US football stars can earn stripes

Published on Saturday 5 December 2009 20:51

HAVING SPENT most of his playing days in England, most of his managerial career in the United States, and the summer of 1986 at the World Cup in Mexico, Steve Nicol can be regarded as something of an authority on the match that will open Group C in next year's finals. If the longest-serving coach in Major League Soccer doesn't know what to expect when England meet US in Rustenburg on 12 June, nobody does.

The Scot has spent nine years in the US, the last seven of them with New England Revolution. So impressive was his early work in Massachusetts that, when Bruce Arena stood down as national coach in 2006, Nicol was touted as a potential successor. The man who was capped 27 times by Scotland didn't get the job, but he has enough experience of American players to know they are capable of troubling England. "It's not the US of 20 or 30 years ago, when England could just turn up and roll them over," says Nicol. "If they think that's what's going to happen, they are in for a surprise."

Ranked 14 in the world, they are probably the most difficult team England could have drawn from Pot 2. Given that Slovenia and Algeria both required a play-off to qualify, the USA must be a good bet to reach second place, irrespective of their result against England. Although not blessed with outstanding talent, they have a smattering of Europe-based players, and a street wisdom astutely harnessed by their coach, Bob Bradley. "They are well organised," says Nicol. "They are not going to give you anything unless you work for it, unless you have players who can produce something out of nothing. And you can't afford to give them anything. If you do, you will find it hard to break them down.

"When you look at the two teams, man for man, obviously you would fancy England, but that's not always how it works. The US had a fantastic result against Spain in the Confederations Cup. England will have to be on their guard."

The Con-federations Cup in South Africa last summer was a landmark for the Americans. The 2-0 defeat of Spain saw them into the final, where they went 2-0 up against Brazil, only to lose three second-half goals. "We can be dangerous against good teams," warned Bradley afterwards.

Nicol adds that the match against England will be a shop window for many of America's players, who yearn to join the likes of Dempsey, Tim Howard and Jonathan Spector in England's Premier League. Their US-based contingent will be motivated by more than just progress to the second round. "Do you want an easy passage? Yes. But for those who aspire to perform at the top level, playing against England is the best stage on which to prove yourself. And, believe me, if the US play great, it will happen. If they beat England, and a couple of guys cover themselves in glory, guess what? In a month or two, they will be playing in the Premier League."

The US have come a long way since that shocking 1-0 defeat of England in 1950, when Greenock-born Eddie McIlvenny was among the players who made history. In South Africa, an Aberdonian could be in the side that faces England. Midfielder Stuart Holden, of Houston Dynamo, has made a name for himself recently, particularly when an experimental squad was taken to the Gold Cup. "It will be interesting to see if he goes to the finals," says Nicol. "He is certainly there or thereabouts. He has some ability, he scores some goals, and he's still young."

Nicol's main concern for the US is a shortage of match-winners. Given that young Charlie Davies, twho was hurt in a car accident last month, is out, the Scot picks out Fulham's Clint Dempsey, who spent three years with New England, and LA Galaxy's Landon Donovan, the country's all-time top scorer. "Donovan has ability, pace and he scores goals. He and Dempsey are really the two with that wee bit extra."

It was Donovan who committed the sacrilege of questioning David Beckham's commitment. When the Englishman who took his Galaxy armband embarked on a loan spell with AC Milan, Donovan said that he wasn't a good team-mate, didn't deserve the money he earned, and that he should be on the bench. They kissed and made up, of course, but the confrontation adds a little spice to the meeting of their countries.

By the time of the finals, Beckham will have spent another spell with Milan, but Nicol doesn't think it should be held against him. "The fact a team like AC Milan still want him to play for them, and that he is still in the England squad, reflects well on the MLS. There are a lot of great players who are not good enough to be in the national squad. Beckham, an MLS player, still is. That says a lot about the standard of our game in America."

Nicol believes in the Beckham experiment, even if the effect so far has been limited. "The crowds have gone up since he came here to play, and guys maybe try harder when they are playing against him. He also elevates those who are playing in his team. But I think the time to judge it will be ten years from now when we will probably see players emerging who were influenced by the arrival of Beckham, kids who maybe didn't have an interest in the game till he came along."

The draw was a good one for England. Four of the best teams in the finals – Holland, Italy, Brazil and Spain – are in the other half, and cannot be faced until the semi-final. If there are no surprises in Group C's other matches, the one against America could decide who avoids Germany in the second round.

But, as Nicol points out, it is also a good draw for the US, who will be playing in their sixth consecutive finals. They need fear neither Algeria nor Slovenia, and England are the team, more than any other, that they would love to beat. "We probably watch more English games live over here than you do. The interest is just enormous. And all the pressure will be on England. If America lose, so what? They're supposed to. If England lose, they will have you guys giving them pelters." He can say that again.