Being home. A documentary on Sky Sports. Atmosphere. Friendships. Leadership. Ability. Character.
Those were the reasons that led to Atlanta United introducing Brad Guzan – he of the more than 50 appearances for the U.S. men’s national team and almost three times more in goal in England’s Premier League – on Tuesday at the team’s training facility.
Flanked by team technical director Carlos Bocanegra, one half of a friendship so old that neither can remember their first meeting, and president Darren Eales, Guzan said he felt as excited as a kid on the first day of school to get started with in the second chapter of his life in MLS. The first started with Chivas USA in 2005 before he left for Aston Villa and England in 2008 and then Middlesbrough last year.
“This was something I wanted to be a part of,” Guzan said.
Wasting no time, manager Gerardo Martino said Guzan will start Friday’s game at Orlando City.
“Today was the first day we’ve had to work on things tactically with him, but he did very well,” Martino said.
Atlanta United reached an agreement with Guzan in January, but he couldn’t join the team until the MLS secondary transfer window opened July 10. After Middlesbrough’s season ended with relegation to the Championship, Guzan joined Atlanta United for a few days of training before going off to train with the U.S. men’s national team for the Gold Cup.
After starting two of the three games in that tournament, Guzan was released by U.S. manager Bruce Arena after the group stage, fulfilling an agreement he made ahead of time with Bocanegra.
Guzan resumed training with Atlanta United on Monday, his voice booming around the practice field during drills to help the defenders know what was happening around them.
“He’s a talking machine,” centerhalf Leandro Gonzalez Pirez said. “He doesn’t stop talking. That’s good. He’s fitting in really well with our group.”
His ability to play (he was MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2007), his leadership and his character – all summed up in that quote by Pirez – are why Eales and Bocanegra were so keen to acquire Guzan, way before either could have predicted that Alec Kann would put together a solid season in goal before suffering a quadriceps injury two games ago that will sideline him for several weeks.
“It’s not just raw ability, it’s the confidence he gives the defense, his leadership skills. … It’s not measured in stats, but in the comfort that team feels around him,” Eales said.
Wearing a red Atlanta United shirt and gray shirts, Guzan seemed comfortable Tuesday talking about everything from his health to his home life to his heroes.
Guzan said he is healthy and that he and Kann have talked about the position. Guzan looked fit, with a thick neck and big biceps and forearms. Bocanegra said that Guzan would have to share his workout routine.
Guzan joked about how Atlanta as a city was better than Middlesbrough, but he did enjoy his time in northeastern England. His family, which includes his wife and two children, already has visited the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola.
He talked about his role model, Oliver Kahn. Guzan said he would rush home from school near Chicago to watch Champions League games so that he could watch Kahn, a standout goalkeeper at Bayern Munich and the German national team. Kahn, no shrinking violet on the field, may be why Guzan is so vocal.
“You really try to make your presence felt,” Guzan said.
Guzan knew he wanted to one day return to MLS after watching it grow during the nine years he was in England.
He said he first started to pay attention to Atlanta United while watching a documentary on Sky Sports.
Eales reached out to Middlesbrough’s leadership in December to ask about Guzan. Once they received permission, Bocanegra contacted his old friend.
The two understood and respected how the other worked, which made the decision to extend and accept a contract easier for both.
He began watching Atlanta United games on TV and attended the game against Colorado. He said the atmosphere of more than 40,000 people was better than he experienced at some places in the Premier League.
“To have that in MLS, this stadium, this fan base and club are setting a new bar,” Guzan said. “This is what new teams are going to have to compare themselves to and what old clubs are going to have to compare themselves to.”
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