Oh Wicky, what a pity

Swiss international Raphael Wicky is in the process of joining Chivas USA. I had an interview with him yesterday as part of a larger piece I was writing about the L.A. team.

He's nice guy and was very patient with my questions, so I continued to ask them. I was curious, for example, about what Wicky thought about the American players who had come to Hamburg, Preston Zimmerman and Benny Feilhaber.

"I cannot tell much about Preston," Raphael replied. "I only know him from some training. But Benny Feilhaber, I’ve known him now for two years and he made a lot of progress in the last two years. He had some very good games last year in the Bundesliga in Germany. But I think it’s difficult. It’s better for him if he leaves Hamburg, because there are a lot of players there in his position. It’s still the dream for young American players to go to Europe and play in the big leagues and earn a lot of money. That’s what Benny is doing at the moment. But he also told me that one day, he wanted to come back to America and play. Everybody has to choose their way in life. Some may choose to stay here, because maybe they like their life here and they have families here. Another one may choose to go to Europe. Everyone has to choose for themselves."

I told Wicky that Benny was, in fact, leaving Hamburg to go to Derby County in England.

He nodded. "That is good for him, I think."

Both Rafael and Benny were affected by the coaching change in Hamburg this season.

"The [new] coach preferred to go with other players. That’s soccer. In Hamburg, there are 25 players at a high level and there are a lot of choices. He made his choice. I have to accept it. That’s life; that’s soccer," said Wicky.