Notes from Mexico vs. New Zealand: Chicharito still needs to impress and Elliott amazed by Kiwis performance against adversity.

The Rose Bowl is quiet after 90,526 watched Mexico's impressive 2-0 victory over New Zealand

Although El Tri shined in a 2-0 victory of New Zealand on Wednesday night. The star of the night, Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez is still not considered a lock on for South Africa by Mexican Head Coach Javier Aguirre who maintains that all spots are still up for grabs.

"I can't think too far ahead when deciding the squad, but he has the same possibilities as all the others," said Aguirre. "He has got a good run of play at the moment, but I want the entire squad to be playing well when I pick the team and I will pick it based on that reality."

Chicharito form of late has made it impossible for Aguirre to keep the Chivas Guadalajara striker off the squad. On Wednesday night, the striker who was once a target for Chivas USA shined again with a beautiful header off a cross by PSV defender Carlos Salcido. The forward will look state his case further by earning a spot for El Tri's next match against fellow World Cup squad North Korea on March 17th in Torreon, Mexico.

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San Jose Earthquakes Midfielder Simon Elliott has played in a number of big games for the Kiwis of New Zealand throughout his 60 caps with the Oceania side, but after Wednesday's game he admitted that the Kiwis preformed quite well while facing a stiff test against Mexico in front of a heavily Mexican crowd of 90,526 at the Rose Bowl.

"Several years ago if you put this team in this type of situation, maybe they don't handle it so well," said the Earthquakes midfielder. However, they handled the conditions and the crowd very well and more of these experiences will only help us."

Elliott was impressive in his 90 minutes on the field for the Kiwis, however he admitted that the problem for New Zealand on Wednesday was not the crowd but rather the vicious technical passing ability of Mexico.

"It was a great atompshere, a number of guys may have been phased but they were going to be phased by the quick passing of Mexico whether not they were playing in front of 900 or 90,000," said Elliott.

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BSB Exclusive: A Conversation with Earthquakes Defender Ike Opara

Billed as one of the greatest defending prospects that the United States has ever produced, the Earthquakes Number 3 overall pick Ike Opara trained with San Jose during the club's recent training camp in Arizona. Opara enjoyed an illustrious career at Wake Forest being named Atlantic Coast Conference defender of the year in 2008 and 2009 while also being a member of the Demon Deacons National Championship squad in 2007. Ike also spent time with the United States U-20 Men's National Team and appearing in the 2009 U-20 World Cup in all three matches for the Yanks. I spoke to Ike to get his impressions of playing for the Quakes and his goals for 2010.

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Berkeley Sports Blog: How was it training with the Quakes last week?

Ike Opara: “It went really well. It was a great experience; I worked hard and I learned a good amount during the two days that I was there. I’m looking forward to getting back as soon as possible and integrating more with the team."

BSB: Did any of the team speak to you on your performance training with the team?

Ike: “I spoke to the coaching staff who told me that I did pretty well but had some things to improve. A number of the guys gave me some helpful advice. I think that they showed some great leadership in helping me out.”

BSB: How did the club receive you when you arrived in Arizona?

Ike: “I was very nervous, but the players are a great group of guys who treated me very wel during my time with them. I know that at the combine, Coach Yallop said that they were a great bunch of guys and he was right about that.”

BSB: What was a typical day like for you when you were training with the club?

Ike: “When I first got there, the team had a game the next day so I just worked on the building my physical base with the Strength and conditioning coach, they told me that I did pretty well for the first day. From there on, it was practicing, scrimmaging 11 v. 11 and 6 v. 6. It was good to get out there and work with the team."

BSB: Let’s go back to the draft, what were you thoughts on being drafted by the Earthquakes and what do you think you can add to their defensive corps?

Ike: “I was very excited to go to San Jose. That was actually the team that I was most interested in going to. I spoke to the coaches during the combine and they got me really excited about what they were building in San Jose. I thank God that I heard my name called. I’m looking to bring some athleticism to the back line, but also a new mentality to the foundation that the Quakes have. I’m also really excited to head over to the Bay Area, it’ll be a nice change of pace compared to the snow in North Carolina.”

"Thank God I was selected"

BSB: A lot is made about the jump between College Soccer and MLS, what are you expecting and what are you doing to prepare for that jump?

Ike: “I’m definitely expecting to hit a few speed bumps along the way. Whether it be physicality or the speed of play or just the way that the game is played, I’m definitely expecting to deal with a difference between the two style of games. I’ve definitely got to pay attention to all of the little details now. I’ve been communicating with the coaching staff and the players to see what I need to work on to become a better player, both on and off the field. I know that Coach Yallop was a defender in his day so he has plenty of tips for me on improving my game."

BSB: Because you’re staying in school and not taking part in the training camp, are there any worries with you or with Coach Yallop, on you having a trouble integrating with the squad?"

Ike: “This is one of the things that we talked about when we were in Arizona. That's why we worked on a schedule that will allow me to be with the team a lot more than people would think during the preseason. Obviously, I'm going to have to get the okay from my professors, but if everything goes according to plan then I'll be with the team a lot more than people would think. With that being said, I'll still be behind a little, but hopefully I'll be able to lessen that gap and by a certain point of the season be completely caught up."

BSB: What about your own impressions, are you disappointed that you don’t get to have that training camp experience?

Ike: "When I was in Arizona, I was worried about how the team would receive me, but it's a great group of guys and I think that no matter what, my integration won't be as difficult as some might think. Thank God for that, because I believe that it's really important to be comfortable with your teammates. Hopefully on the field, we'll be able to come together and achieve success on the field whether it's this year, next year or in the future."

Ike displaying his trademark athleticism for the U-20 US Men's National Team

BSB: What do you think will be a successful year for you and the team?

Ike: “I definitely want to become a player and help my teammates become better as well. Hopefully this will lead to a playoff push and maybe even something special.”

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BSB: You come from Wake Forest University, which has such a great soccer program, what separates them from the rest of College Soccer?

Ike: “First of all, Coach Jay (Vidovich) and his supporting staff provide a good schedule and a lot of discipline which a lot of programs don’t have. Obviously coming to Wake Forest, Coach Jay is a great teacher of the game and also teaches you to become a better person. He has a saying which “Winning people make winning players, winning players make winning teams” and he’s stuck by that. Obviously when you come to Wake Forest, you’re not going to come in immediately and be a superstar, you’ll have to put in the hard work on the field and off the field to succeed. Coach has been doing a wonderful job there and the future is incredibly bright there.”

"Winning people make winning players and winning players make winning teams": Ike (Far Left) and Wake win the 2007 College Cup.

BSB: What spurred you to decide to stay in school and finish up your degree?

Ike: “To myself and my family, it made sense for me to stay in School. I really didn’t want to pass on this opportunity. At the end of the day, I had to do what was the best for me and my family and I felt like this was the best route for me. If I hurt short term with soccer, or what not right now, it’s fine. Hopefully down the road it will all end up being fine and I’ll end up becoming a great player.”

BSB: What is the degree that you’re finishing up?

Ike: “I already finished my major in Communications, but now I’m finishing up my minor in Entrepreneurship. It’s going to be a little difficult because I’ve got to do an internship, but I think later down the road it will pay off.”

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BSB: Let’s change gears, what is your favorite type of music?

Ike: “I love hip-hop. Right now, my iPod is playing a lot of Wyclef."

BSB: What about television, what are you watching?

Ike: "I've been way too busy right now to sit down and watch TV, but during the summer when I have the time I like to watch Entourage and of course SportsCenter."

BSB: And lastly, where do you see yourself in five years, Ike?

Ike: “I have different feelings about that every day. What I want is to be playing somewhere, being successful as a player and most of all being happy. Wherever that may be, but one thing for is that I’m looking for to the future.”

Profile of a Golden Bear: Calen Carr

Growing up on the UC Berkeley campus, Chicago Fire forward Calen Carr is a Berkeley boy through and through. With his mother a professor at the University, Carr grew up practicing step overs and arithmetic throughout the UC Berkeley campus. It was fate that Calen would end up playing for the Golden Bears where he would score 22 goals in his four year career with Cal. While graduating with a degree in 2005 in Mass Communications. Calen would continue his career professionally with the Chicago Fire after being drafted 10th in the 2006 draft. However, the forward turned winger endured several injuries which made it difficult for him to see the field with Chicago. In 2010, the Berkeley product has signed a contract extension with the Fire in hopes of cementing his role for the Eastern Conference power house.

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BSB: So Calen, you were in the headlines a few days ago after news came out about your contract extension with the Fire, can you tell us a little bit about that?

Calen Carr: "Near the end of the last season, I was speaking with Frank Klopas about the prospect of coming back and at the end of the day; we decided that it was a good fit. I'm excited to be back in Chicago because it’s one of the best organizations in MLS, it’s a club with a lot of tradition and I'm happy to keep building down the road.

BSB: Calen, you've had a lot of injury troubles coming into your fourth year in the league, how are you feeling going into 2010 and what does it mean for you personally to be resigned by Chicago in light of your injury?

CC: "It's been really unfortunate with my knee injury, it was a major knee injury and it kept me off the field for a long time. However, from the top down, all the way to the training staff and everyone in the old and the new coaching staff have been supportive and given me all the resources that I need to come back and be healthy. I think during last season, coming back from training and in the games that I was able to be a part of, I proved that I was healthy and the idea was building me to being ready for this season. During this offseason, I was back in Berkeley training with a number of former Cal guys who are now in MLS as well as a few guys in the San Jose Earthquakes. I'm finally fit and healthy and at the stage now where I'm not even thinking about the injury.

BSB: How does it feel to finally be fully fit?

CC: "It feels great. I'm feeling as fast as ever which is big because athleticism is a big part of my game. This time last year, I was sitting in Chicago doing my physical therapy while the team underwent preseason, I don't even think I was jogging at this time last year. To be out here training everyday and being amongst the team is something that I wake up every day and don't forget. I feel really fortunate to have my health and to have this opportunity.

BSB: Congratulations on that Calen, switching gears now. What do you think you need to get earn a place on the field with the Fire once the season starts?

CC: “Over the past couple years; I’ve been transitioning from a forward to an outside midfielder. With my skill set, using my pace and running at guys while having a little more space to operate is a good spot for me. I’ll always be able to play forward, which was my college position and I feel comfortable playing up to, but in the preseason this season so far I’ve been playing more outwide. I think that I can play a couple different spots now so I’m pretty versatile. I’ll be able to step in whatever role the coaches see for me in any number of different positions.

BSB: You’ve got the new coach, Carlos De Los Cobos has he spoken to you about what your role could be for his squad?

CC: “We really haven’t spoken about that yet. We’re not even a week into our training right now and we’re just into acclimating ourselves to his style of game. Right now, I’m not too worried about any role right now because I think that as long as I keep working to try and make the coaches decision as hard as possible, that’s all any player can do to stake a claim for a place on the team.

BSB: The Fire has come close to getting to MLS Cup each of the last two years, what should we expect from the Fire this year?

CC: “One of the reasons that I love playing here is because the Fire are a club that is very ambitious. Championships are what we play for year in and year out. A lot of our guys have been involved in championship winning clubs or been close and we’ve had a number of great players who have played for us who although my not still be around, their legacy is still with the club. I think that the bar is set high for us and a championship is what we’re after.

Calen and the Fire are hoping for an MLS Cup in 2010 (Getty Images)

BSB: What’s your advice to the rookies in your squad, it wasn’t too long ago that you were a rookie yourself, so what to you tell them about the transition from college soccer to MLS?

CC: “It’s a big transition because of the length; the college season is pretty short and going from that environment to preparing for the combine and preseason which is about as long as the college season. It’s a tough transition for anyone to make. What I try to say to the young guys is to be confident in their abilities and to work hard because the Fire have a lot of resources in terms of coaches as well as people to have been around for awhile. When I was a rookie, I made sure to piggy back on C.J. Brown, wherever he walked, I walked. You can learn a lot about what it means to be a good professional and to take care of yourself by watching how these guys carry themselves.

BSB: What’s it like for an MLS player in Chicago?

CC: “I think Chicago is a pretty unique situation. The league is growing and I’ve got friends like Tyson Wahl in Seattle which is a pretty unique environment. Chicago is up there with the best in the league in terms of support. It’s a major market, but it’s a sports town first and foremost, people will get behind their sports teams whether it’s the Cubs, White Sox, Bears, or the Bulls and the Fire have a nice niche as well. Toyota Park is a beautiful facility and the fans here especially Section 8 do a great job of creating a home field advantage. They’re jumping up and down, singing songs the whole game with flares, it’s a great environment. I remember last year during the playoffs we had 21,000 fans in a 20k capacity facility. that would be hard to replicate in even European Countries.”

Calen reaching out to some of the younger fans in the Windy City (Chicago Fire)

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BSB: Let’s change gears, what do you miss about being in Berkeley?

CC: “I love Berkeley, I’m a Berkeley guy born and raised. I grew up in North Berkeley and my mom is a professor at Cal in Environmental Science and Policy Management. I grew up on campus pretty much doing homework in my mom’s office and going to Cal basketball games back when Jason Kidd and Tony Gonzalez were playing, so I’m definitely a Bear since birth. I always try to come back and train with the team when I can and just keep my face around town as much as possible.

BSB: What are your perceptions of the program?

CC: “I was really fortunate to come into the program when Kevin Grimes took over the program. He’s proved to be one of the top coaches in the country and I was able to develop a lot from his coaching. Every year now you’re seeing Cal players come into the league now, we had Andrew Wiedeman and Tyler Barry this year. We have a great group of guys playing in the league who all try to stay in touch. We’re all very proud of the program and what it’s turned into.”

The Bears went to the NCAA tournament 4 times under Calen's watch

BSB: What were your favorite spots while you were growing up here?

CC: “I definitely would go to Gordo’s a lot, I love Mexican food and its hard to beat California Mexican food. In terms of sit down Mexican place, I’d hit up Juan’s Place which is a hidden spot in the Berkeley Warehouse District.”

BSB: How about Music? What do you usually listen to and what’s your favorite thing to play before a game?

CC: “It really changes. I just listen to whatever I’m feeling at the time. Usually, I listen to something a bit more upbeat, I’m a big fan of hip hop and rap music so I listen to a lot of that. However, when I want to relax, I have a little bit of a record collection. I’ve got some soul classics like Al Green, Aretha Franklin and the Temptations.

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A Soul Classic, music to unwind to.

BSB: What about on the Tube or the Big Screen? What are you watching?

CC: “I’m a big Curb Your Enthusiasm fan. That show is hilarious; I think that I have every season of that on DVD and on my iPhone so I can watch it on the plane. Other than that, I just downloaded Dumb and Dumber, that’s a classic. I’m pretty much all about the comedies.”

BSB: Lastly, where do you see yourself at the end of this season and after that in the next 5 years?

CC: I think that I’ve grown every year as a player since I’ve left Cal and that’s really what I focus on is getting better every year. The injuries have set me back, but I’m healthy now and I’m ready to make a run at it. I just want to be a contributor to my team and I want to be a winner and part of a winning tradition. I think that’s my main goal right now, I try not to think too far ahead and set a ceiling for how high I can go. I just train day by day and see where it goes.

Amarikwa looks to solidify role in year two with the Earthquakes

Amarikwa looks to push forward in 2010 (Getty Images)

In 2009, Earthquakes forward Quincy Amarikwa was a rookie yearning to earn not only just a spot on the club, but also a regular spot on the field for San Jose.

But in 2010, the UC Davis product is looking not just to contribute but to start for the Earthquakes.

Amarikwa offered a significant spark for the Earthquakes in his rookie year providing the additional speed needed off the bench late in the match and even earning a goal late in the season. However, the young forward is hoping that in the new season, he will have a wider role in helping San Jose achieve success.

"I hope when i get my opportunities that I can finish my chances," said Amarikwa. "We've got good depth at the forward position and I'm hoping that when I do get my opportunity that I can prove my worth."

The forward started his San Jose career as he finished his degree in Biological Sciences at UC Davis. Now with a full preseason with the team, the striker is hoping that a fast start in 2010 can earn him a role in pushing the Earthquakes up from the foot of the Western Conference.

"I want to keep improving my decision making, my finishing and my understanding of the game," said Amarikwa. "I'm hoping that I can just learn to become more well rounded and be successful at this level."

As the Bakersfield forward pushes for minutes, he is also attempting to take a greater leadership role amongst the Quakes. Although Amarikwa is only 22, he is already becoming a voice in the locker room offering advice to those who were in his shoes just one season ago, the Earthquakes 2010 rookie class.

"The most important thing is trying hard, if you make mistakes being younger that you might let it get to you a bit more and you'll put your head down. It's good to keep your head up, forget when you make a mistake and just work with the positive," said Amarikwa. "It's much different for them than the college game so they just need to learn as they go."

Quakes look to hit the ground running in 2010

For the San Jose Earthquakes, 2009 was a season to forget. The club's slow start to the season and injuries down the stretch culminated in a finish at the foot of the Western Conference table.

In their preparation for 2010 however, the club looks to burst out of the gate.

"I think that the preseason is a time when you put a focus to getting your base. During our (training camp), the instructions are clear and specific with each of the guys working very hard," said Quakes midfielder Simon Elliott. "What we are working for is developing consistency for everyone."

As the club looks to develop this consistency, manager Frank Yallop has placed an emphasis in building the club through physical training during the team's training camp in Oakland, California. Yallop's intense regiment of running drills and fitness tests look to put the Earthquakes in peak condition as the club sits more than a month from opening the season at home against defending champion Real Salt Lake on March 27th.

"Opposed to other years with Frank, there's a much larger emphasis on the fitness side of things, in the past week there hasn't been a ball in sight. Everything has been a lot more physically demanding on the players this year," said Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon. "If we can add a fitness part and a blue collar element (to our game) we'll be that much better."

As one of the Earthquakes most vocal leader, Cannon is looking to become instrumental in helping the Earthquakes reach the playoffs in year three of their existence.

"I think the best thing that I can do at this point is get my game going by getting to a rhythm in goal and start making big saves. Being someone on the field is what this team needs," said Cannon. "I think the first thing you have to do as a leader is produce on the field and make sure that we're inclusive as a group."

San Jose earned its first victory of the year today with a 3-0 victory over local club Real San Jose. Lastly, the Quakes are continuing their training camp in Arizona next week with a pair of friendly matches against Western Conference rival, Kansas City Wizards.

Brandon McDonald pulled from USMNT training on Friday

McDonald looks to recover from right calf strain (Getty Images)

San Jose Earthquake defender Brandon McDonald was pulled from the second half of training with the United States Men's national team on Friday. Brandon McDonald who had been playing in a 5 on 3 was unable to return to training after picking up a minor right calf strain. Sources with US Soccer report that McDonald was only removed for precautionary reasons to assure that the defender's strain did not increase in severity.

Quakes fans hope that the minor injury does not mirror the experience of Jason Hernandez who appeared in the January camp last season. Hernandez experienced a very injury riddled 2009 season and is still a question mark for the start of the season in 2010. McDonald had been one of the bright spots in training before his removal playing in the back with Kansas City Wizard Jimmy Conrad.

Profile of a Golden Bear: Andrew Wiedeman

One of the brighest stars for UC Berkeley over the past three years, Andrew Wiedeman signed a Generation Adidas contract with MLS on Tuesday night. Wiedeman will now prepare for the 2010 MLS draft combine in Ft. Lauderdale, FL from January 8th to January 12th. With the 2010 MLS SuperDraft taking place in Philadelphia on January 14th. Andrew tallied 30 goals over his three year career with the Golden Bears and 11 in 2009. Wiedeman was a focal point in Cal's NCAA tournament teams in 2007 and 2008. BerkeleySportsBlog.com has his first exclusive interview since signing his deal with Major League Soccer.


What are your thoughts on signing for MLS?

“It’s feels great, it’s obviously pretty cool to have some closure to this long process. A lot of stuff was up in the air so it feels good to have finally signed and I’m excited to start the next step in my career.”

How does it feel to have finally signed?

“It really hasn’t hit me yet. Obviously, I’m very excited because it’s always been a dream of mine to play professionally, so it’s really cool to have accomplished that. However, I have a lot more that I want to accomplish and this is only the start of it. I’m trying not to be too complacent, obviously it’s pretty cool to start the professional aspect of my career because this is my passion and I’ve been doing this all my life. Having said that, the feeling will be brief because I have more that I want to accomplish.”

What was the signing process like?

“Honestly, there isn’t too much to it. For awhile, I heard that I was on a list that the league had, but that was quite awhile ago. More recently, the league formally declared that they had interest so they sent over a proposal and it went from there.”

How do you plan on preparing for the Draft Combine?

“I’ve been training pretty rigorously. I took a couple weeks off after the college season ended, but ever since then I’ve been training a lot and I’m going to continue doing that until the combine."

Have you been keeping up to date with your projected draft stock?

“I’ve come across it, but those things really don’t mean anything. Draft stock really changes with the combine so if I perform well, then it will improve. It is obviously very flattering to see that somebody rates you, but I don’t think that the opinion of these people really carries weight with the coaches and GMs of MLS so I’ve got to improve my draft stock regardless.”


Mock Drafts have Andrew going anywhere from 6th to 11th spot.


What do you feel that you could bring to an MLS squad?

“I like to think that I have a pretty good attitude and a good work ethic, but I just hope that I can get some playing time so that I can contribute and develop more.”

How would you describe yourself as a forward?

“I’m a fairly simple player. I’m not exactly the player who is going to dribble through the defense and rip an upper ninth shot. I try to keep it simple and combine with the other players and put away my opportunities when I get them.”

What gives you that extra bit of edge that helps you succeed?

“I try not to be complacent and always improve. However, I’m not out there to try and beat the other guys, I just want to improve my own game and always get better.”

Who was your biggest influence as a player growing up?

“That would have to be my buddy Kyle Davies who currently plays for FC Dallas. We played a lot when we were younger and he was always the super star doing big things. I’ve always wanted to push myself to get to his level.”

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In 2009, Cal Soccer came into the season with high expectations, but was unable to qualify for the NCAA tournament; can you explain how the season unfolded for the Golden Bears?

“Obviously, the season didn’t go the way that we wanted it to. We came out flying out of the gates by playing great soccer, but then we had some pretty unfortunate injuries at the wrong time. Ultimately, that’s what hurt us the most. Having said that, I think if we hadn’t had these injuries, the season would have ended a lot differently.”


With 30 goals over 3 season and 11 in 2009, Cal was always competitive with Andrew in the game


Can you explain how Head Coach Kevin Grimes has helped develop Cal as a top soccer program?

“Honestly, the thing that he does best is that he runs the organization so professionally. He has high expectations for everyone and holds them to a high level of conduct. I remember coming in as a freshman and thinking that some of his philosophies were weird and kind of pointless, but two years later looking back on it, he does all the little things that make us successful at the end of the day.”

Can you describe about how you developed over your Cal Career?

“What changed was the amount of responsibility that I received. When I first came to the team it had guys like Andrew Jacobson and Javier Ayala-Hil who carried a lot of the responsibility so everything that I got was simply an added bonus. However, I feel that I’ve matured as I’ve grown. Also, getting a few more goals really helps build your confidence so that I got a little more responsibility on my shoulders and I felt that if I could perform well then the team would always succeed.”

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Let's switch gears a little bit, what’s your favorite music?

“I really like the latest Lil Wayne mix tape and my little brother just got me a Matt Nathanson CD. We saw him in concert a few months back in San Francisco and I really liked it, so he bought me his album.. However, my pregame theme song is “Untouched” by the Veronicas. It was on the FIFA09 soundtrack and I really liked it. I bump that and it really gets me going.”


"With this pregame anthem, its understandable why Andrew goes 'untouched' on the pitch"

Do you have any TV shows that you watch?

“I really love the Office and Californication on Showtime. I love that show, Hank Moody is my idol.”


What was your major at Cal?

"Social Welfare."

What’s your favorite spot to go to in Berkeley?

“As far as eating goes, Genova’s which is technically in Oakland is just amazing. They have the best sandwiches around.”

And Lastly, where do you picture yourself in 5 years?

“Hopefully, just playing on a team and helping them be successful.”