Q&A with USMNT and Sporting KC player Graham Zusi
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Aug 22, 2016) US Soccer Players – Sporting Kansas City midfielder Graham Zusi is what you would call a frequent flier. The 30-year-old Zusi, like many players these days, spends a lot of time on airplanes. In the last three weeks alone, Zusi and his teammates have logged over 9,100 air miles. They’ve traveled to Portland to take on the Timbers, to Texas to play FC Dallas, to Trinidad & Tobago for a CONCACAF Champions League games versus Central FC, and back home to face the Vancouver Whitecaps this past Saturday night.
Add to that the trip north to face the Whitecaps on the road this coming Tuesday and the mileage increases to nearly 11,000 when you tack on the return trip home. For Sporting KC, it has been a grueling schedule. It’s a stretch of five games in 15 days. That can test even the fittest players. Nonetheless, Sporting is in a tie for fourth-place in the Western Conference. The goal is to pile on wins and set the right tone ahead of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
In this weekend’s 2-0 win versus the Whitecaps, Zusi played as a halfback for only the second time this season. Despite his defensive position, Zusi came close to scoring, while showing off his speed and passing skills in aiding the attack. This could be coach Peter Vermes’s secret weapon as Sporting KC readies itself for final stretch of the regular season and the postseason. Zusi has recorded one goal and four assists in 16 MLS games for Sporting KC this season.
Zusi was also a member of the US team that reached the semifinals of the Copa America Centenario. He became one of coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s go-to players off the bench. He even scored a goal in the US’s 4-0 win against Costa Rica at that tournament. Zusi has been part of the National Team mix since 2012, earning 40 caps and scoring five goals. This year, he has had made five appearances for the USMNT, scoring twice.
We recently caught up with Zusi between flights, where we discussed his physical fitness, how he’s able to juggle club and country commitments, and his take on the USMNT’s upcoming World Cup Qualifying schedule:
You have had a busy few months and even busier few weeks. How have you been able to meet the physical demands of playing for Sporting KC in both MLS and CONCACAF Champions League on top of National Team duty?
For me, it’s all about the work you put in during the offseason. It sets a strong base so you can last throughout the entire season. Coaches and staff also have a little bit of a responsibility to – at times – manage the minutes you are putting in during the season. There are a lot of competitions, with a lot of travel, and a lot of games. It’s a combination of trying to stay healthy and keeping your body physically strong throughout the entire season.
The MLS season can be a real marathon. What do you need to do in the final part of the regular season to ensure that you remain hot going into the playoffs?
I think entering the playoffs on a high is extremely important in this league. Often, you see the team that is clicking and making a strong push toward the end of the season make a run through the playoffs. I think we are beginning to click as a team right now and are having more consistent performances each time we step on the field. We just need to continue that over the final 2½ months of the season.
At this juncture of the season, which teams – other than your own, of course – do you see as challengers for MLS Cup?
I think the Western Conference, in particular, has a lot of strong teams that could definitely compete for MLS Cup. LA Galaxy is a team you look at who are very difficult to play against. They are tough to score on and with their attacking unit; they can score goals as well. FC Dallas is a team at the top of the table right now. They have an incredible attacking unit that’s dangerous each time they step on the field. They are another team with a strong defense that does not allow many goals and they have been incredibly difficult to beat at home.
You were part of an amazing run at the Copa America Centenario earlier this summer. What stands out most to you from that tournament?
Copa America was a very fun tournament to play in. The competition was very high. We got to play against some of the best teams and players in the world. I thought we really came together as a team, showed a strong identity and were able to get results. We made a push to the semifinals and played against a very good Argentina team who had a very good day. We are extremely proud with how we performed in the tournament.
World Cup Qualifying resumes in just a few weeks with the Hexagonal not far behind it. How does the National Team replicate what it did this summer going forward?
I think we need to build off our strong performances at Copa America. We gave everything we had in that tournament and it’s important for us to continue that moving forward. We have to make sure we don’t have a dip in our performances and play. If we go (into World Cup Qualifying) with the same mentality, we shouldn’t have any issues getting wins and results.
Based in New York City, Clemente Lisi is a regular contributor to US Soccer Players. He covers all topics relating to American soccer, including Major League Soccer. He has covered the last two World Cups for the site. He is also the author of A History of the World Cup: 1930-2014. Clemente began writing for our site in July 2007. Find him on Twitter:http://twitter.com/ClementeLisi.
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