Photo by ISIphotos.com
BY DYLAN BUTLER
It's a good time to be Charlie Davies.
After a breakthrough performance at the FIFA Confederations Cup and scoring a goal in the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Grenada, the 23-year-old forward will get to play in front of family and friends from the Boston area for the first time in a U.S. national team kit Saturday as the U.S. looks to lock up Group B against Haiti at Gillette Stadium.
And on Friday, Davies found a new home, agreeing to terms with French Ligue 1 squad Sochaux.
"That's the next step for me and I'm real excited about it," the former Boston College standout from Manchester, N.H. said. "That was my first choice club to go to and I think it's a perfect opportunity to show my football on the world stage."
The congratulatory texts poured in throughout the night, leaving the groggy Davies confused as he woke up and checked his cell phone this morning.
"I woke up this morning and I had probably 10-15 texts from teammates at Hammarby as well as Jozy Altidore wishing me the best of luck," Davies said. "I was pretty confused, but then I called my agent Lyle (Yorks) and he told me everything had gone through finally and it was pretty exciting."
The deal is contingent on Davies passing a physical and Davies and U.S. coach Bob Bradley both danced around the question of if or when the forward will have to leave the U.S. team to fly to France.
"Right now it's open," Davies said. "As far as that goes, I know it's important that coach Bradley wants me to stay with the team and help this team win the Gold Cup. As far as I know now I've just got to wait and see and find out when I go and take the medical."
Davies said everything is going so quickly for him, it's highlight after highlight. He's got another one on Saturday when his father and brother fly in from San Diego to see him play in a national team jersey for the first time in person.
"It's going from extreme to extreme for me," Davies said. "I've just been really excited the past month and a half and it only keeps getting better for me. I must be doing something right."