Brad Guzan returned to the U.S. a disappointed but not necessarily dejected goalkeeper on the day he was denied a work permit that allow him to complete a $4 million transfer from Chivas USA of MLS to Aston Villa of the English Premier League. "I remember sitting on the plane on the way back thinking how great it would have been," the 23-year-old tells Jack Bell of the New York Times. "But then I realized I was going back to a great club and great teammates. Now, I'm just trying to put it behind me."

It was always going to be difficult for Guzan to get an English work permit -- an unyielding process requiring foreigners to have played in at least 75 percent of their country's international matches in the previous year. With Everton's Tim Howard ahead of him in the national team pecking order, Guzan was lucky to make five appearances for the U.S. in 2007. Even so, Aston Villa officials were confident they could persuade England's bureaucrats to grant Guzan an exemption, an attempt that ultimately failed.

"It was definitely a disappointment because it would have been a great opportunity to go over there and continue my career," the Chivas USA goalkeeper said. His next opportunity for a European transfer will be this summer, but for now, Guzan says that the next four or five months belong to Chivas. "If something comes up in the summer, I'll look at it, but at the same time, I'm not going to get sidetracked," he said.

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