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Soccer US National Team

Can Mix Diskerud Replace Landon Donovan For USMNT?

Getty Images

Getty Images

When Jürgen Klinsmann became the coach of the U.S. men’s national soccer team in August of 2011, his goal was to bring American soccer up to the next level. His plan to accomplish this was mainly by changing the mindset from a try not to lose, defensive-minded outlook to one that is focused on attacking and going right for the win from the opening kickoff.

One of the ways that Klinsmann has tried to accomplish this is by bringing in and also giving significant playing time to younger, more European-based players. One of these players is Norwegian-born and bred midfielder Mix Diskerud.

The 24-year-old Diskerud has already shown a penchant for both scoring and setting up goals for his teammates both for his Norwegian club team Rosenborg and for the U.S. national team. Klinsmann and his staff, having noticed Diskerud’s playmaking abilities, gave Diskerud the outgoing Landon Donovan’s No. 10, which is usually reserved for the team’s playmaker.

Not only does Diskerud have Donovan’s penchant for offensive production, he also has Donovan’s laid-back personality as well. Diskerud has taken Klinsmann’s hard-driving tactics and has been able to take the coach’s opinions and advice without losing who he is. This is going to be important when it comes to the ups and down that come with trying to play top-level soccer.

It’s going to be a tough road for Diskerud as he tries to stake his claim as the new No. 10 for the U.S. But if he continues to show that he can bounce back from poor performances, like in the recent game against Colombia with efforts like in the following game, where he scored the lone goal in a 4-1 loss to Ireland in Dublin, Diskerud should be able to take the big role that he’s filling and pave his own path in American soccer history.

Brian Harris is a soccer writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter and add him to your network on Google.

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