Rolfe looks to break through U.S. backlog
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Chris Rolfe, the Chicago Fire forward, wants to go to South Africa in 2010 as a member of the U.S. national soccer team that is expected to be competing in its sixth consecutive World Cup.
The trouble is, there are some formidable barriers in Rolfe’s way: Landon Donovan, Brian Ching, Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson, Taylor Twellman, Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu.
Donovan is the biggest obstacle. If the Galaxy star scores against Sweden in a friendly match today at the Home Depot Center, he would become the U.S. team’s all-time leading scorer with 35 goals, surpassing Eric Wynalda. Donovan already has played in two World Cups and, barring injury, is a lock to make it three in a row.
Similarly, Ching, Dempsey and Johnson have the experience of playing in the 2006 World Cup in Germany and have to be considered front-runners for 2010.
Meanwhile, Dempsey left the New England Revolution to become a regular starter for Fulham in the English Premier League. Following suit, Johnson on Sunday left the U.S. training camp in Carson to travel to England, ostensibly to join McBride, Dempsey and U.S. defender Carlos Bocanegra at Fulham.
Twellman has played more games and scored more goals for the national team than Rolfe and Twellman is being courted by clubs in England.
On top of that, Altidore and Adu, the former with the New York Red Bulls and the latter having joined Portuguese powerhouse Benfica, also are on a fast track to South Africa, despite both being only 18.
So where does that leave Rolfe?
Not in as bad a position as it might seem, according to coaches and fellow players who have watched him develop. He has attributes that some of the other contenders do not.
During the MLS playoffs last fall, Rolfe, 25, in the conference semifinal series against D.C. United, scored two superlative goals.
“Those weren’t fluky goals,” said Dave Sarachan, who coached the Fire before being replaced midway through the season. “I’ve seen that over and over and over, from the time we drafted him.”
Rolfe is a bit like Donovan, with the ability to spot the gaps and to ghost through opposing defenses from a withdrawn forward position.
Former national team player Chris Armas was captain of the Fire before retiring at the end of last season. He also sees the potential in Rolfe.
Rolfe, Armas said, is “good with his left foot, his right foot, catching goalies leaning, being able to pick corners. He’s got such a quick release with his shot, and he’s so accurate that it makes him dangerous . . . I believe he’ll be in the mix” to make the U.S. World Cup team.
Rolfe, from Kettering, Ohio, and the University of Dayton, has spent the last two weeks in camp trying to learn what U.S. Coach Bob Bradley wants.
“I’m just trying to find that little bit where I can help the team and make myself a little bit different than the other guys that we have,” Rolfe said.
For his part, Bradley is waiting and watching. World Cup qualifying begins in June for the U.S., and the coach has all his options open.
Bradley likes Rolfe’s technique, his finishing, and his ability to shoot with either foot, but these are early days on the road to South Africa.
“There are a lot of players we try to look at and see where they are in all this. I think that’s still the question,” Bradley said.
TODAY
United States vs. Sweden, 5:30 p.m.
Site -- Home Depot Center, Carson.
TV -- FSC.
Radio -- 1330, 1220 (delayed, 7:30).
Update -- This will be the 500th game for the U.S. national team (193-194-112) and a victory would even its record at exactly .500. The Swedes are not bringing their Euro 2008 squad but rather a selection of younger players. The U.S. also is fielding a younger lineup, with only a few of its European-based players. The U.S. compiled a 12-5-1 record in its first year under Coach Bob Bradley, winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup along the way.
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ON THE WEB
MLS draft: Galaxy surprises by trading Albright and selecting Franklin. UCLA’s Myers is league’s No. 1 pick.
Go to latimes.com/soccer.
