ASN: Ajax’s Mendez a part of U-23 crew motivated to return to Olympics

Alex Mendez lately celebated his birthday that marked the top to a particularly productive 12 months. However his nineteenth birthday kicked off a 12 months which he hopes will see progress at Ajax and a spot on the U-23 crew because it appears to be like to return to the Olympics. ASN’S Brian Sciaretta spoke with the reigning U.S. Younger Male Athlete of the Yr. 

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
September 10, 2019
2:00 AM

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THE UNITED STATES U-23 crew accomplished its September camp with a 2-0 win over Japan in Chula Vista, California on Monday night time and head coach Jason Kreis remains to be evaluating gamers as he appears to be like to place collectively a crew for Olympic qualifying in March. Whereas qualifying for the Olympics is all the time tough given simply two groups making it out of CONCACAF, there may be loads of purpose to really feel extra assured than in earlier cycles.

Even with out prime age-eligible gamers like Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Sergino Dest, Tim Weah, and Josh Sargent, the depth within the participant pool of this age group is promising and is constructed off the final two U-20 groups which have every received CONCACAF.

Alex Mendez celebrated his nineteenth birthday on the U-23 crew’s camp and for the California native, it has certainly been a superb 12 months with lots to rejoice. On the membership stage, he moved twice: first to Freiburg and finally to Ajax. On the worldwide stage he received US Soccer’s Younger Male Participant of the Yr for 2018, he helped the U-20 crew win the CONCACAF title and advance to the quarterfinals of the 2019 U-20 World Cup.

Following his birthday on Friday, he kicked off his twentieth 12 months in model incomes the beginning for the U-23 crew within the win over Japan. For Mendez, the Olympics are what he hopes would be the subsequent main step for him on the worldwide stage.

“I think this team is a good team,” Mendez stated of his U-23 crew. “A lot of the guys who are here are a lot of the guys I recognize from some of the MLS games that I see – guys who have made some great plays and have played well. Some are friends or friends of friends. A lot of the names are very familiar.…It’s a great opportunity and I think it would be great to be there at the Olympics. I think it’s a good competition and it would be a good next step.”

“The guys are all professional and they all play at a good level,” he added. “All of the guys are good – how I imagined. It’s different from seeing the guys on TV or wherever I’m watching them to actually training them. It’s exciting.”

I spoke to Alex Mendez forward of tonight’s recreation. He stated of Toye: “He’s a great player. Very funny guy, but a great player.” https://t.co/8RzkkW7wtF

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) September 10, 2019

This camp was additionally the primary time Mendez has met and performed beneath U-23 head coach Jason Kreis. Kreis had been open with how he scouted the 2019 U-20 crew on the World Cup and Mendez is one in all six gamers from that U-20 World Cup crew on the present U-23 roster (and Tim Weah and Julian Araujo performed for the U-23 crew in March whereas Sergino Dest and Paxton Pomykal are at present with the total nationwide crew).

To this point, the transition from the U-20 crew to the U-23 crew has not been tough though his tactical function with the U-23 crew is barely completely different than the function he performed beneath Tab Ramos for the U-20 crew.

“This is the first time I met him but I have spoken to him before,” Mendez stated of Kreis. “The style of play is pretty similar but in terms of tactically in where I should be it’s a little different….When I was with Tab, I was used to starting up high and staying in that area. Here it’s a little bit of a different role. My starting position is a little deeper. It’s just a little different but it’s something I have to do under him.”

An important adjustment for Mendez, nonetheless, will come on the membership stage as he begins his first season in Holland at Ajax – the place he moved from SC Freiburg earlier in the summertime. The transfer will reunite him along with his U-20 World Cup teammate Sergino Dest, who he sees incessantly, and one he hopes will finally see him promoted to the primary crew.

For this season, Mendez is anticipating to play for its second crew, Jong Ajax, however shouldn’t be limiting himself to that stage both (“I think it’s Jong Ajax but if the opportunity comes, it comes,” Mendez stated of the upcoming season).

However for the sleek passing, attack-oriented Mendez, the transfer from Germany to Holland was about placing himself in a scenario that matches his strengths as a participant.

“When I first got there, I was a bit nervous because I didn’t know what to expect,” Mendez stated. “Just day by day, the whole staff and players have just made me feel welcome. It just helped me get comfortable really fast. And I think that this team is more of my style of play so I feel like I fit in right away.”

For Mendez, it will likely be a busy 12 months certainly but when his twentieth 12 months is as productive as his nineteenth, it may result in vital success. For a lot of youthful American followers, they don’t recall the final time watching the U-23 crew compete within the Olympics in 2008. In its historical past, the chance has typically served as a helpful bridge for a lot of gamers to transition from the youth ranges to the total crew. Mixed with the American public’s love for the Olympics, it’s additionally a chance to construct enthusiasm for the boys’s program.

It’s well-known that the crew has failed in its final two makes an attempt to qualify for the Olympics, however Mendez insists this group is pushed to return this system to that stage.

“I think everyone is motivated,” Mendez stated. “I think that is what’s good about this team and that it’s going to go a long way.”