The 26-year-old Tyreso defender spoke to ASN’s John Halloran about her position on the U.S. nationwide workforce, the Champions League remaining, and her coming transfer to the Houston Sprint.
BY
John D. Halloran
Posted
Might 14, 2014
5:39 PM
SHARE THIS STORY
FANS OF THE UNITED STATES ladies’s nationwide workforce who haven’t been paying shut consideration to the squad for the reason that 2011 World Cup or the 2012 Olympics won’t even know the identify Whitney Engen.
However they need to.
Whereas the workforce was busy creating iconic moments like Abby Wambach’s stoppage-time equalizer towards Brazil in 2011 or Alex Morgan’s extra-time winner towards Canada in 2012, Engen—not on the squad for both event—was pressured to observe from afar.
In these two tournaments, the popular pairing at center-back was Christie Rampone and Rachel Buehler. And in these few situations when cowl on the place was wanted, Becky Sauerbrunn stuffed the void.
However whereas Engen sat within the shadows in 2011 and 2012, out of the limelight, she was working arduous to realize her dream—one that’s now changing into a actuality. And because the transition between the outdated guard and new guard of the U.S. ladies’s squad continues, Engen’s time has come.
Rampone is now 38 years outdated and Buehler has missed a variety of current video games and camps with accidents. Engen’s star, then again, is on the rise and she or he is now the one routinely trusted to scrub up the messes within the again for the U.S. In 2013, the California native performed in eight of 16 matches for the squad; thus far in 2014, she’s featured in seven out of 10 video games.
Her ascent with the U.S. over the previous two years has been coupled with a run of kind on the membership degree that the majority different U.S. gamers (males or ladies) can solely dream of—profitable a title in England with Liverpool and serving to her present membership, Tyreso, to the Champions League Last. Now, with solely 5 months earlier than the People enter World Cup qualifying, Engen has put herself ready to win a beginning spot on the talent-laden U.S. ladies’s workforce.
Enjoying for the U.S. “is a dream come true,” Engen informed American Soccer Now. And contemplating the truth that she wasn’t part of the 2011 World Cup and 2012 Olympic squads, Engen has an added appreciation for what it means to symbolize her nation. She mentioned, “I inform folks any time you go well with up for this workforce it’s not solely an honor, however a accountability. I understand how arduous it’s to get on the sphere right here. While you get the chance to symbolize your nation, it’s essential that you simply do everybody else justice that didn’t make the roster on that day.”
“Anytime I get the opportunity to wear the U.S. jersey,” she added, “I’m simply going to do the perfect that I can and am hoping to make my nation proud.”
Over the previous two years, the U.S. has been a workforce in transition. After the 2012 Olympics, a brand new technology of gamers—Engen amongst them—have begun working their manner into the workforce. However new gamers aren’t the one modifications the U.S. goes via. After the workforce’s 2-0 victory over China final month, U.S. Soccer introduced that head coach Tom Sermanni had been fired. However Engen says that for the U.S. squad, issues have not modified that a lot.
“This is a pretty resilient group,” mentioned Engen. “Things have been business as usual. We are very dedicated to what we’re doing. We take our job very seriously. Losing Tom and not knowing who’s going to be our next coach, there’s been some uncertainty, but it really hasn’t changed much.”
Within the interim, former assistant Jill Ellis has taken the reins of the U.S. squad, however U.S. Soccer has but to resolve on a everlasting alternative. One of many candidates for the job is Engen’s coach at Tyreso, Tony Gustavsson—somebody Engen thinks can be nice for the job.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time playing for Tony,” she mentioned. “He’s one of the hardest working coaches I’ve ever played for. I can’t say enough good things about how hard he works, how well he knows his players, and his ability to put together a full and complete team. Every time I go into a match with Tony I feel completely prepared and I know the team is ready to give their best on that day. If Tony were to get the coaching job [for the U.S. women], I think that would be really exciting for us.”
Moreover the teaching change, the U.S. has additionally been experimenting with a brand new formation, transferring away from the 4-4-2 most well-liked by former coach Pia Sundhage right into a 4-3-3. Engen has loved the shift.
“It’s been really exciting,” mentioned Engen. “We’ve got such great players on our team. We are at our best when we have the ball. We switched to a 4-3-3 high pressure. It enabled us to win the ball higher up the field and have more of the ball throughout a game. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it in the back.”
Earlier than working her manner on to the nationwide workforce, Engen was a extremely embellished participant on the College of North Carolina. After faculty, she performed within the Girls’s Skilled Soccer league, profitable a title for the Western New York Flash and incomes Defender of the Yr honors in 2011. After the WPS folded, Engen ultimately made her strategy to Europe, first taking part in on mortgage at Tyreso after which going to Liverpool.
“Liverpool reached out to my agent,” Engen mentioned. “They worked on my visa. The opportunity was presented before me—a chance to go play for a storied club like Liverpool was really tough to pass up. I had played in Sweden for a few months in 2011 and I got a taste of the international lifestyle.”
With Liverpool, Engen helped the workforce to the title in 2013 and speaks fondly of her time on the membership.
“I cannot say enough great things about that club. From top to bottom, we were treated so well. We were given almost everything the men were given. We were included like it was a family. We were invited to almost every appearance. If there was a men’s player, there was a women’s player representing our side of things. It’s so different than anything I’d ever experienced.”
Enjoying in England additionally introduced Engen a brand new perspective on the sport itself.
“Being part of a city that bought into football the way Liverpool does—there are rivalries there that go back 100 years,” Engen mentioned. “I didn’t understand it until I got there and felt the emotion of it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Whereas at Liverpool she turned a fan of the boys’s aspect and has loved their success this season, saying, “I’m so proud of what they’ve done this year, the season that they’ve had. Brendan Rodgers is a class act. I’m happy to see him succeed.”
She did admit, nonetheless, that it has been tough to observe them slip on the finish of their 2013-14 marketing campaign.
“It’s been tough. I know how much work they’ve put into it. At the end of the day, they’re still in the top four spots and going to grab a spot in the Champions League next year. It’s something to build on and go forward.”
Engen herself has a lot to stay up for. Along with her budding U.S. profession, she shall be taking part in within the Champions League remaining in lower than two weeks. Alongside together with her teammates—together with fellow People Christen Press and Meghan Klingenberg—Tyreso will face off towards Wolfsburg for the title on Might 22. Though the German workforce is the defending Champions League winner, Engen says that will truly play into Tyreso’s arms.
“Obviously, they have the advantage of having played in the final last year and knowing what that looks like. At the same time, they have the added pressure of being expected to repeat. For us, we’re just going to come in as the underdogs and do the best we can and, hopefully, we can snag a title.”
Win or lose within the Champions League remaining, Engen will not have a lot time to relaxation. After her season in Europe is full, she’s going to head again to the U.S. to affix her new workforce, the NWSL’s Houston Sprint. With out Engen, the Sprint have struggled and are at the moment final within the league in factors. However Engen is happy to have the ability to come house and assist her new squad.
“Since day one, there’s been a real investment from the Dynamo organization into the Dash,” Engen mentioned. “They’ve put together a quality environment for the girls and I’m excited to get my feet wet and jump right in.”
Contemplating Engen’s success with each different workforce she’s performed for, the Sprint shall be fortunate to have her.
John D. Halloran is an American Soccer Now columnist. Comply with him on Twitter.
