Atlanta United's Brad Guzan faced with familiar narrative
ATLANTA -- The time is here.
Brad Guzan has been spotted with Atlanta United, training in the back of the net ... But let’s pump the brakes and not get ahead of ourselves when it comes to the idea of him starting anytime soon.
First off, the 6-foot-4 goalkeeper won’t be eligible to see the field until the MLS secondary transfer window opens on July 10, despite the English Premier League’s ability to release and sign players on July 1.
Perhaps this is an opportunity for Guzan to find his 2012-2013 Aston Villa form again, or even channel his glory days spent with Chivas USA, where he led the team to the playoffs three times and was named the 2007 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. Nonetheless, Atlanta is his home now and it’s a fresh opportunity as the 32-year-old enters the prime year of his position in a struggling time for United States goalkeepers.
Until then, ‘El Guzano,’ as he was known by the Chivas USA faithful, will have to compete for a starting position once over, a narrative that Guzan is quite familiar with.
“He’s a big signing for the club,” defender Tyrone Mears. “It’ll lift everybody to know that he’s coming in. He’s had a little bit of rest now to get down to training and get fit again. It’s great to have him around, obviously for the other keepers as well.”
To some extent, it’s seen as sort of a win-win situation for Atlanta United. It receives a very experienced goalkeeper and the chance for current keeper Alec Kann to up his stock through friendly competition. Kann may not have the resume his new teammate possesses, but it's akin to 'If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,' in regards to Atlanta United’s present defensive system.
“I’ve been watching him play since he played for Villa years and years ago,” Kann said. “He’s one of the goalkeepers used as a benchmark growing up to aspire to the way he played. He’s an American goalkeeper legend.”
Yes, Guzan is a well-tenured player, ranging from his international exposure to his contributions made in the EPL. Yet, let’s not forget about Kann who has earned his spot. The Decatur, Ga., native has been tested one-on-one in a few occasions with two shutouts and has notched 51 saves in a span of 15 games. He’s still growing as a wholesome goal stopper and Guzan can further assist his development.
“[Brad’s] an excellent keeper, Alec’s the same, excellent keeper,” Mears continued. “So I don’t think it’s going to be a big deal if one of the keepers is injured, the other is going to come in and get the same performance. Brad is going to bring a lot of experience certainly with the backline and talking. You need that communication at the back.”
That was one thing that was deemed noteworthy of Guzan’s presence with the club from the start: his vocalization. Guzan’s a vocal guy plain and simple. He’ll make his authority on the field well-known and has been since he entered the sport.
“He looks good,” head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said. “He has a contagious effect on the team with his personality and we’re really happy that he is here with us.”
The Illinois native’s years spent at Aston Villa were worthwhile, understudying below other U.S. goalkeeper legend Brad Friedel and eventually moving on to win the starting spot during his Villa stint.
He kept Aston Villa out of regulation for three straight years after. He even earned the Aston Villa Player of the Year award in 2013. Atlanta could help Guzan find his form again and if the U.S. springboards into any international tournament (cough, cough) the World Cup in 2018, then the MLS postseason could prepare Guzan for what’s to possibly come.
And who knows? The veteran goalkeeper may not even play when he is even eligible due to more World Cup qualifiers and the upcoming Gold Cup scheduled to begin on July 7 with the championship game slated for July 26, depending on the performance of the U.S. of course. To go as far as to rule him out completely this season appears unjust, especially if the Five Stripes make a postseason run (fingers crossed).
But having someone of Guzan’s caliber in general can only do more good than harm for a team.
“He brings that from Day 1 because he’s been around the block a few years,” midfielder Julian Gressel said. “He has a lot of experience and he knows what it takes to win. As a young professional it’s another resource for us to learn from and for us to just improve and get better.”
Guzan is a man who has played second fiddle to his past goalkeeper counterparts in Friedel, Tim Howard of the U.S. national team, and most recently Victor Valdes of Middlesbrough F.C., nevertheless he is a man who has always carried himself with class.
In the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers for Russia, Guzan has notched 500 minutes played thus far and out of his six games played he has allowed seven goals. He’s been under the spotlight from his days spent in the EPL to the U.S. national team and sometimes brought under scrutiny, even so, don’t undermine his overall ability to prevent goals.
“He’s an unbelievable shot stopper,” Kann said. “If he gets a hand on something he’s going to save it every time. That’s something that I can improve on; That’s something that you can’t replicate.”
Guzan’s opportunity to make right with his form and get back on track lies with United while Kann’s chance to elevate his name for himself lies in competition with Guzan.
“It’s great to train with a guy like that every day,” Kann said. “I’ve always said since I got here I want to do anything I can to help this team win and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”
