Josh Smith will look for his second start against Houston. Photo/Kari Heistad
It was a strange night in Kaiserslautern on June 17, 2006, when the nine-man United States survived an onslaught from 10-man Italy to escape the Fritz-Walter Stadion with a 1-1 draw in their second World Cup group match. Three players had been sent off, there was an own goal, and two goals were called offside, one of which occurred deep in the second half and came off the foot of U.S. national team midfielder DaMarcus Beasley.
“We were cheated, it was crazy,” said Josh Smith, who, at age 12, was in the stands.
Smith, now a rookie defender with the New England Revolution, remembers that experience fondly. At the time, his father, Edwin, was stationed with the Army at nearby Ramstein Air Force Base, home of the largest contingent of American troops outside the U.S.; Smith was born in Fort Polk, Louisiana but moved to Kaiserslautern shortly after his first birthday. He is trilingual, speaking English, Croatian, and German, the language of his adoptive country.
“I am American, one hundred percent, and a small amount Croatian because of my mother,” said Smith, now 25. “But I am also a little bit German. I grew up in Germany, I learned the culture and I was educated there.
“With the World Cup in 2006, we were lucky to have it in Germany. You don’t realize what you have until it’s gone, but it was there, right in front of your nose. It was crazy, the atmosphere. Obviously the World Cup is every footballer’s dream.”
Maybe it was that June night in 2006 at the Fritz-Walter Stadion that got the wheels turning in Smith’s head. He was part of the Karlsruher academy, got called to the U.S U-17 and U-19 national teams, and, eventually, opted to return to the United States for college in pursuit of educational opportunities and a chance to play in Major League Soccer.
Smith got both, as he studied marketing and business at the University of San Francisco while playing soccer for the Dons, eventually getting drafted in the fourth round (75th overall) by the Revolution in the 2017 Superdraft.
It’s been a fast track for Smith since getting drafted. He signed a professional contract and officially joined New England on March 1, then made his professional debut in a 1-1 draw at Portland on Sunday night. He not only showed his physicality and a keen tactical awareness during the game, but also remained composed in front of the home fans at Providence Park—widely regarded as the most inhospitable venue in MLS.
“On Saturday, I found out I was in the 11 and we practiced the formation, and [Revolution] coach Jay Heaps asked me if I was ready, if I had heard of Providence Park,” Smith said. “I told him, ‘Yeah, it’s the place to be.’ It’s a tough place to play, but these are moments to prove to yourself who you are and to do what you need to do.”
Smith also came out on top in a Mano a Mano duel with Timbers striker Fanando Adi, who entered the weekend as the hottest scorer in the league, with four goals. Adi elbowed Smith early in the contest, but Smith returned fire with good positioning and tight marking. By the end of the game, Smith said, both he and Adi were enjoying the competition.
Benjamin Angoua, a veteran Ivorian defender with years of experience in Ligue 1 whom the Revolution acquired in the winter, played in the first three games of the season, but has struggled with the physicality MLS demands, which prompted Heaps to insert the 6’4” Smith into the lineup.
One game is a small sample size with which to judge Smith, but, as a product of a European academy, his pedigree is already high for a draft pick. He also comported himself well against Portland, not over-relying on his strength and large frame, and playing consistently for 90 minutes before being substituted because of a leg cramp and dislocated thumb.
“In Germany, it’s so much more tactical,” Smith said of the Karlsruher Academy. “At a young age, you’re taught tactical awareness and shifts. The football education is high.
“Every player has a strength. For me, I’m big and physical. But I treat every striker the same. I give them a little bit of respect, then I take them out of the game by adjusting, you adjust to their strengths and how they play.”
On Sunday against Adi, Smith’s approach worked. Now he’s hoping to be in the lineup again this Saturday, for his Gillette Stadium debut, as the Revolution host the Houston Dynamo. Erick “Cubo” Torres, Houston’s main offensive threat, is confident after coming off a game in which he scored a hat-trick.
“Torres is a good striker, he’s got good movement,” Smith said. “We’ll see what Jay decides for the starting 11. But I’m ready.”
If you want to reach Julian follow him on Twitter @juliancardillo or email him at julianccardillo@gmail.com
