- Chris Ballard

When Edson Buddle left L.A. Galaxy in January, and signed with a team from the second division in the German league, many an eyebrow was raised in surprise. The striker, from New Rochelle, NY had top-scored for the Galaxy in 2010 and was voted the team's Most Valuable Player. Prior to the US Men's national team match with Argentina on Saturday, we caught up with Buddle and got his take on his experiences in Germany to date, the differences between training styles, and his opinion on the new striker in the national team, Juan Agudelo.

-Jason Davis

Across the country, in small enclaves of Internet-tethered American soccer fans who forgo bread and water for the sustenance provided by transfer scuttlebutt, brows are being furrowed at an alarming rate. Edson Buddle has signed with a 2.Bundesliga club, FC Ingolstadt 04.

Edson Buddle and Herculez Gomez scoring their way onto the U.S. National Team World Cup roster isn't quite a miracle, but it's damn close.


Two guys whom USMNT fans, and likely Bob Bradley himself, hadn't even considered a possibility just a few months ago are now two of the four strikers headed to South Africa. Putting aside what this means for the Americans and their chances in the tournament, the stories of Buddle and Gomez, and the out-of-nowhere nature of their making the team, are two amazing examples of hitting form at the perfect time.


Injuries and a dearth of proven talent at the forward position was enough to crack the door for Buddle and Gomez. Charlie Davies would certainly be there if healthy. Brian Ching's hamstring was apparently not as strong as Bob Bradley would like. Forwards Bradley ran through during the qualifying campaign, Connor Casey and Eddie Johnson among them, were of questionable quality at the international level. More accurately, their forays with the National Team did little to engender confidence in them.


So Bradley looks to what are essentially two unknowns. No, Buddle and Gomez are by no means kids, but they've been out of the picture for so long that they might as well be. Buddle's international career never got off the ground after a start-stop period that saw him make an off the field mistake and struggle to establish himself with a handful of teams. It wasn't until the arrival of Bruce Arena in LA that Buddle found a groove, living up to the talent many saw in him. Buddle's rampant form to start 2010 got him the headlines and a look for the World Cup, but he's actually played well over the course of the last three seasons. Buddle scored 15 times in 2008, and while he knocked in only 5 in 2009, much of his season was affected by injury. Whether it was playing with Donovan, under Arena, or just a sudden spark coming at the right time, Buddle's evolution into a better, more polished player has been in the works for some time. A dedicated effort to prepare for 2010 by staying in California and working through the winter, rather than heading back to his home in New York as had been his habit, certainly appears to have served him well.


Gomez' path has been even more rocky and fraught with dead ends than Buddle's. Gomez went from quality attacking MLS player to benchwarmer in Kansas City in the short span of a few years; moved out of his natural position and falling off as a goal scorer, Gomez' inclusion in the 2007 Copa America team failed to bring him additional opportunities with the National Team. Bob Bradley was auditioning a lot of players during the cycle, and Gomez' circumstance meant it was nearly impossible for him to get back into the mix. Only a renaissance in Mexico with Puebla, where he tied for the scoring title in the Clausura season with Puebla (usually coming off the bench), brought him back into the discussion.


A confluence of factors meant Bob Bradley could hardly ignore the amazing things these two players were doing. Credit him for ignoring their meager national team resumes and giving them a shot. Credit each of them more for performing well enough to make the dream come true.


Three months ago, none of us, let alone Herculez Gomez and Edson Buddle themselves, would have though it possible they'd be representing the United States at the World Cup.

By Edson Buddle's own admission, he's a long shot for the US World Cup team. His torrid start to 2010 is, for him, a matter of "rhythm" and "the ball just going in" rather than any significant change in his approach or marked improvement.


He did, however, change his off-season routine, choosing to stay in California during the winter months rather than return to his home in New York. It would seem there's a direct correlation between that change and his goal-scoring form; field work against a better quality of player and outdoors rather than indoors would logically play a part in how he's started.


But perhaps more important for Buddle, and why he's turning in good performances week in and week out, is the commitment to his craft. His off-season work may indicate a renewed intent on getting better. Buddle's talent has always been there, and he's managed to put up decent goal scoring totals in several seasons; but the complete performances, ones that has him both healthy and mentally engaged throughout a campaign, have been few and far between. Perhaps it wouldn't have happened for Buddle, meaning a string of strong MLS seasons that would have had him in the National Team picture as well as a possible transfer target, no matter what happened in his early 20's. He did himself no favors, though, and we can only assume he wasted some of his potential.


Buddle is hot at the moment. He's leading the league in goals, is getting a strong amount of USMNT-related buzz from American fans, and shows no sign of slowing down. But form is fickle, especially for a striker, and it's extremely unlikely that he keeps it up all season. How will he respond when his chances aren't going in? Will he fight through, lean on the extra effort he's given towards training, and rebound quickly? Or will he fade, trending back towards the inconsistent player he's been in the past?


And that's to say nothing of injury, something that's bitten Buddle entirely too often and derailed his 2009 season fairly significantly. Maybe his off-season will serve him well in that regard, or maybe he's just snake-bitten. Only time will tell.


In the context of the National Team, Buddle's window to make his case is rapidly closing. The general sense in the fan base is that both he and Herculez Gomez have done enough to make the provisional roster, and will likely get a chance in the May camp to battle for a World Cup spot. If that's true, and Bob Bradley, who has known Buddle personally for years, decides to take shot on a striker who hasn't figured in the US picture for seven years, it's a credit to the player and his amazing start in 2010.


It helps that he plays his club soccer with Landon Donovan, a man who might just possibly play a significant role in the US campaign this summer in South Africa.


Everything is coming easy for Edson Buddle right now. Is it all about attitude?


This post was influenced heavily by my chat with Buddle, an interview you can listen to here.

As part of the CSRN Interview Series, I had a chance to interview Edson Buddle, he of the seven goals in four matches and sudden National Team buzz.


Head over to the CSRN website to take a listen.

Keith Hickey argues Edson Buddle should go to South Africa this June, and not as a tourist. Buddle's torrid start to the MLS season has his National Team prospects, a possibility right termed "laughable" as recently as, well, before First Kick, is being bandied about seriously among the US faithful.


Buddle's talent is undeniable, and though it might not be on par younger Americans like Altidore and Davies, it's hard to ignore a player putting the ball in the net so often only forty-odd days from the naming of the US 23-man roster.


If it weren't for injuries, we wouldn't be talking about Buddle; but Charlie Davies isn't fully healthy yet, Brian Ching has just returned to training after a hamstring tear, and Bob Bradley can hardly afford to be picky. Let's consider it a positive then that Buddle (and Herculez Gomez for that matter) has hit such a rich vein of form.


Edson Buddle has one cap with the US National Team on the senior level. One. That cap came in a March 2003 friendly with Venezuela, the first-ever soccer game played in the brand new (at the time) Qwest Field in Seattle.


Buddle entered as a late sub, coming on for Brian McBride in the 80th minute. Without searching for footage that may or may not exist (I'm without the capability at the moment), there's no way to know how Buddle played; in fact, it really doesn't matter considering it was more than seven years ago. What Buddle did then, and the player he was at the time of his one National Team cap, has nothing to do with now.


To say things have changed a bit since Buddle was seriously in the National Team picture would be an understatement. The 18-man roster from that 2003 friendly (ignore "Japan" at the top; Venezuela was a late fill-in opponent when the Japanese cancelled due to some US military shenanigans causing security concerns):



Sure, it was just a friendly, but it's rather odd to see names like Garcia, Klein, and Martino on a National Team roster through the prism of the intervening years. Aside from those rather nondescript names, there are few that jump out due to unfulfilled promise, including Bobby Convey and Jovan Kirovski. Kirovski scored one of the two goals that beat Venezuela (it ended 2-0, with Donovan getting the other), prompting Bruce Arena to comment on the forward:

“Jovan is only 27 years old, and I think he still has a future with the national team. He just needs to get into a club environment where he is playing more consistently."

--U.S. MNT head coach Bruce Arena, after Kirovski scored his first U.S. goal since Feb. 15, 2000, a string of 15 appearances

Meanwhile, Buddle's appearance looked like the first of many to come, if his apparent talent was any indication; but the next few years saw him injured on a regular basis, battling off-field issues when he was pulled over for drunk driving, and slipping ever further off the National Team radar.


To say it's been awhile for Buddle as a serious USMNT possibility isn't doing justice to just how long it's been. Seven years is a long time, especially in the relatively short career of a professional footballer. Buddle could hardly be doing more to make his case for a World Cup spot, or at the very least a look in the May buildup. Will he get it, closing in on 2,600 days since his one and only in a USA jersey?

It's nearly one AM as I start to write this, and about an hour ago, I woke up from a bubonic plague-induced sleep in time to see Edson Buddle score his league-leading seventh goal of the season, and his league-leading fourth game winner against League Champions Real Salt Lake. And there's just one thought in my head. This guy should be at the World Cup.


Looking at the US roster, I can't see any reason why Buddle shouldn't be in the squad. Jozy Altidore is a lock, Charlie Davies should be there if he's fit, and beyond that...? Brian Ching and Conor Casey? I've never been a fan of our country's fascination with trying to find a new Brian McBride. It feels like we'd rather force square pegs into big shoes than try to get the best out of the tools we have. And I don't see any of the other American strikers in MLS anywhere close to replicating Buddle's form. Brian Ching is injured, but can rehabbing an injury be nearly as effective a World Cup preparation as leading the league in goals?


When it comes to who to take this summer, my opinion boils down to this: the World Cup isn't a marathon, it's a sprint followed by a series of heavyweight boxing matches. One or two composed finishes can mean the difference between going home early and making it to the knockout rounds, and at the moment, no American striker looks as composed as Edson Buddle. It can't hurt, either, to have a striker with an excellent understanding of our best playmaker.


It should also be mentioned how well Buddle would complement Jozy Altidore up top. Jozy's not the traditional, "get up there and we'll try to bounce it off your head" big man. He's at his best when he can use his strength and athleticism to disrupt the opposition and create openings for other players while remaining a physical threat in the box, one of the reasons a quick, technical player like Charlie Davies works so well with him, and one of the reasons I think he's wasted when used with a big, immobile target man. For me, at least, Buddle has the quickness, the composure, and the positional sense to get more out of Jozy than many of the other strikers in the US pool.


There are plenty of variables in play here, though. Can Buddle sustain his form for two more months? It's a tall order, but if come June, he's scoring half as often as he is now, he deserves a spot. Will Charlie Davies be ready? I hope so, and to be honest, I think he will. But even if he is, right now Buddle is more deserving of the third striker slot than many USMNT regulars. Will Bob Bradley take a gamble on a player who has never played under him? It's up to Buddle to make it impossible for Bradley to ignore him.


And you know what? It's not just me who's spouting this opinion. Landon Donovan wants him there, too.

With the new Major League Soccer schedule out, Jason has asked me to cast my discerning eye over the forthcoming season, and make a few predictions about what we're likely to see, and which clashes will provide the most interesting storylines. If it's a little Union-heavy, well, tough noogies. I'm from Philly. Deal with it. So without further delay, here are Match Fit USA's 100%, completely air-tight, sure thing, bet-the-farm-and-grandma-too, MLS 2010 Predictions:

Thursday, March 25, 2010
Seattle hosts Philadelphia for first kick. The ever-present Seattle rain mercifully camouflages evidence of "excitement" that would otherwise be painfully evident on Don Garber and Union fans who made the trip.

Saturday, March 27, 2010
The first big rivalry day. Columbus and Toronto both play miserably, drawing 1-1 in the "Watched Green Street Waaaaaay Too Many Times" Cup. FC Dallas loses 6-4 to Houston in the best game of the season. It only gets aired in Spanish. The Brilliant new Red Bull Arena opens up in front of nine thousand fans.

Thursday, April 1, 2010
Chivas USA and LA Galaxy play the LA Supermegasoccerclassicoderby at the Home Depot Center. Everyone else politely feigns interest.

Saturday, April 10, 2010
My already beloved Union hosts DC at Lincoln Financial Field in our first home game. As it's six days short of my twenty-first birthday, I enjoy the game completely sober. Also, I have a bridge you may be interested in buying. And a farm full of pigs who are training for their commercial pilot licenses.

Thursday, April 15, 2010
Toronto's first turf-less match is abandoned after Canadian players refuse to disobey "Keep off the Grass" signs.

Saturday, May 15, 2010
Edson Buddle Day.

Saturday, May 29, 2010
Real Salt Lake draw 14,000 fans while hosting Kansas City in one of the finest soccer facilities this country has ever seen. Meanwhile, DC United pack 19,000 into RFK, and have to use another roll of duct tape to hold the goalposts together.

Saturday, June 5, 2010
Upset at not going to the World Cup, Frankie Hejduk kicks Wells Thomspson in the face. Columbus fans make a statue to commemorate the moment.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010
RSL host LA in a rematch of last season's MLS cup. Somehow, it ends up in penalties. And still ends in a draw.

Sunday, June 27, 2010
My Union host the Sounders for the first game at our new stadium, which also happens to be the date on which the USMNT is likely to be playing if we progress to the second round. Whichever team I decide to watch loses miserably.

Sunday, July 4, 2010
Seattle and LA get out the rulers for the "BEST MLS CLUB EVAR" clash. Meanwhile, wewintrophies.com continues to un-ironically link to the DC website.

Saturday, July 24, 2010
Somebody lights a flare at a Chicago game, sparking a debate between people who like soccer and people who were raised by insurance adjusters and librarians.

Saturday, July 31, 2010
New York gets this season's away point.

Sunday, August 8, 2010
Euan Holden makes his debut for Houston Dynamo, swaps shirts with Freddie Ljungberg. Every reader of Kickette sighs dreamily.

Saturday, August 28, 2010
The Home Depot Center has a blackout. Victoria Beckham gets looted.

Saturday, September 4, 2010
New York are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

Saturday, October 16, 2010
A team from East of the Mississippi qualifies for the Western Conference playoffs.

Saturday, October 23, 2010
Toronto need a draw to qualify for the playoffs. DC beat them 4-0, on three own goals and a penalty. Julian de Guzman stubs his toe in the shower.

Sunday, November 21, 2010
MLS Cup Final Day. New England loses. Taylor Twellman gets his Clint Dempsey dartboard out.