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A few weeks ago - if you didn’t know before – we were all reintroduced to a certain American soccer player when reporter Steven Sandor of Sun Media noted an Arsenal scout in the press box at a recent Toronto FC game. The report alluded to said scout’s apparent interest in Chivas USA Goal Keeper Brad Guzan, and the article quickly forgets about the scout (which he lead the piece with??) and meanders on about American goal keepers abroad.

Guzan is quoted in the piece, saying, “I’m only 22 years old. I know I have a long career ahead of me.” Funny thing, that Arsenal scout could have said the same thing. He’s only 23. He also could have said the same thing when he was a player, but that would have been wrong.

That Arsenal scout is Danny Karbassiyoon, the youngest American player to score a goal in English club competition (a game-winner for Arsenal, assisted by Cesc Fabregas, in the 90th minute of a Carling Cup game no less), and one of the more unfortunate injury stories of recent American soccer history.

A standout youth player in Virginia. A meteoric rise through Arsenal’s reserve squad only to be released by the club. Stints followed with the English clubs Ipswich Town and Burnley. Offers came in from the Iranian National Team. And then the wheels came off; the knee just wouldn’t spin with the engine. Retired at age 22.

Why Sandor decided to write another column on the popularity of American goal keepers in England, I’ll never know, but I should thank him along with Arsenal’s communications department in helping me track down Danny. And of course, I have to thank Danny for taking the time out of his busy schedule to speak with TIAS over the phone from his parents printing shop in Roanoke, Virginia, and for sharing some photos from his personal collection.

How’s the knee? How’s the scouting? What is he looking for in youth players? Did he really announce his retirement on Facebook? All those answers and more after the jump in this TIAS exclusive…

I’m sure you get this all the time, but I’d like to begin with how you found soccer by clearing the air on the stereotypes. You are the product of an Italian mother and Iranian father. Did that mean you had soccer in your blood?

Everybody is like ‘oh you have it in you.’ But just because my mom is Italian doesn’t mean she is a soccer fan. She was born in Naples and all she knows is that Naples had Maradona, and he was a legend there. its funny, she was like ‘Danny, you know Naples in the Serie A?’ and I’m like, yeah, but you don’t care, and she just laughs. That’s about the extent of her soccer knowledge, but obviously she supported my playing. My dad still plays today in I guess the adult league in Roanoke, here in Virginia. And growing up I always went to watch him play in the over-30 leagues, and we watched it on TV all the time. He just really loved it. It made me love it. I was born in Roanoke and raised here, so while my parents are from other places, I’m an American and no different really from the other kids I grew up around who had two American parents.

Jumping way ahead, does that at all explain your turning down the Iranian national team offer?

The Iranian FA sent me an e-mail that I thought was a prank at first. But they did actually e-mail me and asked me if I had any interest in playing for Iran. I wrote back a diplomatic response saying I was born in the U.S., and wanted to play for the U.S. I’m very proud of my dad’s Iranian heritage, and I love the country and everything about the culture, but I’m American.

And then you became the youngest American to score a goal in England. I’m curious what you think about looking back on your Arsenal debut, scoring the late game-winner in the Carling Cup.

I really enjoyed everything from those days. Obviously I still think about them quite often, just because I’m still actively involved in the game. Every event I go to or game I attend, I think about when I was able to play. Now that I’m working for Arsenal, it definitely reminds me a lot more often of the time I was playing for the club, but its all good thoughts. I didn’t have any negative experiences while I was at Arsenal.

Frank Simek, Danny, and Danny’s best friend Brett in London

Feelings about being released by Arsenal?

When you get released from a club like Arsenal or any other big club in the country, or in the world actually, you cant be that upset as long as you tried your best and did what you could. I think I did everything I could to get a new contract, and when it didn’t happen, that’s their decision, and you have to respect that. When I was there I was behind Ashley Cole and Gael Clichy at left back, two of the world’s best left back. So, when the day came, I just held my head up high and walked out the door. I didn’t have any idea any of this would happen afterwards. I had a great relationship with a lot of guys there and it obviously paid off in the end.

Obviously, it must have been hard to make the final decision to retire, but when did you see that decision beginning to loom over your playing career? I read a previous article reporting the injury started with a tackle when you were 15.

I left Burnley in the beginning of last season, and I came home. I saw several doctors, and they were all saying pretty much the same thing regarding my knee and my future. At that point, my knee was bothering me during normal preseason workouts, so at that point I started to worry. When it was hurting as much as it did just jogging, I didn’t know if any number of surgeries was going to fix it. It did start with a tackle, but then it was just wear and tear that was affecting it. It was definitely a really hard decision. I saw a lot of doctors before making the final decision, and they all recommended the same thing, which was that I should sesriously consider stopping playing. Even if I had an operation and continued playing, they were telling me that it would only be a matter of time before I would need another one to fix it again. I didn’t really want to deal with all of that. I want to be somewhat comfortable when I’m older, so while it was difficult, I think it was the smartest decision to make.

How does the knee feel now? I’d guess you’re still pretty active.

Unfortunately, right now I don’t have any cartilegde on the inside of my knee. So I can’t run; I cant do much for more – I cant walk for more than 15 minutes without it really bothering me. I need to have one more operation definitely to fix everything that was left untouched that needed to be fixed. Hopefully after that I will get back something close to normal activity. I wont be able to run around on pavement by any means, but job on grass hopefully and do some bike riding without it being a nuisence.

This is a bit from left field, but now I’m curious, how does your insurance work in that regard? The injury was obviouysly sports related, does a former club help you out? are you out on your own, or maybe you have new insurance with the scouting position?

It’s funny you ask that, because I’ve been fighting for the last year since I came home to get full coverage. Because when I moved to England the insurance companies here in the US didn’t believe or they just thought I went to England and wasn’t insured for 4 years. So I’ve had to fight with the insurance company here to get in touch with the company that insured me while I was in England to finally figure out that I was covered and everything. I’ve obviously seen a lot of doctor’s since I have been home, and the bills were starting to pile up. But everything is fine now, so its good news.

One antecdote that I read about you that I wanted to get you to tell was about how you announced your retirement on your Facebook page.

(laughing) you know, I used Facebook like everybody else, and around the time when I did decide to stop playing I had a lot of people asking me what my soccer plans were. I had a lot of friends who always sent me messages asking me how things were, what team I was going to sign with or whatever, so I figured I would just write a note to my friends so no one would feel left out of the loop. It was just for my friends, I never knew it would blow up like it did. Some of my facebook friends are Burnley fans or Arsenal fans, so I guess someone took it and placed it on a blog somewhere and the next day I had something like 10,000 friend requests and all of these messages, sympathetic messages, which were really nice, but I didn’t see that coming. My meaning of writing the Facebook note was not for that all. And maybe the funniest thing was that almost none of my friends read it. Now I tell people how Facebook is going to revolutionize the world. You can now announce your retirement there and everybody will eventually figure it out.

I say kind of the same thing of sports journalism, in that players can start there own website for Facebook page, and cut out the journalists who for a big part of their job are doing little more than copying down quotes. Now the celebs can go straight to their fans, like Tiger or Barry Bonds do sometimes, and maybe even make some money themselves doing it.

Exactly. My experience with that was wild. I tend to think its changing things for the better, but maybe I’m wrong.

You were discovered by Arsenal at the Adidas Elite Soccer Program. Opening up the scouting discussion, can you tell me that story and now looking back on it as an Arsenal scout, what you think from seeing this rare action from both sides?

When I was at ESP, my coach used to play for Arsenal, Paul Mariner. He is now the assistant coach for the New England Revolution. I guess I did well enough to impress him, and it somehow, through him or someone else, got back to Arsenal. The chief scout from Arsenal came over just to see me that week. And now looking back, I guess if a kid does well, I am that guy now. I want to be aware of it, so I could potentially bring him over to England.

Were you aware the Arsenal scout was coming to look at you?

I had no idea, but all the coaching staff at ESP is exceptional. They have all had decorated careers, and a lot of them played in World Cups and for big clubs in Europe, so I knew those would be the right people to impress. And Paul Mariner, throughout the week, kept asking me, “if kids your age got offered contracts to go play over in England, would they take it?” I was like, I don’t know about them, but I definitely would. By the end of the week – I won the ‘golden boot’ – and by that time Mariner told me to be prepared because Arsenal were going to call me.

Maybe it goes without saying, but what was your reaction to that little tidbit?

I didn’t know. Probably ecstasy. I didn’t have a clue what was going on. I just had the week of my life at ESP. I was on the wait list actually, and they called me the day before to travel down to Wilmington, North Carolina, where the program was being held that year. I remember them giving a presentation in the beginning about how they were going to give out two ‘golden boots’ at the end of the week. They showed us the trophies and I was like, one lucky kid is going to get that man. It’d be really nice to be that kid. But I didn’t have a clue things would pan out like they did. So when I won it, and they told me Arsenal wanted to talk to me, it was just unbelievable.

Can you name the players in front of “an awesome store in Northern Ireland”?

And now you have the opportunity to give that feeling to another kid. Have you had the chance to do that yet? I know you have only been on the job since March of this year.

I haven’t had the chance to bring anyone over yet, but I’ve watched a lot of kids and spoken to several. It is nice seeing the kids – and I’m not the type of person who is like you need to respect me because what I have done – but its nice to see a kid when I am speaking to him he is all ears and wants to know anything and everything about the training ground or what it’s like to see Thierry Henry and that kind of stuff, so it’s a cool job potentially being able to change a kid’s future and maybe possibly fulfill his dreams.

Was the scout offer as surprising as the offer you got as a player? The reality of that tandem is just kind of mind boggling to me, even knowing a lot of former players go on to scouting or coaching positions.

I had decided to stop playing in February, and I was still going to gym everyday to try to keep my knee as strong as I could. I was actually about to drive to Virginia Tech to apply to go to college. So I was back home, at the gym, and my cell phone rang with an English number. I was thinking, this is probably important because I didn’t know why anyone from England would be calling me. I took the call, and Steve Rowley asked, saying he had spoken to several people; he had spoken to Arsene Wenger, and we decided that if you would like to take it up, the job was as a scout in North America. That was it. He said that I could think about it and get back to them. So I told my parents and quickly said yes.

Is it a fulltime job?

Yes. I cover Mexico, the United States, and Canada, so there always seems to be something going on in my territory. It’s a lot of ground to cover.

With the varying schedules of leagues, clubs, and tournaments, from MLS on down, the entire calendar is potentially full for you.

Exactly. Whether it’s MLS, the Mexican League, youth tournaments or things like the U20 World Cup that I went to, there is always something going on. In the winter time, it will all move to Florida, so December is actually a really busy month for me.

Without sharing any trade secrets, what are you looking for in a player? Anything that might surprise?

One of the most important things – you’re going to laugh – is that they need to have a passport, some European blood, because its really hard to get a work and play permit right now in England. So aside from them being good players, it’s a big big plus if they have a parent of grandparent who is able to acquire a European passport. On the playing side of things, most of the people who watch Arsenal play can tell it’s a pretty attractive brand of soccer. Players are comfortable on the ball, they pass well, they’re all relatively quick. Everyone not only is not only gifted physically, but they have everything upstairs too. The players mentally are as quick as they are physically. That’s extremely important at Arsenal. If you watch Cesc Fabregas, that kid’s mind works a million times faster than a lot of people’s does, and that’s what makes him such a good player. Atititude is also a big thing at Arsenal. If there are a good player but they are a jerk on or off the field, than you can find someone just as good who is a nice guy. That’s huge.

Do you get specific directives from the home office about players or are you largely on your own?

It depends. I work off of tips from London when my boss calls me and wants me to check out a specific player, but I also have started to form a huge contact base around the country, be it agents or people who are close to the game and going to things I don’t have the time to go to. Obviously I have agents calling all the time telling me they have the next Ronaldinho and all that, so it’s a matter of figuring out who is the reliable source.

A good player is a good player, but do you look to fill positional needs?

You know, if its needed, and they tell me to look for it, than I do, but if a player is good, you know, competition at spots is always good, so even if we had 100 midfielders and I find a kid who is just as good if not better, there is no problem sending him over.

Are you the lone North American Scout for Arsenal? Was there someone who held that position before you?

It’s just me. There were people before me that helped out, like a Paul Mariner, but officially, I’m the first.

Danny and his buddy Keith at Buckingham Palace

Are there other fulltime foreign scouts in the U.S.? I know at Major League Baseball games, there is a whole section of scouts from competing teams looking at games and players. Is there an atmosphere like that for soccer?

I don’t think so. Not that I’ve seen out. Every now and then I will see someone representing another club, but that is usually at youth tournaments where lots of games are going on, so you walk around and watch what you want to watch. It’s different than maybe another sport where its more concentrated a one stadium or something. It’s interesting though, when I go to MLS games. Sometimes I have to fend for myself to get into the stadium and when I do there is no specific area. Usually if I get a seat, that’s great, if people will let me sit down. But I don’t think there are many guys like me. It’s not like I see the same people on a regular basis.

That begs the question about how serious EPL teams are looking at American players. Any insight there you can share? Is there a new seriousness evolving?

I think there is. When I was there Frankie Simek was the captian of the reserve team and I played left back, and we used to joke that half the backline for the Arsenal Reserve team was American. I think people in England are starting to realize that the U.S., Mexico, and even Canada are untapped resources. Especially in the U.S., the thing that is so attractive is that they are contracted to anyone.

Just the fact that you have this official position speaks volumes as well.

Oh yeah. Exactly. Soccer in this country is growing at a pretty fast rate. And there is more worldly awareness when it comes to that. I can just tell from how things have changed when I was 13, 14, and traveling around to these same tournaments, and now I go, its way bigger, there is way more teams, the competition is bigger and more intense. Dallas, for instance, has like 60 clubs in the area. It’s Phenominal. There is just bound to be someone who is good here.

Would you say you spend more time with youth clubs or professional clubs in terms of scouting talent?

Probably with the youth soccer. The player has to be pretty exceptional if he is already in MLS. If he is there, he is usually older and is going to have to be really exceptional to come over and play for Arsenal. But if you can find a youth player, 14, 15, 16, 17, and bring them over, well then you can really put the whole arsenal method into him at a young age. If a guy can come over and play right off on the first team, that’s great, but that is going to really rare. The kids in England start training full time when they are 16, so if you wait until you are 19 until you come over to England, you are already three years behind in the system. It’s really difficult to catch up.

Including your own playing experience, have you noticed a big difference by the training in England and America?

Well, the geography of our country makes development difficult. In England, you have major clubs playing other major clubs separated by short distances. Here, you may have a six-hour drive or even more to the nearest quality opponent, be it a MLS side or elite youth team. unfortunately, that hurts, and all the good players want to play on the best team, so they all converge on that one team, and that kills competition between teams. I think the new academy league they are starting will help, hopefully. Bradenton is great, but that’s 40 kids, but that’s it. This academy league idea will allow more players a chance at something like that. I think we are headed in the right direction, but we just need to find the thing that works. What works in England, may not be what is best for America. Like I said, I was on the wait-list to go to ESP, so I know something about falling through the cracks. And I know there are kids that aren’t going to be on the national teams or at ESP-type programs that maybe are right for Arsenal. So my eyes are open.

It’s been a wild ride for you so far, and you’re just 23. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

That’s an interesting question for me because I usually don’t know where I am going to be one week from now. I would love to really establish myself in my job and be somewhat respected in this part of the world as a guy who is doing a good job and finding kids no one has ever heard of and getting them over to England, playing for Arsenal. That’s any scout’s main goal I guess, and by then people will start to realize that the U.S. has talent that can hold up in England and elsewhere. It’s mathematically impossible for there not to be some awesome talent in this country, even if you just look at the athletes we produce in other sports. Just one of those kids has to play soccer instead, and he could be a world class player.

How much time do you spend on the road scouting?

I usually will be at home for a week and then on the road for 4 or 5 days before coming back. Sometimes I’ll fly out for one game and come right home. It just depends what’s going on.

Is Roanoke your home base?

Right now it is, but I think I’m moving to Charlotte next year, just to have a bigger airport to fly out of. And I have some friends down there. When I came home from England, I was living with my parents in Roanoke, figuring out what I wanted to do. I was going to go to Virginia Tech as I mentioned, which is right down the road from us, and then Arsenal called. The Roanoke airport is really annoying. Every flight gets delayed or cancelled. I love the South and its only three hours from home, so Charlotte is probably it. I could do D.C. as well, though it’s a bit hectic and I’d rather not deal with that.

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