Former Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Brad Friedel recently took over the U.S. U-19 squad as a head coach.

A player of immense experience at the top level, Friedel’s presence is expected to be a source of motivation and learning curve for the US youngsters. The national team is placing high hopes on the next generation, as they continue to make progress as far as the senior team is concerned. The US national team has come a long way since hosting the World Cup more than two decades ago. Friedel joined the U-19 squad as a head coach in January in what could be his first step into management.

He has stated that winning is an absolute priority at the young agesince it makes a player professional. The victories also brings out development according to Friedel. The former goalkeeper recently had a chance to take a look at defender Alexis Velela and midfielder Eric Calvillo. They both have been dominating New York Cosmos and have now been given a chance in the under 19 squad. New York Cosmos have been praised for their role in the development of young players. They have been recruiting a number of top young names capable of representing the US national team in the future.

“Another point of success is winning all the games. This is a group that’s either professional or on the verge of turning professional. Winning is an important part of that development. I know there’s a lot of talk about when winning factors into development, and I think there are certain ages when winning is absolutely important. “[Calvillo and Velela] both have made the move into the professional environment, which is a really good step in a young player’s development. You try to look at players’ personalities, and Eric is an infectious character,” said Friedel.