Eric Lichaj
Eric Lichaj in 2011
Eric Joseph Lichaj ( born November 17, 1988 in Downers Grove, Illinois) is an American football player. Lichaj is currently at Nottingham Forest under contract.
Due to the origin of his parents, he is also in possession of Polish citizenship
Career
Association
His parents Stan and Ann Lichaj are of Polish descent. Lichaj played in the IMG Soccer Academy and one year for the North Carolina Tar Heels, the team from the University of North Carolina. He also starred in four games for Chicago Fire Premier in the USL Premier Development League in the square.
In 2007 he signed a contract with the English club Aston Villa. Lichaj did not need a work permit because he also had a Polish passport and thus took no non-EU foreigners space. However, he played in the first two years only in the reserve team. When Peace Cup 2009, first drew attention to himself; Aston Villa won the competition. Since he could not collect otherwise acting experience, he was in October 2009 to the end of the year in the Football League Two at Lincoln City FC borrowed. After the end of the loan period he was awarded during the season for a second time, this time in March 2010 at Leyton Orient. In this club, he scored 17 April 2010 against Stockport County 's first goal.
After the end of the season he returned to Aston Villa. On July 19, in a friendly against Peterborough United, he scored his first goal for Villa. After a successful preparation Lichaj signed on August 11, a new three-year contract. On August 19, he graduated as part of the UEFA Europa League qualifier against SK Rapid Wien his first competitive game. However, he had to wait until November 10 until he could make his first Premier League game against FC Blackpool.
On February 9, 2011, he was loaned for one month at Leeds United. He made his debut a little later in a league match against Bristol City. On March 14, Aston Villa extended his loan period from the rest of the season. In a game against the rivals Sheffield United, he scored an own goal. After a total of 16 league inserts Lichaj completed his last game for Leeds on May 9 against Queens Park Rangers. Later, it was announced on the website of Leeds United that he would return to Aston Villa at the end of the loan period. In July, Leeds coach Simon Grayson Lichaj sat committed again to commit loan. But this lending transaction did not materialize and so Lichaj came to several stakes in the Premier League and also scored one goal in the League Cup against Hereford United and in the Premier League at the 2:4 defeat against Chelsea on 31 March 2012.
On June 19, 2013 Lichaj has signed a two -year contract at Nottingham Forest.
National
Lichaj played for various youth teams and should be nominated for the Junior World Cup in Peru in 2005, but he said because of an injury from the short term.
In June 2009 he took part as a guest player during the week-long training camp of the national football team of the United States in Miami, with which he was preparing for the World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Honduras. On 12 October 2010 he made his debut in the U.S. national soccer team against Colombia. In spring 2011, was nominated for the cadres of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2011, where he graduated four games.
Achievements
- Peace Cup: 2009