Johnson stares down challenges

Those who are most revered and ultimately remembered are the ones who are associated with triumph when encountering challenges. Kansas City Wizards and U.S. national team forward Eddie Johnson was given a clear challenge at the beginning of 2007.

"[Wizards head coach] Curt [Onalfo] and [technical director] Peter [Vermes] pulled me aside this preseason, and they told me their expectations were going to be really high and don't be surprised if they expect a lot out of me this year," recounted Johnson. "They sat me down and told me they want me to have that role."

What has followed from the 23-year-old Palm Coast, Fla., native is reignited focus and drive, and thus has forced people to give him a second look. Back-to-back hat tricks, recorded in the last two weekends, will do that.

Teammate Kevin Hartman put Johnson's total of nine goals in nine games, including five game-winners, simply.

"Eddie's been on fire. [He's] really been classy about it and has gotten goals when we've needed them."

Johnson has also taken his turn as provider with three assists. His production is vastly responsible for the Wizards taking 19 points thus far this season to claim the top spot in the conference. Clearly, Johnson has welcomed the challenge set before him. Yet he realizes he does not deserve all the credit.

"The players and everyone around me have really given me the confidence to do what I'm doing on the field. I'm just enjoying it right now," Johnson said, before recalling darker times. "I've been in this position before, and I know how it is when you're enjoying it and you're on track and then you have that downfall. But I'm going to do my best and use what I know from when I was going through this spell to stay at the top."

Moments rewound in Johnson's career are highlighted by his 2004 campaign. Johnson tied for the league lead with 12 goals that season, and in his first four appearances for the United States, he scored six goals, becoming the first American player to score in his first four appearances.

Fast forward to a dismal 2006, when the same Eddie Johnson scored only two goals in his first season for the Wizards. He managed to make the U.S.'s World Cup roster but his appearance in the second half vs. the Czech Republic and Ghana, he showed little more than a momentary spark.

As the voice of one who has experienced a meteoric rise to the fore on the U.S. soccer scene and remained there despite some setbacks, Wizards and U.S. defender Jimmy Conrad has his opinion on how Johnson can maintain strong form over time.

"Keep eating his Wheaties," Conrad quipped before lending his wisdom. "It's just focusing on one play at a time. That's what he's done best this year, not getting emotional. Even at the beginning of the year, he would get a little frustrated if the ball didn't come to exactly where he thought he should get it. He still does that a little bit, but it's just because he's competitive and wants to win.

"More than that, it's just being aggressive. If something doesn't work out, he's going to keep coming at you. We have guys on the team that are getting the ball in good spots and a coaching staff that is telling him to keep doing what he's doing, so when you get a lot of positive reinforcement despite making mistakes, it helps out a lot."

That sort of emotional restraint, blended with his peers' reinforcement and his regained confidence, has resulted in consistent execution and earned Johnson the MLS Player of the Week award three times already this season. But Johnson has bigger goals in mind.

"I set some goals that are impossible; nothing is impossible, but I set some goals that are ridiculous. Somewhere in your life, you'll fall short and you're halfway, and that's still good enough," said Johnson. "I want to score 20 goals this year. I want to win the MVP title. I want to score the most goals in the league. I want to be the leading goal scorer on the team. I want to win a championship. Those are all goals that I set.

"If you set goals like that, it's going to keep you focused, and it's going to keep you hungry. And you're going to want to score every game and win the game every week for your team. Once you set goals like that, enjoying every day on the field [is easier] because you're challenging yourself, and I think everyone likes challenges because it makes you better."

Better is what the Kansas City fans expect - and demand -- after being let down last year. Apparently, Johnson has conquered that challenge thus far, too. In the stands during Saturday's match versus the New York Red Bulls, in which he tallied the back end of his consecutive hat tricks, there was a banner that read, "Eddie = MVP." Yes, people are taking notice, including U.S. coach Bob Bradley, who called the Wizards' hit man in for the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament.

"[The call-up] means a lot to me considering where I stood with the national team. I had a bad season last year and kind of fell out of the mix. I had to look at myself in the mirror every day and realize what I needed to do to get back on track," said Johnson. "It has to start with your club, doing business with your club. And I knew that was going to take time winning everyone's respect back within the team and the organization. Once people around you know you're focused on work, they are willing to work and die for you week in and week out."

No one has been more significant in Johnson's resurgence than new Wizards coach Curt Onalfo. Having taken Johnson under his wing, Onalfo wishes his star pupil only the best as Johnson prepares to leave his team for perhaps nearly a month.

"I wish for him to continue with the same stuff he's doing with this team and translating to the national team," Onalfo said. "Right now, he's playing the best soccer of his career, and he should be proud of that. It's a great thing for our country having a forward like Eddie playing that well."

Johnson will take his tried and true philosophy into national team camp and enjoy challenging himself because it will make him better.

"I am not satisfied with just being called up. I want to put myself in a position to start in every game. My goal is to make sure I'm on the field every game," Johnson said. "With saying that, I know I'll have to bust my butt off in training day in and day out when I'm in camp. As long as I'm on the field, everything else should fall into place."

As he leaves his teammates, the positive reinforcement goes with him, willing Johnson to face up to his new challenge and to put his name on the score sheet again and again and again.

"I'm sure the national team will be the same kind of thing, encouraging him to do his thing," said Conrad. "I'm really happy for him. He's got a bright future, and I'm glad everybody's back on the Eddie bandwagon."

Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.