Three years of improving play with both Chivas USA and the U.S. national team nearly paved the way to Europe for Brad Guzan.
Major League Soccer's 2007 Goalkeeper of the Year was a multimillion dollar target of English club Aston Villa FC but Guzan was denied a British work permit.
Before departing for Houston with the U.S. national team for Wednesday's friendly against Mexico, Guzan said he would take the good with the bad.
"It was a disappointment," Guzan said. "But at the same time ... coming back to such a great club and such a great organization... and you are coming back to something so great as Chivas USA it's hard to be sad and upset for a long period of time."
Scottish side Celtic FC, along with Aston Villa, was interested in the young goalkeeper. Guzan took a break from U.S. national team camp to visit each respective club but it was with Villa where Guzan took in a lot of time.
He met with manager Martin O'Neill and the coaching staff, saw Villa Park up close and spent a few days in Birmingham. But Guzan and the rest of the involved parties knew it would be a battle to go through the work permit process.
Guzan said the presentation given in order to obtain the work permit was a good one but ultimately not sufficient enough to land the necessary paperwork.
"They were extremely confident," Guzan said. "The history of American goalkeepers is fantastic. They both felt that they would be able to make a strong case for myself."
But now that the dust has settled somewhat, Guzan said this would be a good learning experience for him.
"You can't get too high and you can't get too low," Guzan said. "In this business there are going to be highs and there are going to be lows. The best situation and the best way to go about it is to keep a steady pace and until everything is completed officially and this and that, you have to keep your head on straight."
While Aston Villa missed out on an emerging talent, Chivas USA stands to benefit. The fourth-year club won the Western Conference a year ago with Guzan manning the goal, and his departure would have left a huge hole to fill.
Chivas USA dealt backup goalkeeper Preston Burpo to San Jose and would have opened camp without a clear-cut number one choice at goalkeeper. Now that Guzan can be penciled in as the starter, Chivas USA coaches can relax with at least one position as preseason training opens Monday at The Home Depot Center.
"We are very disappointed for Brad and that this opportunity didn't go through for him, this opportunity that every player dreams (of)," Chivas USA coach Preki said. "But he's back with us and we're excited here. We feel we can make bigger strides with him in goal this year. ... It wasn't meant to happen and he's back with us and I'm smiling."
Neither Guzan nor Preki ruled out the possibility of the goalkeeper heading overseas when the summer transfer window opens. Guzan said he would be able to apply for another work permit at the time and perhaps his standing will have improved by then.
Having gone to England and through the process this time around, though, has helped Guzan and primed him for a potential future in one of the world's elite leagues.
"Going over there and being involved with that club a short amount of time and experiencing what it's like to be over there and be in Europe and be in that environment, I think it's made me a better person and definitely a better player," Guzan said. "Hopefully I can use that to my advantage."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
