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Must-See Goal: Feilhaber’s bicycle

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  1. Going to Derby County was a terrible decision that hurt Feilhaber’s career. Benny had signed with Hamburg after being named to the top eleven at the 2005 U20 World Cup Benny began to play for the first team 2006. Benny appeared in 12 games for Hamburg which was played in the UEFA Champions league that season. He was receiving regular minutes in each game but the team due to numerous injuries wasn’t doing well. Stevens replaced the coach who was playing Feilhaber regularly and Feilhaber’s appearances drastically decreased although he had played well in his first season with Hamburg. Feilhaber jumped at the chance to play in the Prem with newly promoted Derby County which wasa terrible decision. Derby had a history of shaky finances and its’ management was unwilling to spend much money to improve the team. So unlike the usual significant change in personal when a team is promoted to the Prem except for Feilhaber and few other players Derby started the season with the same team as the one which finished 3rd in the Championship. Predictably Derby had a terrible start. Billy Davies who stated the obvious i.e. Derby had not obtained enough Premier level players was fired 2 months after the season started and replaced by Jewell. Jewell who I can only conclude had some sort of personal animosity towards Feilhaber refused to play him and he appeared in only 1 or 2 games for the rest of the season. So Feilhaber had more appearance for a team in the Champions League (Hamburg) in 2006-7 than the worst team in English top flight history. Eyewitnesses at practices said Benny was the best player on the team. The worm Jewell’s treatment of Benny had a bad effect on Benny’ attitude. In my opinion,he feels trying your best and being very talented isn’t enough when the coach has doesn’t like your ethnic group. Benny couldn’t see the bench for a team which would probably have a losing record in the MLS after playing decently for a Champions League Team. Benny played well at 2010 WC .The Americans outscored the opposition 4-1 during the 165 minutes Feilhaber was on the field for the US during the 2010 World Cup. At the Confederations Cup when the US ended Spain’s long unbeaten streak Benny orchestrated the second goal, rounding Gerard Pique to find Landon Donovan, who found Clint Dempsey for the finish in the center. In my opinion, Benny should see a sports psychologist. He has not had the best relationships with teammates and coaches since the nightmare of Derby. Maybe Jewell didn’t like Jews. It’s not unheard of in Europe. He is clearly is better than Torres who couldn’t carry his jockstrap as far as talent.

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  2. Mixx had a couple passes in one game against South Africa. Even based on that high water mark performance, he’d shuffle in below Feilhaber on my pecking order.

    Gil, 14 games, 2 G 0 A for RSL. Jury still out, young guy, but no immediate wunderkind a la Rooney or Messi or Michael Owen aka The Forgotten Man.

    In terms of the U-23 pool, the lineup the other day was Adu (sorry, no), Shea (interesting one), Okugo (sorry, no), Agudelo (interesting one again). But Feilhaber has shown he can be a 90 minute guy and scored a historical goal, and Shea and Agudelo haven’t broken in yet because they haven’t.

    No, I think he’s a pretty good skill player, not the best, but competitive for the 23, not unlike Rico Clark who was taking a bunch of similar crud the other day. And now that he’s at NE he’s positioned to get PT, be productive, and score goals like this that will keep him on the radar. And I’m just a tad befuddled at how a nice goal against a good team inspires comments about how washed up or surpassed you are. Really?

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  3. Very different players.

    In his era, Reyna was totally one of a kind for an American.

    But let’s not forget things. In France 98 Reyna was HORRIBLE. He was so horrible, Frankie Hejduk showed him up!But he certainly made up for it with great play in 2002.

    And let’s be honest, before Torres and all these new German-Americans Benny was also a bit of a special one.

    But Benny’s had some really special moments.

    It was his dribble in the Confederations Cup that was crucial in not only setting up Dempsey’s goal, but also showing huge cajones in a team certainly lacking them.

    I think he just needs people to believe in him no matter what. I don’t think he’s good enough to get into our starting eleven.

    But if we were to stick with the diamond, I can easily see him really doing well with it.

    Come to think of it, when Benny played for HSV many moons ago, he did really well as the left midfielder. I certainly hope he at least makes a run for starting spot, because he really is talented. Maybe he should hit the weight room, though. He’s a bit soft in the tackle.

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  4. Same experience sat up in the mid tier, near midfield. After Mexico scored they dumped beer on us from above. After we scored, they dumped beer on us from above…you get the picture. Classy fans indeed. The best part was after the game when Mexico fans were fighting each other in the stands. What a disgrace.

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  5. A guy I’ve always pulled for. Still am… he shows such flashes of promise, but it’s beginning to get late in the game to speak that way. At some point, promises need to be kept. To be considered for the Nats, they must be kept often. Blending in w/ the worst team in MLS… not so much going to get it done. Hate to say it but, his my admittedly limited exposure, his effort seems to be hit and miss, he kind of wilts under physical pressure, looks for the easy way out- goes to ground rather than playing through. Fight through the pressure & the ref will start to give you calls B. Hope I’m dead wrong as he brings a flair and puts the ball in dangerous places when he’s on. Talent pool is getting deeper for the US… I think it’s going to get nothing but harder for him to be called up though, so he’d better pick it up! Oh yeah… haha… hell of a goal.

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  6. Benny has excellent technical skill but Reyna/Klinnsmann don’t like his workrate. That doesn’t mean he doesnt have the quality to be on the National team. He was on the National team under Bradley so its just matter of opinion.

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  7. It was a great atmosphere for a match. We sat across the stadium from Sam’s Army with a giant Dempsey sign. The Mexicans pelted us with everything imaginable after the game. Some guy pegged one of my friends with a full beer. We were pissed haha

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  8. I’m pretty sure that any random guy off the street in Boston would be one of the Revs top 4 or 5 players, so top 2 or 3 isn’t saying much.

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  9. With the class of talent we have coming up in the U-23/U-20 pool, I don’t think that will be a true statement anymore…Mix, Gil and Lletget.

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  10. I hope Benny can work his way back into being a regular callup for the NATS. If the Revs continue to use him in both a wide and central role, perhaps it will show his versatility to JK…

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  11. Great goal. I used to love this guy, but it’s true that he seems to just turn it on and off. A guy with his technical ability should be more productive than he is. His training habits are also notoriously poor if you believe the rumors. I wouldn’t completely rule him out at this point, but I’ve despaired of the light bulb coming on for him before his ability begins to drop off.

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  12. Benny still has time to turn it around, he is currently one of the Revs top 2 or 3 players. Yea he didn’t have the greatest time in England, but since then he’s been a great player for Aarhus and the Revs. He can still contribute to the national team and should be called up.

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  13. the evil tongues will say that once every five years Feilhaber scores a golazo and then he does nothing in between. But I really love the way he plays. Benny is a lock picker, he knows how to patiently keep position and create chances even against a bunkered-in opponent. I think not only of his golazo vs Mexico in 07 Gold cup final in Soldier Field. I think also of the way he played as a 2nd half sub in the same stadium, in a very complicated and crucial comeback win vs Honduras in a World Cup qualifier (Landon seemed to be constantly looking to play off him). And he had best plus/minus of US players in the World Cup. I just cannot understand why his club career has not been at all successful.

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  14. Could it be that the reason he isn’t used more is because he hasn’t had a steadier club career…I think no one doubts his ability and technical ability, like you said he is a smooth player But he is so inconsistent.

    I think it all goes back to the derby county year, it could have helped his career take off or flat line and sadly is was the latter. He just never has been able to reach the height of where he was at and going at the time whether it’s been injury or club situation.

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  15. Feilhaber is a unique player, smooth like Reyna. Nice unexpected finish from him.

    Annoying he isn’t used more and hasn’t had a steadier club career.

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