The past two weeks have been quite a rush for Matt Miazga, who made his senior team debut over the weekend in Chelsea’s 4-0 win over Aston Villa.
He became the first American to play in Chelsea’s entire club history, Miazga played 90 minutes.
His week leading up to the weekend victory didn’t fare so well for him, as the American received a red card in the U.S. Under-23’s 2-1 loss to Colombia in the Olympic qualifiers.
In Miazga’s defence, he received the booking in the 90th minute with the U.S. losing 2-1, so he probably saw it as a risk worth taking.
His hopes of summer football is now down to receiving a call-up to the U.S. senior team, which will most likely happen as Miazga has been name-checked by national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
Miazga even said that Klinsmann sent him a congratulatory text message after Miazga’s debut for Chelsea over the weekend.
Miazga is enjoying his time at Stamford Bridge, however. The American told the Telegraph:
I was very happy to make my debut for Chelsea and was thrilled that I was able to be part of the three points and contribute, now I look forward to working hard in training to get more opportunities and establish myself as a player. It was a great experience and I got my feet under the ground and I look forward to build on it. There were no celebrations though, you’ve got to get ready for the next day and recover. Family and friends called me so that was great. Jürgen Klinsmann gave me a text and coaches from the Red Bulls academy also got in touch to congratulate me.
On the U-23’s Olympic qualifying loss, he added:
It was a good experience to be part of important games for your country, unfortunately that’s football you’ve got to move on and try to bounce back and get ready for the next opportunities.
As soon as you lose a game, you want to play as soon as possible. You’ve got to learn from it, know the sting it gives you and try to make sure you don’t get that sting again.
It’s a goal my mine to make the [Copa America] roster. Any time the national time has a window or a tournament you want to be part of it.
Miazga confirmed Antonio Conte’s meet-and-greet this week at the training ground and said he’s looking forward to working with the current Italian national team coach, who will join Chelsea following Euro 2016.
We’re very excited about the arrival of Antonio Conte and the prospect of him coming but he has to finish his job with the Italian federation and we have to finish this season. He came to the training ground and said hello to the players. It was brief introductions. He said hello to all the players, it was good to meet him.
Something that many Americans claimed when Miazga made the controversial move to London is that training against some of the world’s best – Eden Hazard and Diego Costa to name a few – would make him a better player, even if it meant less playing time. Miazga concurred:
It’s been great. You have world class players here, very experienced, played in big games, it’s good to see their level and they help you raise your level to play alongside them. It’s been a good transition for me.
Miazga, like many players when moving to a new club, had to sing an initiation song upon his arrival in London.
I sang Sorry by Justin Bieber. It was when I first came, the night before Norwich away. It was me, Pato and we had a new physio as well so at least I wasn’t the only one up there. I had to do them with the Red Bulls and the national team so it’s OK.
Miazga tries to stay up-to-date with his former MLS side, New York Red Bulls but admits that it’s difficult to watch matches due to the time difference. He also said during his time with the Red Bulls, he spoke with former Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips about life in London, where Miazga says he has explored little.
It hasn’t been that hard [moving here] because of the language and London is also very similar to New York City. I lived close to New York City my whole life, so nothing different, the same old.
I focus on soccer, sorry, football and that’s about it. I live very close to central London. I’ve been to my fair share of restaurants, I try to go to a new one all the time.
