Vast improvements aside, soccer is still “their” sport, not “ours.”
America has always lagged behind, and while recent World Cup results and Federation Internationale de Football Association rankings are giving the United States National Team higher rankings than ever before, no one is yet ready to call the United States a soccer powerhouse.
But at Boston University, foreigners have found that it is more than possible to come to America and still thrive at the world’s game.
The team has ripped through its early season schedule, with a 4-2 record that includes an upset victory over then-No. 7 University of Connecticut. That victory earned BU a No. 9 ranking and made people sit up and realize that the Boys of Nickerson can play.
The BU men’s soccer team is a cosmopolitan bunch, with nine foreign players representing seven different countries.
Senior goalkeeper Matt Smith, junior back Michael Feely and junior forward Mark Richardson all hail from England, while junior attacking midfielder Andy Dorman is from Wales and junior forward Alan McNamara is from Ireland. Sophomore back Erik Evjen is from Norway, freshman midfielder Sedrick Chin is from Jamaica, freshman midfielder Jamie Johnson is from Australia and sophomore newcomer Chris Khalifa, a forward, comes from Egypt.
For BU Coach Neil Roberts, the recruitment of foreign players is a long-standing practice, and judging on his success as a coach, a fruitful one. He doesn’t take credit on his own, however, citing the reputation of BU as one of the main reasons for his recruiting success.
“I think it’s kind of the makeup of the university; it’s a large foreign population at the university,” Roberts said. “The university itself recruits internationally. International players are always interested in coming to BU.”
Another aid to foreign recruiting is the ever-powerful word of mouth. Richardson hails from St. Cuthbert’s in England, the same high school that five former Terriers, including the program’s all-time leading scorer, Nick Bone. The connections of the past are working overtime to help pave the way for a successful future of BU soccer.
“If you’ve followed the program, the players always tend to come from the same places,” Roberts said. “Basically, former players bring former players bring former players. We’ve had a Newcastle connection, a Norway connection. We’ve had a number of players from Galway.”
For the Terriers coaching staff, the work only begins with a recruit’s acceptance. After the decision is made, freshman year comes, and everything starts over for the rookies.
“Freshman year is very difficult,” Smith said. “You have so many things coming at you at once.”
Like any freshmen, the soccer players have to adjust to being on their own, but for the foreign players the introduction into American society and American soccer can be a drastic change.
“It’s a bit of a shock, and I mean that in both good and bad ways,” Smith said. “Things are done very differently over here.”
One huge difference for the foreign ballers is the lack of respect afforded soccer by Americans. It may be the world’s sport, but people in this country have been slow to embrace the Beautiful Game.
“I didn’t realize it wasn’t that big until I came, and when I got here it was a bit disappointing really,” Dorman said. “Soccer’s kind of way down the list.”
While soccer may be way down on the list, those who have embraced it can play it just a little bit more proficiently then those who’ve lived it their whole lives thought.
“From what I heard from some of the people, I didn’t think it was as good as it was back home supposedly,” Dorman said. “I guess I was kind of surprised.
“Having played teams from the top 20, I’m quite impressed with the level. I thought it would be the same as U-19 from back home, but its completely different.”
Roberts seconded that opinion. “None of the guys on our team have walked in and taken over the country. They usually think it’s going to be a lot easier than it is.”
Whether it is harder or easier, it clearly is different, and Smith thinks the differences of the soccer cultures can be valuable to all parties.
“I think it’s beneficial for everyone involved,” Smith said. “I think it’s interesting for the American guys to see how soccer is played in Europe, and I think it’s also an adjustment for the Europeans to see how soccer is played here.
“I think there’s different aspects where we can help each other, like fitness and the way to approach games is a lot more professional over here, whereas at home, the tactical side is a lot more emphasized.”
For Dorman, the physicality of the American game was perhaps the biggest adjustment.
“I don’t know if it’s as skillful,” Dorman said. “You get more time on the ball, but when they close you down, they hit you harder.”
For Dorman, the differences on the pitch were more disconcerting than those off. But Smith found life in Boston quite different, especially with school in the picture.
“In England, I was just about ready to stop going to school and then I came here and had to pick up my books again, and that was a shock,” Smith said.
The American university system is far different than that of Europe, and the game is far different, but Roberts says that one thing is basically the same.
“I’ve always said this in dealing with international players — 18-year-old kids are 18-year-old kids, they want the same things,” Roberts said. “If you really get to know them, the kid from Norway is the same as the kid from California.”