Blog: Kasey Keller

Three games in quick succession is a tough workout for your legs, and for your hands too, if you are a goalkeeper like me. Fortunately Tim Howard played against Venezuela so I could enjoy a break in between matches. Obviously, as you get older your recovery time changes, and it takes a little longer to bounce back to full fitness after periods of intense activity. Luckily experience teaches you how to maximize your down time to best effect. The Bundesliga schedule is not as hectic as the EPL, so speedy post-match recuperation is not as crucial for me as it used to be. Even in the World Cup there are at least five days between games, meaning I will be as fit as I need be for each occasion.

At thirty-six I'm considered to be a soccer veteran, but I'm still at the top of my game right now and performing as well as I did when I was younger. What a player might lose in agility over time, he gains in technical proficiency and practical know-how. With age comes wisdom. That's as true on the soccer field as it is in everyday life. My tactical brain responds much faster these days, increasing my ability to make the correct split second decision. I can make those key calls much quicker now, and I possess a much keener grasp of what potentially might happen in any dangerous situation inside the box. There are still many, many great saves to be made by me.

In any squad, especially after such a testing string of warm-up games, the players will be very aware of who is playing well and who is out of form. Good pros always know who the first eleven is going to be for the important matches. If I'm not playing well I expect to be dropped, and the same goes for the other guys too. Obviously each player in the team will want to impress on the world stage, which means that there is a delicate balance of individual ambition and disciplined team spirit that needs to be achieved if we are to be successful. All the players know their personal strengths and what talents they bring to the team. Winning will be all about which guys make the right plays on the day.

As long as no last minute injuries occur, the first team will already be taking concrete shape in Bruce Arena's mind. There was a big concern about a knock Claudio picked up during the game against Morocco, but thankfully he doesn't seem to be suffering from any serious muscle damage and will be okay.

Besides Claudio leaving the field early, the other worry with the Morocco game was that we lost by one goal to nil. We did learn a lot on the field and that's what friendly fixtures are all about. Sometimes the coaching staff will actually obtain vital information from a loss, yet learn absolutely nothing from a victory. Since the results don't matter the most valuable thing we gain from these games is that the entire squad is tested against International opposition. It all depends on the manner in which you win or lose and what you take back to the dressing room with you. In the case of the Morocco game I don't think the team had quite developed into a cohesive unit yet. Mentally we were still back on the practice field in camp, and were definitely not playing at the level of intensity we should have been. Perhaps some of us had not switched into 'game-on' mode yet. The results against Venezuela and Latvia were much more pleasing. Not only did we win those matches, but some quality individual performances also proved what strength in depth we have on our squad. On a personal note, I kept my forty-fifth International clean sheet against the Latvians.

As usual we were really pleased with the impressive attendance at all the stadiums. Compared to Europe there is a much more diverse aspect to soccer crowds in the US. There is much more of a family atmosphere at the matches and everybody seems like they are having a good time. Sam's Army was in fantastic voice and as peacefully boisterous as usual, which is always a bonus.

It feels really good to leave for the World Cup knowing that we have such tremendous support back home, and that some of you will be following us over to Germany. There used to be a great deal of pressure on the Men's National Team to do well in the World Cup since success would drum up interest in the game over here. That's no longer the case. Soccer has become so popular that it no longer matters how we do, and any poor results we might suffer won't affect the high regard in which the game is currently held. In the past, soccer was met with resistance in the US because parents had no idea what the rules were or how the game was played. Fortunately there are a generation of adults now in my generation - who grew up with soccer, love it, and have become very knowledgeable about all aspects of the sport.

As I mentioned previously, we are drawn in a pretty tough group. A good result in our first game against the Czechs will be paramount. Our training camp and warm-up games have left us feeling pretty confident and in great shape to face whatever our opponents can throw at us. We know we will have the right guys on the field and the players who can perform the tasks required of them. Fortunately for me, our first game is scheduled at a stadium that is only forty-five minutes from my German house, so I'm expecting a few of my 'Gladbach fans to turn up and support the US. It's also near Dortmund, however, where the Czech stars Kohler and Rosicky play, so perhaps I won't be able to call on as much home advantage as I might like to.

Of the 'outside shot' teams competing, Tunisia beat out Morocco for a place in the finals, and they will be hoping that they can achieve more this year than they did in 2002. Hatem Trabelsi of Ajax is their star man. Switzerland, featuring Arsenal's defender Phillipe Senderous will also have a lot to prove. The Swiss have never lived up to their potential. Ranked twenty-first and thirty-fifth in the world respectively, both these teams wear distinctive Puma-designed kits, as do all our opponents in the first round games. Which brings me to the Italians.

It is difficult to pick out a main man from within the ranks of the Azzurri, but we goalkeepers stick together so I'll choose Buffon. Then there is Totti, Nesta, Del Piero and too many others to mention. The Italians will be the choice of many experts for semi-finalists at the least, but they will have to get past the US first.

Going through to the second round in a group such as ours will be an achievement in itself. For me, success hinges on being better on the field and getting past the Italians, the Czechs, and not messing up against Ghana. If we can survive Group E then anything is possible at this World Cup. Who never knows what team we'll draw in the next rounds, it could be Brazil or it might be Togo. We like teams to attack us, and I think we perform at our best in an open game rather than in a stodgy defensive war of attrition. That's why we have done so well against great teams like Brazil in the past and why we fear nobody. Whatever happens, you know it will be entertaining. The Group of Death beckons!