Pat Noonan does not yet know the area code of his newest employer, but the Columbus Crew are counting on the forward to remember how to put the ball into the back of the net following his trans-Atlantic move.
"It's been a whirlwind," said Noonan after his second practice with the club on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old went from his offseason home in Boston to the U.S. national team's training center in Carson, Calif., in January. While there contract talks with the New England Revolution faltered and he shortly thereafter departed the club on a free transfer and signed with Aalesunds FK of Norway's Tippeligaen.
After successfully cracking the starting lineup, Noonan looked for a way back home and re-signed with New England in advance of his trade to the Crew last week.
"After leaving New England and a great organization after a great five years it gave me a chance to play in Scandinavia and Norway," he said. "It was a good six-month experience. The tough part was the style of play. That didn't work in my favor in terms of playing the ball on the ground. We didn't do that very often and then not playing hurt.
"I have to be playing in order to ever have a chance again with the national team. Just aside from that I wanted to play. I know I can contribute on teams and if I wasn't playing there, I knew there would be teams interested."
The Crew were one of the suitors and shipped a first-round pick in the 2009 SuperDraft, allocation money and a swapping of allocation spots to New England for Noonan, who made 119 regular-season appearances, including 110 starts, for the Revolution and had 37 goals and 29 assists.
Noonan will likely start on the flank for the Crew Saturday against FC Dallas because midfielders Robbie Rogers and Emmanuel Ekpo are competing in the Olympics.
"(Noonan) brings that ability to get away from defenders," Crew defender Ezra Hendrickson said. "That's something we've been missing, especially from the wings since Ekpo and Rogers have been gone. All he needs is a little room. He's the type of player that has that ability to lose a defender within a yard and get a shot off."
The Crew have only one win in their last six matches and were idle last weekend when Chicago took over second place in the Eastern Conference behind the Revolution.
Crew coach Sigi Schmid hopes Noonan can link with Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Alejandro Moreno to provide the boost needed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
"Pat has the ability to play on the flanks. Right now that's where we need a little more support with Rogers and Ekpo gone," Schmid said. "If his style is similar to anybody it's Guillermo's because when he plays as one of the two strikers he finds that space underneath a little bit. As a flank player he'll come inside. He'll not do you down the wing for speed. He can help with our possession game a great deal and he's had a lot of experience in this league. That's why we got him here."
Goalkeeper Will Hesmer is happy to have Noonan on his side for a change. In the second meeting with New England last season, Noonan had a goal and an assist against Hesmer in a 3-3 tie.
"Playing against him is always tough. He's crafty. He's skillful. He's smart," Hesmer said. "He's another good personality to have on the team."
For his part, Noonan said he always liked playing in Crew Stadium if for no other reason than his family could drive from St. Louis to see him play and friends from his playing days at Indiana University could make the 3-hour trek to Columbus.
"I enjoyed playing here because it was a good soccer stadium. The field was nice. We had good success here," he said.
He and his fiancé, Elvira, are living in a hotel at the moment but are already looking for a home so they can ship their belongings from Boston.
Noonan is also ready to put the past behind him on the field when the Crew and Revolution meet Sept. 6 in Columbus and Sept. 27 at New England.
"It will be exciting because it will be the first time to play competitively against them," he said. "I still have good friends there. I'm sure it will be a nice little reunion the day before and before the game saying hello. I'll try to take it as just another game and not try to do too much because it will just hurt the team. It's game time once you step on the field. You forget about the friendships for a little bit."
That's good for the Crew -- as long as he doesn't forget how to score.
Craig Merz is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
