CARSON, Calif. -- Jurgen Klinsmann gleefully watched Lee Nguyen's breakout campaign with the New England Revolution last year. Now he'd like to see something similar with the US national team.
The veteran midfielder, who was an MVP finalist and Best XI selection in 2014 as the Revolution marched to the MLS Cup title game, is in the annual January camp with the national team, and he'd like to fill a similar role to that which he provides the Revs.
“I want to prove myself, that I belong here and can, hopefully, consistently get called in,” Nguyen told MLSsoccer.com just before taking the field for Wednesday afternoon's training session at StubHub Center. “[I'd like to bring to the US] hopefully what I brought to the Revs: Someone who can add a bit of creativity and try to keep possession, but I not only have the attacking [side to my game]. I'm putting the work in that's required to play at this level.”
Nguyen, 28, has developed into the chief figure in the Revs' attack over his three seasons in New England. He truly blossomed last year, recording 18 goals and five assists in the regular season and adding two more goals and three more assists in the MLS Cup Playoffs. He was rewarded for his strong year with his first cap in seven years, coming off the bench in the US's loss to Colombia in London in November.
He has US U-20 experience from a decade ago and made three national team appearances in 2007, but he's become a force in MLS only after stints in Holland (with PSV Eindhoven), Denmark (Randers) and in his parents' native Vietnam, where he played for two clubs.
He returned to the US in 2012, ending up with the Revs after an unsuccessful preseason with Vancouver. He's started 98 MLS games in New England, scoring 29 goals with 18 assists over the past three seasons.
“Lee has been for quite a while in our observations, so it didn't come overnight that he was then called in,” Klinsmann said. “He's a player that is totally committed to do all the work for his team, but also has a piece of creativity in his game that we really like. So he can do surprising pieces.
“He can make a play out of nothing, and we just want him now to become more and more confident. He's already very experienced -- he's not a youngster anymore -- and we want him to take that confidence to the field with the national team and don't hold back anymore. Just go for it now. Go and try to claim a spot with this group. And so far he's doing really well.”
Nguyen says his success coincides with a comfort level he's built in New England, where he's been given the opportunity to express himself on the field. His experiences in Europe and especially in Vietnam, where he was given greater responsibility to lead his teams, helped him mature into an impactful player.
“I had the belief, otherwise I wouldn't have come back [to the US],” said the Texas native. “But there's always a chip on your shoulder when there are people that have doubt and people that tell you no. There's no being content. I always have to prove myself every year. ...
“[Coming to MLS] was important to me. Not only did I want to prove to everybody else, but there was a little bit of me that I wanted to prove, yeah, you can still do it.”
Klinsmann likes what those experiences have done for Nguyen.
“Every experience that you can make somewhere else, away from your usual environment, away from your comfort zone, will form you, will mature you,” said Klinsmann. “Those are life lessons, and I think he got a lot of those life lessons, and in the last two or three years, he just became very consistent, very focused and very driven in Boston.
“We looked at that consistency, and he came really to another peak over the last season. We still believe there are another couple of peaks in there.”
Nguyen admits the 2018 World Cup is in the back of his mind, “but right now that's too far to think about,” and he hopes to play a role as the USMNT seek the CONCACAF Gold Cup title this summer.
“That's definitely a big goal, and I think that's why everyone is here,” Nguyen said. “They want to push for that, but you've got to put in the work, you've got to show that you belong, and, hopefully, you do well, here, you do well with your club, and you get a chance.”
