[nas] Whitbred

Zak Whitbread Rising to role in U20 first team

 

By Robert Ziegler

TopDrawerSoccer.com - Sept. 10, 2003

 

What might have otherwise been a nondescript August tournament in Spain
for the U.S. U20 team, with much of the lineup unavailable to
participate, may instead have been an entry point for a significant
player on the U.S. national team setup.

 

Zak Whitbread, a 19-year old player with Liverpool Reserves made a big
splash for Thomas Rongen's team at the L'Alcudia Tournament in Valencia,
which saw the U.S. earn a third-place trophy after defeating Russia on
kicks in the consolation match. Whitbread, whom Rongen had courted for
some time during the former's stint with Liverpool youth teams, is now a
full-blown professional for Liverpool and started last week for the
reserve side.

 

In Spain, Whitbread was used at left back and made a good impression on
the head coach.

 

"We ended up walking away from there with a player who can really help
our team, and that's Zak Whitbread," Rongen said. "We used (Arsenal's
Frank) Simek and (Stanford's Chad) Marshall in the middle and Zak on the
left. Time will tell if he's a starter, but nobody's taken that position
and settled it. He'll compete with Jordan Harvey (UCLA) and Heath Pearce
(Portland). Competition is good. It's healthy."

 

Rongen said Whitbread, normally used in the middle for Liverpool, has a
range of attributes that can help the team.

 

"He has a great pedigree and already played some minutes in a preseason
friendly with the first team," Rongen said. "With the reserve team he
gets a lot of quality matches. He's lanky, he has a good left foot and
fits in well on both sides of the ball as a left-sided defender. He's
good in the air, communicates well and is a guy who will make our team
and is knocking on the door as a starter." 

 

The U.S. had lost in the semifinal match 1-0 to Uruguay, after recording
a 3-0 win over Egypt, a 1-1 draw with Russia and a scoreless draw with
Slovenia in the group stage. David Johnson of Willem II in Holland scored
twice, with Danny Karbassiyoon (Arsenal) and Miguel Saavedra (unattached)
also scoring.

 

Rongen said the tournament was useful in looking at certain combinations
and tandems of players, as well as a chance to look at some players who
may figure in the next U20 cycle (2005 championship) such as Mike
Videira, Pat Phelan and Patrick Ianni.

 

The former DC United and New England Revolution manager listed Craig
Capano (Chicago Fire midfielder), Drew Moor (Furman right back) and Clint
Dempsey (Furman midfielder) as players who helped their chances with good
play. He also called Karbassiyoon "intriguing" and pledged to keep an eye
on the striker's progress in London.

 

Before the FIFA U20 World Championship begins at United Arab Emirates in
November, the U.S. will have just one chance to gather, an Oct. 8
friendly with Japan at Home Depot Center in Los Angeles.

 

"We'll try to have our top 14 or 15 guys there," Rongen said. "We should
have all of our MLS guys. We'll have some college guys but only the
potential starters. I don't want to bring any college guys in just to sit
them on the bench."

 


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