CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – Lee Nguyen took some time in mid-December to reflect on a remarkable 2014.
Although still smarting from a heartbreaking MLS Cup loss to the LA Galaxy, there were plenty of reasons for Nguyen to be proud of the year he and his team had just completed. A league MVP finalist after racking up 18 goals – the most for a pure midfielder in MLS history – Nguyen was back in the U.S. National Team picture after a seven-year hiatus, and his Revs were Eastern Conference champions.
“I stayed with one of my buddies in LA after the final and just reflected on the season,” Nguyen said. “It was good to be able to relax and kind of look back on what a year we had.”
Reflection was brief, however, as Nguyen visited family in Dallas for the holidays before heading straight back to LA to begin preparing for January camp with the U.S. National Team. While most of his Revolution teammates are currently in Casa Grande, Arizona, for the start of preseason camp, Nguyen – along with Jermaine Jones – will be with the U.S. for a pair of friendlies through February 8.
Eventually Nguyen will join up with the Revs ahead of their second preseason trip to Tucson, Arizona, in mid-February, and when he does his focus will be on the task of replicating last season’s success.
But when Nguyen talks about success, he doesn’t mean personal success. He means for the team.
“We want to get back to the playoffs and it doesn’t really matter who’s on the score sheet,” Nguyen said. “We want to win the Eastern Conference Championship and get back to MLS Cup. I think that’s everybody’s goal. That’s my main goal.”
For the Revs to achieve those goals, however, Nguyen will likely have to be a major contributor. He factored into almost half (23/51) of the Revolution’s goals in the 2014 regular season, then added another two goals and three assists in the MLS Cup Playoffs. He was New England’s offensive engine.
There’s no question the Revs would love for Nguyen to replicate those numbers in 2015, but he won’t be focused on statistics. Instead, Nguyen will concentrate on positioning, work rate and defensive responsibilities. When those are taken care of, everything else falls into place.
“Any time anyone focuses on trying to score goals, that’s when they have a hard time doing it,” Nguyen said. “I want to focus on all the little things. You’ve got to put in a little bit offensively and defensively. Everybody doing that will help you win games.”
“In terms of what he did for the group (last year), he’s been doing that since he got here,” said head coach Jay Heaps. “His consistency year-in and year-out is what our team needs. His work defensively, his work when he gets the ball and what he’s doing for his teammates around him. It’s critical that he continues to bring the same mindset that he’s brought the last few years.”
That’s not to say that Nguyen won’t have statistical targets in his head – numbers he’d like to reach in terms of goals, assists, etc. Those are important motivating factors on a day-to-day basis. After last year’s remarkable goal haul, his aspirations are likely pretty lofty.
But those personal goals always come with a caveat; they’re merely bullet points underlying the only objective which truly matters, which is hoisting MLS Cup next December.
“It’s always important to have goals – personal and team goals,” Nguyen said. “But at the end of the day, winning is the most important thing. Whether you reach those goals or not, (it’s fine) as long as you know what the end product should be.”
