The Swiss-born goalkeeper gained the MLS jackpot final December when he was traded from Toronto FC to the Seattle Sounders. Frei’s starvation for silverware begins with tonight’s U.S. Open Cup remaining.
BY
Brooke Tunstall
Posted
September 16, 2014
11:34 AM
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FOR STEFAN FREI, taking part in once more is good. Taking part in in significant video games in September is even nicer.
In his first season with the Seattle Sounders after 5 up-and-down campaigns with Toronto FC, Frei finds himself with a reputable shot at profitable three trophies, beginning tonight when the Sounders face the Philadelphia Union within the remaining of the one hundred and first model of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (7:30pm ET; Gol).
“We’re in the part of the season where in Toronto in the past you were slowly coming to the realization you were out of the playoff race and whatnot, and it was more disappointing for me in the past two years,” stated Frei, who solely performed in a single recreation for Toronto the previous two seasons. “It’s the opposite for me with the Sounders. The Open Cup, and the playoff race, it’s new for me. I’m very excited to be part of this team.”
Regardless of TFC’s perennial lack of success, Frei had a stable starting to his profession there, beginning 81 video games and rising as one of many prime goalkeepers in MLS after three seasons of faculty soccer at UC-Berkeley. His play led to questions on a world future and whether or not or not he’d play for his native Switzerland or the USA, to which he emigrated at 15.
However these questions have been placed on maintain in March of 2012 when Frei suffered a severe harm in coaching, breaking his fibula and tearing ligaments in his left ankle—an harm that value him all of that season.
“The broken fibula was nothing,” Frei stated with virtually startling matter-of-factness. “But the ankle ligaments took a long time to recover from and there was a lot of instability (in the ankle). They had to put screws in to put it back together. The ankle took much longer (to recover) and the rehab takes quite a while to get that range of motion back. An ankle is a big part of any athlete, it gives you that flexibility that you need to succeed.”
After battling by way of rehab Frei got here to preseason in 2013 match and anticipating to win a battle with Joe Bendik for the beginning job. However Frei broke his nostril in a preseason collision, permitting Bendik to assert the beginning position. Frei’s solely league look was within the penultimate recreation of the season.
Frei, 28, stated not taking part in made recovering from his harm even more durable. “When I wasn’t seeing the field in Toronto, I would still work hard and try and improve but it’s difficult when you can’t see field. Especially for me coming back from injury and not getting game time was hard.”
In December Frei was thrown a lifeline when the Sounders despatched a conditional decide within the 2015 SuperDraft to Toronto and introduced Frei to the Emerald Metropolis to interchange Michael Gspurning, its starter the previous two seasons. The Sounders declined Gspurning’s possibility partly so it might create cap house for its high-paid area gamers.
Frei gained the beginning job in preseason and has been in internet for each league recreation this season. It hasn’t been with out hiccups—he had just a few shaky moments early within the season—however he’s gotten stronger because the season progressed and is slowly returning to his pre-injury kind. He’s second in MLS in shutouts (8, tied with D.C. United’s Invoice Hamid), sixth in saves (82), and ninth in goals-against-average (1.37).
“It’s been good to get that experience again and have a coaching staff aware of what my situation was and giving me that trust and belief,” Frei stated. “The early part of the season there were some growing pains and mistakes I made and they kept believing in me. I’m really pleased with how I’ve progressed mentally and physically.”
Frei was fast to credit score each the Sounders goalkeeper coach, Tom Dutra, and his fellow goalkeepers—together with 42-year-old icon Marcus Hahnemann—whom he feels he represents when he takes the sphere.
“Tommy, and all the goalkeepers, we’re a bit of a unique breed and do our own thing in training. We work hard and push ourselves,” Frei stated. “When I was in Toronto we had a goalkeeper there, Jon Conway, who said it doesn’t matter who plays on the weekend, that when I play I was representing him on game day and how I did was how he did because he was behind me. So I take that with me when I go out there knowing I’m representing all of us.”
Beginning commonly for among the finest groups in MLS will finally result in these nationwide crew questions once more, although for now there isn’t a lot to reply. He hasn’t heard from the Swiss federation and whereas he’s had a inexperienced card as a everlasting resident of the USA since his days at Berkeley, Frei nonetheless isn’t a U.S. citizen. (Dwelling in Canada for many of his professional profession made it not possible for him to satisfy the residency necessities wanted for naturalization and he has but to schedule his citizenship examination.)
“Because I was out of the country for five years it’s taking a little longer” to get naturalized, he defined. “I don’t know when it will happen. It could be next year, it could be the next six weeks. It’s not something I can control so I don’t focus on it. My focus is on helping my team and getting better.”
And he actually needs to carry that trophy tonight.
“Definitely, especially for us, having been in the final so many times and (the Sounders having) won it before. I take great pride in (being in the final) and I want to be a part of a team that’s going to win the trophy,” Frei stated. “We all know we’re in all the things we could be in, the Supporter’s Protect remains to be a risk. It’s all there. Each recreation we’ve got to take it week by week. There’s just some video games left, and (tonight’s) an enormous one.
“We now have to make that final push and reward ourselves with the trophy.
Brooke Tunstall is an American Soccer Now contributing editor and ASN 100 panelist. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter.
