Reflections After the Player of the Year Event

The Player of the Year event is a bookend that provides a good opportunity to evaluate what we have seen over this past national team calander year. With the Sweden camp for January already being talked about, it also gives the opportunity to look into your crystal ball and try to get a sense of what we are going to see in the future.

Let’s start with Landon, who just won the POY again. Yes we are all in shock and amazement. But seriously, that is pretty impressive to have such a dominance over the rest of players in a pool for an award like this. But is it truly dominance, or just percieved dominance based on his namesake made in the 2002 cup run. That is the question many United State’s fans struggle to deal with.

Here you have all of this potential, what could be the ultimate poster boy for your national team, but he somewhat refuses to take the next step. America is all about the potential, and achieving every last bit of it. The land of opportunity is all about never wasting a second of a day trying to be the best you can. Landon goes against these values a bit and that rubs a few fans the wrong way, warranted or not. If there was ever going to be a time to go to Europe, such as Landon was quoted about a few months ago, this next year would be the time. He has achieved all he can in the states, the wear and tear of the Beckham experience and Alexi Lalas is most deffinitley starting to get to him. This could provide a huge turn in Landon’s legacy in many US fans eyes, or it could be more of the same. We should find out this year.

Two of the most impressive players over this past year had to be the central midfield duo of Michael Bradley and Benny Feilhaber, but now they seem to be going in different directions. While Michael was outstanding on every level this year, seemingly putting himself in position for a major role in 2010, Benny has been on the decline since the Gold Cup. His transfer to Prem side Derby County has not lived up to what we all thought and could prove to be quite a little roadblock in his development. with relegation almost promised, Benny will have to yet again adjust to another club and coach if he does not want to be stuck in second division football. Bradley on the other hand, has been tearing it up of late, and may work himself into a move to a much more prolific european side. Time will tell if their spot int he national team is effected by any of this.

If you had to poll USA fans on who they most want to get into the squad asap, it would have to be Jozy Altidore, followed shortly by Freddy Adu. This is going to be the year where they start getting their chances to prove to the staff that, regardless of age, they will be able to make a difference come 2010. Adu is already getting his shot at the club level with storied club Benfica, while Altidore’s European move is a when not if question. This could be their takeover year, and I for one would not mind seeing that at all.

Oh and just an aside…

The best part about this new site design is not having to stare at those infuriating Group E standings from the 2006 World Cup anymore. I kid you not Bob I almost punched a hole through my computer screen every time I looked at those. A sincere thank you from all of the USA fans out there.