BRAD GUZAN EXCLUSIVE: Villa keeper on shutting out Chelsea, becoming No 1... and why he's ready to face Ronaldo in Brazil

Published: 18:55 EST, 21 March 2014 | Updated: 04:22 EST, 22 March 2014

Aston Villa may be in mid-table in the Premier League, but keeper Brad Guzan may have played a major role in the title race. The American was in sterling form to deny the Blues' attack as Paul Lambert's men grabbed a 1-0 win at home to the league leaders. Next focus for Guzan is the World Cup, and if called on he'll have to repeat that form to keep Cristiano Ronaldo at bay - USA are in a tricky group with Portugal, Germany and Ghana. Now, ahead of Sunday's visit of Stoke, the Villa Park No 1 sat down for an exclusive interview with Sportsmail.

 

Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan talks to Sportsmail

There has been a buzz around the training ground this week after the victory over Chelsea. That result has given the boys a little bit more confidence and rightly so. I thought from the first minute to the last we were brilliant. That’s going to be important because we have a few big games coming up starting on Sunday against Stoke.

We were aware the situation towards the end of the game was going to make the headlines. But inside the dressing room we knew what was put out on that pitch to get that result. Everyone gave a real shift. Whatever happens with another manager doesn’t bother us, you just get on with your business.

Safe hands: Brad Guzan has established himself as Villa's No 1 in recent seasons

Jump for joy: Brad Guzan celebrates Fabian Delph's goal in Aston Villa's surprise 1-0 win over Chelsea

Team-work: Guzan celebrates with Karim El Ahmadi and Nathan Baker after shutting out the Blues

We’ve had back-to-back wins and it was nice to get a clean sheet against a top team like Chelsea. This is what I hoped for when Paul Lambert became manager in the summer of 2012. My contract with Aston Villa had expired but he phoned me and we had a conversation.

I told him I wanted to have a talk face to face so I flew from the States to Birmingham and we had a good sit-down. I knew I still had more to give to the football club and I wanted to prove my worth.

When last season began Shay Given was No 1. He started the first game then second game, and at that moment the manager decided to make the change. Newcastle United away was my opportunity. We ended up drawing 1-1 and I haven’t looked back. You have to continue to get better and want to learn.

Masterminded: Paul Lambert celebrates the win over Chelsea on the touchline

Trusted: Lambert installed Guzan as No 1 soon after taking over at Villa Park

For me it was about being given a fair chance. Under previous managers I didn’t necessarily feel the opportunity was going to be there to compete for the No 1 shirt. That’s all I wanted.

I didn’t want anyone to say, ‘Here you go’ and hand me anything. That’s not how I was brought up, not how I work. I don’t want anything given to me. I want to earn it.

Being voted player of the year last season was a fantastic honour but I got more joy from the fact we were going to be safe.

I grew up just outside Chicago. More kids than not in America play soccer, as we call it. Then they get to an age about 10, 11, 12 years old where they opt to start paying American football, baseball, basketball or whatever. But I fell in love with it.

There have been a few Americans who have done well as goalkeepers over here – Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Marcus Hahnemann, Tim Howard – so perhaps the hand-eye coordination of sports like basketball and baseball when we were younger has helped.

Pioneer: Kasey Keller in action for Leicester

Master: Brad Friedel is still going strong

Countryman: Marcus Hahnemann shouting orders

At the top: USA keeper Tim Howard

I didn’t actually start playing as a goalkeeper specifically until I was 17 or 18. I played outfield. I wasn’t the best but was always the biggest. I scored a few set piece goals. Occasionally now I give a cheeky look over to the bench if we’re losing late on to see if they’re waving me forward but not yet. I’m waiting for my glory moment in front of the Holte End.

After finishing high school I went to university for a year and half in South Carolina. Midway through my second year I knew the opportunity to go to the MLS was there. I left school and was drafted second to go to Chivas USA out in Los Angeles. I stayed there for four years.

I had always wanted to play in Europe and England. In January 2008 the opportunity came to go to Celtic when Gordon Strachan was manager. I was in Glasgow for about four days but then, at the 25th hour, Villa expressed an interest.

So I got a flight down to Birmingham and met Martin O’Neill. Villa agreed a fee with the MLS but I was denied a work permit so had to go back to America. Martin said to me: ‘Don’t worry we’ll come back for you in the summer.’

By then the Olympics had started in Beijing. At something like three o’clock in the morning I received a call from the club secretary saying my work permit had gone through. I knew then that my dream of playing in the Premier League was a step closer.

Back in the day: Guzan in action for previous club Chivas USA in the MLS before being snapped up by Villa

Dispute: Guzan (right) has a disagreement with David Beckham while playing in the MLS

Scott Carson was leaving the club as I was signing. But about a week after I arrived Brad joined. So I used that first year as a learning experience, adjusting to the pace of the game and the quality. It is so much better over here than it is in the MLS.

You want to play, as any professional does. You want to be the guy they count on. So for me there were frustrating points during that time but you have to stick with it.

For me, working with Brad, who is so well respected in this country, was a fantastic learning tool. I tried to pick his brain as much as I could. When you’re chance comes you have to be ready for it. I would watch his composure on the pitch and the confidence he gave the backline. As a goalkeeper that’s important.

They say we’re a bit crazy to stand back there and have shots come at our face. But it comes with the territory. To be a goalkeeper you do have to be a bit mad some days. You enjoy the adrenaline rush you get when you deny someone a goal in the 89th minute and win the game 1-0.

You can see the hurt it brings to a striker’s face when you deny them. I’m only 29, so I hope my best years are still ahead of me. I know I can continue to improve.

There is a bit of a goalkeepers’ union, we all know that only one of us can play each week. Shay has been fantastic. He’s helped me just as much as I feel I helped him. I’ve been very fortunate to work alongside Brad and Shay, two world class goalkeepers whose CVs speak for themselves.

On the international side of things I hope to be with the USA at the World Cup this summer and perhaps add to my 24 caps. We’re lucky to have two goalkeepers playing in the Premier League week in, week out. Hopefully that will benefit us when we get down to Brazil.

Tim has been around the block a few times now, this is his third World Cup and our second together. We have a good relationship in terms of pushing each other, making each other better. I can’t throw my hands up in a fit and say I should be playing. You leave it up to the manager to make that decision.

Old hand: Guzan learned from veteran Friedel while starting at Villa Park

Biting his lip: Shay Given, despite rarely featuring for Villa, has been a big help in Guzan's development

Jurgen Klinsmann is reserved but very confident. He instils a lot of belief in players. He wants guys to go out and enjoy the natural flow of football and trusts his players to perform. Paul Lambert is similar in that aspect. It’s important because as players if you’re having a good game or a bad game you don’t want to be looking over your shoulder wondering if you’re coming off. If you make a mistake you get on with it.

We have a tough group at the World Cup. But that’s what you expect. We’re excited about it first and foremost. Ghana knocked us out in 2010 and 2006 so we know what they’re about.

National star: Guzan (right), with Clint Dempsey, sees no reason why USA can't win the World Cup

Portugal will of course have Cristiano Ronaldo and company, that’s going to be a difficult game in the jungle.

Ronaldo is one of the world’s best if not the world’s best. That’s what the tournament is all about. You want to face the best of the best on the biggest stage. But it’s not a challenge where I’m losing sleepless nights. Those are the types of challenges you want to take head on. 

We finish the group with Germany. Hopefully with two decent results in the first two games we can go into the third with it all to play for.

Through the snow: Guzan is hoping to add to his 24 caps this summer in Brazil

I definitely think we can make it through. Not many people gave us a chance to beat Chelsea last Saturday but we won. We know it’s going to take three really good games from all of our players but there is no reason why it can’t happen.

In World Cups you need to have skill and ability but you have to have a little bit of luck. Are the players in the US getting better? Yes. That’s important. Is the national team getting better? Yes. That’s important. Are we giving ourselves more of a chance to be successful on the international stage? Yes.

Do I think we can win the World Cup in Brazil? Who’s to say we can’t? Time will tell. I know it will be difficult, as with any country. But the way the US players’ development is going, it’s getting better and better, and that’s a confident sign for us as a federation.

This Sunday it is Acorns Day at Villa Park. There will be people outside the ground collecting and a text number that fans can donate to. It’s a special cause. Acorns Children’s Hospice Trust offer a network of care for life-threatened children and their families.

National boss: Guzan praised USA gaffer Jurgen Klinsmann's style of management

The work they do for the kids is bigger than anything that happens inside the four walls of the stadium. When we pay visits and work with the kids it’s fantastic to see the smiles on their faces, especially with all the issues they might be facing.

Also this week the club has launched its partnership with Birmingham University to give ten young people a year scholarships to study.

It’s a huge opportunity for the kids, to grow up and be a doctor or lawyer, whatever they want. Hopefully people will see that Aston Villa is not just about the football on the pitch.

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