Soccer US National Team

Josh Gatt: The United States’ Best Prospect You’ve Never Heard Of

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By @SamHader21

Josh Gatt

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Julian Green, DeAndre Yedlin, Aron Johannsson and Jozy Altidore are the typical names brought up when talking about the future of the United States Men’s National Team, and for good reasons. All of those players are technically sound and young with plenty of experience under their belts. Jozy Altidore already has two World Cups to his name and he’s only 24, with the others completing their first during this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

As scouts, coaches and fans look to the future, the question of who will compliment these players comes to mind. Jurgen Klinsmann is known for tinkering with formations just like a dog chases its tail – he doesn’t stop. Albeit, with the poor squad that he’s had to deal with, it’s understandable that he experiments and tries to find the right fit for the USMNT. Another reason why he has to constantly tinker with the formation is that his tactically most important player, Altidore, got injured in their first World Cup game. As the strong holding center forward, the whole offense flows through him, and his injury led to a mad scramble to find another fit to make the unit cohesive enough to function for a few games.

But with a healthy lineup and a plethora of players to choose from, Klinsmann seems to enjoy the 4-3-3 formation. Looking ahead, the young backline will get experience in the coming years with guidance from Tim Howard, should he choose to play for his national side in the final years of his career. Michael Bradley and Altidore will act as the fulcrums of the team, with constant connection and distribution to the wings being the key to success. But who will play on those wings?

Julian Green has already established himself as the future left-wing of the United States. The talented German-American has already created dramatic waves and tension with his selection over Landon Donovan, but his goal vs. Belgium in the Round of 16 proved he was worth the investment. But who will compliment him on the opposite side? Klinsmann recently put Joe Gyau to fill that role, who plays for Borussia Dortumund II, but he wasn’t very impressive. Somebody who could fill that role has been on Klinsmann’s radar for a while, but hasn’t been able to answer the call. His name is Joshua Gatt.

Born in Plymouth, Mich. in 1991, Gatt made a name for himself as a talented teenager who signed for a club across the pond and forgoing the opportunity to play for Indiana University. He first played for SC Rheindorf Altach, but quickly moved to Molde FK in Norway as a result of stellar play and poise in 2011. Here, he enjoyed starting XI status and helped Molde win two consecutive league titles. The only thing that has been holding him back has been injuries.

Gatt has battled a myriad of injuries in his short career. In 2012 he was called up to the national team, but had to withdraw with a hamstring injury; he was also on the 23-man Gold Cup roster, but he hurt his knee just weeks before the tournament. He was also a player on Klinsmann’s watch for the World Cup, but a torn ACL in his club season ended that hope as well.

For all he’s been through, at such a young age, he won’t lose any of his step. He’s a skilled wing player who is very quick and decisive going forward. Some impressive goals and highlights have been compiled into a video by a fan, and the U.S. would look very dangerous with an attacking trio of Green, Gatt and Altidore. He even claims to have ran a 100 meter sprint in 11 seconds. Lighting-fast forays and through balls down the flank seem to be in store for Klinsmann and the national team, but only if he can stay healthy.

Although he has had a relatively quiet career, Gatt has the skills and potential to be one of the best, if not the best, attacker on the U.S. National Team. As long as he can stay healthy, Klinsmann and the USMNT will be very happy and optimistic looking toward the future.

 

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