Califf Continues His World Tour
In the past couple of weeks, Danny Califf has subdued South America and conquered the Caribbean--at least figuratively--by keeping in check D.C. United’s Bolivian forward, Jaime Moreno, and the Kansas City Wizards’ Jamaican target man, Onandi Lowe.
Tonight, Califf takes on Africa in the form of imposing Senegalese striker Mamadou “Big Mama” Diallo of the Tampa Bay Mutiny.
It’s just another challenge for the Galaxy defender, whose second Major League Soccer season is proving as successful as his first.
South America, the Caribbean, Africa--they’re all in a day’s work for the 21-year-old from Orange. But it’s Europe he really yearns to challenge.
If he could join a European club now, he would. But MLS and the Galaxy are not about to part with one of their brighter prospects.
And why should they?
Califf’s play was a big reason the United States finished fourth at the Sydney Olympics last fall, and it is only a matter of time before he makes the transition to the full national team.
It’s the 2006 World Cup in Germany that Califf has in mind, not next year’s tournament in Japan and South Korea.
“I think 2002 is a real longshot,” he said. “You have to have experience and it would be difficult to get that [between now and then]. For me, 2006 is the real goal.”
But the question facing him down the road is, Does he stay in MLS or head to Europe?
“I want to test myself against the best players in the world,” he said. “As a competitive person and as a player, that’s an ultimate goal. But by the same token, it would be great to stay in L.A. as long as I could just because it’s where I’m from and you can’t beat L.A. as far as I’m concerned.
“Whenever it comes about, it has to be the right time, the right opportunity. A lot of things have to go right for it to happen. You hear a lot of horror stories where things don’t work out, so it’s got to be the right situation for the club, for you and for your family.
“I’d love to go to the [English] Premier League. That’s not going to happen any time soon, but you never know.”
Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid knows the pitfalls of trying to make the jump to Europe too soon.
“For a young player like Danny, timing is the most important thing,” he said.
“You look at situations like Eddie Lewis and Joe-Max Moore [former UCLA players now with Fulham and Everton, respectively, in the Premier League]. Their playing time has decreased.
“If they had not been established U.S. national team players before they left, they wouldn’t be coming into the national team now.”
In other words, staying in MLS and playing regularly will help Califf’s national team chances much more than riding the bench in Europe.
“One of [Califf’s] goals is to play in the World Cup,” Schmid said, “and to have played under-17, under-20, in the Olympics and the World Cup. He can accomplish that, which is something only a handful of players around the world have done. . . .
“He’s honing his skills, he’s improving. He’s only 21 and there are a lot of years ahead. I’m confident that if he gets the opportunity to play [in Europe], he’ll hold his position, but it’s getting that opportunity.
“The timing is everything.”
TONIGHT
VS. TAMPA BAY, 8, ESPN2
Site--Rose Bowl.
Radio--KRLA (870), KTNQ (1020, Spanish).
Records--Galaxy 11-6-5, Mutiny 4-17-1.
Record vs. Mutiny--0-0-1.
Update--A loss tonight would all but eliminate the Mutiny from playoff contention and might allow forward Mamadou Diallo to rejoin his former club in Norway on loan, as he wants to do. Midfielder Danny Pena returns to Los Angeles for the first time since being traded by the Galaxy to the Mutiny on July 20. Galaxy forward Cobi Jones needs one more assist to join the Miami Fusion’s Preki and the Dallas Burn’s Jason Kreis as the only MLS players with 50 goals and 50 assists. The teams tied, 4-4, on May 9 at Tampa, Fla.
Tickets--(877) 342-5299.
