Keeping It Simple

There was nothing extraordinary about central defender Danny Califf’s performance in the U.S. Olympic soccer team’s 4-0 victory over Guatemala that secured a trip to Sydney.

“I was solid,” said Califf, a Galaxy rookie who played for Orange High. “I helped organize. I didn’t give any balls away. I felt like I was there when I needed to be. I didn’t do anything spectacular. It was just a good, solid game in a game that really mattered.”

Whether reliability and consistency will win him a spot on the U.S. Olympic team will be decided later this summer. Until then, the Galaxy’s No. 1 pick is struggling against his own success: Eight games into the Major League Soccer season, Califf has yet to play, in part because he is playing behind national-team players Robin Fraser and Greg Vanney.

Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid, who coached Califf on the under-20 national team, also blamed the inactivity on Califf’s Olympic dreams.

“Because we knew he would be with the Olympic team, we didn’t want to get him integrated with the team and then lose him for three weeks [during Olympic qualifying in April],” said Schmid.

Califf has stayed in game shape by playing in Galaxy reserve games. He was poised to possibly debut last weekend against Kansas City, but was sidelined by a hamstring injury that will prevent him from traveling with the team this weekend to Dallas.

Through it all, Califf is trying to remain patient.

“I almost want to say that I don’t feel a part of the Galaxy yet,” Califf said. “The only way I’m going to truly earn the respect of the older guys and the fans is to show I can play. I haven’t proven anything in MLS. I’m as anonymous as the next guy.”

This, after he has spent the last year trying to make a name for himself in soccer.

Last summer, Califf began auditioning for the Olympic team while playing for the under-23 national team in the Pan American Games. Under Olympic competition rules, competing teams have to be comprised of players 23 or younger with the exception of three over-age players.

Califf, 20, left the University of Maryland last fall after only two seasons and signed with U.S. Pro-40, a joint venture between U.S. Soccer and MLS aimed at providing college-age players with professional experience. In February, he was drafted by the Galaxy.

And if that’s not enough to juggle, Califf recently proposed to his high school sweetheart, Erin Rodieck.

“He always knows what he wants,” said Sasho Cirovski, Califf’s coach at Maryland. “He thought through the decision to turn pro, painstakingly. And you don’t see young kids making that kind of commitment to family, but Danny loved Erin and he wanted to be with her.”

Califf and Rodieck will be married June 3 in Orange County. A few hours later, they will drive to Pasadena for the Galaxy’s game against New York/New Jersey.

“This is always what I wanted to do, play professional soccer and make the Olympic team,” he said.

His shot at representing his country in Sydney really began just two weeks ago in Hershey, Pa., at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

As a backup to team captain Brian Dunseth, Califf had seen zero minutes of playing time and the team was two victories away from earning a berth in the 2000 games. If he didn’t get off the bench, he would surely be one to lose his roster spot when the three over-age players joined the team.

With 20 minutes left in the quarterfinal against Canada, Dunseth picked up a second yellow card and was ejected and suspended for the semifinal against Guatemala.

Few are surprised that Califf got his big chance--or that he took advantage of it.

“Things always seem to work out for Danny,” said Cirovski. “I think that Danny’s going to be going to Sydney. I think he’s too valuable.”

That decision, however, will be up to Clive Charles, the Olympic coach, with help from national team Coach Bruce Arena. Originally, Charles said he would name the final roster in June, but he has since backed away from that statement.

“Why not give them some more time?” he said. “I can wait until August 15th if I have to.”

A spot for Califf could be created by the recent loss of starting right back Steve Cherundolo, who blew out his anterior cruciate ligament this week while playing for Hannover 96 in Germany.

Califf said it’s hard not to mull over the scenarios.

“I’d imagine they will bring in a central defender, so it’s either me or Brian Dunseth,” Califf said. “I would imagine he would have the advantage, being the captain. But he was sent off against Canada and in two previous trips. I’m counting the days until Clive announces the final roster.”

Califf has wanted a chance at the Olympics for as long as he can remember.

In December 1996, he had just turned 16 when Cirovski spotted him at an Olympic Development Program camp in Cocoa Beach, Fla.

“I kept seeing this tall, athletic kid making forward runs as a defender,” said Cirovski, then an assistant with the under-17 national team. “He was very skillful, but he didn’t know how good he was.”

Califf was a late addition to the team, but he quickly moved into the starting lineup. In a loss to Brazil at the FIFA Under-17 World Championship, Califf was named FIFA’s player of the match.

“He has a really great tactical understanding of the game,” Cirovski said. “He’s very skillful, but he knows how to play simple. He doesn’t complicate the game.”

Charles, the U.S. soccer coach, agreed.

“Danny never tries to do more than he’s capable of,” he said. “To do the simple things well is the most difficult thing to do in any sport.”

But Cirovski said there was a period where Califf took even the simplest things for granted.

“Things came together for him so quickly, I had to get him to rededicate himself to his training habits,” Cirovski said. “His freshman year, I threw him out of practice three times.”

That season, Califf helped lead Maryland to the Final Four. The next year, he earned third-team All-American honors and he began to realize how far his simple game might take him.

Califf said Galaxy veterans Fraser, Vanney and Paul Caliguiri have helped him with the transition. Ironically, Fraser and Vanney are being mentioned as likely over-age additions to the Olympic roster.

If both are added, Califf’s Olympic dreams would probably end.