As Jimmy Conrad leaves the Kansas City Wizards this week to join the U.S. national team for Copa America, his absence could further solidify a young back line for his club. And his presence will likely only help an equally young rearguard representing his country.
Ultimately, Conrad knows his absence will benefit the Wizards. He will miss no fewer than three games while playing for the USA in the South American championship in Venezuela, beginning with this past Sunday's home contest against Houston Dynamo.
"I'm torn," Conrad said. "On the flip side, we get some guys who deserve to play some minutes. Our young guys, Tyson [Wahl] and Aaron Hohlbein, have been strong and have been playing pretty good for being young players and not getting their chances.
"They have their head up. They have a good attitude. Hopefully this will give them an opportunity to get some valuable minutes so if something happens to Nick [Garcia] or I down the stretch, we can lean on those guys and we won't miss a beat."
As one of the candidates tabbed by Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo to take over Conrad's center back spot for the Wizards, second-year player Wahl understands what Conrad has brought to the club.
"His intensity and his attention to detail," said Wahl when asked about what Conrad's personality brings to the side as captain. "He's our team leader, so we'll definitely miss that, but there are plenty of other veterans that'll step in and take that role. We understand Jimmy's shoes are pretty big to fill. I think both Aaron and I are pretty well prepared to take the opportunity, whoever coach calls upon."
Said Onalfo: "Jimmy's rock solid, so anytime you lose the best defender in the league, certainly you are concerned."
But while Conrad's absence opens up opportunities on one side, his presence with a corps of young defenders for Bob Bradley's national team can only help, especially after the steadying influence he showed in last summer's World Cup, first as a substitute against eventual world champion Italy and then as a starter versus Ghana.
"Being able to go and play in Copa America, that's huge. We're going to get three great games in a week," he said. "It's going to be a hostile environment ... all the necessities for getting better and learning how to grow as a team."
As expectations for the men's national team rise from results such as Sunday's 2-1 defeat of Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final, the U.S. is more and more expected to perform well all of the time by their fans and a more aware general public, no matter who they play.
"We've been the underdog, but what is neat about the Gold Cup is that we're the favorites. It's just a different role for us. ... We've been the underdog since the beginning," said Conrad. "Now, after 25 years of expecting to get into the World Cup, we're expected to win all the time against our region and compete against the big countries. It's tough. ... But in terms of favorites, I think we're still a little uncomfortable with that tag. It's just a matter of time."
Winning the Gold Cup means the U.S. has qualified to participate in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup where they will take on the continental champions from South America, Africa, Europe and Asia and 2010 hosts South Africa in a warmup for the next year's World Cup.
Knowing the importance, Conrad is ready for his club and country's futures to begin.
"It's going to be exciting," he said. "Whoever we throw out there, we'll put our best foot forward and see what happens."
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
