Reyna - What A Crying Shame

No, I'm not talking about his tearful goodbye upon retirement, I'm talking about something else entirely. I'm gonna go against the majority and say he could have been so much more. I have always wanted to like this player. I wanted to believe he was going to try and lift the USA to greater heights. Certainly he has done some wonderful things for the game. He is widely respected in Europe and rightfully so. I can't help feeling we never got his best back in Apple Pieville. Forget about his spell with the Redbulls. He's been cooked for awhile. And now we come to crux of the problem. Injury ridden and out of shape. This could describe his career.

One could argue that he was constantly battling fitness because of injury. Really? Or is it he was battling injury because his fitness was so bad so often. Think about it.

Another thing that bugs me is that having seen games of absolute brilliance from the man you expect it. Too many matches where he took a nap for 80 minutes left me less than impressed. If Reyna had managed to meld his vision and talent with the workrate of say a John Harkes.....We would have had a player of Legend. To some he will be the USA's greatest player for some time to come. To others he will be a footnote.

I will say that I will always be grateful for two big things Reyna did in an American jersey. RFK in the 1995 US Cup when we whipped Mexico and I mean whipped. And the 2002 World Cup when he was as fit as I ever saw him. He was a PLAYER in that World Cup.

I'm left with the feeling that we rarely saw the true ability within. Reyna, what a crying shame.