ASN: Promoted to Captain, Perry Kitchen Builds His Resume

The 24-year-old Indiana native took a leap of religion when he left the consolation of Main League Soccer to pursue a profession in Europe. His gamble labored, and Kitchen is prospering in soccer-mad Scotland.

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
October 04, 2016
5:00 PM

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Kitchen, 24, was knowledgeable earlier this month by Hearts of Midlothian head coach Robbie Neilson that he can be the group’s captain for the 2016-17 season regardless of solely becoming a member of the Edinburgh-based membership in March. He takes over for Alim Ozturk who served as captain final season.

“Robbie approached me a couple of weeks ago,” Kitchen instructed American Soccer Now from Scotland. “He told me about his decision and what he wanted to do. I said I would be honored. It’s obviously a huge deal. It’s definitely been a smooth transition. Since Day One, the club has been very welcoming—the coaches, my teammates, and the fans. I’m not doing anything out of the ordinary. I am just doing what I know how to do.”

The armband has raised his profile within the Scottish capital. And Hearts shouldn’t be shy about touting its new-found “Captain America.”

New Perry Kitchen T-Shirt in inventory tomorrow morning https://t.co/RsPBjKFzxM pic.twitter.com/1IYOa1ravj

— Coronary heart of Midlothian (@JamTarts) September 23, 2016

“Walking around town, you can certainly be noticed,” Kitchen says with a chuckle. “But yeah, it does take some getting used to.”

Kitchen joins an esteeemed membership of European-based Captain Americas. Claudio Reyna was the primary American to captain a membership when he was given the armband Wolfsburg within the Bundesliga.Similarly to Kitchen, Clarence Goodson was named the captain of Brondby in 2011 simply six months after becoming a member of the Danish membership. Brian McBride was an extremely widespread captain at Fulham, and Craven Cottage nonetheless homes a bar named after him. Steve Cherundolo stays among the best examples after rising to the captaincy in his profession at Hannover.

Frank Simek was given the honors at Carlisle United. Gregg Berhalter was truly the captain for 2 European golf equipment at 1860 Munich and Energie Cottbus. And Joe Enochs was the captain at Osnabruck, the place he was one of many membership’s hottest gamers and is presently head coach.

Now, Kitchen provides his title to that checklist and Nielson defined why he determined to offer the glory to the newcomer.

“He’s a natural and leads by example both on and off the park,” the coach stated. “He’s additionally a extremely good participant and can encourage these round him to succeed in the very best requirements…It’s now Perry’s time to take over that duty and I’ve completely little question that he’ll flourish within the position of Hearts captain.”

Membership legend John Robertson, the all-time main scorer at Hearts and nonetheless enormously widespread, just lately praised the choice. He believes Kitchen is the appropriate participant to be captain and he even cited the American’s eager curiosity within the historical past of the membership sice his arrival.

“Perry is every thing you’ll need in a captain,” Robertson said. “He’s sturdy, decided, hard-working in the course of the park, leads by instance, has an awesome perspective and speaks very nicely. He will get Hearts, he is aware of what the membership is all about, he is aware of what the followers imply. Historical past is there to be made and Perry could lead on us right into a brilliant new future. There’s not an ex-captain or ex-player at this membership that doesn’t wish to see Perry Kitchen lifting trophies above his head.”

“Taking an American phrase, he appears fairly ‘cool’ about it,” Robertson added. “He realizes it’s an enormous honor and he sees it as a badge of honor. He’s not a man that’s going to swan across the altering room and say, ‘I’m the captain’. He’s a man who has earned the appropriate by pure arduous work and sweating blood…Perry is certainly one of these guys who loves every thing concerning the membership, he embraces what we’re about and on the pitch he’s a warrior. The Hearts followers love him—they love his perspective, they love his no-nonsense model.”

Up to now in his time at Hearts, Kitchen has constantly been one of many group’s finest gamers on the sector.

“It’s a different league but saying that, there are a lot of similarities,” Kitchen defined. “It is a powerful league to play in, like MLS. It is undoubtedly how I assumed it could be. It is a face-paced league and you aren’t getting lots of time on the ball. The groups are powerful to beat they usually’re not going to surrender.

“I’m simply having fun with it and taking it one sport at a time.”

Kitchen’s high precedence this yr is to get the group again to European play, the place it faltered in opposition to a group from Malta within the early qualifying rounds this yr. Kitchen took half within the scoreless draw on the highway within the first leg however was injured for the 2-1 loss at dwelling within the return leg.

That loss served as yet one more setback for Scottish groups in European play. Aberdeen was additionally eradicated early in Europa qualifying by the hands of Slovenia’s Maribor and whereas Celtic superior to the group levels of the Champions League, it nonetheless dropped an away leg in qualifying to the Lincoln Purple Imps of Gibraltar.

That stated, Scottish soccer has been bolstered by Glasgow Rangers’ return to the Scottish Premier League after it spent 5 years within the decrease tiers after struggling a monetary scandal in 2011. That added status ought to solely profit the league and its standing in Europe. 

“You always want to have the top teams in the top league,” Kitchen stated. “It makes for a better league. As a player, you want to play in those type of matches against big teams. Saying that, we’re not here harping or paying attention to what other people are thinking. We’re going to go out and give the season our best and finish better than we did last year.”

Kitchen is now in Florida with the U.S. nationwide group forward of its pleasant on Friday in opposition to Cuba. With Kyle Beckerman and Jermaine Jones each absent on the roster, it is an necessary second for Kitchen to show to Jurgen Klinsmann that he can take over in central midfield. Kitchen made the roster for this summer time’s Copa America match however he didn’t see the sector.

Klinsmann needs his gamers to be leaders on their golf equipment and Kitchen acknowledges that sporting the armband “certainly can’t hurt my case.”

Ought to Kitchen fare nicely in October, a a lot greater take a look at awaits in November when america opens the Hexagonal spherical of World Cup qualifying in opposition to arch-rivals Mexico in Columbus, Ohio, adopted by a visit to Costa Rica—the place it has by no means gained. Whereas Kitchen has but to play in a sport of that magnitude for the U.S., he’s hoping to make that transition.

“As a player, you really want to be in those tough situations and playing against very good teams,” Kitchen stated. “Those are the games you live to play for. Obviously, qualifying for a major tournament is never easy. We just have to have the right mentality about it and enjoy the opportunity.”