COLUMBUS – The Columbus Crew’s Andy Adlard is like any rookie, excited to be teammates with professional players he’s admired and hopes to emulate.
“I’m awed a little bit,” he said. “I know there are national team players here that have played at the highest level against the top players in the world. I’m trying to do some of the things they’re doing and trying to link up a bit with them.”
But to call him reverential like a movie buff lined up at the red carpet for the Academy Awards? Nope.
“Being at Chelsea I ate with my heroes – (Frank) Lampard and all them – for a week straight,” he said. “They were right next to me eating lunch. That got a lot of the star struck out of me and settled me down a bit.”
Adlard was 17 and the time with one of the world’s elite clubs was one of several stops before he entered Indiana University. He also trained in England with Birmingham City, Fulham and Colchester United.
Although the midfielder was born in Evansville, Ind., and grew up in Wisconsin he feels at home in England. His dad was a goalkeeper for Nottingham Forest and Lincoln City and was in the national team’s youth system.
The younger Adlard hoped his stint with Chelsea would create opportunities across the pond but the timing was off.
“I was right at that age gap,” he said. “I didn’t have my British passport yet. I went over for a few more trials at different places. That was more for the experience than anything.”
His father eventually became a college coach in the U.S., including the head position at Marquette University from 1991-2005.
Crew coach Robert Warzycha said the younger Adlard’s background is unlike other rookies.
“He has an advantage,” Warzycha said. “He saw big games. He grew up in that environment with his dad playing and coaching.”
Adlard decided early that he didn’t want to follow his father’s footsteps and make a career between the pipes.
“There was a point when I was 8 or 9 I thought about it, but by then I was already scoring goals,” Adlard said. “I love the feeling of scoring. I couldn’t go in goal.”
He had 19 goals in 86 games for the Hoosiers in his career and was an All-Big Ten first team honoree in 2010.
The Crew selected Adlard in last month’s Supplemental Draft.
“We can plug him in whether it’s wide midfield or center,” Warzycha said. “He’s a good overall player.”
CAMP NOTES: The first preseason game is Saturday morning near Phoenix against Sporting Kansas City. Warzycha’s son, Konrad, is a rookie midfielder with SKC… “As a father, it’s in back of your mind but also I coach a different team and I’m going to concentrate on my side.”… ‘Keeper William Hesmer, recovering from a separated right shoulder in October, is expected to be cleared for full contact on Monday. Backup Andy Gruenebaum had a cortisone shot in his right hip last week and is at least a week away from training.
