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 Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Cherundolo gets the call
By Marc Connolly
ABC Sports Online
The ever-growing yet intimate gaggle of U.S. soccer diehards was supposed to know all about Steve Cherundolo by now. He was supposed to be talked about in the same breath as Landon Donovan and Josh Wolff as Olympic heroes who have instantly graduated to the U.S. National Team in time to secure a berth to World Cup 2002. He was supposed to already be Bruce Arena's no-questions-asked fixture at right back. He was supposed to be anything but what he is at the moment -- the Mystery Man of U.S. Soccer.
|  | | Steve Cherundolo's only cap came when he played 90 minutes against Jamaica on Sept. 8, 1999 in a 2-2 draw. |
After helping the U.S. qualify for the Olympics last April, Cherundolo was destined to be included in Arena's plans for the first-round of qualifying last summer as well as a starting spot for Hannover 96 in Germany's Second Division on opening day.
But due to a serious knee injury last May that included both ACL and meniscus problems, along with a post-surgery infection that resulted in an arthroscopy to clean out the knee, the 22-year-old's promising career came to a halting stop.
When you're a 5-foot-6, 145-pounder, speed and agility is everything -- especially in soccer. There is no room in either the rough-and-tumble German leagues or in international soccer for bulky knee braces. After all, this is a sport where many players refuse to tape their ankles because it makes them feel creatively restricted with the ball. That's why one might consider it miraculous that Cherundolo noticed something about his speed when he returned to the pitch in December for Hannover.
"The injury has not cost me any of my speed or agility," said Cherundolo. "Actually I've become faster. I've taken a few sprint tests and I've gotten better times than I ever did before the injury."
His play in Germany has been spectacular enough that his team utilizes his versatility in virtually every defensive and midfield position on the field. As a result, Arena summoned him for his squad's ultra-important World Cup Qualifier against Honduras in San Pedro Sula on Wednesday (Pay-per-view, 8:30 p.m. ET).
"The knee injury is history," said Arena, who has been corresponding with Cherundolo via e-mail every month since his injury. "He's been playing now on a regular basis I believe since December. That's past him now. He's fully recovered from that. He's like any other player."
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Steve Cherundolo quotes:
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On how the Germans perceive U.S. soccer: "The Germans don't really want to believe that the Americans are any good at soccer. After we beat them twice in a row, they had all sorts of excuses ready. They won't accept the fact that we were better on the day. They think we're getting better, and maybe someday we'll reach the top level, but they don't believe we're there yet. The respect factor has risen since I've been there, but not dramatically. Not enough, to be fair."
On his situation at Hannover: "I'm pleased with my situation, and I don't see myself moving for at least another year or two. You always need to challenge yourself at the next level, wherever that may be. But I think I've got another year, maybe two years, left at Hannover. The coach likes me there and I'm always playing, so you can't ask for much more."
On playing MLS someday: "Right now I am very happy abroad. I'd love to come back and play in the MLS some day. When is that day? I can't answer that. People change. I might wake up tomorrow and say 'I hate playing in Europe,' but right now I'd like to stay there for a while."
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Cherundolo admits to being a little surprised that he was called in for such an important match after not being with the team in more than a year.
"Somewhere down the line I thought I'd deserve a call-up, but maybe not for a Qualifier," he said. "He had mentioned to me that he expected to call me in eventually."
In just a week's time, Arena has been very impressed with what he's seen.
"He's got a lot of soccer in him," he said. "We're going to look at him in really three positions: outside midfielder, right back and defensive midfielder. I think it's a real plus having a player with that kind of versatility."
With lineup changes abound due to injuries to regulars such as Eddie Pope, Claudio Reyna and Brian McBride, the U.S. side will be juggled around. Even though Arena said he wanted to be "smart about how we introduce Steve to international soccer," there's a good chance he'll get the nod at right back with Tony Sanneh possibly moving to the midfield and Carlos Llamosa filling in for Pope in the central defense.
It's a position that Arena has been mentioning with Cherundolo's name for over a year now.
"Bruce has mentioned to me that he thinks my natural position is right back, and that's where he's looking to use me," said Cherundolo, a San Diego native. "He had also mentioned that I might see time in the midfield, but mostly at right back."
Clive Charles, Cherundolo's coach at the University of Portland for two years (1997-98) and during Olympic qualifying, has a warning to players like Sanneh, Llamosa and Gregg Berhalter if Cherundolo gets the nod against Honduras.
"I think Steve is the best right back in the country. I know that if he's chosen to play, he will make it very difficult for anybody else to get that position back," said Charles, who guided the U.S. to a fourth-place finish in Sydney. "You never have to tell him anything. He's one of those kids who knows his position, no matter where he is."
Charles can provide the best scouting report for what Cherundolo brings to the U.S.
"He's quick, he's good in the air, very sound defensively and, more than anything else, he's a soccer player," said Charles, alluding to his savvy. "Here's someone who can play sweeper, marking back, central midfield or wide midfield. It was a blow to us when we lost him (for the Olympics) because he was a very big part of our squad.
"He's the full package."
Cherundolo attributes his three years abroad since bolting for Hannover from Portland after his sophomore season to his development.
"I've become much more disciplined," he said. "I choose my chances and when I go forward much more wisely. You can't afford to make as many mistakes at the professional level in Germany, so my mistakes on the ball have decreased. My passing has become sharper, too."
Looking to display such talents on the international level, Cherundolo knows that Arena needs to see results if he's going to call him back for upcoming qualifiers against Costa Rica (April 25 in Kansas City) and Jamaica (June 16 in Kingston, Jamaica).
"I've been given another opportunity in this camp by Bruce (Arena), and I've got to get the business done if I want to get called into the next camp," said Cherundolo. "You're only as good as your last game, and I've got to do my job."
Marc Connolly is a senior writer for ABC Sports Online.
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