock higher than ever thanks to his performance in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, decided he needed time to rest. He did not go out on another loan and did not play in any of the U.S. National Team’s games. Looking at his Twitter account, one could tell he was itching to be on the field. But the rest should serve his body well, and refresh him for the MLS season.

Beckham didn’t willingly sit out the winter months, but the Galaxy—fearing for his health after he tore his Achilles tendon with AC Milan last year—refused to let him out on loan. Beckham trained with Tottenham and the Galaxy hope the last season of his contract—and maybe with the Galaxy ever—will be his best.

So the team’s leading men are rested and should have their legs under them for the entirety of the season as the team makes one final push to the top.

The Galaxy resemble the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA. They should dominate the regular season and be a favorite for the championship heading into the playoffs. What will it take for them to get over the hump though?

They have lots of players with MLS experience on this team and plenty of leadership—Angel and Hejduk were captains of their clubs—to potentially rectify that reoccurring problem.

David Beckham joins the L.A. Galaxy in preseason. Video from YouTube.

MLS 2011 Schedule Preview: Must-See Games

AP Photo/Alex Gallardo

Anticipation is building for soccer fans in America with the 2011 edition of the Major League soccer season less than two weeks away. There are a lot of new faces in new places as well as two new teams: the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps.

Each team will play 34 games in 2011, with each team playing everybody twice. That means there are a total 612 games. There will be some very entertaining soccer to be played, but here are the top 15 regular season games that you need to watch.

Tuesday, March 15: Seattle Sounders vs. Los Angeles Galaxy

The MLS season kicks off with a great matchup. 2011 opens in Seattle, which has had arguably the best fan support in the league in their short two years of existence. Facing the Sounders will be the media darlings of the league and perennial contenders Los Angeles Galaxy.

Both these teams figure to be favorites to win the West and they should get the season off to a nice bang.

Saturday, March 19: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Toronto FC

Toronto, you have company. With Vancouver joining MLS through expansion, Toronto is no longer the lone Canadian franchise through the league. Which also means that the underachieving Reds will have competition vying for the Canadian fan base’s approval.

This will also be the first home game for Vancouver and it will be exciting to see how the fans come out to support the new home team.

Saturday, April 9: FC Dallas vs. Colorado Rapids

A rematch of the 2010 MLS Cup. These two teams surprised many to get that far and this season they’ll have to work that much harder to get there since they’ll have targets on their backs, especially Colorado.

With FC Dallas season ticket sales reportedly up 300 percent, the new fans at Pizza Hut Park should make this interesting, supporting their club as they look for revenge for the loss in the title game.

Saturday, April 16: New York Red Bulls vs. San Jose Earthquakes

The New York Red Bulls went from last in MLS in 2009 to first in the East in 2010. Hopes were high heading into the playoffs, and even higher when they went up 1-0 after the first leg of the opening round of the playoffs against the Earthquake.

Then everything went terribly wrong for New York when they returned to Red Bull Arena. A 3-1 loss at the hands of the Earthquake (3-2 on aggregate) knocked them out of the playoffs and left everyone in shock.

This game won’t have nearly as much riding on it that the November one did, but it’s a start for New York to amend what went wrong last year.

Thursday, April 21: DC United vs. New York Red Bulls

One of the oldest rivalries in the league will have a new wrinkle to it this season. DC will be looking to take a page out of the Red Bulls’ book going from worst to first. They made a lot of moves, bringing in some big names to try and help Rookie of the Year Andy Najar win more games. In are Dax McCarty, Josh Wolff, Joseph Ngwenya, Perry Kitchen, Pat Onstad and Charlie Davies.

No matter the records, it’s always a fight between these two teams. The new players thrust into this rivalry will just make it that much more entertaining.

Saturday, May 7: Portland Timbers vs. Philadelphia Union

Not only will this game be two young franchises squaring off, but it will also pit two of the more intriguing young forwards in the league against each other. Last year’s No.1 overall draft pick and Rookie of the Year finalist Danny Mwanga of the Philadelphia Union had a good first year, and with the departure of Alejandro Moreno, his role with the team should increase significantly.

Portland has a stable of forwards at its disposal, but their selection of Darlington Nagbe in the 2011 MLS Super Draft has gotten a lot of praise. Nagbe is a top prospect and an early favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award.

Having these two on the field at the same time will certainly be exciting.

Saturday, May 14: Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers

The cities of Seattle and Portland are huge rivals in any sport they play each other in and their experience in MLS will be no different. The Sounders have been a huge success in the league since their inception in 2009 and they’ve become the model all expansion clubs look at now.

Without playing a single game, the Timbers have already intensified the rivalry when they put a billboard up blocks away from Seattle’s home at Qwest Field stating that Portland was “Soccer City, USA.” The many Sounders fans will surely be in full force helping to prove otherwise.

Saturday, May 21: Chivas USA vs. Los Angeles Galaxy

The SuperClasico. The matchup between Chivas and Galaxy is the only true local derby, with both teams playing not only in the same city, but the same stadium. It has been pretty one-sided though: the Galaxy has won five of six derby series, Chivas has won only three times in 21 games and they haven’t beaten the Galaxy since 2007.

This year though Chivas has made considerable improvements along their backline, bringing in Heath Pearce, Jimmy Conrad and rookie Zarek Valentin. The defensive mindset comes from new head coach Robin Fraser, a former MLS defender who has been an assistant coach with the very successful Real Salt Lake squad since 2007.
It remains to be seen if this new backline is really improved and if they can help Chivas in the battle of Los Angeles.

Thursday, June 9: Sporting KC vs. Chicago Fire

The rebranded Sporting Kansas City plays its first 10 games of the 2011 season on the road. It will be a welcome homecoming for the team when they open their brand-new, state-of-the-art $180 million dollar project Sporting Park.

For the second year in a row, Chicago will help a team open their new stadium. Last year Chicago lost in the debut of Red Bull Arena.

Saturday, July 30: Real Salt Lake vs. Columbus Crew

These two teams have been at the top of the MLS standings the past couple of years, and they’ve also made some waves in the CONCACAF Champions League. RSL recently beat Columbus to reach the semifinals of the tournament.

The Crew look like they are set up for a little bit of a down season with the departure of a lot of talent, including midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto, but they still have a solid foundation and organization that plays good soccer. It should be a good battle.

Wednesday, August 17: New England Revolution vs. Houston Dynamo

Relocated to Houston, the Dynamo won back-to-back MLS Cup championships in 2006 and 2007. The team they beat both years? The New England Revolution.

Both teams have fallen down the standings a little, with neither making the playoffs in 2010. For this season (and probably this season alone) Houston has moved to the Eastern Conference. This late-summer tilt between two of the league’s best teams will be a good dogfight for a playoff position in the East.

Saturday, August 20: Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

The two newest MLS franchises won’t face off until the end of August, but a battle of expansion teams will certainly be interesting, especially since they are a part of the Cascadia Cup and have been rivals since the days of the NASL.

Portland gets the honor of hosting the first meeting of the two clubs in MLS, certainly a milestone moment in the rivalry.

Sunday, August 28: New York Red Bulls vs. Los Angeles Galaxy

It seems like MLS has always pushed for these two teams to have a rivalry worthy of the highest stage, something akin to what the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have in basketball. It has never developed, mostly to the underperformance of the Red Bulls on a yearly basis, but these games are always exciting.

Big markets, star players and entertaining matches on the pitch always make this match up a must see. Add to the mix RBNY All-Time leading goal scorer Juan Pablo Angel making his first appearance at Red Bull Arena as a member of the visiting team and it becomes that much more of an emotionally-charged event.

How will the fans in New Jersey respond to their former idol?

Saturday, September 10: New York Red Bulls vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

This is the first day that Omar Salgado, the Whitecaps No.1 draft pick and first selection ever, will be eligible to play for Vancouver.

Due to FIFA age restrictions, Salgado will be unable to play for the Canadian team until his 18th birthday, which is this very day. Whether he plays or not will depend on how fast the Whitecaps want to integrate him into the lineup as well as what paperwork needs to get done when.

Anticipation for his debut will build as the season goes on.

Saturday, October 1: Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake

The two best teams in the Western Conference the past two seasons will play in a critical late-season matchup that could very well decide the top seed in the Western Conference as well as possibly who wins the Supporter’s Shield.

Both teams added talent to their already stacked rosters and anything short of a championship will be a disappointment. This game will have a great playoff atmosphere.

Trevor Moawad Talks About Freddy Adu

All photos courtesy of IMG Academies.

Since he entered MLS as the youngest American athlete to sign a contract with a professional sports team, a lot has been said about Freddy Adu—some of it good, some of it bad. Adu has had some highs, and some seemingly low lows. He’s bounced around from club to club, unable to establish himself anywhere.

Still, he’s only 21-years-old, so there’s still time for him to make his mark. During the winter transfer window he was loaned out to Rizespor, a club in the second level of Turkey’s soccer system. With this new opportunity, another chapter in Adu’s career begins.

I had an opportunity to talk to Trevor Moawad, Director of Performance at IMG Academy, who worked with Adu when he was a student at the Academy and still keeps in touch with him. Moawad has spent a lot of time working with Adu and watching him play. He choose to give his own personal opinion and insight on his experiences with Adu, what he thinks has happened to him in his career and what he thinks is still to come.

In what ways have you worked with Freddy?

I handled mental training for all the 1984 and 1988 teams and now I’m Director of Performance. I still do college and professional football and work with programs like the University Alabama and Florida.

I’ve known Freddy for 10 years and I stay in touch with a number of players that came through the residency program. There’s a lot of different things out there. My perception is don’t put a period where there should be a comma, whenever there are young athletes trying. I think the situation with Freddy is much more complicated than people know, and when you’re going on loan it’s a complicated process. I think there are a lot of teams that have had interest but it’s not always easy to get things done or sorted out when you’re dealing with the complex world of European soccer.

I think this kid still has a lot of opportunities to be successful. He came here to work out for three weeks and I saw the hunger, the desire, the athleticism. Christmas Day no one is in the weight room except for Freddy. He knocked out a three-hour workout. I don’t think he’s worried about anything other than trying to establish himself with a club in Europe.

I think he did a great job in Greece, but the economics in Greece affected the players on loan. He played a huge role for Aris to qualify for Europa. He was in a competitive league playing under a lot of pressure and I think if you just follow the Internet you see one step back after another and it’s a little more complicated than that. I think he’s headed in the right direction, for what my opinions worth. The past has been more complicated than people understand… I still think the story has a lot left to be written.

Why has Freddy struggled to latch onto clubs?

I think some of the teams, when you go to certain places on trial whether it’s Switzerland, Germany or Holland—some of these places he’s been in—it’s not necessarily that they don’t want him, but there are a lot of things that have to happen to play in a certain environment when you’re owned by a parent club. It has to also be the right terms of the deal. The team in Germany was extremely interested in him but they wanted him for a longer time than he could go. The Turkish team was excited to work with him for the next five or six months.

It’s tough because a young American soccer player doesn’t have a role model playing in Europe except for goalies, really. Michael Bradley has done an excellent job. Steve Cherundolo has done a tremendous job. The last few years Clint Dempsey has done exceptionally well. But over the least 15 years, it’s not an easy road. It’s not an excuse, but it’s not an easy road. The kid’s fighting and working hard, and he’s doing what he needs to do to continue his career. He knows what people say about him, but he’s focused on controlling what he can control. It’s not an easy process for any of these guys trying to make it. Freddy’s career is in Freddy’s hands. He’s making his decisions. He’s got people that support him, but… he’s not a young kid anymore, he’s making his own decisions.

What role have the heavy expectations to be the “great American soccer player” at such a young age had on him? How has he handled those expectations?

I’ll just take, for example, at the academy they’re always looking for the next young Andre Agassi or the next young American Pete Sampras. Other people’s expectations are important, but there’s none more important than your own. For an athlete trying to make it to the next level, you cannot accept mediocrity and you cannot tell yourself you have time. If you’re saying I don’t need to make it now because I’m young, no. Once you start at the professional level…you start as a professional soccer player at 13, the clock’s on. You’re no different than a 22-year-old stepping in. It’s all about now and that’s difficult for a lot of young athletes. If they think I have time then they’re not going to put their best foot forward.

What I’ll say is the last time I spent significant time with him was before the 2007 U-20 championships. It was clear to me that he knew this tournament was unbelievably important for him and you could see it in the way he prepared and trained. He put himself to be in a position to be signed by Benfica. I saw that same kind of hunger and mentality for three weeks this winter. When he has that hunger he’s extremely capable.

I expect Freddy to do well. Every one of these teams he’s gone to on loan he’s gotten into the lineup and earned a starting spot. It’s just holding onto it. They’re not going to put a guy in there for fun. These are the environments. At Monaco it wasn’t easy but he made the roster. You gotta’ fight your tail off just to get on a roster. These are things he’s learning from, and he knows that. What he’s gone through has made him stronger, it’s made him tougher and he has a sense of urgency with his ability that is extremely positive.

I’m optimistic about his career path and I think I have a good volume of experience with a lot of athletes at a lot of levels. I expect him to take advantage of his situation in Turkey.

He’s not focused on anything other than finding a way to contribute in Turkey. Everything else takes care of itself. Being a pro soccer player in Europe is a tough road. I applaud the fact that for three years he’s hung in there.

What does he have to do to do more than just “hang in there”? What does he have to do to take the next step?

The keys to success is just staying on top of the details, maintaining that sense of urgency and keeping the expectations for himself extremely high. And that’s what I expect he’ll do. When he came here over the winter, I saw a young athlete who’s driven and focused. If the best parts of his career are ahead of him then he’s going to have to pay attention to the details. It’s not ok to take your talent and be average. The details relate to the nutrition and stretching as well.



Every place he’s gone there was no doubt he has the capability. There’s a reason he breaks into the lineup. It’s just the ability to sustain it. I think anyone that’s written him off has done so prematurely. And that doesn’t just go for Freddy. That goes for a lot of these guys: Jozy [Altidore], Eddie [Johnson]. Some guys have success for a little and they go on loan. It’s just an extremely complicated situation. I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for those guys… Coaches come in and go and it’s about reestablishing yourself. It’s a cutthroat environment. Anybody that writes him off, well those people clearly don’t understand the circumstances.

You say for the individual athlete, he or she should never say “I have time.” But on the outside looking in, Freddy is still only 21-years-old. There is still time in his career for him to develop and grow as a player, right?

The reality is there is still time, but from an athletic perspective when you’re a player, you’re a brand. And you have to treat yourself like a brand. When you go to places and don’t do well you’re damaging your brand, and if you do well you’re improving your brand. If you continue to go to places and aren’t performing, well you’re going to get less and less opportunities.

Freddy went to Greece and for large portions of that season he did very well. But he didn’t have control over Greece’s economic situation and what happened to those players on loan. [The club’s] priorities changed. At Aris last year he played well. I think he fully expected to continue playing there and the circumstances changed.

Some of the young athletes who Freddy worked with here, they said I might be 16 but there’s no reason I can’t win Wimbledon. You have to have that expectation that I’m going to come in and I’m going to make a difference. When he was 11, 12, and 13-years-old his expectations any time he was going out to practice or games, they were extremely high. I saw that to some degree before the Olympics. He was the player of the tournament in CONCACAF in the qualification for the Olympics. When he went to Monaco he had built up some momentum, but then he lost it after Monaco, and that was a complicated situation.

At the end of the day if you’re going to help a team win they’re going to play you, but there are also mitigating factors. His job is to go out there and establish himself in Turkey, just like he did in Greece. He’s got to establish him and be consistent.

That’s not something that Freddy’s dealing with alone either, that’s what a lot of athletes in sports are dealing with. It’s why a lot of NFL players don’t get two contracts, and even fewer get three. It doesn’t make you a bust, it just shows how much of a challenge it is. His whole focus is establishing himself as a club player.

As you said, he’s had some success at the international level, especially at the youth level. Is it frustrating to him to do well there but not for a club team?

I think mentally it’s a situation where, you look at it that way it could be frustrating but you should look at it as I know I can do it and what do I need to do to get there.

When there’s value attached to your name, you’re going to get more negative attention then you deserve and when you do well you’ll get more positive attention. Neither of those things are his fault but they are his reality.

Nobody’s going to give him anything, nor does he want to be given anything. He just wants a fair shot and I think he’s going to get that.

What work do you do with the athletes?

I’m the Director of Performance at IMG. My job is to oversee a team of 50 experts, and that’s in strength and conditioning, athletic training, mental conditioning, life skills and communication training as well as vision training. I also work as a mental conditioning consultant for the University of Alabama and University of Florida football teams and the Jacksonville Jaguars football team. I work with athletes individually on their attitude, performance in pressure situations and their ability to recover from setbacks.

I’ve seen [Freddy] for a long time. I know his family. I’m not paid by him—he is a client of our when he comes down here and train—but I’ve been able to spend ten years watching this man and I believe what I saw this last three weeks in December, he’s poised to really take some positive steps forward. I was talking with one of his former teammates, Heath Pearce, and he was talking about how he saw a replay of the “60 Minutes” piece when he signed with MLS and he said people forget he was exceptional then. He started in the U-20 Cup at 13 years old. He earned those things. And just as he did then, he’ll have to do that now. And whatever happened in the past has helped prepare him to be better in the future.



And he’s a neat kid. I’ve probably talked to four or five of these kids a week, who are now coaches and firefighters. Some of those kids are still out there fighting and trying to compete. Some of them have had tougher roads than others and that’s ok. I went to Eddie Johnson’s wedding last week. I still keep in touch with John Spector. They may not be famous names now but they were important to what we did in Bradenton. I’m not involved in the world in soccer anymore, but I obviously care about these kids who came in and I wish them the best. I understand the road and it’s not an easy process.

I want to make it very clear that these are my opinions, they are my beliefs. I feel I have a fair perspective about the world of sports. I haven’t talked about [Freddy] in a long time.

How do you feel when you read negative pieces about Freddy?

It’s a little bit frustrating, and I also know the emotional toll it takes on an athlete to hear some of those things or read. But if you’re an athlete you’re responsible for it. We try to make them think “I may not perform well but that doesn’t make me any more or less of a person.” But at the same point you’re still human. It’s going to affect the athlete and when you invest a lot of time in someone you want them to do well. People will say you don’t have an argument because people can point to the facts, but I think the facts are complicated.

I watched him play two games in that Greek league with packed crowds, loud environments and I was extremely optimistic. It was clear to me that there was no doubt he can do that. There’s no doubt he can still do that. Everything is about looking forward and taking care of the details. I’m excited about the prospects for him. At the end of the day it’s about what you do not what you say.

Americans Make Big Moves During Transfer Window

The January transfer window was an active one, especially for members of the United States Men’s National Team.

Some big names made big splashes in the market, and many made moves in search of more playing time. Michael Bradley’s loan to Aston Villa was the most publicized of any change of teams for Americans and Freddy Adu has found another new team to try and break into.

Then there are the unlucky Americans, the ones who needed a change, or were rumored to switch teams, but nothing panned out for them.

Here’s a look at the pros and cons of the biggest American moves (and non-moves) that went down during the transfer window.

Jonathan Bornstein: to UANL Tigres, leaving Chivas USA

Pros: The Mexican league is slightly better than MLS. The teams are deeper and the rosters aren’t as restrictive as those in MLS. So playing against some tough competition should definitely help the left back.

It also helps that he gets experience playing in Mexico, a place the USMNT has a lot of trouble winning in.

Cons: Mexico isn’t that much of an improvement over the United States. For a guy who started a number of games for the USMNT in World Cup qualifying, the Confederations Cup and the World Cup the move isn’t one that gets a lot of people’s attention. You wonder how little did he showcase himself?

Verdict: Bornstein had done everything he was going to with Chivas and Tigres is better than some other suitors he’s had (Maccabi Tel-Aviv). He isn’t moving to a bad league by any means, and just changing scenery will re-energize him and make him compete just a bit more.

Eddie Johnson: to Preston North End via Fulham (loan)

Pros: Like a lot of guys on this list, playing time was a big factor in Johnson needing a move. He’s played in 11 games for Fulham this year, 10 of them as a sub. That number is three more than the amount of games he had previously played for the team since joining them in 2008.

He’s done alright for Fulham in the limited action he’s gotten this season and hopefully he can ride a little bit of momentum to Preston.

Cons: He just hasn’t had any luck in Europe. He’s bounced around a lot, not ready to become a full-time member for Fulham and not good enough that any of the teams that he’s been loaned out to have wanted to keep him.

He did ok in Cardiff City, playing in 30 league games (25 as a sub), scored two goals and added four assists. Those numbers aren’t great though. He just hasn’t been able to really catch on anywhere.

Verdict: Johnson burst onto the USMNT scene scoring four goals in his first two appearances, but since his breakout year of 2005 things have gone incredibly slowly for him, mostly because of his unsettled club situation. Who knows if he’ll ever get on the field—let alone score—with any regularity, but Preston doesn’t seem like a bad place to try.

Kenny Cooper: to Portland Timbers, leaving 1860 Munich

Pros: Since arriving at Munich in 2009, Cooper made only 15 total appearances for the club across all competitions and he got on the field only seven times as a substitute when he was loaned to Plymouth Argyle. Over those 22 games he scored only three times.

In MLS he will not only be playing regularly once again, but he returns to the league where he was one of the hottest scorers. In 90 league appearances with FC Dallas he scored 40 goals, including 25 goals in his final 45 games.

Cons: Cooper will be coming back to the States with much less confidence then when he left. Every situation is different, and Cooper’s trek to Germany didn’t go over well. It happens. But athletes have a sense of pride in their abilities and Cooper will be coming back having been served a bit of humility.

Verdict: Cooper made a good move to come back to MLS. At one point fans were clamoring for him to get a call-up to the National Team, but now they seem to have moved on. It’s time for Cooper to get back on track and he will get that opportunity in Portland.



Edson Buddle: to FC Ingolstadt, leaving Los Angeles Galaxy

Pros: His paycheck is much bigger now. Going from the salary cap-hindered MLS, to the free-spending scene in Europe, Buddle will earn much more for his services.

Also, Ingolstadt is a club struggling mightily on the offensive end of the field, so if he can keep up the scoring pace he had with the Galaxy in 2010, the team will need him on the field.

Cons: The German Bundesliga 2 is not in any way better competition than MLS. It’s actually a step below. Not only is the league not as good, but his team is in the relegation zone, so it’s a bad team in a league that isn’t that good. He’s lessening his value there.

Verdict: The allure of Europe is strong to any player, and sometimes you have to start in a lower division and move your way up. It looks like Buddle took advantage of maybe his only chance at a big payday in spite of the level of competition.

Robbie Findley: to Nottingham Forest, leaving Real Salt Lake

Pros: 2010 was a rough year for Findley. After finishing 2009 as the leading scorer for MLS champion Real Salt Lake, he lost his touch in 2010, scoring only six goals in 26 games. He was nagged by injuries throughout the MLS season, and even though he was selected for the World Cup roster, he could not find the back of the net, no matter how good some of his chances looked.

He struggled but has enough potential that he still was able to get a transfer to England.

Cons: If he doesn’t rediscover his scoring touch, Findley will wind up on the bench. At least in MLS he would’ve been given the opportunity to play out his struggles.

Verdict: His form hasn’t been anything to be excited about lately, but he does have the skills to bounce back. Maybe he’s been distracted by a potential move to Europe, and now that he has it he’ll be more focused.



Jermaine Jones: to Blackburn via Schalke (loan)

Pros: Jones went from the dog house at Schalke to being revered at Blackburn. He went from the bench to starting in his debut. The team had been looking for a defensive midfielder for some time and manager Steve Kean has praised him.

Also playing in England will allow Jones to sharpen his English, which will help him further integrate himself with the USMNT.

Cons: None.

Verdict: Jones may have secured the best move among American players this winter. He’s gone to a team that really wants and needs him and he’s performed well in the early going. He’s a tough player and should enjoy a good tenure with the club, which also has an option to buy him.

Benny Feilhaber: stayed at AGF Aarhus

Pros: He stays comfortable at a club for which he has shined for all season.

Cons: Feilhaber needs a new challenge. Aarhus is only in Denmark’s First Division, so the competition isn’t as good. He’s proven himself on this level and he needs to move on.

Verdict: Feilhaber is falling on the midfield depth chart for the USMNT and he needs to be playing against better competition to continue to prove himself. He will most assuredly need to move on this summer.

Eric Lichaj: stayed at Aston Villa

Pros: Lichaj, only 22-years-old, is still young and has time to improve. By staying at Villa, he will get to train day-in and day-out with a good EPL side.

Cons: After enjoying a nice five-game stretch being featured in the team’s lineup, and playing pretty well, Lichaj has quickly moved back to the bench. The decision is a little curious. That being said, if Lichaj is going to continue to sit the bench, it would be better to have him at least loaned somewhere where he can get consistent minutes.

Verdict: He’s young, but promising. He’s shown well when he’s appeared for both club and country, so more playing time for him would be nice. For his sake, hopefully a loan can be worked out in the future.

Landon Donovan: staying at Los Angeles Galaxy

Pros: He finally gets to rest. Donovan has been playing nonstop for the past few years, playing for the Galaxy, for the USMNT (in the Confederations Cup and World Cup) and two winter loans. He’s been at it every month it seems, so it’s good for Donovan to take some time to sit back and recharge the batteries.

Cons: Donovan has proved to be one of, if not the best, player for both club and country. After two successful winter loans it’s time for him to take the next step—a full transfer.

Verdict: Donovan has said since the end of the MLS season he needed to rest and wasn’t going anywhere this winter. Expect a move this summer.



Oguchi Onyewu: to FC Twente via AC Milan (loan)

Pros: He finally escaped the Milan bench. He signed with the club in 2009 but has yet to make a league appearance for them (his patellar tendon injury in World Cup qualifying was brutal to his status at the club).

He started and played in his debut for the Twente, so as long as he’s healthy he’ll likely be on the field for them.

Cons: Twente played Onyewu at left fullback. While he did fine for the team, and the USMNT is definitely hurting for a player to man that position, there is no way Onyewu will be the answer there. He doesn’t have the speed to cover the fast wings on the international level, so while it’s nice he’s playing it’s not at a position that he’ll help his country at.

Also, he’s so rusty he injured himself in the second game he played at Twente. He says it is not a serious injury, but the man has a lot of cobwebs to shake out.

Verdict: The move was an absolutely necessary one. Many wonder if Onyewu is really in Milan’s plans, so it’s good he’s someplace else for the rest of the season. If he’s healthy, he’ll play and that really is the most important thing for him right now.

Brad Guzan: to Hull City via Aston Villa (loan)

Pros: Guzan escapes Brad Friedel’s shadow and finally gets his turn to start. He’s been the No.2 for the USMNT without starting a league game since he left Chivas USA in 2008. Now he’s started five games in a row for Hull City, and he’s fared pretty well.

Cons: The loan was originally only for a month, but it has since been extended for another month. That’s a short time to enjoy the spotlight of starting between the pipes. At the end of February he’ll be back to the back at Villa.

Even before then, previous starter Vito Mannone could return for injury and Guzan would have to compete with him for the starting spot.

Verdict: Guzan needed this move. The only other thing he could have asked for was for a longer loan. Friedel’s been rumored to be leaving the club soon though, so he may finally get his chance at Villa sooner rather than later.

Freddy Adu: to Rizespor via Benfica (loan)

Pros: He actually has a team now. Benfica didn’t want him. Aris, the team he actually was still on loan with, didn’t want him. He trialed with Sion, Randers and Ingoldstadt but none of those teams wanted him either.

So someone finally put him on their roster. That’s a plus in his career considering the way things have been going.

Cons: Rizespor is in the second level of the Turkish soccer—not a talented league at all. It’s an improvement he’s on a team, but he could’ve easily come back to MLS and been playing at a much higher level.

What made him think Rizespor was the place he needed to be is an interesting anecdote we’d all like to know.

Verdict: One has to wonder how far Adu’s career has slid so far down to wind up at Rizespor, but you can’t hate on it too much, it is a roster spot. Let’s see if they actually play him.



Jozy Altidore: to Bursaspor via Villarreal (loan)

Pros: Unlike Adu, Altidore wound up in turkey’s highest division, which is a very talented league. Bursaspor is a talented team and Alitdore has a good possibility to get a lot more playing time than he was at Villarreal.

Cons: Playing time won’t just be handed to him. Bursaspor doesn’t have the stable of forwards that Villarreal did, but they do have guys in the mix. They also acquired Scottish international striker Kenny Miller and they still have their previous forwards.

Altidore has played well enough, but he’s struggled to score at all levels since his loan to Hull City last season. He’s going to need to pick up the pace.

Verdict: If Altidore can secure more playing time, it’s a good move. He’s been steadily, quietly, improving, but it won’t mean anything until he’s scoring goals. The move is a good one.

Michael Bradley: to Aston Villa via Borussia Monchengladbach (loan)

Pros: Bradley leaves the basement of the German Bundesliga to the EPL. His career continues to move upwards and this is the latest step up. Aston Villa has had its troubles in central midfield so Bradley should get his opportunities, especially since manager Gerard Houllier has been interested in him since the World Cup.

Cons: It’s the biggest league in soccer and Bradley isn’t going to be handed anything. Aston Villa brought in Jean Makoun and still has Stiliyan Petrov and Nigel Reo-Coker, despite their struggles. So he’ll have competition and he’ll have to push himself to come out on top and stay there.

Verdict: This is a fantastic opportunity for Bradley as he continues his rise to soccer stardom. He’ll have to work hard, but that’s never been an issue for Bradley. It’s an exciting move and a well deserved one.

Photo Credits.
Michael Bradley: AP Photo/Hassan Ammar
Edson Buddle: AP Photo/Elise Amendola
Jermaine Jones: AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Oguchi Onyewu: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Jozy Altidore: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh