Former AGSS star ready to shine

Jim Riggio

BURBANK - The road to the FIFA World Cup is a long journey, and for

most players, it begins at young age when they are honing their skills.

One player with local ties representing the United States in the

tournament -- which begins in Korea and Japan Friday -- is John O’Brien.

O’Brien has made tremendous strides since starring with a local youth

soccer club. That association has helped him get to the World Cup, the

most prestigious soccer events in the world.

O’Brien, a midfielder, who figures to be a part of the U.S. starting

lineup, played and trained with the American Global Soccer School at

Burbank’s Woodbury University.

O’Brien, 24, who grew up in Playa del Rey, is expected to take over as

the defensive center-midfielder, moving from the left side of the

midfield following an injury to Chris Armas. Armas’ injury cost him a

spot on the U.S. World Cup roster.

“My goal in my first World Cup ... is to play as many minutes as I

can,” O’Brien said on the U.S. National Team’s Web site.

When he is not competing for the National Team, O’Brien plays for Ajax

of Amsterdam, the most famed club in the Netherlands. It was the AGSS

staff, led by founder Afshin Ghotbi, who brought O’Brien to the

Netherlands.

“First I went to a three-week training session arranged by my

assistant coach who knew someone [there],” O’Brien said of AGSS. “Then I

came home and they said they would keep their eye on me. I was 14 at the

time. Two years later, they invited me back for a trial.”

O’Brien will have to face Ghotbi’s team in World Cup competition. The

coach is a technical assistant with the Korean Republic team. The U.S. is

in Group D and will face Portugal, Korea and Poland.

“I think we have a good chance of getting out of the first round,”

O’Brien said. “One of the key issues is to vary at times between how

chaotic we play and how organized -- to find the right mix of freedom and

discipline on the field.”

After the U.S. had a terrible 1998 World Cup, losing all three matches

it played, O’Brien realizes how important it is for the team to improve,

so soccer will continue to grow throughout the country.

“The next step is a big step,” O’Brien said. “The U.S. will need to

get crazy about soccer at all levels and in all communities. Technically,

the infrastructure of developing younger players should be a professional

environment like what’s done overseas.”

FIFA World Cup

*

WHAT: Premier tournament that is called the most popular sporting

event in the world.

* WHEN: May 31 to June 30.

* WHERE: Korea and Japan.

* WHO’S IN: 32 nations from around the world -- including the United

States

* U.S. FIRST-ROUND GAMES: 2 a.m. June 5 vs. Portugal in Suwon, Korea;

11:30 p.m. June 9 vs. Korea Republic in Daegu, Korea; 4:30 a.m. June 14

vs. Poland in Daejeon, Korea.

* DID YOU KNOW?: The best U.S. finish in a World Cup was in 1930 when

the team advanced to the semifinals, losing to Argentina, 6-1.