ASN: Eric Lichaj Speaks to ASN About USMNT, A lot Extra

The Nottingham Forest proper again excels at a place that the U.S. males’s nationwide group struggles to fill. And but he has simply two caps below Jurgen Klinsmann. We spoke with Lichaj about this and extra.

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
February 05, 2016
10:15 AM

SHARE THIS STORY

IT’S EASY TO FORGET ABOUT ERIC LICHAJ.

The Twelfth-ranked defender within the ASN 100 has by no means performed in Main League Soccer, his video games are hardly ever televised in the US, he doesn’t do many interviews with American media, and the Illinois native just isn’t a part of the U.S. nationwide group image in the mean time.

Regardless of all of that, he’s very a lot price keeping track of. Lichaj has develop into probably the most reliable proper backs within the English Championship. He has set some very formidable targets and and is doing all the proper issues to assist notice them.

Lichaj, 27, is now an English soccer veteran after leaving the College of North Carolina after his freshman season to signal with Aston Villa in 2008—a transfer facilitated by the Polish passport he obtained by his dad and mom.

In 2013, Lichaj moved to Championship facet Nottingham Forest and has develop into a key participant for the membership. Certainly, he has develop into a prototype fullback within the Championship: His repute for effort and feisty play at one level earned him the nickname “The Rash” and he additionally brings loads of velocity into the assault.

“It is safe to say that, were [Forest manager] Dougie Freedman able to sign another player in the mold of Lichaj, he would be a happy man,” Nottingham Post columnist Paul Taylor wrote last year. “In fact, to put it in more concise terms, the challenge facing Freedman this summer is to unearth another Lichaj.”

Nottingham Forest at present sits in eleventh place however has been taking part in effectively as of late and is in a scramble to make up a nine-point differential that separates it from the highest six and a spot within the promotion playoffs. Lichaj is aware of it is going to be robust to push into the league’s prime echelon however the membership has gone undefeated in its final 12 and is transferring in the proper route.

“I’ve been in the Championship now three years and I’m getting how it works,” Lichaj informed American Soccer Now. “I just want to do as well as I can so that Nottingham Forest gets promoted—if not this year than next year. The league is very difficult.”

Of all of the American gamers born and raised stateside which might be at present taking part in in England, solely Tim Howard and Jonathan Spectot have been overseas longer than Lichaj. Like Howard, he has had skilled his far share of ups and downs. Among the many challenges had been breaking his foot in his first season and an inconsistent run of type to start out the 2015-16 marketing campaign—which he addressed by further exercises throughout the first worldwide break to construct up power and health.

“He’s been implausible since I walked by the door and we are able to all take our requirements from Eric,” Freedman not too long ago mentioned.

Like many younger American gamers who make the transfer overseas, nonetheless, the preliminary transition for Lichaj proved to be a problem. Some gamers have famously returned house rapidly after being unable to adapt. Lichaj admits it took time to get acclimated.

“The first year I was here was the most difficult,” Lichaj defined. “After I look again, it was actually dangerous. You need to get used to the tradition. Within the U.S., they emphasize loads of teamwork and constructing throughout the group. However after I acquired to Aston Villa, it was quite a bit on the person.

“You needed to fend for your self. After that first yr, I got here again to Chicago in the summertime and I simply ran daily. I made positive I used to be in prime form. I did not need to remorse coming right here and never utilizing on a regular basis I had over right here.

“The coaching when I came over here, it just propelled me to another level,” he added. “I’ve told my dad and my wife that I wished I came over here maybe two or three years earlier. I think I would probably have 50-70 more professional games under my belt if I [did]. I don’t think I played a professional game until I was 20 or 21.”

When Lichaj first made the bounce to the English Premier League, many prime American gamers had been already taking part in in England. Whereas that quantity has since declined, 2015 and 2016 have seen quite a few American prospects give it a go in Europe.

Lichaj is aware of effectively the paths forward for a lot of of those gamers. He himself needed to climb the ladder within the very aggressive English youth system at Aston Villa after which impress coaches on three totally different loans to decrease division groups earlier than he might make his Premier League debut.

When requested what recommendation he would give these gamers, he was trustworthy in regards to the tough path forward.

“It’s difficult and I just hope that none of these players think that they’ve made it,” Lichaj mentioned somberly. “They must make some sacrifices as a result of I’ve some actually good buddies again house that I hardly ever communicate with. That is a sacrifice that I’ve needed to make. I simply felt that I needed to be at house that first yr—all the time talking with individuals however then I knew I could not be doing this if I needed to play over right here and do effectively.

“That is the biggest sacrifice I’ve made, just losing friends. It wasn’t because I wanted to but it was a necessity for me to really embrace what I was doing over here.”

Whereas Lichaj is way faraway from his days within the Chicago space, he has absolutely built-in into the English life-style and admits he may completely settle in England even after his taking part in days. He’s married to an English lady they usually have two daughters with the eldest ready to start out college within the Nottinghamshire space.

Even within the peak of his profession, Lichaj is already planning for his post-playing days. This summer time he’ll try to receive his “UEFA B” teaching license and he plans on steadily persevering with higher-level licenses in order that sooner or later he can both handle knowledgeable group or work with younger gamers in some capability.

And he’s nonetheless a proud Chicagoan. Lichaj has by no means performed in MLS however is a fan of the Chicago Hearth and follows the group’s progress. He’s fast to level out he has no quick intention of following the likes of Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore play to the North American home prime flight, including, “If I could stay with Notthingham until I retire, I would be a happy man.”

However he does get irked generally by the English notion of MLS.

“I hear a lot of players here saying. ‘I want to go to MLS when I’m almost done playing,’” Lichaj mentioned with a chuckle. “I don’t think they realize how good it’s getting. I don’t think it’s a place where you end your career anymore.” 

Whereas Lichaj has earned regular play within the Championship—usually to very favorable critiques—Klinsmann has as an alternative utilized many others at proper again, together with Fabian Johnson, Brad Evans, Geoff Cameron, DeAndre Yedlin, and Timothy Chandler. The entire aforementioned both primarily play different positions or wrestle to get taking part in time with their golf equipment.

Due to this, Lichaj normally tops the listing from media and followers because the participant most neglected by the nationwide group. This got here to mild most not too long ago in a latest outburst from Benny Feilhaber, who had in depth nationwide group expertise below Bradley however has struggled to safe taking part in time below Klinsmann. When making an attempt to make the purpose that Klinsmann usually overlooks good gamers, Feilhaber talked about Lichaj by identify.

“So it’s not just me,” Feilhaber mentioned. “An Eric Lichaj, for example. He’s been playing well in Europe for countless years, and he hasn’t been really given any opportunity either. So there’s guys in MLS, there’s guys in Europe who don’t get opportunities with Jurgen for whatever reason.”

When requested in regards to the feedback, Lichaj was very fast to distance himself from Feilhaber.

“I didn’t see the comments [Feilhaber] said but from my perspective, I don’t think a player should tell a manager [that],” Lichaj mentioned. “It’s never a good situation if you do that. He might be frustrated. Maybe he’s just passionate and he wants to play for the U.S. team and that’s why he’s come out… I don’t know.”

For now, Lichaj’s principal precedence helps Nottingham Forest get into the Premier League—which, he provides, may drive Klinsmann’s hand for one more call-up. However at this level, he doesn’t need to think about himself as somebody being wrongfully saved out of the nationwide group.

“I don’t think I’ve been overlooked,” Lichaj mentioned. “They’ve watched a number of video games and nothing has come of it. Possibly they did not like what’ve they’ve seen or I did not match into the type that they needed to play. I’d like to play for them once more and I’ve all the time loved it. I can not put an excessive amount of deal with it as a result of if I used to be actually determined for that, it’d take away from what I’m doing right here at Nottingham.

“I am doing well and if I keep improving hopefully I get recalled to see if the U.S. manager wants me. At the moment he doesn’t so I can’t complain, I just have to keep improving to see if I can get back in there.”