photos by ISIphotos.com
by FRANCO PANIZO
From Olympic standout to orchestrator of the potent Houston Dynamo offense, to U.S. national team supersub, it has been a whirlwind 15 months for midfielder Stuart Holden, and things could get even better for him on Saturday.
With midfielder Clint Dempsey slated to miss the United States' World Cup qualifier against Honduras at Estadio Olimpico in San Pedro Sula, Holden may be called upon to fill in his absence. Holden knows that starting at Honduras in a potential World Cup berth-clinching qualifier is a big challenge, but one he believes he is well-equipped to handle.
"If I'm called upon, I'm ready," said Holden. "I played in the Gold Cup this summer and got some experience at the international level. You want to step on the field and you want to play, and if given that opportunity I won't let anybody down."
If Holden gets the nod on Saturday (Benny Feilhaber and Jose Francisco Torres are other options to replace Dempsey), expect for him to provide a different dimension to the U.S. attack. Holden is a more natural winger than Dempsey, and along with the hoards of energy he provides, the Dynamo midfielder is also capable of providing quality crosses from the right flank, as he has shown in recent national team appearances.
"He is an excellent soccer player," said defender Steve Cherundolo. "He brings some dangerous attacks, his technical ability is very good as well as his free kicks. Hopefully he can continue to show that and I'm positive that he will."
Holden, who has eight caps and two goals for the senior naional team, is not just thriving on the international scene, he is also performing well at the club level. With the departue of Dwayne De Rosario to Toronto FC last winter, Holden was handed the keys to the Houston Dynamo offense this season, and he has not disappointed, helping Houston clinch an automatic berth in the MLS playoffs.
Despite his high level of play, Holden is on the low end of the MLS pay scale (earning approximately $34,000), a circumstance due in part to Holden's desire to play out his original MLS contract and become a free agent rather than signing a contract extension. With this being the final season of his current contract, the 24-year old is unsure what his next move will be.
"It is no secret that I am on low wages, and the end of this year is going to be big for me in terms of what is next in my career," said Holden after the U.S. national team's practice on Tuesday. "I'm still not 100% sure whether it's going to be MLS or whether I'm going to make the jump overseas."
Holden is keenly aware that making the jump to Europe six months prior to the World Cup could damage his chances of playing in South Africa next summer, given the adjustment period that most Americans go through when joining new European clubs.
"It is important for me in my development to keep playing in order to push myself to be a part of that World Cup team," said Holden. "That is a big goal for me."
Regardless of where he lands this winter, if Holden can continue to progress as a player at the same rate he has enjoyed over the past 15 months, playing in the 2010 World Cup will become just the latest achievement in Holden's blossoming career.
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What do you think of Holden? Do you see him earning the start on Saturday? See him leaving MLS after this season? What league/club would he be a good fit on?
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