Eddie Gaven 20- 5th MLS season

[Frank Cunha]

MetroStars' Gaven is 17 ... but plays at level beyond his age



Friday, October 31, 2003


BY COLIN STEPHENSON
Star-Ledger Staff

He is a professional, it's true. But one could hardly call him "seasoned."

His first two days with the MetroStars, his mother drove him to practice at Giants Stadium in her minivan. And in the team's locker room, he doesn't have his own stall; he must get dressed in front of a chair next to the entrance to the showers.


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But as the games got bigger toward the end of the regular season, Hamilton Square native Eddie Gaven -- who turned 17 last Saturday -- became a more important player for the MetroStars. He started each of the team's past seven games, including the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal and final. And, in two of those seven games, he was voted the Man of the Match.

"He definitely doesn't play like a 17-year-old kid," MetroStars' forward/midfielder Clint Mathis said of Gaven. "When he's on the ball, he's real calm. He keeps possession, he takes players on -- he has no fear when he's out there. If you've watched the last few games, the things that he's been able to pull off ... he shows great potential. The more games he plays, he's only going to get better."

MetroStars coach Bob Bradley has found himself increasingly relying on Gaven, the second-youngest player to start a game in Major League Soccer's eight-year history, and the youngest player ever to play for the MetroStars, to help fortify the team's attack. And when the Metros open the postseason tomorrow at Giants Stadium against the New England Revolution, Gaven likely will again be in the starting lineup, playing either as one of the team's attacking midfielders, or as the second forward.

"Eddie has a feel for the game that (is) unique -- a little special," Bradley said of Gaven. "For a young kid, he's pretty competitive. He's not fazed by anything."

Gaven began the year in Bradenton, Fla., where he was living and training with the U.S. Under-17 national team in its residency program. When he signed with MLS in January, he became, at 16 years and two months, the youngest player ever to sign with the league. The MetroStars wanted him so badly, they traded their first-round pick in 2004 to the Los Angeles Galaxy for a second-round pick (No. 12 overall) in order to get him.

Gaven joined the Metros in June, after graduating high school through the U-17 team's accelerated degree program. His mom Jennifer, so happy to have him back after two years in Florida, drove him to practice those first two days. She spent the practice sitting in her old, green Ford minivan in the parking lot while the team practiced inside Giants Stadium.

"I just didn't think it would have been the thing to do," Jennifer Gaven said when asked why she didn't go in to watch practice. "He needed to be accepted by the team, and I don't think it would have helped to have me there."

Eventually, Gaven's teammate, Mike Nugent, the former Princeton star who lives near the Gavens, offered to give Eddie a ride to practice every day. Now, Gaven's mother drops him off at a meeting spot by the Quakerbridge Mall and Nugent picks him up and takes him to practice.

"I'm the chauffeur for Eddie," Nugent said with a good-natured chuckle. "I drive him to practice and he keeps me sane on the New Jersey Turnpike."

It has been a momentous year for Gaven. He made his professional debut June 14, when he started against Bradley's old team, the Chicago Fire, and scored his first professional goal -- an overtime game-winner, to boot -- in a July 5 game against D.C. United. He also played in the U-17 World Championships in Finland before returning to the Metros and playing his way into a starting role with the team.

And, in January, he'll hopefully get his New Jersey driver's license.

"I'm just loving every single moment of it right now," Gaven said when asked about all that has gone on for him this year. "Probably later in my life, I'll look back on it and look at this year like a whirlwind year. But right now, I'm just going out, playing, and loving every single moment of it. I don't know too many other kids my age that are doing what I'm doing, so I'm just grateful that I have this chance, and that God's given me a chance to use my talents."

Gaven's talents surfaced early. His father Ed, an environmental engineer, played college soccer at Rutgers (where he played against Bradley, who was playing at the time for Princeton). Eddie is the second of three children, all of whom play soccer. His brother Jimmy is a sophomore midfielder at Seton Hall, and his sister Megan is a freshman on the junior varsity team at Steinert High School.

Ed Gaven, who still plays in a men's league on Sunday mornings, said Eddie was probably 12 or 13 when he got to be a better player than his dad. And he was 14 years old when he was invited to join the residency program, which brings together the top 30 or so young players in the country to train them in a professional environment and prepare them for the biennial World Championships.

That was the first time the Gavens realized a professional soccer career might be a possibility for Eddie.

"I was scared," Jennifer Gaven said of the decision to let Eddie go to Florida. "My heart didn't want him to go, but I knew that I had to let him go. He had extraordinary gifts, and he needed to use them and see where they took him."

They have already taken him far. Gaven, who was born the same day the Mets beat the Boston Red Sox in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, has played in 14 games for the Metros, including the Open Cup. He has started nine of those games, and has one goal and one assist. And though he can't go out for a postgame beer with his teammates, or drink champagne with them if they should happen to win the MLS championship, that's okay. He is living a dream.

His parents often think they are living the dream, too.

"We kind of, like, pinch each other, my husband and I, and say, 'Is this real?'" Jennifer Gaven said. "It's unbelievable. He's playing with guys we used to go buy posters of and hang on his wall."


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[Ricochet]

http://skysports.planetfootball.com/...=180033&cpid=8

City watching US teen star

Manchester City are believed to have been watching New York/New Jersey MetroStars' teenage forward Eddie Gaven.
The 17-year-old became the youngest ever player to sign a contract with MLS aged just 16 years and two months, although Freddy Adu has since eclipsed that record by joining DC United.

After impressing with his creativity and strength, Gaven has attracted attention from a number of quarters and is reckoned to be one of the best young Americans around. He can play equally well in an attacking midfield role or up front.

City would be unable to sign the New Jersey-born starlet at the moment, as he would be unable to acquire a work permit, but it is understood that scouts from the Manchester club have been keeping tabs on his performances.

Gaven is aware he has a lot to learn in the game, and admits the Under-17 World Championships, where he represented his country, taught him a few things.

"The whole thing was a great experience for me," he said afterwards.

"It helped me see the level I need to get to.

"Those guys from Spain and Brazil. Hopefully, one day, if I keep working, I can get to the level that they are at."

[Ricochet]

sorry wrong board, should be on the USA board.

[Thatslife]

i'll move it in a sec

[Frank Cunha]

his our best player, but how you guys going to get him thru without a permit? he played 0 times with the A team, and you guys refused u20 Convey with 20 caps with the A team.

[Soccerdad]

Reyna just subbed off due to leg injury,,,,,,,,,,,,hope its not the knee again

[Frank Cunha]

just finish watching the Liverpool vs Chelsea game, Manchester United pick up points on the leaders

[robmcfc86]

I heard on the radio on my way home Reyna had a calf problem - or so I thought it said, loud people around me you see.

Get this lad in the USA team, get him a work permit and bring him, Claudio will take him in. He and Elliot our future patnership, New York and Ireland finally link up again .

[Frank Cunha]

he just turn 17 a couple months ago, he didn't get called for the U20 team but he played on the qualify games for the Olympics

[Ricochet]

Gaven is nasty already, he's going to be so much better as soon as he adds some weight and toughness. He should end up being one of are best.

[Frank Cunha]

Gaven Becomes Youngest Ever 22/01/04

U.S. Soccer announced today that MetroStars 17 year-old midfielder Eddie Gaven has been named to the final United States Under-23 roster that will participate in Olympic Qualifying. U-23 Head Coach Glenn "Mooch" Myernick and the 22-player roster that will travel down to Guadalajara, Mexico, this afternoon in advance of the 2004 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament from Feb. 2-12. The team will train for seven days before Myernick must cut down the roster to 20 players by the Jan. 31 deadline imposed by CONCACAF.

At 17 years and 89 days, Gaven becomes the youngest player ever to appear on a U.S. Olympic Qualifying Team, passing fellow New Jersey native Claudio Reyna. Reyna was 17 years and 336 days when he made his appearance in the tournament. Third on the list is current U.S. National Team and Chicago Fire star DaMarcus Beasley, who appeared at 17 years and 362 days.

Gaven, who will be making his fourth appearance with the U-23's since the end of the 2003 MLS season, notched a goal in the team's 10-0 aggregate win over St. Kitts & Nevis in CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying action last November.

The young Metro also appeared for the U.S. U-17 team, last August in the FIFA U-17 World Championship. The U.S. advanced to the quarterfinals of the U-17 tournament before falling to eventual champion Brazil.

The U.S. U-23s will first face Panama on Tuesday, Feb. 3, followed by matches against Canada on Thursday, Feb. 5 and Honduras on Saturday, Feb. 7. All three U.S. opening round matches in Group A will be played at the 10,000-seat Estadio Tres de Marzo (in the Zapopan area of Guadalajara) and kickoff at 8 p.m. (local/CT).

The tournament opens on Feb. 2 with Group B action featuring Costa Rica, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and the host nation at Estadio Jalisco. The top two teams from each group will meet in the single-elimination semifinals on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at Estadio Jalisco, with the winner of Group A meeting the second-place team from Group B, and the winner of Group B meeting the second-place team from Group A. The two semi-final winners will earn automatic berths to Athens 2004 and meet in the final on Feb. 12.


WorldSoccerShop has the official jersey of the U.S. Men's National Team. Buy yours today so you can show your pride in the Red, White and Blue!

[Ricochet]

it's about time, Gaven is class, he will make this team much better IMO.

[BethlehemFC]

A player with a tremendous amount of talent. IMO he sort of takes a back seat in the soccer press because of Adu.

[Frank Cunha]

Let's hope he continue's to improve, his already one of the best players in the Metrostars

[Frank Cunha]

1. MLS: MetroStars shine in 3-0 win over Los Angeles

A brilliant performance by Honduran playmaker Amado Guevara, who scored and assisted twice, and two goals by 17-year-old Eddie Gaven led the MetroStars to a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy Wednesday night at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

The MetroStars, who had beaten the Galaxy 2-1 at Giants Stadium on Saturday, scored first in the 16th minute. Guevara, after a long series of passes, ripped a 25-yard shot past Galaxy keeper Kevin Hartman.

Gaven scored his first goal of the season after taking a Guevara pass to the left of the goal area, side-stepping Marcelo Saragosa, and hammering a close-range shot past Hartman.

Gaven's second goal was a perfectly curved left-footed shot from the top right edge of the penalty area that curled past diving Hartman's finger tips into the far post.