Tyler Ruthven tries not to think about the fact that he will line up against three of soccer’s bigger stars Saturday night.
But when Ruthven and his New York Red Bulls take the field in Los Angeles for an 8 p.m. ET game, the Galaxy’s David Beckham, Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan will be there waiting.
Not a bad way to make a second start.
“I really haven’t put much thought into it,” he said. “I try to avoid doing that. I don’t want to be lost in how big of a stage it is.”
Ruthven, son of former Braves pitcher Dick Ruthven, was a standout on the Silverbacks last season. Through the help of a friend, Mike Petke, Ruthven tried out for New York during the offseason and earned a job as a central defender.
Ruthven, a native of Alpharetta, made his debut at halftime in a 4-1 loss at D.C. United on April 22. After several New York defenders went down with injuries, the team announced that Ruthven would make his first start in the next game against New England.
During the week, he said he was asked the same question over and over: How would New York (4-3-1), with a rebuilt and inexperienced back four, deal with the Revolution?
The Red Bulls won 1-0, their first shutout of the year. It was helped by a tackle Ruthven made early in the game on a breakaway, the moment when he said he realized that he was ready to play in the best league in the United States.
“When the game ended and we held the clean sheet, it was validating,” he said. “I stayed out there a little bit and tried to soak it in. I’ll never get that again.”
Ruthven kept a jersey from that game as a souvenir.
He said he’s not sure which of the big three he’ll try to switch jerseys with after Saturday’s game against Los Angeles (3-4-1). An Arsenal fan, he might be disowned if he asks former Tottenham star Keane or former Manchester United star Beckham to swap with him.
He does know that he wants to try to post another shutout and give his manager, Hans Backe, something to think about when the first-team defenders come back from their injuries.
“The more games I get, my goal is to make it harder on him to pick an 11,” Ruthven said.
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