February 6, 2010 A NEW START Califf looks forward to ground floor
By Charles Cuttone Executive Editor
National Team veteran Danny Califf' brings experience and leadership to the Union backline. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images
Danny Califf is clearly a veteran presence on the Philadelphia Union roster. The California native already has spent more time in MLS than any other player on the team, logging 123 games in six seasons with the San Jose Earthquakes and Los Angeles Galaxy. But like everyone else in the organization, the 29-year old defender is looking at this season with a new, fresh outlook.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity for me. To be able to be start something on the ground floor and try to build a tremendous foundation and do everything right with the club,” said Califf.
Califf already had developed a winning pedigree stateside, going to the NCAA Final Four with the University of Maryland, then winning an MLS Cup and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title with the Galaxy before playing five seasons in Denmark.
He hopes to bring a winning attitude to Philadelphia’s expansion team. “I am really looking forward to that, and creating a winning culture around the club and a professional mentality through all levels of the club. It’s really exciting,” he said from the team’s spring training in Greensboro, NC.
Despite the fact that the team has only been together a short while, Califf sees potential for the Union’s group of players which is relatively small considering it’s the team’s first camp.
“We really haven’t been out on the field all that much. Soccerwise we haven’t had a chance to work on a whole lot,” he said. “I think for me more importantly at least at this point is the fact that we’ve got a great group of guys.”
Califf has spent a good deal of time with the U.S. National Team, making 23 appearances over the past seven years. That, coupled with his previous MLS experience, gives him a good insight on what a coach like Peter Nowak brings to the Union.
“He knows the game extremely well and he wants to do things different and he wants to do things professionally, and so I’m really excited,” Califf offered about Nowak. “He’s had great success in DC, and certainly as a player I am looking forward to getting things rolling and getting out on the field. I think he is absolutely the right man to be the captain of the ship.”
As one of the veterans on the team, Califf says Nowak is looking to him to bring experience and leadership to the expansion side, “We spoke when we were talking about contracts and coming to the club. Its been reiterated since I’ve gotten back to Philly and we’ve started. He’s going to rely a lot on me to bring experience and play a leadership role within the group and all things that I’m comfortable with and that I’ve done on previous occasions. He’s putting a lot of faith in me and I’m just trying to do the best I can to be a leader and be a good example and give everything that I can for the team,” Califf said.
Nowak is confident of Califf’s leadership abilities, but thinks every player on the team will have a chance to step up when needed.
“The leaders identify themselves playing the game and the game they play,” said Nowak. “At some point it can be Danny Califf, Stefani Miglioranzi, Fred, all these guys will bring certain qualities to the game. At some point it could be the rookie who is going to elevate the team to another level. This is the process. I let them create their own leaders.”
