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Americans Abroad: Tuesday Rewind

Benny Feilhaber (ISIphotos.com)

                                                                    Photo by ISIphotos.com

by GIANFRANCO PANIZO

Five months after making his first and, to this point only, official appearance for AGF Aarhus, Benny Feilhaber finally returned to action on Tuesday.

Yes you read that correctly, Benny Feilhaber is playing soccer again.

It was only a friendly, but Feilhaber made a substitute appearance for Aarhus' pre-season match against FC Vysocina Jihlava of Czech Republic. Feilhaber's 23-minute performance for the Danish club was his first significant playing time of any kind since being sidelined by a slow-healing knee injury.

The American midfielder will look to build on his second-half appearance as Aarhus continues to prepare for the start of the Danish Superliga. The club opens its 2009 campaign on March 1 vs. Randers.

Feilhaber was one of just a handful of Americans in Europe to see playing time on Tuesday. Here is how the rest of the Americans Abroad performed:

ENGLAND

COCA-COLA CHAMPIONSHIP

  • Jay DeMerit started and played 90 minutes in Watford's 2-0 win vs. Swansea City.
  • Frank Simek did not dress in Sheffield Wednesday's 1-0 loss vs. Barnsley.

LEAGUE ONE

  • Mike Grella came off the bench and played 31 minutes in Leeds' 2-0 loss vs. Hereford United.
  • Ian Joyce dressed but did not play in Southend United's 1-0 loss vs. Crewe Alexandra.

ITALY

  • Danny Szetela did not dress in Brescia's 3-0 win vs. Ancona.

DENMARK

  • Benny Feilhaber came off the bench and played 23 minutes in AGF Aarhus' 1-0 exhibition win vs. FC Vysocina Jihlava.

What do you think of these performances? Happy to see Feilhaber back in action? Hoping he gets back to his 2007 form and challenges for a spot on the U.S. National Team? Thinking Mike Grella isn't far off from getting his first start for Leeds?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Greetings from Denmark…!

    A big fan of Aarhus here, to tell you to stay updated on Benny feilhaber, as he is about to make a big career move upwards, in the time soon to come. We all know his qualities and what he is capable of as a football player, and not least as a human being. Him and especially country fellowman Jeremiah White have improved alot as players since their arrivals to Aarhus.

    The team is very focused on the upcoming season, and have just returned from training 2 weeks in Italy. We are currently in fith position in the league, and with the new trainer Erik Rasmussen who transferred at new year, the future a couple of years looks to hopefully be bright, as most people in Denmark consider him to be professional and take exellent care of the troop.

    Its a very exiting time to be an Aarhus fan, be sure to check up on your fellow countrymen. The link below is to an Agf fan page with daily news, and interviews with the players etc.

    There’s one with Benny, talking about his current situation… 🙂 Go to bottom of page

    http://morethanaclub.dk/

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  2. Who hoo!! a substitute in a friendly for a third rate team!!!!

    Klejestan might as well just hand over his spot on the NAts.

    This guys career is going no where.

    The new Clint Mathis

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  3. Wow- I am semi-shocked Grella is already playing. The guy signed less than a month ago. Will Sam Cronin or Omar Gonzalez be playing at the beginning of the year.

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  4. Brought a smile to my face to see that picture, and made me feel grand to see he got some time, here’s to echoing the well-wishes of everyone else.

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  5. Nice update, with one glaring omission.

    How can you do a story on Feilhaber at Aarhus, and then fail to mention that his teammate (and American international) Jeremiah White started the match and played 67 minutes at RM/RW?

    Please add White to your listings of American’s Abroad, he has been capped (once or twice), I believe in late 2007 or 2008.

    Keep up the otherwise fantastic work.

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  6. The Danish league is half-way through their season, just getting back from their long Nordic winter break. Sweden has a summer schedule.

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  7. You forgot Jon-Paul Pittman who plays in league 2 with Wycombe. He made his 2nd apperance since joining in the transfer window in January. He scored his first goal in yesterdays 1-0 win over Dag and Red.

    Also Jeremiah White plays for AGF and his a midfielder/striker, he has made 1 apperance for the Nats. He has 6 goals.

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  8. If Feilhaber can back to where he once was, oh boy. Competition in the midfield is going to be insane with Bradley, Torres, Kljestan, Holden, Feilhaber, Edu, and Szetela: AND THEY’RE ALL STILL YOUNG. With that much skill in the midfield, I can see a 4-3-2-1 being played at some point utilizing 3 of those guys.

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  9. I’m glad Benny is playing again, I hope he rehabbed that lousy attitude that he reportedly developed as well as his knee. There isn’t many players in the USMNT pool that can do what he does.

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  10. great to see Benny back, he can be an important contributor in 2010. Not many in the national team pool have his skills and creativity.

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  11. I think Jay would be a great backup CB option. Despite it being the 2nd Division, he still plays in a pretty tough league…and got plenty of time against Chelsea last week…and played well until about the 75th minute.

    Keep hoping someone will buy him in the Prem…but that looks to be a pipe-dream.

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  12. Yeah. Demerit and Feilhaber taking steps forward. Swansea is no pushover. Why doesn’t Jay get called into the national team anymore.
    Would be great if Benny could get back into the Bundesliga. Stuttgart (among a host of others) would be perfect for him.

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  13. Feilhaber was (and maybe still is) the only USMNT player that could string passes together. He always seemed so composed on the ball. Everyone talks about the Gold Cup game, but he was also the only one that played well down at the Copa America.

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  14. I’m very glad Feilhaber is back on the field playing. He had such promise a couple years ago, showing his creativeness in the midfield, and ability to hit a full volley into the upper 90.

    But then he got a big head, and a bum knee. I really like the kid, and hope he can make it back into the MNT rotation. But he’ll have to beat out Kjlestian. Hope to see him in a qualifier this year…

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  15. Brescia is Seria B. But, people i talk to that follow the team and Seria B say that his style is not a fit. The delusion that has been passed around the comments here is that he has been playing well and getting minutes at Brescia. The staff, squad and fans have good things to say about him but he’s just not getting the pitch time. I’ll get a chance to see him in about 2 weeks so I might be able to tell you more. Not see him as if we are friends but see him when Brescia take on Frosinone.

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  16. Feilhaber had one of the best USMNT goals ever against Mexico in the final of the Gold Cup.

    I would like to see this guy succeed; he always seemed like quality on the field whenever he played.

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  17. It’s good to know that Benny has not fallen off the face of the earth. May great things be headed his way. I want to see him on the Nats again.

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  18. I’m a bigger fan of Feilhaber than anyone and I hope he can improve.

    I was about to say “Ives, get some sleep” but then I noticed this was a Gianfranco Panizo piece.

    Reply

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