U.S. Soccer: How Columbus Crew players are adapting to January camp coming off MLS Cup
For the three Crew players who were invited to the U.S. men's national team January training camp, the time they had to celebrate their MLS Cup championship was cut shorter than the six weeks their teammates were allotted.
Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte and midfielders Aidan Morris and Sean Zawadzki reported to Orlando, Florida, for training camp on Jan. 8, less than a month after the Crew competed in the final match of the postseason.
This meant missing out on some family visits and having to stay home for New Year's Eve, but the three were willing to make the sacrifices of the quick turnaround. Knowing that this was a price of winning the MLS Cup, U.S. Soccer training camp was where they all wanted to be.
"Once I heard that this was a possibility and heard that it was going to happen, I just kind of put my head down and went back to work," Zawadzki said. "As soon as MLS Cup ended, enjoyed my little time off, but then it was back to working, staying fit."
Though there are the physical and mental adversities to having such a short break, Morris pointed out that this is similar to the three weeks of off time that players in Europe get.
This being the second time he's been invited to January camp, Morris is getting to witness how Zawadzki and Schulte are taking to their first senior roster experience. Not spending too much time with Schulte, noting that "the goalies do their own little weird stuff," he has been working a lot with Zawadzki.
"I knew when he got called up, this would be no problem for him," Morris said. "He's always a player who can kind of adapt to wherever he's at. He's always ready for the show and to give it his all."
The Columbus Crew connection
Ohio is well represented on the January roster. Columbus is tied with FC Cincinnati for the most players at training camp with three each, but the Crew organization also has a connection to head coach, Gregg Berhalter. Before starting his first stint as the head coach for the USMNT, Berhalter spent five seasons with Columbus as their head coach and sporting director.
Zawadzki got a glimpse of Berhalter's coaching style during his time with the Crew academy.
When it comes to comparing current Crew coach Wilfried Nancy and the U.S. Soccer coach, of course there are going to be differences, like Nancy using three center backs compared to Berhalter having two. Over the course of training camp, some of the players have also noticed the similarities.
"I'd say it's pretty similar honestly," Schulte said. "They're very hands-on, wanting to improve. Obviously tactics and stuff are different here then with Wilfried, but it's all kind of the same identity."
Morris has kept an open mind throughout training while also making sure to stay authentic to his own playing style. Being with Nancy for a whole season now, his coach's influence in terms of little details has made its way into Morris' game.
U.S. Soccer goals
Being involved with the senior team's U.S. Soccer camp, it is hard for these players not to envision the next step in their national team journey, whether it be on the Copa America roster or one day playing in the World Cup.
During their time at camp, U.S. Soccer presented the 25 players with a path of the next two years for the federation, which included all the camps and games expected in the near future. With Morris and Schulte being under the Olympic age limit of 24 by the time August rolls around, the 2024 Olympics are a possibility.
Taking everything one step at a time, the three Crew players have their own personal goals within the federation that are rooted in their history growing up watching U.S. Soccer.
"I want to make every camp going forward with the national team," Schulte said. "If that's U23s, if that's senior team, whatever it is. The ultimate goal, obviously, is to represent your country at a World Cup, but if I can do the Olympics as well, it'd be a true honor to represent the U.S. at the Olympics."
Before any of that can happen, Schulte and Zawadski look to earn their first senior team caps when U.S. Soccer meets with Slovenia for a friendly in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday. After the match, the three jump right into Crew preseason training, which starting in Columbus on Monday.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew representation at U.S. Soccer January camp embrace the opportunity
