Blackburn Rovers: Brad news for USA

Blackburn's American goalkeeper Brad Friedel is considering retirement from international football.

Friedel, 33, has been to three World Cups with the United States but has not been picked for the World Cup qualifiers against El Salvador and Panama and is now deciding whether to quit and concentrate on Blackburn.

He told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph: "I haven't decided fully what I'm going to do about my international career as yet.

"At the end of last season and the beginning of this I started to pick up a couple of muscular injuries and I'm fully aware of who pays my wages so I'm not fully decided as yet but I might just stick to playing for Blackburn in the future.

"I've been to three World Cups and I've won 80 caps for my country but if I find that my body can't cope with travelling all over the place then I might not do.

"I'm of a different mode than some players in that I know who pays my wages and who I need to show my loyalty to.

"I've obviously been incredibly loyal to my country as well over the years but we'll just have to see how it pans out."

Friedel also has a young family and that responsibility is another reason why he may decide to end his USA career.

He added: "Some things are a lot more important than football."

Team Talk


He still is a great keeper, on eof the best over the last couple of years in the Prem.

Yeah one of the better players to come out of the States. 33 is pretty young for a goalkeeper. At lot more players are retiring from International footy when they hit there early 30's...

hes been a good keeper and like the threat title hehe

i think he found his team at blackburn and maybe this will cement the place in goals for the national team for howard

Yeah with him out of the way i guess Howard is the next best keeper for the USA. Some days he looks great, others not too good. He needs to get a bit of consistancy like when he first went to Man U...